A stroll along and by north watercourse dirt road.

Cute little discovery.. on a prickly leaved shrub out in the open near the north valley watercourse found this feather, iridescent on top half- unfortunately the pic doesn't show how much.. around sunset, but the hues gave it away as that of a male sunbird. I saved the feather

I returned to the green shrub which I thought might be another species of Eryngium and now am more sure given the form of the flowerhead buds, and spines about, some with two spines at the base just like the blue variety (which was Eryngium creticum). I don't find a match for this one though. Whole cluster head less than 1 cm across, this is magnified.

I was also determined to find the prickly shrub with the star shaped 'flowers' and found it with Akiva's help but it was not quite as I'd expected. It was clearly restharrow, Ononis, some of the pink pea like flowers were still blooming but it seems the star is left after the flower has finished.

This bug was scampering quickly on the sidewalk on our way out of the neighbourhood, running so fast the ground beneath is a blur. Looks like a beetle but is in fact a Heteropteran, (different order) no idea which.

First birds today: 5.05 a.m. Hooded crow caws.

5.09 a.m. bulbul from another garden, joined by 'our' bulbul at ~5.15 am

5.25 am musical calls from sunbird.. (song heard later.. early afternoon. )

house sparrows and laughing doves chimed in soon after.

Gazelle: No luck today. Hyrax: A couple scampering over the rocks for cover at Shadiker colony.

Bee-eaters: calls heard. I didn't notice any calls at 5.30 ish this morning.. that's a change.

Hobbies: Very nice views of one circling over north valley watercourse, close to where it emerges to open field. Also circled over the road, must get telephoto, great sight! We tried pics but didn't come out satisfactorily. A second bird emerged from trees to south and made a few passes, then flew south into pines and soon after heard shrill calls.

Blackbirds: Some alarm calls in the woods. No song last few days.

Collared doves: Some activity. Eurasian Jays: some calls.

Graceful warblers: some calls. Jackdaws: calls, then flock of 50 flew over A Ram and continued south.

Hooded crows: much cawing before and around dawn. House sparrows:about houses
Hoopoe: seen flying from bat cave area to pines by dirt road, husband noticed foraging on ground by rocks

Laughing doves: around buildings as usual. Stone curlews: need to confirm with husband.

Syrian woodpeckers: some calls.

Weather: today's range : 18.75-25 degrees Celsius. ( 65.75 - 77 degrees F)
Time of walk: ~7 p.m. 23 degrees C (73.4 degrees F), 12-16 kt, westerlies, humidity ~70%