Inula viscosa, (Strong smelling Inula/ false yellowhead) blooming in many places now and aggravating the nostrils, sinuses and throats of many!
We took a walk north over the hill and to the olive grove just beyond. Saw a few swallows hunting over the area, probably on their way south, stopped for a bite. A group of three larks noticed on the rocks on the eastern hillslopes on the way back, hard to tell which, melodious calls made from the rocks, crest and no obvious striations or head markings of any kind, the ultimate brown job with just the beautiful warbling voice and crest to let us know they were larks.
Above, Carob flowers at Sacher Park, below, the ripe carob been fruit, deliciously edible and sweet.
A peculiar gall on a Pistacio at Sacher park. The trees in that section had many of these.
Tuesday:
Gazelles - 7 two sep adult bucks, 5 females and young. Adult buck nudged young in behind, get him moving up hill, came up in rear ahead of us. Shortly after saw one farther up hill and to east no time, sep male?
Larks limestone boulders east hillslopes 3 crested very little striation
Hobby: excited call, flight over, around north valley
Swallows: small number hawking over olive grove to north
Eurasian jays, syrian woodpeckers, calls
Leaf warbler Phylloscopus busily foraging in a pine north edge service road, pines, willow warbler, chiffchaff? Also call of one in Pistacio grove in recent days.
jackdaw flock, some hoodies up hill towards A Ram foraging
Our street: laughing doves about and feral pigeons, house sparrows.
husband heard bee-eaters briefly yesterday mid morning and possible Tristram's .. we both heard Tristram's from house a few days ago.
sunbird Bauhinia
wed: adult male gazelle wandering into pines trees across north watercourse near short cut down. About half an hour later adult male ne gazelle field, beyond most eastern almond.. not v likely to be same individual
Eurasian jays, syrian woodpeckers, feral pigeons, jackdaws, hooded crows. Also stone curlews calls last few nights from direction of east field. Crickets like cell phones
Thurs: hyrax activity, up cypress about a third from top. Calls of Eurasian jay, jackdaws, graceful warblers. Also hooded crows about.
Today: large flock of jackdaws flew over Hizmeh to join hoodies at windsurfer hill. Collared doves on line near pumping station. Syrian woodpeckers, white spectacled bulbuls and blackbirds heard from valley road. For a change NO calls of sights of hobbies.. does this mean they have finally left? Last night: our dog (cairn terrier/ish) found a hedgehog just off valley road, took a sniff then backed off! Head tucked in, no nose visible and keeping still, waiting for us to leave.
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