Brief Wednesday report.

Today at about 7 p.m. summer time we headed down central trail towards the east valley dirt road via the ruins, then up the shepherd's trail to the lower slopes of windsurfer hill to look out for gazelle. We spooked two, looked like mother and well grown young - they headed off right around the western slopes of the hill. There was a fresh cool breeze roughly from the south west and as I faced into it, saw these cumulus blowing up over the hill. Husband mentioned it actually drizzled this morning, rare for July. Otherwise warm and sunny.
Calls of stone curlews somewhere in the field.

After scanning the olive grove and hills around it we headed over and north to the dirt road that leads over windsurfer hill and down to the cistern area, pines on the left, mostly cypress on the right. Also noticed there a thorny burnet exposed at the base showing a short central thicker trunk, like a little tree.

Below, a salmon coloured lichen found on many of the rocks

Bee-eaters: calls of a flock active somewhere over the woods. Blackbirds: some alarm calls.

Collared doves, foraging on ground by bunker area.
Eurasian Jays: some active. Prince doing well, shows no fear of us at all, never really did, and now does not try to peck when hand in cage.

Graceful warblers: calls. Greenfinches: chaw and other calls in bunker area just after sunset

Hooded crows: some about, flying to roost, but quiet, low profile today.

House sparrows:about houses, also near Shadiker hyrax colony, small flock foraging at forest edge.

Laughing doves: active foraging in pairs by street, crumb corner, cooing in the garden.

Sunbirds: some calls in the morning. Syrian woodpeckers: calls betw eucalyptus grove and Pistacio orchard.

White spectacled Bulbuls: calls from garden from about 5.15 ish give or take.