Sept

5th Sept

hyrax nursing young on rock the other day, quite well grown, wondered if she made it deliberately difficult for them because she wanted to wean them

sunbird singing in the garden lately, flocks of finches about, green? Can't tell Syrian woodpeckers and the black capped Eurasian jays vocal and active, a few hoopoe sightings, several gazelle sightings and today several SCORE big brown jobs came drifting over north valley watercourse from the north east late afternoon, coming down into the pines to roost, probably part of the seasonal honey buzzard migration.

6th Sept

at least 12 gazelle in east field and Pistacias.. two groups of six, one in lower , other farther south area, lots of hyrax at the Shadiker colony including young, flock of several dozen honey buzzards sailing over to the south about sunset, jays, syrian woodpeckers, bulbuls and such, and turtle doves, 2 chillin' on the line as usual over most SW pines

stonechats back! at least two calling in east field

19th Sept

Quite a few masked shrike heard calling lately , forest edge land between shaft and look out corner, just calls, no visuals.

Usual birds but relatively quiet, the doves and greenfinches have stopped vocalizing.  Prinias still vocal as are jays and Syrian woodpeckers, some calls of great tits occasional, also occasional blackbird chakchak towards dusk.

chukar heard somewhere out north of north watercourse yesterday.  Lately including today swallows noticed zipping through.

bats noticed lately over valley road, occasional gazelle sightings, today female middle east woods, yesterday buck, female and young grazing in Pistacias which are turning red.  Hyraxes on rocks by roadside.

22nd Sept

Most notable, by NE picnic corner area of valley road, nice view flyover nightjar at dusk.  Apart from that, some activity adult hyraxes both sides of road, blackbird chacking settling down to roost over towards sapling field, hoodies returning to roost.  Earlier, jackdaw and syrian woodpecker calls,  sunbird singing in garden towards midday.

24th Sept

about midday.. couple dozen or more white storks seen circling high over edge neighbourhood about midday. On walk, about a dozen bee-eaters calling flying quite low over neighbourhood late afternoon heading north west, Eurasian jays glimpsed, lark calls, near north watercourse open, blackbird chaks woods down from valley road, bulbul calls from bank, and great tit calls, Syrian woodpecker and brief hobby calls, jackdaws and hoodies

end September... regular sunbird calling in garden.. rainfall on and off on 29th.  Ring neck parakeets visiting garden early mornings lately, lark calls by north watercourse in open,  jackdaw, hoodie calls, jays in woods.

Gecko calling outside window.

August cont'd

Sunday 12 August

lots of hyrax scampering about and vocal today, colony by valley road.. also Shadiker colony has been active lately.. .. hobby call in the cypress by bat cave, Syrian woodpeckers in the eucalyptus, great tits in the Pistacias, bee-eaters about, calls of hoodies, jackdaws, all the doves: feral pigeon, laughing doves about street and gardens, , collared and turtle doves on line in valley, Prinia calls and in the garden, sparrows, sunbirds and bulbuls as usual.

Blue skies. temps upper 20s during walk, peaked at about 32 degrees C earlier, humidity over 60% and rising.

Perseid meteor showers.. Avremi saw one from the garden last night, Akiva saw a bright green one this (sunday) evening

Monday 13 August

watched two kestrels gliding about together over to the east, over bipass road then heading up over Hizmeh, several gazelle including the Pistacia family, (buck, female, young) , at least three more foot north east slopes of windsurfer hill, also a female near north watercourse, lots of hyraxes about by valley road, great tit family foraging in Pistacias, calls of Syrian woodpeckers various parts of woods around look-out, various doves on lines, collared, prob turtle but no cooing, bee-eater calls heard on and off since we left the house, cicadas in the Pistacias, and lots of oriental hornets about. Geckoes also heard around building lately.

Lady living in the street (daughter of Basha Zusman) noticed in old city geckoes on walls facing down watching.. if saw cockroach would run down and bite head.

Saturday 25th August

Relatively quiet today.. Hoodies active as usual, quite a bit of hyrax activity by valley road today and lately. Eurasian jay calls heard but nothing from woodpeckers or bee-eaters. Greenfinches and collared doves also quiet. Some collared dove calls in last week but no turtle doves. Glimpses of sparrowhawks lately including today over east watercourse.

Carline thistle and thin safflower still blooming, some Polygonum near beginning of valley road near fig tree, probably getting effluent. Around there also on banks around and below Shadiker and other places, Inula starting to bloom. Still some shrubby restharrow flowers out and by east watercourse dirt road a late blooming thistle with small lilac blooms and olive green foliage, spiny spear like leaves.

Akiva noticed bird running in open space by road in north, from description, cream coloured courser. They also saw pied and white breasted kingfishers in Park HaYarden area as well as cattle egrets.

Black kite over Malkishua, Gilboa area.

August

The owl found by route 90 on wed 8th, just north of Fatsael

Wed August 1st

peaked at about 35 degrees C mid afternoon, still low 30s time of walk, humidity betw 20,30% most of day. easterlies shortly after noon, otherwise light southerlies, westerlies, north westerlies.

House sparrows -relatively quiet today ; laughing doves -some coos, gardens ; bulbuls- calls edge of neighbourhood, bank area; sunbirds-quiet today; jackdaws-the large flock foraging and on the move over valley, some calls; hooded crows- singles, pairs about but relatively quiet; feral pigeons-roof tops, flying about edge neighbourhood, over valley in small groups; syrian woodpeckers- multiple calls in woods; Eurasian jays-some activity; greenfinches- not noticed; great tits- some calls various places; bee-eaters- calls of hawking groups over; hoopoes-one on north watercourse dirt road near shaft; chukar partridges-none noticed; hobbies-call area of trees by bat cave; collared doves-some coos and on wire; turtle doves-some coos and on wire; graceful warblers-calls heard; Tristram's starlings-none

gazelle- at least 5 females, well grown young, north west slopes of windsurfer, 4 adult males strolling ahead of us on north watercourse dirt road.. when they became aware of us (we were downwind, so most likely by sound) they headed across the watercourse towards pines on other side
hyraxes-active and vocal by valley road.

Thurs 2nd August

A few degrees cooler than yesterday with nice breeze coming from west/north west

House sparrows - calls, street, gardens ; laughing doves -coos and about street ; bulbuls- calls, street, gardens, ; sunbirds- Akiva heard earlier, gardens ; jackdaws- large flock heading from Adam towards windsurfer towards sunset, 150- 200 birds; hooded crows- a few scattered, active vocal, foraging on north hillsides as usual in last few days; feral pigeons- roof tops, flying about over edge neighbourhood as usual; syrian woodpeckers- calls in pines various places in valley; Eurasian jays- some sightings and calls; greenfinches- none noticed ; great tits- calls, Pistacia orchard, other parts of valley; blackbird- none noticed ;bee-eaters- calls a number of times, dawn and late afternoon over valley, over 25 on lines lower north hill slopes; hoopoes-pair on dirt road near cistern; chukar partridges- none; hobbies- none; collared doves- brief view pair in flight? ; turtle doves-coos and pair on line; graceful warblers- calls; Tristram's starlings- none, Masked shrike? , glimpse near where north watercourse dirt road meets central trail. Ring neck parakeets, heard gardens about dawn.

gazelle- at least two females lower north hill slopes up from bat cave, crows on ground all around. 3 in Pistacia orchard, female with two young of different ages.

Friday and Shabbat, August 3rd, 4th

bulbuls and sunbirds heard in garden last couple of days.. spraying on tomatoes has caused a veritable jungle, the rest of the garden full of garden purslane, black nightshade producing a mulititude of berries the hens like, and mostly goosefoot with Ailanthus and another similar tree growing up in a couple of corners. The Bauhinia definitely had a much better year than last year with many beans coming ripe and splitting after dark.
House sparrows, laughing dove coos, feral pigeons about the buildings.

congregations of jackdaws and hoodies on the hillsides both below the little owl road and on the north slopes, foraging in the ground for whatever.. grasshoppers?

The most bee-eaters I've seen this season over and around look out corner area.. scores, not sure how many, Akiva estimated well over 100, I saw fewer, maybe 80 ish.. at one stage they were all flying in a panic from a couple of raptors in the area.. but we didn't get good views of those, too quick.. larger ones, though, broader winged than hobbies.

collared doves cooing, bird on line looked like turtle from distance but didn't hear their coos or see any hoopoes today.. not sure about greenfinches but did hear Prinias and great tits, Syrian woodpeckers, and Eurasian jays active and vocal.

Sunday 5 August

just after 6 p.m. temp about 26 degrees C, humidity ~60% & rising, light north westerlies.

Bee-eaters heard over valley this afternoon and also about dawn from house, lots of sunbird activity today in a variety of places from garden to woods, 2 gazelle, females, grazing north field, hyraxes vocal and active by valley road, collared dove by look out corner, turtle dove was on ground hoopoe stretch, then flew to east watercourse trees, laughing doves garden coos, jackdaws vocal active valley and rooftops, watched one hop down from solar boiler when hoodie wanted that perch, hoodies, syrian woodpeckers calls and active, Eurasian jay sapling field area, Prinias calls, great tit call. Bulbul calls garden from before dawn on and off, house sparrow activity, feral pigeons, small group flying over valley to neighbourhood, all light, might belong to a coop.

Monday 6 August

Most notable sighting today was european goldfinch in top of eucalyptus at look out corner late afternoon.. heard twitterings.. saw one on top, then a short while later saw one farther down, one on top gone.. couldn't know if second bird but they usually travel in small groups of up to 30 so prob more about esp judging by the twittering.
bulbuls active and vocal, as were syrian woodpeckers but heard no Prinias or jays and blackbirds are really keeping a low profile. No raptors either, though, of course, jackdaws and hoodies in evidence, foraging on hillsides, flying over, some calls. Feral pigeons over, house sparrows street and gardens as usual.

great tits foraging in Pistacia, adult male gazelle on hill up from bat cave, Hyrax calls, high pitched chittering from bank by valley road.

Tuesday 7 Aug

Over 32 degrees at peak, still just over 30 on our walk,
four gazelle in various places, onehorn and a kid edge of young pines by service road, another female just up from the bat cave and another mature female up on windsurfer upper SW slopes, Hyrax calling their barky chittery call up on the rocky slopes,

great tits in the Pistacias, calls,bulbuls and sunbirds in the garden, jays and woodpeckers about, grey falcon, probably one of the local hobbies, lots of jackdaws and hoodies as usual, ring neck parakeet heard earlier, bee-eaters about, calling and flying over the valley esp about dawn and again late afternoon.

Again, no Prinias, hoopoes noticed, nor the valley doves today.

Wednesday 8 August

Reached mid 30s in Jerusalem, mid 40s in valley.

Not long before noon, top of post outside army base just up from Jordan valley, not far from Maaleh Gilboa, perhaps at natural sea level mystery bird I can't find yet in book.. dark mask through eye prominent but cap grey, not crested, underside whitish, yellowish upper breast. Primaries black, coverts grey with dark bar going back down diagonally, tail long and dark. shrikish/cuckooish in jizz. perhaps a little heavier than great spotted cuckoo.

swallows seen betw valley and Malkishua. there: many bulbuls, some greenfinches,

also seen, egret by date grove in Jordan valley, also found dead (little?) owl by road (pic above)

jackdaws, hooded crows, feral pigeons, laughing doves, house sparrows, kestrel on line? collared doves, turtle doves, many around agricultural parts of valley? graceful warblers

Camel 'spiders' (Solifuga arachnids) reported at Malkishua and at Shira's base but found none, no doubt in deep in cool dark places under the buildings probably, during the heat of the day.

2nd half July

One of a number of Lacerta lizards noticed lately, scurrying across trail. This one was at NW corner of valley road.

Injured hyrax by valley road.. probably had been in a fight. Unfortunately we did not have the means/facilities to catch and care for it.

Monday 16th July

Temp upper 20s, light north westerlies, humidity 40-50%

Several gazelle.. 3 relatively young crossed central trail, heading towards east watercourse, other just up from bat cave.

Lots of crows on hillside up from bat cave, prob hoodies and jackdaws, both about buildings also. Chukar and hobby calls heard from that direction.

Turtle doves cooing, one whole amorous display to female in pine branches, collared doves by contrast quite quiet recently, some coos. laughing doves still cooing. Feral pigeons about.

graceful warblers vocal, active.. greenfinches not started up when we were down there but have been twittering late afternoon most afternoons. Eurasian jays active and vocal esp. hoopoe stretch. 1 hoopoe seen over road near shaft, flew into pines. Syrian woodpecker calls.

bee-eaters about, flock flew over from neighbourhood to valley as we were going down, approaching 50, later seen assembling on lines near service road, and taking off to fly quite high over north fields.

also neighbourhood: house sparrows, several sunbirds in Bauhinia , saw one individual pecking from bean, sharp call, almost squeak, bulbul calls later from local gardens.

Tuesday 18th July

gardens: bulbul calls from shortly after 5 a.m. later, house sparrows, laughing dove coos, jackdaw calls from farther off. Feral pigeons active around edge of neighbourhood.
valley: around cistern area.. bee-eaters, Syrian woodpecker calls, greenfinch calls, Prinia calls, turtle dove and collared dove coos, chukar partridge calls from saddle
watercourse area.

large salmon arab butterfly in rubble area vegetation near cistern.

Wednesday 19th July

Highest temps I've known in Jerusalem, almost 39 degrees at peak.. early afternoon, today, humidity down around 30%, north easterlies. still over 31 at 8.30 p.m. I remember it reaching 38 a few years ago, and it hits 36/37 several times each summer, but I don't remember it ever being this high.

bird activity quite high at around 6.30 p.m. .. family of chukar partridges across north watercourse making much fuss, probably because of an approaching cat.. syrian woodpeckers, jays, blackbirds, all active, foraging, not singing though.. (jackdaws and hooded crows about, bulbuls, laughing doves, house sparrows, feral pigeons about houses as usual,) bulbuls in acacias by north watercourse , greenfinches also vocal and active along north watercourse, trail down to there.. hoopoe ground and lower acacia, graceful warblers vocal

Thursday 19th July

gardens: House sparrows, laughing doves, bulbuls, calls and coos
jackdaws, frequent calls today, hooded crows, latter on buildings, also about 60 on ground on rocks by foot of two pylons, open north field, again, just sitting there doing nothing in particular.

feral pigeons - on top of buildings and flying about; syrian woodpeckers - active and vocal in various parts of pine forest and eucs, Eurasian jays - active and some calls, greenfinches - twitters around look out corner area, bee-eaters - about cistern, at least a dozen on the dirt road by cistern, most just squatting in the dirt, a few noticed mud bathing, chukars, some calls? collared doves - some coos, turtle doves - some coos, graceful warblers - some calls, ,
gazelle, 4 , 1 male, 2 females and a young in Pistacia grove, hyraxes - several youngsters scampering over boulders down from ramp to neighbourhood

Saturday 21st July

House sparrows - gardens, laughing doves - street, gardens, coos, noticed one display flight over street, bulbuls - quite vocal in garden on friday early afternoon, sunbirds - calls in garden various kinds, seems like family reared in vicinity from the range of calls I've been hearing lately, jackdaws - flock, calls, hooded crows - congregation north hill slopes, flying about, feral pigeons over edge of neighbourhood, rooftops as usual, syrian woodpeckers - calls and active various parts of wood, Eurasian jays - calls and some activity, greenfinches - some twittering by look out corner, beeeaters - flock of 30 or so around cistern and fields, hobbies - brief call, collared doves - some coos, turtle doves - coos, not distinct, graceful warblers - calls and active by east watercourse,
gazelle, buck and a couple of others in Pistacia orchard
hyraxes, calls near valley road
agama lizard noticed climbing acacia trunk thursday.

22nd July
House sparrows- about houses, laughing doves - street and gardens, bulbuls - gardens, jackdaws- large flock east field, about 100 indivs, hooded crows - one sick or wounded by road up windsurfer, cypress stretch, others about, flying over, feral pigeons- street, syrian woodpeckers - very vocal, active, some squabbling, likely parents want young to move on, Eurasian jays - some activity, some calls, greenfinches - some twittering around bunker rubble pines, beeeaters - a number active over north field, cistern area, collared doves, turtle doves- about but relatively quiet, graceful warblers - some calls. Of extra note- blackcap ? song by top of trail heading down from north loop valley road to north watercourse dirt road.. song didn't sound like blackcap song I'm familiar with, pauses between repeated notes, though sounded Sylvid.. Akiva saw dark cap but briefly,
gazelle - 15 + east field, north field beyond almond trees, mostly females and well grown young but two adult males seen, one near olive grove, one farther south towards windsurfer ne slopes ,

23rd to 26th July
weather today (26) temps peaked low thirties, still about 30 at time of walk. humidity about 50% with minimum about 35 % late morning. winds mainly north westerly with swings to east earlier in the day
House sparrows: houses, street, also seen and heard foraging in Pistacia grove, laughing doves: street, bulbuls: trees on bank, variety of calls, gardens, sunbirds - north watercourse acacias heard, jackdaws: calls, flock about, hooded crows: numbers about, feral pigeons: roofs, flying about over valley, syrian woodpeckers: active and vocal in pine woods, Eurasian jays: vocal in pines, some activity, greenfinches: not so vocal this week, beeeaters: flock hawking over new sapling field by cistern, or flying about over valley higher, calling, hoopoes: couple of sightings on valley road, collared doves: some coos, some sightings several parts of valley, turtle doves: quiet this week , graceful warblers: active and vocal various places,
gazelle: today- couple of females open near shaft, north fields by north watercourse, adult male near east watercourse south of central trail,
hyraxes: active this week along valley road, group of youngsters regular around acacia by ramp up to neighbourhood.

26th July weather conditions similar, peaking just ovr 34 degrees C early afternoon

House sparrows - street, valley, relatively quiet lately, laughing doves - some coos gardens, bulbuls - vocal shortly after 5 am gardens, also bank area, jackdaws - flock over late afternoon, going on 100 indivs, heading south, noisy, returning from forage, hooded crows - active and vocal, indivs, pairs; feral pigeons - tops of buildings, flying over neighbourhood, syrian woodpeckers - active and vocal, Eurasian jays - some calls, greenfinches - in pines, some calls, not much, bee-eaters - 20 ish, cistern area, hawking high today late afternoon, , collared doves - some coos various parts of pine woods, turtle doves -some coos in pines, graceful warblers -active and vocal
gazelle - group of at least 12 mid east field betw dirt road up windsurfer and fence, females and well grown young , adult male in small olive grove, prob of small group in that area, the alpha male that attends the east field herd not seen. mother and young seen leaving Pistacia grove, possibly the olive grove male is the father of that one but cannot be sure, could be the larger horned male that usually found farther south east, has been seen to venture towards Pistacia so can't be ruled out.
hyraxes - bank area

end of July days:

House sparrows - street and edges of neighbourhood, and occasionally down around look out corner area and Pistacia grove; laughing doves-coos,street;bulbuls-gardens, bank area, some places in valley near watercourses;sunbirds-various calls in garden ;jackdaws- flocking over valley, regular flock of about 100birds foraging on hillside and flying over valley; hooded crows- street, valley, singles, pairs, small groups ; feral pigeons- rooftops, flying about edge of valley and over valley; syrian woodpeckers- many calls in the valley woods, various parts; Eurasian jays-some calls and activity in woods and small fields between;greenfinches-relatively quiet lately; bee-eaters- lots of activity, calls, hawking in various parts of valley, flock up to at least 40; hoopoes- occasional sightings, shaft to central trail stretch and valley road/bank stretch; chukar partridges-not in last few days; hobbies-occasional calls but activity down;collared doves- some cooing and sightings esp round shaft/central trail stretch, on lines; turtle doves-some coos and sightings;graceful warblers- active and vocal;Tristram's starlings-none in last few days. Great tits- calls in various parts of wood esp. off valley road towards pumping station and trail down from valley road to north watercourse.

glimpse of nightjar, by Akiva's description, brief flight between pines betw north watercourse dirt road and neighbourhood/Shadiker
gazelle- hyraxes-

First Half July

youngster of this year seen regularly in Pistacia orchard, lower east field up to small olive grove. Another, smaller youngster seen near bat cave.. and at least one more in north field this year.

July 1

upper 20s degrees C, feels like just over 30 degrees.

totally clear and light blue skies, a gibbous moon, bee-eaters, a hoopoe, turtle doves, a couple of gazelle in the Pistacia grove, greenfinches, hyraxes, Prinias, Syrian woodpeckers, took more pics of the St. John's wort, saw a really nice size skinny wasp on fennel, black with yellow highlights, I think it was Sceliphron spirifex, but very regretfully didn't manage to get a pic..

July 7

temp conditions as above over the last week.. light north westerly breezes, humidity just under or just over 50% on walk, rising in the afternoon.

turtle doves, cooing or foraging on ground, syrian woodpeckers vocal, active, some squabbles this past week, Prinias vocal esp down in fields around look out corner area, hoopoes regularly seen on stretch between shaft and look out corner, and also between cistern and pines, about half a dozen gazelle in several locations, hyraxes, a blackbird alarm call but not song in last few days, great tits about, foraging, some calls, juveniles growing well, greenfinches much twittering,

more St. John's wort, clump also by north watercourse, and the thin safflower (previously termed ''blue tuft thistle, Carthamus tenuis) and carline thistle Carlina curetum (yellow summer flowering thistle) in bloom in various places.. former open area greenfinch area and hoopoe stretch esp, latter, by east watercourse and valley road

young gazelle noticed in north field with mother a few days ago.. today male chasing another male, both good size, mature, to west by bat cave.. the one ahead mouth open breathing hard, one behind, mouth shut. Mother with well grown young betw. Pistacia and small olive grove, also an adult male over there.

No Dianthus at all for months noticed, looking out for it.

8th July

Spitting cucumber, Ecballium elaterium, noticed growing under trailer shul, flowers and some unripe pods.. had been growing on bank opposite but hadn't seen there for over a year..

Akiva noticed 12 Tristram's starlings passing over, strung out flock, apparently in pairs.. flying from east field area, over part of neighbourhood towards quarry, about 9 a.m.

short walk just down valley road late afternoon.. greenfinches about valley road, and gardens early morning, Syrian woodpeckers quite vocal, also Eurasian jays calls. Bulbuls, (starting up about 5.05 am lately) jackdaw calls, hooded crows, House sparrows, laughing doves, sunbird earlier?

Sick or hurt jay brought to us this afternoon, very weak, would hardly take water, put in cage in shady place in garden to protect from cats with some chicken fat and flesh to eat and bowl of water, tried with dropper to feed. Concern of West Nile Fever but you can't catch that directly from bird, only via infected mosquitoes.. no marks or exudations.. spread out wings in cage.. last time I touched it it raised crest but closed eyes.. if makes through the night I shall be surprised.

July 9th

Jay didn't make it:(

cicada in the garden, low pitch, on lines by lower pines at least 15 bee-eaters.. also collared doves, and some coos. Still coos from laughing doves but no turtle doves noted today.
Call from edge north field, black eared wheatear quality.
jackdaw flock, hooded crows.
one gazelle grazing by bat cave, quite a few hyraxes valley road near foot of ramp as usual.
greenfinches, house sparrows, feral pigeons. Great tits also heard. Bulbuls, sunbirds.

Tues July 1oth

15+ gazelle

1 adult male near trail down to north watercourse dirt road, females and well grown young in open by north watercourse, female and quite well grown young in Pistacia grove, moved out into lower east field, 7 more towards NE slopes windsurfer hill

hyraxes, bee-eaters perching in the eucs at look out corner and flying around that area, syrian woodpecker squabbles look out corner area, jays, greenfinches, some twittering, hoopoes at least 3 over fields near look out corner, from direction cistern, Prinias, calling in various places, a distant Buteo over hill ridge to NE, laughing, collared and turtle doves as well as cooing feral pigeons, all cooing, in their usual places, jackdaws, hoodies, bulbuls, sunbirds and sparrows.

11th July

quite a few gazelle, at least four females and well grown young grazing on upper north west slopes windsurfer hill, and lots of hyraxes active along valley road,
Syrian woodpeckers vocal, active, hoopoe flying over sapling field to pines across east valley, jay in pumphouse corner area, great tits, family in pine by valley road, greenfinches twitters in pines by valley road, ring neck parakeets between east valley and villa hill, Prinias, calls in east valley, blackbird call by valley road, hoodies, jackdaws, bulbuls, latter in garden, also pumphouse corner. ,
copper butterfly and Painted Lady (?) brief view, or one of that family.. on the thyme, western mid slopes windsurfer.

12th July

Female and young gazelle in the Pistacia orchard, young no horns, let us get within 50 yards without showing any fear, just grazed peacefully. Apart from this we also saw lots of bee-eaters swooping about and perching in the pines, at edge of rock flats by hoopoe stretch, hoopoes prob at least three in that vicinity, watched female greenfinches and young on thistles, hobby call from direction of bat cave, Prinias, turtle doves, collared dove coos near valley road, hyraxes. Sunbird near shaft/service road and also in gardens, bulbuls, house sparrows, jackdaws.. about 20-25 hoodies on rock up from bat cave just assembled on rocky flat, not foraging, not calling , just standing there for a while.. one flew to another rock a few metres away.. another two flew in from south east and joined them, then half flew off, rest just stayed there just standing doing nothing, not even preening.

14th July

bee-eaters by cistern landing on ground, about a dozen on the ground at a time.. hoopoes about on 'hoopoe stretch' (betw. shaft and junction of north watercourse dirt road with central trail) , German wasps around increasingly and coming into house. cicadas heard. Syrian woodpeckers and Eurasian jays particularly active and vocal, collared and turtle doves heard cooing, feral pigeons and laughing doves cooing about buildings. bulbul up at 5.05 am lately still, sunbirds still calling in gardens but have not heard song for a while. Occasional hobby and stone curlew calls. Occasional blackbird alarm calls but not song lately. Prinias vocal and seen foraging in pines. Another warbler in pines.. Hippolais? 1 shrike heard in last week. Jackdaw and hoodie calls heard regularly but not Tristrams for some days.

Second Half June

Dielocroce (chobauti ?) ''Threadwing'' on top of fish food one night. Akiva
11th, birds pretty much as 12th.. agama lizard on rubble, long masonry slab late afternoon.

great tits, hobby good view in flight.

12 June

''Blue tuft'' thistle just starting to bloom today, also some florets out on some of the globe thistles.

Syrian woodpeckers, Prinias very active and vocal in many locations, jays active, some calls. collared doves, some coos but no turtle doves heard today, greenfinches chaws and twitters in look out corner area, masked shrike in the Pistacia orchard, north east end, ring neck parakeet calls in the eucs and a few grazing gazelle in north fields.

bulbuls active and vocal lately, calls of their juveniles heard too. Starting to call shortly before five in the mornings , and in garden late afternoon.. also active edge of neighbourhoods, along water courses.

sunbird heard in garden, also spotted hoopoe corner area. No hoopoes seen for sure there today but did see hoopoe on burnt part of bank, near ramp.

Hooded crows about, active and vocal, as house sparrows, laughing doves, don't recall jackdaw today. feral pigeons seen about.

hobby calls near bat cave, kestrel in flight over north east field.

gazelle north field , several grazing, females and well grown young. Two more by small olive orchard

Tues June 19th

Last few days temps on walk just under 30 degrees, humidity about 50%, light north westerlies.

female and quite young gazelle in Pistacia, also an adult male. Yesterday long horned adult male east field, just south of small olive grove. Several gazelle seen in north watercourse area , eucalyptus and open area.

small flock bee-eaters eucalyptus grove just south east of cistern, great tits, Prinias, syrian woodpeckers, Eurasian jays all active and vocal. Greenfinches not yet when we were out today but have been heard chawing and twitterng towards sunset lately.

cooing collared and turtle doves yesterday but not today. Kestrel pair on north hillside up from bat cave regularly, using lines for look outs between hovers. occasional hobby calls in same area lately.. seems they are quite tolerant of each other, have not noticed any hostilities.. don't consider each other significant competition despite proximity, different prey choices.

hyrax youngsters near ramp, quite confiding, curious, not so afraid, one gazed at me today from about five feet, photographed a couple of days ago..

hoopoes quite regular around hoopoe corner now.. today one flying to and fro over open patch as if deciding where to land, finally selected lower branch of pine tree, relatively open.

garden: bulbuls from about ten to, quarter to five still dark before dawn, sunbirds esp around sunset, house sparrows, laughing doves.

June, first week plus

chukar chicks squatting low , on 10th June

plant bug nymph on centaury

flower weevils on mullein buds (near pumping station)

Seeds from this are now all over my socks! .. (a small member of the carrot family) common in the fields now.. the individual burrs detach easily and stick.. the spines are so fine they are barely visible in the skin.

Gazelle various places.. open and in woods though lately bucks singles seen in woods a number of times. Hyrax active various ages all colonies.

ring neck parakeet family, observed feeding behaviour of young (lacking rings), group of three.. also independent group of two, all up and down east valley in eucalyptus.. parent seen foraging in acacia head.

hobbies, calls by bat cave and rather dramatic chase over Pistacia grove accompanied by a number of short , sharp calls.

hoopoes at least three on ground and in pines, hoopoe corner area , bee-eaters, heard various places, seen over east dirt road, Pistacia grove area.

syrian woodpeckers active various places, Eurasian jays, blackbird song, turtle dove coos, (all true last few days) some collared dove coos. yesterday collared dove flight calls and others, and bands of house sparrows continue to forage in grassy areas away from human habitation. Greenfinches about but quiet today, though twitterng usually starts later.

had fun taking photoes of green flower weevils on mullein, a number of small shiny black beetles with soft trailing wing points, on wild carrot. No cicadas heard today but have heard recently in Pistacia grove and in garden.

4th June

hyraxes, mature rather beat up blonde one on rock by valley road being sentry.. a little later young ones crossed from the bank, headed down to the boulders. glimpse of gazelle on lower slopes of windsurfer hill, turtle doves cooing, blackbird song, ring neck parakeet squawks, masked shrike, handsome well coloured, prob adult male, lower pine branch on bank
as well as neighbourhood birds, sunbird, (calls in garden) bulbul, laughing doves (coos) and such.. flock feral pigeons foraging on bank
swifts still about, in town, Akiva heard, but haven't noticed in neighbourhood in last few days.

5th June

pleasant, warm, clear skies.. start of walk about 24 degrees C and falling, peaking at 28 degrees earlier.

watched kestrel hunt side of hill to north over /near a group of six gazelle, mothers and young of various ages. Bee-eaters esp over east valley/orchard area, ring neck parakeets east valley, greenfinches on thistles, young grove, hoopoes on dirt road by young grove, jays woods by north valley dirt road, syrian woodpeckers, calls, active various places in woods, Prinias calls various places east field and elsewhere, turtle doves, active, cooing from shaft to look out corner area, blackbird song, sunbird territorial behaviour near Shadiker colony, male in top of pine very vocal, bulbuls neighbourhood and acacias north valley. Hoodies, house sparrow neighbourhood and roving bands in oats.

revisited those flower weevils .. two in mating position, a third joined them a few minutes later, as above

7 June

morning: bulbul started up about ten to 5 a.m. sunbird and house sparrows shortly after, laughing doves somewhat later, when it got lighter.

approaching 6 p.m. temp just over 26 degrees C, humidity falling, light south easterlies.

on return a sunbird outside my window giving squeak alarm calls

probably there's a cat about... valley nice walk- pair of kestrels up on the hillside to north east hunting in turn, pair of hobbies bat cave cypresses yesterday but not today

Syrian woodpeckers very vocal and active, turtle doves coos, collared doves coos, bee-eaters calls and hawking, graceful warblers, hoopoes.. two usual dirt road bend by young pines, greenfinches twitters and chaws, also seen feeding on thistle heads lately..

we also heard from Tristram's starlings over north valley, hidden watercourse, also heard up centre of neighbourhood. and stone curlews calls heard from fields lately.. alarm due to falcon threat?

Sat 9th June

morning: bulbul shortly before 5 a.m. sunbirds, house sparrows heard shortly after. Laughing doves, hooded crows, jackdaws later as it gets light.

kestrel high over road to east. In the valley, Syrian woodpeckers, Eurasian jays active and vocal. Ring neck parakeets vocal up and down east valley. Akiva heard Tristram's starlings over to north, view of hobby in flight. Hoopoe on road by young pines. bee-eaters heard. Looked out for roller but not seen lately. Stone curlews heard to north later.

Sunday: similar to above, but no kestrels. Gazelle seen grazing on lower northern slopes. Chukar seen with four small chicks near the shaft (just north of north watercourse dirt road in open area_ , and just one adult. As Akiva approached, the parent moved off, leaving the chicks squatting on the ground, eyes closed, excellent camouflage. (above)

Evening of 10th, about 10.30 p.m. three 'glow worms' seen on various parts of slope in burnt area below tamarisk, separated from each other by several metres (probably Lampyris nervosa) .. no others seen.