Late June, Early July

Sapling tubes in north valley: lit by the late afternoon sun. At the same time the forest is being tidied and thinned by the east watercourse from hyrax trail to shepherd's trail... cypresses and pines felled for wood burning stoves and such, lower branches on cypesses on hill chopped, vastly increasing visibility and possibly helping to limit fire damage.

The mole rats seem fascinated with parched land and soon excavate under it as seen here.. most mounds about a metre apart on average, some closer

Saturday, Sunday 26, 27 June

gazelle: Sunday: At least 8: 1 off shepherd's trail on slopes under trees, 3 bounded away from us as we came out into the open. Akiva saw three more at foot of the main north rise of windsurfer hill, 2 seen down by olive grove field but they may have been those of the first group of three. One more far north east gazelle field. All females and well grown young, no ad. males.

Bee-eaters: Sun: hunting low over east field, or passing over and flying towards east field, calls heard frequently on walk.
turtle doves: coos , sat(?) and sun
Hobbies: calls heard (?)
Wheatear: juvenile by bunker rubble. Bird seen on boulder mid north slopes windsurfer but distant. Prob both black eared.
Hoopoes: Sat? Sun: brief view near cistern, side of euc grove.
Blackbirds: song various parts of woods and active on the ground.

Eurasian jays : some individuals seen but quiet

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in eucs by look out corner towards sunset both days
Syrian woodpeckers: Sun: calls and seen betw Pistacia grove/pines/euc area.

Graceful warblers : active and vocal

Hooded crows: some about flying over singly mainly
Collared doves: flying about, some coos yesterday
Laughing doves : street and gardens, some coos
House sparrows : garden, quite vocal .
Feral pigeons: Seen about roofs of neighbourhood several times over past week.
Tristram's starling: heard calling in direction of bipass road.

Monday 28th June

gazelle: gazelle field amongst the almonds and hawthorn and dry stone walls.. probably a dozen, all females and well grown young, no buck seen. About half a dozen, never all in view at once so count uncertain.
Bee-eaters: hunting low over mid gazelle field, calling, and over euc grove, a dozen or more
turtle doves, hobbies : quiet today

Blackbirds: song various parts of woods

Eurasian jays : individuals foraging on gazelle field and throughout woods.

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in pines around look out corner
Syrian woodpeckers: some: calls

Graceful warblers : active and vocal various places

Hooded crows: some about flying over , foraging on fields
Collared doves: flying about, coos, flight calls esp pine grove by cistern
Laughing doves : active street and gardens,
Feral pigeons: Seen about roofs of neighbourhood

(Tuesday was skipped, being a fast day- decided not to go out and get dehyrated since it was in the 30s and husband had worked that day too. )

Wednesday and Thursday 30th June, 1st July

gazelle: gazelle field north part near foot of hill, around power pylons, group of 6, females and young. A little later we saw 4 on the slopes, probably of that group.
Bee-eaters: some calls
turtle doves, hobbies : coos and call once at about sunset, respectively.
Hoopoes: 1 flew from euc grove to gazelle field, then we saw 2 on dirt road near cistern, one started to dust bathe, other foraging about.
Tristram's starling: call heard.

Blackbirds: brief song

Eurasian jays : individuals foraging on gazelle field and throughout woods, low profile .

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in pines around euc grove, cistern area.
Syrian woodpeckers: calls, watched female working her way up a euc in euc grove east of cistern, another about but didn't get a good view of that individual.

Graceful warblers : some calls.

Hooded crows: flock, a few score, heading over from over neighbourhood to windsurfer hill.
Collared doves: active around forepart of gazelle field
Laughing doves : active street and gardens, coos
Feral pigeons: some activity over and about roofs of neighbourhood


Sat. 3rd July

gazelle: Sat: north slopes windsurfer hill: at least three, spread out, no adult bucks. North gazelle fields just edge of ploughed area, 6, all females and young, no adult bucks.. as we watched the moved onto the ploughed area, continued to graze.

Bee-eaters: calls heard late aft
turtle doves: coos late aft
Hobbies: calls heard about 7 a.m. by Akiva

Blackbirds: song various parts of woods

Eurasian jays : some individuals about gazelle field, foraging, on sapling poles

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in pines by bunker rubble and surrounding area
Syrian woodpeckers: late aft. family, parent feeding young, at least two of them, high in eucs by east watercourse, the group flew between several trees. High pitched calls similar to short calls of parakeets. Several other normal calls heard. Morning about 7 a.m. Akiva noticed one probing the charred ground by valley road near pumphouse. then flew to tree.

Graceful warblers : active and vocal

Hooded crows: some about flying over, some calls
jackdaws: calls various times of day.
Collared doves: active,flying about, gazelle field, some coos, flight calls.
laughing doves : street and gardens, some coos
House sparrows : garden, quite vocal .
Feral pigeons: flying to/from neighbourhood.
Chukar partridge: small group seen on charred ground near pumphouse this morning ~7 a.m. by Akiva,

Sunday 4th July

gazelle: At least 4 north gazelle field. On west slopes windsurfer hill several small groups - first was one with indeterminate horns followed by adult male with fair size horns then another adult male with larger horns. Shortly after another couple seen , prob different.. on our way around saddle saw one with short horns with another with longer horns, could have been last individual of first group, so 6 or 7 more.. at least 10 in all today

For a change we turned right after the bridge and headed up the ''hyrax trail'' up ''villa hill'' .For the first time we did actually see some hyraxes there, though not close to the trail, around the hillslope to the south not far down from the buildings- now I will refer to this one as the villa hill colony.

(Our local hyraxes were active by valley road.. lately have been climbing into acacia by ramp path. Litter of at least four young ones had been right by the verge, scattered down to boulders when sentries called alarm)

Bee-eaters: ,turtle doves: not heard
Hobbies: calls heard in east valley a few times
Kestrel: Good view of one hovering and diving for prey on high west slopes villa hill. Probably uses villas for nesting. Stayed on ground a minute or so, maybe successful but what catching there?

Blackbirds: song various parts of woods

Eurasian jays : some individuals about woods, come calls

Bulbuls: active and vocal today along valley road. Lately have been starting calling in the garden at 5 a.m. or within ten minutes after)
Sunbird: active in the garden today, calls heard in Bauhinia.

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters various places in the pines
Syrian woodpeckers: some calls.

Graceful warblers : active and vocal

Hooded crows: relatively quiet lately some about flying over, some calls, flock western slopes windsurfer hill, loose flocks with more numerous jackdaws.
jackdaws: calls various times of day.
Collared doves: some seen, relatively quiet today.
laughing doves : street and gardens, some coos from shortly after 5 a.m . Seen mating in the Bauhinia yesterday.
House sparrows : garden, street .
Feral pigeons: flying to/from neighbourhood, about roofs.
Chukar partridge: group of at least 6 near hyrax trail leading up to top of villa hill, relaxed, perched on rocks, preening

small golden jobs

These small golden yellow flowers, each just about 1 cm across, were growing next to east watercourse dirt road not far from the bridge. This is a new one for me, unfamiliar. Above, zoom of flowers, below, flowers with stems and small leaves. I.D. coming when I have it.

Other flowers still blooming now: caper, the low yellow legume by dirt road, horsetail polygonum and some desert mullein- that's about it in the middle of the dry season so I was delighted to find something unfamiliar managing to flower.


This photo just doesn't quite capture the interesting cloud formation over the neighbourhood, as seen from the slopes of windsurfer hill at about sunset. The whole cloud seemed to be shaped like a broad funnel splaying finely outwards and upwards.


Tuesday 22nd June

gazelle: 7 : A group grazing other side of north watercourse in the open, 5 females and well grown young and an adult male. The 7th was a young individual, emerged from east watercourse, strolled past look out corner, headed to Pistacio grove, then changed its mind and headed out over gazelle field through the sapling poles toward the north west.. the direction of the grazing group, though they were out of sight.. would have been downwind


Bee-eaters: calls heard
turtle doves: some coos
Hobbies: interaction at least two individuals top of cypresses near look out corner, calls and seen wheeling around over watercourse. Later one seen flying from east valley towards woods by shaft followed by more calls.

Blackbirds: song, various parts of the pine woods

Eurasian jays : active mainly gazelle field, cistern area .
Stone curlews, active and vocal before sunset today, we watched one land north west gazelle field, close to bat cave. Watched another in flight from east field towards cistern, prob beyond.

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner
Syrian woodpeckers: calls in trees along east valley dirt road

Graceful warblers : some calls.

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls : early morning before 5 a.m in the garden

Laughing doves :street and gardens, coos
House sparrows : garden, vocal all day

Escaped cockatiel heard again, this time in woods by east valley watercourse.

Wednesday 23rd June.

gazelle: 5 At least. Mid gazelle field amongst saplings.. adult male at some distance from a group of females and well grown young.. only 4 of those seen at once but they were going in and out of the mid water channel and I suspect there were 5 or more.

Bee-eaters: not heard on walk but heard from the house shortly after we got back shortly after 7 p.m.
turtle doves: coos
Hobbies: No hobbies but kestrel seen hovering over north gazelle field, over hillslopes, then headed over to Hizmeh
Wheatear: probably black eared, juvenile on sapling tube near large almond tree, occasionally hopping down to ground. Indicates they have been breeding in the watercourse area this season.. good!
Hoopoes: pair over north west of gazelle field near north east corner of pines, one using tube , other foraging on the ground, the two between both, then flew off to pines. They appear amusingly indecisive as they fly, in this case one appearing to be about to alight in an acacia, then flying around it, then changing direction again and flying up into higher pine branches.

Blackbirds: song in pines near pumping station

Eurasian jays : active mainly gazelle field again using sapling tubes .
Stone curlews, brief call .

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in pines
Syrian woodpeckers: some calls

Graceful warblers : active and vocal around look-out corner area

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls : calls near pumping station

Laughing doves :street and gardens, coos
House sparrows : garden, vocal all day

Much work done in woods just south of pumping station, older poor condition trees felled and loaded onto truck to be taken away for wood burning stoves and such allowing the saplings in that area to grow unimpeded. I hope they were careful in taking away the worst adults and will care for the saplings in their place.

Thursday 24th June

gazelle: 2 north gazelle field about where the ploughed area meets wild grass.
Bee-eaters: heard overhead and some seen esp by Pistacio orchard
turtle doves: some coos by valley road , from trees on bank? As we returned to neighbourhood.
Hobbies: calls heard
Wheatear: probably black eared, juvenile on sapling tube near large almond tree, occasionally hopping down to ground. Indicates they have been breeding in the watercourse area this season.. good!
Hoopoes: 3 1 by north watercourse dirt road turn off, a second in Eucalyptus orchard leading to east field, from a euc to the ground, up and down again a third end of valley road flew up into pine.
What accounts for all the hoopoe sightings we've had in the last week or so and their absence through most of the spring? Low profile during breeding season? Shortage of nesting sights in the area?
Blackbirds: some song middle of woods.

Eurasian jays : active and vocal various parts of woods and fields

Greenfinches: some calls and twitters in pines
Syrian woodpeckers: some calls

Graceful warblers : active and vocal along north watercourse dirt road near service road turn-off

Hooded crows: some about, quiet this time of year, perhaps because moulting, as we've seen in wings of some and feathers on the ground.
Collared doves: Some coos and flight calls, or seen flying over gazelle field most days this week
Laughing doves :street and gardens, coos
House sparrows : garden, vocal all day, also flock on path by Shadiker hyrax colony.

Midsummer beetles

Beetles found on Eryngium on Sunday. I think the red and green are two different species and that there is also sexual dimorphism amongst the green ones as I noticed two that appeared to be mating or about to mate, as they were not yet linked- and the lower individual was significantly more bluish, the one above, more greenish. Both shades are seen in the clump below. If I am right, the one above is a male. Both blues and greens are red below.


Saturday 19th June

gazelle: 3 on thursday, on sat, seen on slopes of windsurfer hill
hyraxes: many active by valley road, forest side, on rocks, in cypress trees including young. High pitched thin 'seet seet' call seemed to come from one of the babies.. probably a call for adult attention.

Bee-eaters: calls heard over valleys and area, also on thursday
turtle doves: cooing today and thursday.

Blackbirds: calls, song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods also thurs.

Collared doves: active around gazelle field but not vocal

Eurasian jays : active and vocal various parts of the woods.
Stone curlews, very active and vocal from direction of shaft area before sunset, starting from flight passes of the hobby, then on and off for next half hour or so.

Hoopoes: 3 seen near cistern on thursday. Today also three though can't know if same three of course. 1 crossed gazelle field to pines west of it, the other two seen poking the ground, path near cistern.

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner, bunker rubble area thursday and today.
Syrian woodpeckers: calls thursday and today, chukars

Graceful warblers, calls, a number seen in low foliage on bank up from north turn of valley road.

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls early morning, about 4.55 a.m these last few days, 4.50 a.m sat morning .
Sunbird , gardens thurs-sun morning, also Sat in tall trees by east watercourse dirt road and near pumphouse? check.
Laughing doves, Sat also several around crumb corner by street

Sunday 20th June

gazelle: 5 Two up on north west slopes of windsurfer hill again. A female as we reached the top of the shepherd's trail (which climbs through the trees up north east from east watercourse dirt road). She headed into trees south of us , shortly after a young individual headed north west into trees from the lower slopes. Then we noticed a very fine adult male down just south of the olive grove in the dried wild oats field, good long horns.

hyraxes: some active by valley road.

Bee-eaters, stone curlews: absent today, not heard.
turtle doves: , coos

Blackbirds: song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods

Collared doves: coos and flight calls esp in pines east of cistern.

Eurasian jays : active esp on gazelle field between the saplings.. they like to perch on sapling tubes for look out. .

Hoopoes: 2 flying over fore part of gazelle field into pines west of there.

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner, eucalyptus behind esp. .
Syrian woodpeckers: calls

Graceful warblers, some calls

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls early morning shortly before 5 a.m.
Sunbird: , calls in garden
Laughing doves: about local streets

Monday 21st June

gazelle: 7 One up on south west slope of windsurfer hill, 6 grazing in gazelle field amongst the saplings, spread between large almond to the large pine. At least one female with well grown young and an adult male in the middle of the line, by himself.

hyraxes: active by valley road, forest side.

Bee-eaters: some calls heard, 1 seen flying over gazelle field.
stone curlews: very vocal over in direction of shaft shortly before sunset.
turtle doves: coos

Blackbirds: song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods

Collared doves: active and vocal

Eurasian jays : active various parts of woods and field

Hoopoes: 1 flying over field from cistern area to pine woods

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner
Syrian woodpeckers: lots of calls today. In eucs along east watercourse dirt road saw family, 2 (?)young pestering adults for food and being fed.

Graceful warblers: quite vocal today

White spectacled bulbuls early morning shortly before 5 a.m.
Sunbird: , calls in garden
Laughing doves: about local streets

Cockatiel: heard calls about 6 a.m. , soon found it perched on a line between two buildings across the street. Called on and off throughout the morning. Probably recent escape and disorientated.

Below: a beetle found on globe thistle back on 27th May, red with dark spots and jointed antennae, different from other beetles seen on globe thistles so far. one in middle of thorax, at least two on each elytron.

Mid June

A couple of moths found on the house walls. Above, A Silver Y, 18th April, below a geometrid, 25th March, yes more discovered in the files, unused as yet.


Sunday 13th, Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th June.

Gazelle: Sun: 2 north gazelle field, mother and well grown young young, Mon: 3 windsurfer hill western slopes, young adult male, two others, mother and well grown young. Tues: female north gazelle hill, making its way up the hill

Hyraxes :Tues: heard low bark call at Shadiker colony.
lls in the garden starting 4.55 a.m. all days. Tues calls near bridge

Bee-eaters: all 3 days, mostly cistern to Pistacia orchard area
Hobby: good view tues before sunset wheeling to and fro over pine/gazelle field edge.

Blackbirds: calls, song and activity various parts of the pine woods all 3 days..

Collared doves: vocal, active all 3, cooing, flight calls esp. cistern area, low pine woods.
Turtle dove : coos Mon and Tues and seen active, between trees, on line
Eurasian jays : Sun, Tues esp Tues active, foraging gazelle field and woods.
Tristram's starling: Akiva heard call tuesday from direction of bipass road
Stone curlews, very active and vocal from direction of shaft area before sunset, starting from flight passes of the hobby, then on and off for next half hour or so.
(prob black eared) Wheatear calls tues from same area as stone curlew calls. On Mon from lower north slopes windsurfer hill.
Hoopoes: Mon: near cistern, by path , flew into pines east of cistern. Tues north bank of north watercourse, foraged on ground for a while, then headed into trees. Both lone birds.

Greenfinches: evening twitter as usual in eucalyptus behind look out corner and general area.
Syrian woodpeckers: calls esp around bunker rubble area, seen up in eucalyptus.

Graceful warblers, calls by valley road.

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day, flying singly over the valley

House sparrows: chirps in garden much of day, foraging lower north slopes windsurfer hill
sunbirds relatively quiet in gardens these 3 days, laughing doves low profile in gardens these 3 days

Wednesday 16th June:

Early morning: shortly before 5 a.m. white spectacled bulbul started up, around 5 a.m. a sunbird began to call insistently, the sharp call, not the squeak call. Soon after, house sparrows were heard.

Our walk had to be earlier today because we had an event in town later (school play), so we left shortly after 5 p.m.
Gazelle: 10 today. As we walked east along north watercourse dirt road we saw ahead of us three gazelle run across the path out of the shade of the pines from direction of owl glade and then down to north watercourse, across, through the eucalyptus grove there and onto the pines on the northern slopes. The second two were both adult males but we did not see if the first have horns. Are these the two males we have often seen in that area? Brothers? Were they chasing a female? At any rate the trailing male gave up the chase and lingered in the eucalyptus grove, occasionally looking back at us.
The other gazelle were in north gazelle field not far from the open watercourse, grazing in a loose group, females and well grown young.

Bee-eaters: calls heard over valleys and area many times.
Blackbirds: calls, song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods

Collared doves: vocal and active about pine woods, gazelle field, on line but no turtle dove coos
Eurasian jays : active and vocal various parts of the woods.
Stone curlews, very active and vocal from direction of shaft area before sunset, starting from flight passes of the hobby, then on and off for next half hour or so.

(black eared) Wheatear young male perched on sapling tube near hawthorn by open north valley water course near shaft
Hoopoes: One near bunker rubble, foraged briefly on the ground, gazelle field, headed over into pines across field.

Greenfinches: Too early for the evening twitter in our area though this we heard plentifully in Rahavia, a suburb in Western Jerusalem, when we got there. We did hear one give insistent alarm call in the pines west of gazelle field.
Syrian woodpeckers: calls, chukars, a couple over by bat cave.

Graceful warblers, some calls, foraging by valley road by the east turn.

Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day, flying singly over the valley .
White spectacled bulbuls early morning, about 4.55 a.m. Sunbird started up about 5 a.m.
Laughing doves, several around crumb corner by street, . Also a pair near look out corner flew up into eucs by Pistacio orchard.

Rahavia, in west Jerusalem, is an old suburb with many small gardens bursting with vegetation, pine and ailanthus in the upper tier, phlox, myrtle, oleander, buddleia and many other ornamental plants at person height. I heard a distinct squawk as soon as I left the taxi and a minute later a flock of ring neck parakeets flew over us, at least 20 individuals.

Big brown jobs, little brown jobs.

This rather ragged butterfly was found by Moshe on the back porch back in the middle of May. I found these while I was going through the pics and decided to try to identify the butterfly as closely as I could and finally post some of his pics. It's one of the Satyridae and thanks to Rittner's site I could soon narrow it down to one of the Pseudochazara butterflies (Rock browns) P. telephassa or P. pelopia , both have plus and minus points in being a match but paler hindwings match pelopia better. Another new Satyrid for me either way! This is a huge family of spotted brown butterflies which look superfically similar until you start looking at details and comparing.

''little brown jobs' 'is usually a term used by birders for small nondescript old word warblers that are hard to identify but I think they apply also quite aptly to the Satyrids!

Tuesday 8th June
Gazelle: 4. Two, perhaps more, northern slopes of windsurfer hill and east field, another 2, mother and young, just north of central trail, east of owl glade.
Bee-eaters, a dozen, perhaps more, hawking over cistern area

Hoopoes, a pair foraging on the ground and between cypresses in the cistern area.

Blackbirds: song various places in the woods late afternoon.

Collared doves: vocal and active.Jays quiet, husband spotted one cypress slum area. No hyraxes about.

Greenfinches: plenty twitterings towards sunset in young pines around look-out corner area, eucalyptus grove
Syrian woodpeckers: calls in the eucalyptus grove by cistern.

Jackdaws: vocal active, flock about north windsurfer hill, foraging on the ground with hooded crows.

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day, foraging in east field, windsurfer hill north slopes.

Turtle doves, hobbies, graceful warblers, : quiet today. Notably cooler today.. yesterday reached just over 30 degrees C in the afternoon, today did not exceed about 26 degrees.

Wednesday 9th June

Gazelle: 1 female? grazing north gazelle field.
Hyraxes heard up in Shadiker colony, alarm barks.

Bee-eaters, a dozen or so over Pistacia orchard, look out corner area.

Blackbirds: song various places in the woods late afternoon.

Collared doves: vocal and active. Turtle dove coos Jays noisy and active prob because some "big brown jobs" about. Two seen relatively clearly over pumphouse, honey buzzards? Lightish barred underneath, terminal tailband, light rufous head. Several others in the area but not seen clearly , between trees, under canopy .

Greenfinches: twitterings late afternoon in young pines around look-out corner area, eucalyptus grove
Syrian woodpeckers: calls various places in the woods.

Graceful warblers, vocal and active esp. by valley road

Jackdaws: vocal active, various places, foraging on the ground with hooded crows.
hobby - 1 gliding up north valley watercourse, wings more spread than usual.

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day, foraging in east field, windsurfer hill north slopes.
bulbuls, sunbirds heard in the garden, laughing doves by street , 'crumb corner'


Thursday 10th June

Gazelle: no luck today
Hyraxes : activity, several adults seen scampering for cover Shadiker colony

Bee-eaters: at least a dozen or so over pine and eucalyptus behind, look out corner area, gazelle field, cistern area. Also hawking over western slopes of windsurfer hill earlier.

Blackbirds: song various places in the woods late afternoon.

Collared doves: vocal and active, coos, flight calls. Turtle dove coos Jays active, foraging north valley watercourse .

Greenfinches: twitterings late afternoon in young pines around look-out corner area, eucalyptus grove
Syrian woodpeckers: calls various places in the woods.

Graceful warblers, vocal and active various places

Jackdaws: vocal active, various places all around the neighbourhood, foraging on the ground with hooded crows. White spectacled bulbuls active around pumphouse area

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day, foraging in east field, windsurfer hill north slopes.
sunbirds heard in the garden, laughing doves in the street.

Interesting insect found at edge of open north west windsurfer hill slopes, fluttering like a butterfly between stalks of dry oats and other vegetation, 4 winged like brown lacewing typewe photographed in the house a few times. Unfortunately my pics in the field were unsatisfactory.

cicada heard in garden again.

Saturday 12 June

Gazelle: 3 grazing down in north gazelle field. husband saw one more on western slopes of windsurfer hill shortly after.
Hyraxes :several adults on sentry duty cypress slum colony both sides of valley road.

Bee-eaters: several calls heard over valleys and neighbhourhood.

Blackbirds: calls and activity various parts of the pine woods.

Collared doves: some vocal. Turtle dove some coos heard Eurasian jay in cypress

Greenfinches: twitterings late afternoon in young pines around look-out corner area, eucalyptus grove as usual.
Syrian woodpeckers: calls various places in the woods.

Graceful warblers, vocal and active various places esp. by valley road

Jackdaws: vocal active, various places all around the neighbourhood and hills,
Hooded crows. have been seen windsurfing off west slopes of ''windsurfer hill'' afew times lately
White spectacled bulbuls calls in the garden starting 4.55 a.m.

House sparrows: chirps in garden much of day
sunbirds heard in the garden on and off since dawn, laughing doves in the street and coos in garden.

Today's temps ~18.5 to just over 31 degrees C

Birds and insects

Firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) , a Heteropteran bug very common at this time of year. This mating couple is on the cape honeysuckle and other leaf litter on the steps to our apartment door this afternoon. (Monday) Numerous other individuals of various sizes and at least one other mating pair were in the vicinity.

I also spotted one adult caper bug on a leaf of a caper bush this afternoon. I noticed the caper bushes this year are doing very well though the leaves seem notably smaller than they did last year, half to two thirds the size of normal caper leaves. The flowers are normal and pods are developing already on some clumps. Husband, remembering the damage the capers suffered last year at the hands, or rather the hungry mouths, of the bugs, flicked off the little fellow!

The clump of globe thistles on the way to the pumping station are not doing anywhere near as well as last year. Akiva thinks it may be to do with chemicals in effluent from drains in the area. Or perhaps last year was a good year.. the failure of the hawthorn bloom this year and other details all over indicates this could just be one of those trough years. (I noted also no Persian buttercups at all, no Malcolmia or blue pimpernel anywhere or the mysterious crimson spike near the saddle watercourse. The digging for young trees could have been a factor in many places, doesn't account for lack of these flowers in undug areas. ) A leaf blight has hit a beautiful fig tree on the edge of the neighbourhood, some of the growing fruits are afflicted.

By contrast orchids did quite well and I have never seen so much winter crocus early this season. Husband thinks it may have been related to the unusual heatwave we had back in January.

A moth spotted amongst the drying vegetation.

A small Satyrid, i.d. d later as Ypthema asterope , also known as common three-ring. Not the most sensational or rare species but I was happy because it was a new one for me! Bath Whites are also still quite common now.

Thursday 3rd June

Gazelle: 2 heading up slope beyond north valley watercourse. 5 more seen shortly after north gazelle field, grazing and running.

Bee-eaters, calls, at least 4 seen flying from north valley watercourse to over neighbourhood.
Turtle doves: plenty coos in pines either side of north valley watercourse

Hobbies: some calls?

Eurasian Sparrowhawk: One flying over north valley watercourse 'up stream' , laboured flying because both against the wind and evidence of moulting. Female?
Common kestrel: hovering over ridge to north, diving intermittantly as seen by Akiva

Graceful warblers: calls in north valley dirt road turn off area/look out corner area.

Blackbirds: song esp east valley watercourse woods approaching look out corner towards sunset

Collared doves: some coos

Eurasian Jays: some activity, Akiva spotted a few

Great tits: some calls in woods by north valley watercourse.

Greenfinches: plenty twitterings towards sunset in young pines around look-out corner area
Syrian woodpeckers: frequent some calls in woods look out corner area

Tristram's starlings whistles heard direction of cistern or around.

Jackdaws: some calls,

Hooded crows:, some calls, foraging on the fields flying over valley to roost

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day, sunbirds: calls in the garden

Saturday 5th June Much cooler today range 16-26 degrees C

Gazelle: 3 north gazelle field beyond the almond tree line, NW end.. 1 adult buck, two others

Bee-eaters, calls, several over east valley, later over look-out corner , Pistacia orchard area.
Turtle doves: some coos

Graceful warblers: very active and vocal today about valley road. .

Blackbirds: song various places in the pines.

Collared doves: quiet today but seen flying over gazelle valley.

Eurasian Jays: some spotted in and between the pines.

Great tits: some calls in woods by north valley watercourse.

Greenfinches: plenty twitterings towards sunset in young pines around look-out corner area
Syrian woodpeckers: frequent calls

Jackdaws: some calls, flock heading over.

Hooded crows:, some calls, flying about.

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day,

Sunday 6th June: around 5 a.m. before light, Bulbuls, sunbirds, house sparrows in the garden..

Gazelle: 2, north gazelle field.
Bee-eaters, calls heard
Turtle doves: coos

Graceful warblers: active and vocal, various places .

Blackbirds: song, various places in the pines.

Collared doves: coos and flight call heard near cistern..

Eurasian Jays: active amongst the pines.

Great tits: some calls in woods by north valley watercourse.

Greenfinches: again plenty twitterings towards sunset in young pines around look-out corner area
Syrian woodpeckers: some calls
Stone curlew: as darkess fell, from direction of north field.

Jackdaws: some calls, flock heading over.

Hooded crows:, some calls, flying about.

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day,

Monday 7th June..

Gazelle: Unusual individual seen today on south facing slopes, north watercourse valley just downslope of the pine hangar. Based on horns looked like a female but back was quite densely dappled with white, with white speckling on other parts of coat. Camouflaged very well when she stood, with so much limestone behind. I have never seen this before, though many of them have white markings on top of head. She proceeded with caution as there was a feral dog lurking on the slopes not far away. We wondered if the dog would make some attempt to catch her but it didn't move

Hyraxes, various deep barking alarm calls heard up in pumphouse colony.

Hoopoe: First we've seen in months! One individual foraging on the ground north bank of north valley watercourse, flew off into pines after some minutes.

Bee-eaters, calls heard, a small flock, perhaps a dozen at most but not all in view, over trees between watercourse and neighbourhood, hawking to and fro.
Turtle doves: coos
Swifts: some screams heard

Graceful warblers: active and vocal, various places .

Blackbirds: song, various places in the pines.

Collared doves: vocal and active

Greenfinches: yet again pleasant twitterings towards sunset in young pines around look-out corner area at same time as blackbird, the two always sound lovely together as the light begins to falls.
Syrian woodpeckers: some calls

Jackdaws: vocal and about here and there all day.

Hooded crows:, some calls, flying about and foraging on the fields, perched on sapling tube

House sparrows: chirps in garden all day.

Below, this cock sparrow found itself totally stuck in a sapling tube. We heard him fluttering futilely a few days ago. We lifted the bottom of the tube from ground level and then he quickly found his way out and flew to freedom. These tubes are designed to trap condensing morning dew after the night's high humidity, watering the sapling. We are on the alert for more trapped birds!