These little 'train-tracks' in the sand are actually the footprints of a millipede! A double row of lots of tiny prints. They cross the tracks of a bird which passed by earlier, wandering from top right to lower left. Probably one of the doves- they looked too small for the chukar partridge.
Gazelles: Today, 2 in east field, adult females? heading up windsurfer hill at a run. Fresh droppings in the pistaccio orchard. Yesterday adult female grazing in the olive orchard by east field. Saturday, adult male on skyline to north.
Hyrax: Lots have been active last few days towards sunset by valley road, including young. One killed, seem to be bites or wounds of some kind on flank but why didn't dog or whatever take it away, did the others gang up and drive it off? At any rate ants, flies, hornets and hooded crows were taking an interest in it. First time we've ever found a dead one. Could have been hit by a vehicle but what would account for the wounds, crows?
Plenty bee-eater activity over gazelle field and eucalyptus grove, at least 40 in flock yesterday. Today they were mostly up north end of gazelle field.
Hoopoes about especially track to north valley. Stone curlews very vocal and active north gazelle field and some sighted.
Today turtle doves heard cooing, also collared doves around and vocal including flight calls lately.
hooded crows (about and windsurfing as usual), jackdaws (to east, no doubt following goats again), blackbirds (some song about sunset), great tits (scolding calls about look-out corner and Pistaccio orchard), greenfinches (large pines by bunker), Eurasian jays (everywhere, and drinking from cistern), Syrian woodpeckers, (calls and spotted between trees),
No swifts this week in our area but a few were seen neighbourhood centre mid last week (beginning of July)
Sunbird in the garden esp. Bauhinia tree today, haven't heard them in a while since cape honeysuckle blooms over (and new family of cats in there) House sparrow, laughing doves, (around buildings). Geckoes heard frequently at night and occasionally spotted, crickets. from sunset and on.
Not sure which scorpion this is, in the book looks most like Androctonus crassicauda or another of that genus. It was carrying a dead centipede on its back. We caught this a couple of hours ago live, photographed it and returned it, with the greatest care because it is dangerous. Body almost 2.5 cm long, tail about as much again.
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