13th,14th,15th August

Gazelles No show 13th, 14th

hyrax, dogs,reptiles none

Bee-eaters: Hard to tell how many, scattered over gazelle field & eucalyptus grove, at least 20 probably more.. was interesting to see how evenly they spaced themselves along the power line, about six inches between each bird apart from two pairs, the members of which sat right next to each other.

Hoopoes 1 foraging on the trail winding past the cistern and giant pine over into gazelle field after a visit to upper branches of pine.

House sparrows: Senegal doves, coos.. around houses as usual

Hooded crows: At least a dozen on ground and in air on windsurfer hill.. a small raptor, about two thirds size of crow, brown and light, crows harried it, several times it twisted in the air and stood up for itself, pecking back.. a couple of times it dived aggressively at the crows. Same bird I think we saw a couple days ago doing similar.

Hard to tell what raptor it was.. falcon of some kind but wings a little more fingered.

Jackdaws: Large flock, the 70 or so bird flock, roaming between upper gazelle field, east field and lower slopes of Hizmeh Hill.

Jays: Much squabbling, population quadrupled.. sibling dispute over land and resources.. foraging in wood and esp over fields.

Feral pigeons: Flock over Hizmeh hill, others about as usual

Greenfinches: Small flocks up high canopies eucalyptus, cypress, pine. to and fro

Collared doves: Coos, flight calls and flying around over gazelle field and eucalyptus grove

Sunbirds: Mid dry creek trail territory.. several up in eucalyptus, more than one not iridescent, indicated family, successful breeding this year

Syrian woodpeckers: Numerous calls and alarm calls

Bulbuls: Numerous calls in gardens, family, social

Great tits: Calls around bunker ruins, seen high up in canopy

Wheatears:Great spotted cuckoos, Turtle doves, the barbary dove, blackbirds, chukars, stone curlews, graceful warblers no sign

August 15th

28 degrees C, (82.4 degrees F) 51% and rising, NNE 1.7 kt,

Gazelles: 1 female apparently, grazing under trees by dry stone walls.

hyrax, dogs, reptiles no show

Turtle doves: One beautiful individual in pomegranate tree near the cistern. Nice to see they're still around after no coos for some time

Bee-eaters: Plenty scattered foraging over whole gazelle field

House sparrows: Senegal doves: street and houses as usual

Hooded crows: Around, and up on windsurfer hill. Jackdaws: heard

Jays: Busy foraging in fields as usual.. given their population has probably at least quadrupled over the summer, the frequent sqabbles we hear are due to the increasing pressures of shared resources and the difficulty of dispersal over habitats already populated by jays.

Feral pigeons: One in the cistern today, otherwise overpasses as usual

Greenfinches: small groups high in tree canopies, twittering

Collared doves: Several individuals about, some coos

Stone curlews: some calls, husband noticed at least one in flight

Sunbirds: Calls from a couple of the valley territories, active in Bauhinia tree, calls and song.

Syrian woodpeckers: Alarm calls, calls and busy on various trees

Bulbuls: Incessant calls from young ones in willow

Great tits: Some calls in pines

Wheatears:Great spotted cuckoos, Hoopoes, blackbirds, chukars, graceful warblers, no sign