Wet season growth: Much of the bank between valley road and the buildings, and the open ground around the bunker rubble and similar areas are springy green with a profuse growth of tiny to medium sized wild plants. This was taken a few days ago by valley road approaching the pumping station.
Wednesday 16th Jan
~ 4 p.m. 9.5 degrees C, humidity 17%, wind ENE almost zero
Heard from the house (garden and street) House sparrows, white spectacled bulbuls, hooded crows jackdaws and white wagtail call.
Neighbour and friend, Anna, joined us today for a walk so I was hoping for some good bird representation! Anna did find some quite fresh tracks of the feral dog pack and a gazelle in the soft earth along central trail. However, birds were low profile, probably because of the almost zero wind, though we did hear repeated alarm calls of what I believe to be a chiffchaff in the eucalyptuses behind look-out corner, and some chaffinch calls up there a little later. Black redstart calls were heard but only briefly glimpsed. No birds on the bunker rubble today and none visible in gazelle field though we did hear a brief graceful warbler phrase.
Husband briefly glimpsed Eurasian sparrowhawk in eucalyptus grove area and probably the long eared owl approaching owl glade but tantalizingly teasing glimpses. Male blackbird making a pre roost fuss by central trail on the way back. A couple of hooded crows in flight over gazelle field, heading TO northern foraging grounds.. no fly by return today interestingly.
We were happy though since Anna spotted an adult male gazelle running from north east of north gazelle field, behind pine grove and on through north of east field to rest and graze under the olive grove near the security fence.
We were also very happy to see the feral white puppy my son had found yesterday in the possession of a group of local lads who seemed to be caring for her well. She seemed to recognize me!
Tuesday 15 Jan
Range 1-8 degrees C, just after 4 p.m. 6.8 degrees C, humidity 19% (Jordan rift valley quite visible today) Wind SE and very light, skies clear
From garden: House sparrows, white spectacled bulbul, hooded crows
In street: Feral pigeons perched on roof rail
On bank down to valley road: graceful warbler call.
Around pines by bunker ruin: greenfinches, great tits vocal. Also chaffinches and black redstart calls (?)
Pack of feral dogs down there, 5, two dhole brown colour, the other three patchy white. One of those looked like the exile we saw some weeks ago, evidently integrated back into the pack and if anything it seemed the browns were out of favour today. One of them chased away briefly over by the gazelle grazing place, we saw him making his way back partly accompanied by the other brown.
My sons wanted to adopt a feral puppy they found (dense white furred female, love at first sight) but for many reasons we cannot take another feral pup: She had to stay in the forest. Some decisions can be really tough to make. While they were down there they saw an adult male gazelle.
Monday 14 Jan
Range 0-7 degrees C . Just after 4 p.m 4.3 degrees C humidity 31% wind SSE still, skies clear
Heard from house: Hooded crows, house sparrows, white spectacled bulbuls
feral pigeons on roof rail of an apartment building
stonechat: On rebar on bank on the way down to valley road and foraging in the area.
white wagtail? by school, heard?
Syrian woodpeckers quite active and vocal from east end of north valley and in east valley
Blackbird.. alarm call but no song.
weekend evening.. 30 plus jackdaws flew to Pisgat Zeev, two in aerial battle to the side along the way. They settled on TV aerials on summit.. most warm air there rising from buildings? Quite a number of crows already assembled there
No comments:
Post a Comment