June 2nd Half

20  June 
  
Gazelles: female with right horn only seen with two kids in small olive grove.. a week or two ago we'd seen her on hill slopes to north east near fence, also with two kids.  She browsed from olive tree (fruits? young leaves?)  standing on hind legs to do so

.. another female with a young one also under olives, the young one went to join the (assumed) twins.  Yet another female and young noticed in field between olive grove and windsurfer hill and yet another with female and subadult noticed in shepherd's trail area making 5 young of this year.

Record number of 11 hoopoes counted by Akiva in ''hoopoe stretch'' .. north watercourse dirt road between shaft and where it joins central trail near look out corner.  In the last week we can usually see several to half a dozen in that area dustbathing on road, poking for invertebrates by side of road or in bald patch of new wood where trees taken down a couple of years back, also in rock flats by southern turn of road .

Today (20th) interestingly we noted a pair of blackbirds which had been foraging on ground under pines south of road shortly before southward turn of road , each chasing away hoopoes which tried to alight and poke ground in that area.. Competition there.

Juvenile wheatears.. up to half a dozen individuals about shaft.today (thursday) . didn't see the male but have seen typical local race of black eared wheatear male not far from there, on sapling poles closer to watercourse.

some flight calls of collared doves still heard, one male displaying to female in cistern pine. usual coos.  Turtle dove coos but not every day, they seem to prefer sunny conditions and stop sooner before dusk than the collareds. 

Syrian woodpeckers active and vocal , seen perching on lines briefly a couple of times when much drama seemed to be happening in trees it was flying in and out of .. speaking of drama.. couple of days ago pair of hobbies repeatedly dive bombing a tall cypress on ridge between north watercourse and hidden watercourse. Pair took it in turns to climb and dive at tree..owl in there? couldn't see.

Jays active and vocal, great tits about, calls, juveniles well feathered now, occasional calls of ring neck parakeet.. not every day, but particularly by eucs by east watercourse, Whole covey of chukars 9,10 plus, noticed on rocks to left of central trail (as it emerges into open leading to watercourse crossing and look out corner area)

Bugs on capers seen middle of month. Stenozygum coloratum. 

Lots of hyrax activity, vocalization, numbers of young seen, female nursing young on rock couple of days ago, at least three in that litter. 

June 21st  Bulbul first heard 5.05 am.

June 1st Half

Eumenes wasp on Eryngium 2nd week of June, near pumping station. 


Temps variable, mild, some days up to about 24,25 degrees C, a few up to early 30s , a very few into mid and upper 30s 

by 17th June Thin safflower already seen in bloom and caper bugs infesting some of the caper plants.

collared doves still cooing, displaying at females. Turtle doves cooing particularly on more sunny days.

Black eared wheatears seen.. male at and around bunker rubble by look-out corner,  another not far from shaft near north watercourse in the open.  Heard but not seen in east field. first year male seen on rocks by north watercourse dirt road

Mourning or Hooded, prob latter seen briefly by north watercourse, acacia area.. too briefly to be 100% sure and didn't reappear. 

Hyrax.. plenty activity along valley road including by path down by shul from across road to valley road.. young seen.

Gazelle.. at least two, prob three or four young seen between east watercourse and small olive grove , at least one in company of female with the one right horn.

Bee-eaters regular over Pistacia orchard and gazelle field lately.. up to 40 or so birds but usually half or less than that seen.

Greenfinches active, vocal, singing various parts of east watercourse woods and esp around look out corner.  Also seen coming down to feed on thistles in look out corner area.
Jays, jackdaws, hooded crows. graceful warblers
stone curlews more vocal middle June. Calls of  great tits, blackbird (some song) ,
Kestrel heard from trees up from bat cave but no hobby sightings lately.. call and sight of bird more like sparrowhawk. Near pumping station remains of dark winged medium size passerine could have been killed by hobby or sparrowhawk.

11 June trip north

Maaleh Adumim.. dozens of Tristram's grackles in large Tipuana near bird andarta. Also by there on grass two Indian mynahs. 

At Sdei Trumot pool: little egret hunting not far from outflow,  spur winged plovers about, pied kingfishers on large pipe over pool.

Malkishua.. warblers spotted.. had heard Sylvia type warblers in bushes all about for some time but not got glimpse.. harsh calls almost like masked shrikes.. then saw bird near ground.. photo. Amir Balaban said looked like young Sardinian warbler

May 2nd half

28th May 

Sdei Trumot: no kingfishers at all today.. quite a few spur winged plover.. about the water and flying about, calling.  Little egret hunting by outflow where I have seen it on a number of previous visits.. could be same individual or just a good place for little egrets.  Max water agitation at that point.

turtle dove calls.. bulbuls, sunbirds in gardens as well as syrian woodpeckers, ,  a number cattle egrets spotted by rift valley road.

Beit Shean road Akiva spotted a number of Francolins on and by road, several individuals along a relatively short stretch.

Along a longer stretch between Argaman and Beit Shean grassy undulating hills charred on west side of road for several miles.. only extending to east side of road in a couple of limited strips.

blooming by roadside on way out of Jerusalem lots of Tree tobacco.. also seen three weeks ago.  Lots of globe thistle blooming coming into Gilboa, still some of the pink convolvulus cushions and the last of the hollyhocks.
Gulmohar blooming as well as Jacaranda and a yellow/orange flowered leguminous tree whose name I forget but will insert here when I remember.

spider down tunnel at Malkishua in Gilboa

Spur winged plover flying over car park towards pool Sdei Trumot.. Above, a spider in its tunnel spotted by Moshe.


Lately in the valley.. three sets of mother and kid gazelle, perhaps more, spotted by east watercourse/pistacia grove, east field to small olive orchard.  On hill ridge to our north east we noticed a mother with TWO kids.. can't be sure if twins or if one fostered.  Bucks, bachelor herd still commonly found in north watercourse area eucalyptus grove near where it comes out into the open.. up to 20 ..

Lately.. chukars heard, sometimes seen.. bee-eaters commonly heard, flock of anything up to 30 or so birds, male pale race black eared wheatear on bunker rebars, hurray!

29th May

For the first time saw Indian (common) Mynah on our patch! .. just one individual and quite confiding, foraging on the ground by north watercourse dirt road.. let me come within thirty feet. Feral populations of this escape have been spreading across the country in recent years, first noticed in Jerusalem about a year ago.

would have been great photo op if I had not (again!) left the recording chip in the pc! oops! Hopefully we'll get another chance if they let us get this close.. I approached , got to about 20 feet when it headed off low glide towards coral gums by the watercourse, calling low  melodious ''grurrp'' , spooked a jay from near where it landed , saw it last perched on top of a sapling tube.

Apart from the mynah: syrian woodpeckers, graceful warblers both active and vocal, blackbird in song.  Several gazelle about.. lately, in last couple of weeks have seen a number of male gazelle sitting on ground resting.  Also I notice when they move they invariably wag the tail briskly from side to side when they stop moving, as if to signal ''I'm over here now'' , and stare back at us.

May 1st Half

 1st May

about 5.30 p.m. heading down valley road.. we noticed a strange bird flying into 'linnet tree' ( Ailanthus outside SE property on Shadiker) .. then flew down to pines.. soon found after scanning pines.. about quarter way down.. adult male GOLDEN ORIOLE  beautiful breeding condition, obligingly sat there for a few mins allowing photos though somewhat distant, bird identifiable in zoom (Avi estimated about 300 pixels worth)   There he is! Better through binos, could see dark about the eye quite clearly.

5th May

saw Turkish meadow brown (Maniola telmessia) the other day, I think still also lots of marbled whites and smaller Pierid whites, didn't get closer look at them
... today.. nice walk near north watercourse.. quite a few buck gazelle plus a hoopoe foraging on the ground by some young eucs, red back shrike in the young pines, chukar partridge on boulder out in the open, Prinias calling alarm at a hooded crow probably after its fledgelings on the bank near ramp up to neighbourhood, call of European cuckoo near look out corner/by central trail, young great spotted cuckoo flying between pine tops near valley road, cooing collared and turtle doves, swifts, over high rise flats where they prob also added their dwellings on upper outer walls, twittering greenfinches in the larger eucs that seemed to be joining in with music from a car radio and some picnickers, Syrian woodpecker calls, jays , blackbird song.. the forest was pretty much hopping! 

7th May

north watercourse : vegetation particularly wild carrot, Asteriscus with hoverflies, dried oats, some red everlasting opening petals, Syrian thistle fading, Verbascum beginning to bloom in some places, cat thyme germander blooming as were capers. 

hobby heard in woods,  kestrel also higher, chukars heard. 


8th May

Sdei Trumot.. 1 little egret,  several largish plain grey terrapins pulled out on the banks in the sun (mid 30s degrees C) , several spur winged plovers on opposite bank, collared doves around.. several pied kingfishers about, hover and diving watched.  Nest activity not noticed in the few mins I was there.. 1 hoopoe flew over.. around were also graceful warblers. Hirundines noticed by Argaman.

now by roadside in Beit Shean and lower Gilboa.. globe thistle blooming (on my patch just small budding heads)  still hollyhocks, giant fennel gone to seed and wilting, 

At Argaman photographed male sparrow which looked different from house sparrows in Jerusalem.. on viewing pics resembled ''Italian sparrow''  which is hybrid of Spanish and House sparrows. 

temps up and down, 30s one day, cool, rainy, even stormy the next, oscillating, unstable. 

16 th May

10 buck gazelle by north watercourse, some sparring behaviour, plus a few more in other places including three sets of mother plus kid born this spring, hurray! Some nursing observed near east watercourse and kid literally bouncing after the mom to keep up.. too cute!

plus: pair of great spotted cuckoos, cooing collared and turtle doves, pair of hobbies, call of Tristram's starling up the hill to the west, various fledgelings, singing greenfinches, calls of Prinias, syrian woodpeckers, Eurasian jays, great tits & warring jackdaws and hoodies over the pumping station, and bee-eaters down near the cistern. Pomegranates and broom in bloom.

locust in the willow tree,  another one appeared a day later.. both Anacridium aegyptium, second had yellow stripe on top, first did not and was slightly larger.

 

2nd half April

 Below: Bi-coloured centaury (Volutaria crupinoides) photographed at Argaman:

above: swallowtail on Bauhinia  (Malkishua gardens, Gilboa)  Below: olive tree flowers

Roadside Beit Shean: above , Painted lady, below, convolvulus which forms loose large cushions.. a number of these noticed by the wayside..

Group of white storks soaring on thermals on road between Jerusalem and sea level marker on road to Jericho.. 13 in frame, 3 of those relatively quite a bit higher.. there may have been a couple more outside the frame. Below: Limonium photographed at Argaman

Pics above from trip to Gilboa 24th April


Wed 17 April

most signif.. while walking east along north watercourse dirt road noticed roller flying across to bat cave trees.. A little later we walked up hill to north west and over to olive grove, sage vale.  Amongst olives noticed in all 5 European rollers, two pairs staying fairly close to each other.. flying to and fro amongst olives and to hill ridge behind us.. could have included the one I saw earlier, impossible to know for sure.. if not, then six individuals all. I suspect family group from last year as from colouring not all individuals fully mature.

More than 18 gazelle in north watercourse, all males of various ages but with clear male horns.. headed up hill as we and some kids approached.  Later saw  another group of 9 females and well grown young further over to east on open hill.

Bee-eaters on line over hillside.. a dozen or so.. had seen in last couple of days flocks of 15 or so over Pistacias and fields. Pair of kestrels seen and heard up from bat cave almost every day .. where nesting? Using a cypress or one of the towers?

In woods Eurasian jay, great tits, blackbirds, Eurasian jays vocal and active.

Sunday 21st April

Has been raining quite a bit in last few days.. walk out today just after 5 p.m. quite sunny and much bird activity, temp around 12 degrees C. 

Wild carrot flowering now.. the root is hard and pale.. not very edible, would take a fair bit of boiling! More chicory flowering in woods than ever saw before. 

Sunny and lots of bird activity after the rain.. great tits feeding young in acacias by north watercourse.. saw adults foraging and heard calls of young birds in acacia, also some song.  several masked shrikes about, v attractive little birds.. bachelor herd gazelles grazing by north watercourse again.. group of about half a dozen rollers, probably same ones we saw a few days ago, looking for food over north watercourse and hill side up from bat cave, flying about in their beautiful turquoise plumage like massive butterflies, swifts quite high over north watercourse, a Buteo coming down to cypresses by east field annoying hoodies, hoodies, jackdaws, chukars centre of east woods, jays, Syrian woodpeckers all vocal and active. Blackbird song and bulbuls.. hopping! Also greenfinches calling in young pines, collared doves in woods, on lines and in trees but no coos today.  Call of young great spotted cuckoo in east woods as seen from valley road.. attending hoodies seen. 

Sdei Trumot 24th April

Just a few pied kingfishers.. activity not noticed at the nest but I only had a few mins. Several collared doves noticed near shore.  Spur winged plovers heard but not seen. 

A score of white storks noticed over road towards Jericho just out of Jerusalem to north, flying on thermals. 

Several cattle egrets noticed in rift valley north of Jericho. 

Last day of April towards sunset, scores of Buteos, most with terminal tail bars.. at least one if not more without terminal tail bar, brownrufous body I assume long legged buzzard.. all slowly drifting north, flying, criss crossing at various heights.  

Grey grey shrike on top of high pylon arrangement red/white for signals..

April 1st Half

above.. found 3rd April near north watercourse.. some kind of Orthopteran.. yet to be IDd I haven't seen this species before 

Mason bee, Osmia? found in kitchen
 

Monday 1st April


Shield and star clover showing seed heads now, Gundelia and Syrian thistle coming into bloom, many milk thistles already in bloom as well as much mustard.

Bee-eaters:  heard flying high.. was poor visibility for much of the afternoon after hot chamsin morning. Also heard first time season on 31st March. Also last couple of days , peaks over 30 degrees C.  A turtle dove noticed on line near look-out corner , flew as we got too close but no cooing heard today.  As we came up from valley heard shrill calls, I think hobbies already back.  No luck spotting stork but probably because we are out too late in the afternoon when they are already settling down to roost.

gazelle: about eight up on ridge to north up beyond hidden watercourse, several others about on south facing slopes to north east.  Hyrax activity by valley road.

Wednesday 3rd April

Nice views of hobby flying about over north and east watercourses, hunting,  bee-eater calls regular now.. great tit song.. usual foursome in the garden.. now Bauhinia is blooming sunbird is regular visitor to the blooms.  Jackdaws, swifts heard just after sunset, larks up on hill north east of watercourse, crested?

Sunday 8th April

About 50 bee-eaters on lines over hillslopes to north east.. several gazelle grazing below.  One Turban buttercup found in north watercourse.

Wednesday 11th April

Sdei Trumot pool

Active pied kingfisher nest!  Left most opposite bank.. bird entered, exited with white thing in mouth.. dropping?  eggshell? went in again.. another in attendance not far off outside.. several more squatting further down on the bank.. appearance of at least two other holes to the right of that one but not in such good repair, may have partially collapsed, at least the whole not so well defined.  Further to right watched another P. K. hover high, attempt dive, change mind last moment close to water, swerve up again , then sploosh! in.. then settled on rock by water but hard to see if it had anything.

Several collared doves came down to water,  one little egret left as soon as arrived, no sign of herons, great whites or cormorants though searched but did eventually find just one spur winged plover.

Saturday 13th April

pleasant walk earlier by north watercourse.. upwards of 19 bachelor gazelle grazing and 3 sets of practice sparring on the other side of the watercourse. Some blackbird song, lots of Jay activity, some turtle dove coos, calls of bee-eaters and, on our way back, calls of stone curlew from over in east field.

Sunday 14th April

Pterophorus found near bat cave on Sunday, on shrubby restharrow
Again, upwards of 18 gazelle by north watercourse, some practice sparring..  some blackbird song, Prinias active and vocal, kestrels heard calling shrill bell call from up from bat cave, cypresses,  hyraxes barks down from shadiker about sunset. 
Lots of Syrian thistle, fleabane, some yellow Achillea,  
Insect life included bush crickets, hoverflies, Pterophorus moth, honeybees about neighbourhood. Mason bee in house a week or so ago.. Osmia, blue eyed job. A few days ago striped hawk moth on curtains french windows,  Hyles livornica.  

15 April
as yesterday just under 18.5 degrees C at about 6.30 p.m. . again, 18+ male gazelle of varying ages by north watercourse, some practice sparring, kestrel up the hill amongst the cypresses, call heard, one perched on line over hillside, lots of jays active by north watercourse dirt road, cooing collared and turtle doves in pines, greenfinches heard there too,  scampering hyrax on valley road on our way back, flock of 15 or so bee-eaters hawking and calling over us, hoodies, blackbird, 

lots of the dark beetles with small white spots on syrian thistles and similar plants. 

March 2nd Half

18th March

Acanthus coming up , starting to bloom by north watercourse.  Our Bauhinia is also starting to bloom, some flowers, many buds and sunbirds and bulbuls active from before dawn.. the bulbuls now start at about 5.20/5.25 am a.m. though one morning from 5 am.  Sparrows sometimes start chirping from 4.30 am.. probably a nest nearby.

Blackbird song regular around sunset, great tits also vocal , active, singing esp when sunny, collared doves have started to coo in the valley.  Great spotted cuckoos heard regularly.. that pair of kestrels still active just up from bat cave, east end of woods by north watercourse and hillside.. using electric wires and pylons between hovers.  Hoodies busy with nesting, jackdaw activity around.

Akiva saw group of some five hoopoes by ramp (back of neighbourhood to valley road by an acacia), no more swifts over neighbourhood since first heard them from east field a week and a half ago:(  Some Syrian woodpecker and jay calls, some greenfinch chaws, some chukar calls and activity, stone curlews fairly active in evenings.

Weather has been very changeable lately.. going down into mid, upper 50s then jumping up into upper 60s, lower 70s F.

That odd bee orchid which has some features of O. flavomarginata , seen blooming again just up from picnic area on valley road bend.. just one stalk again.  Lots of O. carmeli and pink butterfly orchid by north watercourse as usual,  O. lutea elsewhere under pines many places.

Eastern knapweed fritillary confirmed !  perched by north watercourse, didn't want to fly, just raised forewings to this position when front touched. Before that they were up half that from hindwings.

27th March
today a few fishermen gathered around my favourite pool at Sdei Trumot had spooked herons and plovers but there were a number of pied kingfishers hunting there, either perched on the far bank near the pipe over the water or flying low over the water. I think I heard a spur wing once but didn't find one. There were also five black storks circling about low over the valley approaching Beit Shean area from the south and a number of cattle egrets in flight at various places along the route.. Akiva spotted some quail (by his description.. he also noted dark wing tips) flying about by the road. We also spotted various roadside raptors, a pair of Tristram's starling near Jericho, lots of collared doves, crested larks, bulbuls, Prinias and some hirundines. Also yesterday afternoon walk in north valley watched a nightjar hunting back and forth over the road between the pines at dusk, always neat to see. I can hear a yellow vented bulbul now in the gardens, its late afternoon melodious calls.