Gazelles: none in the last few days though fresh droppings seen in various places.
hyrax: Plenty activity above ground today inluding lots of babies, and they were climbing into cypress tree lower branches and nibbling in them, sentries on guard on various rocks by valley road
reptiles: large tortoise spotted plodding quite quickly across valley road towards forest, stopped by the aromatic scrub. I showed it to a group of girls that happened to be passing and they were instantly highly intrigued!
Most notable bird today, masked shrike, Lanius nubicus one sighted on a branch just across path from the cistern but calls heard from four different directions at once so quite a few about apart from at least two other birds heard along the dry stream trail
Most notable bird today, masked shrike, Lanius nubicus one sighted on a branch just across path from the cistern but calls heard from four different directions at once so quite a few about apart from at least two other birds heard along the dry stream trail
Bee-eaters- not for a few days, Turtle doves- quiet
Hobbies- nice view of one soaring up on a thermal high over the valley, shortly after we saw one messing with the jackdaws again above windsurfer hill, is this aggressive behaviour or are they all just playing?
House sparrows:chirping more about the houses, flock in some trees settling down to roost, much contact calls.
laughing doves: picking on the ground in crumb corner by our street
Hooded crows: heard calling, and some seen about, over windsurfer hill
Jackdaws: heard calling, flock up on windsurfer hill
Eurasian Jays: calls and singles seen throughout the pine woods
Feral pigeons: in flight and around buildings
Greenfinches: Foraging in the branches of pines by bunker rubble
Blackbirds: some mild alarm calls in the pines more towards valley road
Collared doves: quiet but heard clapping wings up in eucalyptus and other trees along the dry stream trail
Stone curlews: vocal just beyond north end of trees as dark began to fall
Sunbirds: song in Bauhinia mid day, squeaky calls. Also calls in various places in the woods.
Graceful warblers:some calls.
Syrian woodpeckers: Quiet today
White spectacled Bulbuls: Heard near pumping station
Great tits:heard in pines just off valley road by sapling field.
1 comment:
Hi, Gila,
I have been observing hobby falcon activity on my side of the valley for a week or two now. They have been out there every day. Right now there are four of them flying together, it's been for about an hour already. They have been circling the whole time, and their calls are quite distinctive. All the other birds are being careful not to go near them!
I have never seen this kind of falcon near my house before now, usually I think we have had kestrels. I guess these have moved in to the neighborhood!
Susan Lewis
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