End October

wed 27th October :

gazelle : 3 just after sunset , at least, could have been more behind almonds, grazing on ploughed area gazelle field.

hyrax: active and vocal at Shadiker colony though just adults seen, no youngsters.

stone curlew heard calling, first in a while. Great tit calls. Syrian woodpeckers and blackbirds also heard.

thurs. 28th October:

fox, seen on dry stone wall briefly, mostly grey, small olive grove
gazelle: 3 , shortly before sunset, ploughed area north gazelle field, behind almond row. One adult male far west edge, two more, hard to tell but I think female and well grown young at far edge of ploughed area.. all grazing peacably.

We looked for black redstart at the bunker rubble and listened for stonechat but apparently not back yet.

Flock of approaching 200 jackdaws flying from hill north of Hizmeh towards windsurfer hill, some calling. Hooded crows about.

Glimpses of various raptors, sparrowhawks and falcons but not enough info for good IDs. Also in last couple of weeks a few glimpses of large jobs between trees we think long eared owls.

gardens: house sparrows, sunbird again singing from late morning, laughing doves foraging on ground, going for the guinea pig food, minor altercations betw. the two. Variety of Bulbul calls.

friday 29th Oct

sparrows chirping in garden. GREENFINCH in song in trees not far off, next doors cypresses most likely. White wagtails heard.

Sat 30th Oct.

Rains fell last night! That greenfinch knew... No thunder or lightning, first quite heavy fall after supper, then intermittantly through the night as more cumulus blew in.
Temps today just 15-18 degrees C.

All damp and aroma of eucalyptus strong in the air esp. as we walked around the loop past the pumping station and the bridge. The watercourse already not running.

best (and exciting ob) ob, two adult male gazelle sparring in field just east of Pistacia grove! Akiva spotted them, I looked with binocs and saw they were trotting to and fro with attitude which gave me an idea of what to expect next! Sure enough in a few more seconds they were head to head, clacking horns, sounds of these distinctly audible 'clack, clack' . A little later one chased the other behind euc and pine grove east of cistern and out onto north east gazelle field and up slopes. They passed by group of females and well grown young moving in a line steadily westward, mid slopes, at least 8 individuals. 10 gazelle in all. Our best view of sparring we've had yet so I was very pleased. This was between 4.30 and 4.45 p.m.

fox : spotted by me across east watercourse, reddish head and tail and stripe half way up back, rest of body and front face greyish. Aware of us, looked back at us a few times, made its way to central trail, crossed look-out corner at fair clip and headed into eucalyptus.

No luck on robins, black redstarts or chaffinches though we looked carefully where they would usually be found and in good time. These days we leave the house at about 4 p.m.

White wagtails heard on and off all day, seen late afternoon, a few flying quite high south towards pisgat zev. I think they're also using that round densely foliaged tree on Elias for roost, seen, heard individuals flying into it last few days, and they use rooftops, schoolyards and streets nearby to forage.

sunbird activity in cape honeysuckle about midday/early afternoon, at least two males involved, hard to tell , Akiva thought at least one may be immature. Feral pigeons about overhead, house sparrows active and vocal, laughing dove foraging on the ground.

Hoodies about, flock up on west slopes windsurfer hill, minor excursions into the air but preferred standing on the ground. Ahead, flock of about 50 jackdaws milling about not far above canopy level, look-out corner area.. perhaps fox excited them? Occasional Eurasian jay and Syrian woodpecker calls, graceful warbler calls. Occasional great tit calls, blackbird calls near owl glade. No chiffchaff calls. while we were still on valley road heard some Tristram starling whistles then saw pair flying quite quickly across the valley from our neighbourhood towards Hizmeh.

Saturday evening some neighbourhood boys came knocking on our door with bird in hand.. which I must admit I did not recognize at first, it was so unfamiliar to me, soft dark grey, long red bill like a wader. Only when they put it on the floor and it began to walk with it's moorhen like gait and seeing the brown striations on the back I suddenly realized what it was and could find it for them in the book. It was a water rail! Rallus aquaticus.

I don't recall seeing one before, perhaps with the JBO some years ago, but I don't remember, and this is a new one for our 'patch'... just about qualifies as it was found way over in what amounts to a south western 'tongue' up from Mir Forest, Gan Petri, a public park in the upper part of the neighbourhood about 15 minutes walk west of us.

The boys wanted to keep it as a pet and wanted to know what to feed it but we strongly encouraged them to release it, thinking it most likely to die in captivity.

According to my book many water rails pass through Israel on migration in spring and autumn and a number overwinter in suitable parts of the country.

Sunday's walk was relatively quiet, though a couple of gazelle in the grazing area beyond the almond line that we could see already from our street, jackdaws, hoodies and similar stuff.. no sound or sight of winter visitors though the earth was wonderfully damp , white wagtails calling as they flew by on and off through the day, three sunbirds active in the cape honeysuckle.

3rd quarter of October

Gecko on the wall outside our front door. Below, budding autumn squill.

buds of autumn squill, found by saddle watercourse, first and only found yet.

Saturday 16th Oct: mud dauber wasp seen in garden, hovering near french windows.

Boys had quite close encounter with Indian porcupine, passed just few feet away.. on walk to local pool . Showed no aggression, surprising because they are usually much more timid and do not allow such close approach.

Sunday 17 Oct.

First White wagtail heard this season! Early afternoon heard from house, over street.

Gazelle: 1 female by tree line windsurfer hill, another three between dirt road off hill and small olive grove, two (well grown young ?) then another leaping, Akiva thinks he saw male horns but light poor by then.
Hyraxes by valley road boulders by forest, some juveniles.

porcupine quill on saddle watercourse trail, about third way up.. brown and white, quite short.

Budding autumn squill ! First this season.

Lots of crows on the hill, mixed jackdaws and hoodies, between 50 and 100, boiled up from the ground like ash from a fire as we approached a newly excavated archaeological site on upper western slopes. Eurasian sparrowhawk passed over mid west slopes.

Active and vocal Syrian woodpeckers, Eurasian jays, blackbird dusk alarm.

Around buildings, feral pigeons as usual, sunbird singing in Bauhinia, graceful warblers, and generally lately laughing dove house sparrows occasionally coming down to forage on garden ground for food left over from chicken and guinea pigs.

Monday 18th October

Chiffchaffs back! At least 3 individuals various places in woods, foraging in tops of pine trees.

Sunbird singing in Bauhinia tree from late morning, jackdaws and hooded crows about.
Eurasian jays about, foraging on ground, or between trees. Bulbul heard in Pistacia grove. Syrian woodpeckers active and vocal.

8 gazelle: 2 down slope by trail from valley road to north watercourse dirt road, 1 adult male across the watercourse, limping, favouring back right leg. Couldn't see any damage, could be in hoof. 4 more under edge of young pines a few hundred feet from service road, 1 more adult male just up slope from east valley watercourse just south of Pistacia grove.

Bats seen quite regularly lately at dusk, over valley road and central trail.

21st Oct
Female sunbird seen foraging outside window, calling sharply. Laughing doves foraging on ground in garden. Jackdaws heard. Akiva saw a number of white wagtails near central bus station.. there is a large roost near there, used every year.

24th Oct

Fox seen across Pistacia orchard, greyish whitish mottled, colouring I hadn't seen before but definitely fox, usual bushy tail

Birds pretty much as 25th, also Eurasian jays calling lately east woods

25th Oct

Sunbird singing in Bauhinia as usual from late morning. At least two laughing doves about foraging on ground in garden. Bulbul on cape honeysuckle early morning but quiet.

Farther off: jackdaws heard on and off all day, in woods, Syrian woodpeckers, blackbirds calling, hoodies flying to roost, about half a dozen ducks over at dusk a few days lately, about 5.30 p.m. look out corner area. Graceful warblers vocal and active by valley road and other places.

Bats and hyraxes not seen today, a bit cool and windy. today's peak was about 22.5 degrees C today and already under 20 during walk.

Only wild flowers now are the bright yellow Inula (ragwort type) growing in clumps in many places and itching our noses, and the Polygonum just below Lev Aryeh.

First rain not yet, still waiting for that. Also haven't seen any goldilocks.

Obs first half October.

I found this caper stem interesting because I have not seen this kind of flat form on any other bush. See how it bears prickles on its surface as opposed to the usual opposite pears. The caper flowers are finished now but many still bear green leaves. Caper bug infestation does not appear to be as heavy as last year though there still is some. I notice the leaves are significantly smaller on many bushes this year, perhaps a response to the infestation. Does it have any protective effect? Make the bush less desirable or even recognizable for bugs?

This is the only specimen of prickly pear (Opuntia) I have found growing spontaneously anywhere in the forest and just found it today, just up from east watercourse on the western banks, south of the pumping station. Possibly sprouted from a Sabra fruit seeds dropped on some picnic- ( evidence of campfire site in vicinity).
Prickly pear is not a native.. it was probably introduced from Arizona in the 19th century for natural fencing. There is at least one large mature plant on our street.

3rd Oct: Small flock of hooded crows windsurfing off the upper western slopes of windsurfer hill and later flying over to roost. Jackdaw calls from Hizmeh hill slopes, calls. Falcon like calls, probably hobby. Syrian woodpeckerTristram's starling from direction of 'hood.

Around house, sunbird in Bauhinia, house sparrows, graceful warbler call.

16th Oct: Saturday

gazelle: a couple, females, up on hillslopes imm. east of east watercourse dirt road, near tree line.

fox: I found one today about sunset, low bushy grey one passing behind cistern pine, going to and fro, sniffing ground, searching. Akiva found one a couple of days ago foraging north watercourse, seen from shaft, a dark one.

hyraxes: some activity, couple of adults corner sapling field near pumping station. lately quite a bit of activity in warm dry late afternoons boulders across from cypress slum, none on cooler windier afternoons more frequent now.

Syrian woodpeckers heard as frequently as usual lately, jays also heard east woods, . Masked shrikes heard a couple of days ago about sunset.

large flock hooded crows up on windsurfer hill, calls, also jackdaws, both about last few days, crows seen going to roost. Jackdaws vocal, crows much less so.

Sunbird still singing in Bauhinia mornings and early afternoons, flitting between cape honeysuckle and there, very active.

evenings getting much cooler, light cotton blouse not enough, but days still warm, friday was almost 33 degrees C at noon. A two minute rainfall a week or so ago but otherwise still dry.

Yom Kippur to end of Succot obs.

A late blooming thistle type found on the hillside. Notice the petal straps are much wider than those of milk thistle, which finished already months ago.

Yom Kippur: that was Saturday 18th Sept- usual sunbird, laughing dove, house sparrows, also jackdaws about. Twice in the late morning heard clear near calls of Tristram's starling, at least one, probably at least two individuals on next door's building or high vegetation, didn't see, just heard.
When I went out to look for them, noted Salmon Arab butterfly in garden.

Graceful warbler also heard around the garden lately and sunbird singing much of second half of morning and early afternoon.

Akiva noticed many ants on the female pumpkin flowers, hardly any on the males.

Monday 20th Sept: 4 gazelle in view grazing on ploughed area beyond almond trees towards sunset. Also around: hoopoe on eucalyptus near pumping station, great tits seen and heard on acacias and other trees in that area. Syrian woodpeckers heard. Jackdaws about and vocal, hooded crows and jays also about but very quiet. Two falcons over windsurfer hill, seemed to be flying together, no details made out but not kestrels, may be hobbies or other.

Dusk ducks still about, some low quacks and flying from A Ram to Hizmeh but no details.

Last night took dog for walk down snake path end of Abir Yaakov about 10.30 p.m., geckoes about on wall and by path. heard several chitterings of Geckoeshyrax alarms in the fragrant bushes , Akiva glimpsed a young one. That snake path is a frequent haunt for hyraxes.. upper part of pumphouse colony or perhaps a separate colony. No activity before sunset on our walk.

No more shrikes heard and many other birds quiet. Collared doves about but only noticed when they break from a tree and move to another.

Saturday 25th September
3 gazelle crossed east valley dirt path by Pistacia grove near look-out corner end.. Looked like female adult, well grown young and young adult male who was not necessarily the father of the kid but probably following the female out of interest.

Tristram's starlings heard almost every day lately, any time from 10 a.m. to early afternoon, calling. Akiva saw four. I didn't see them but seemed to be up in neighbour's cypresses or palm for a bit.

Blackbird alarm heard, some bulbul calls, graceful warbler calls, hobby calls in woods just west of gazelle field, jays vocal, jackdaws vocal, hoodies around but not vocal.
In gardens: house sparrows, still laughing dove coos, sunbird song in hot hours.

There has been something of a heatwave in last week or so, peak temps from 30 to mid 30s degrees C and with humidity at 50% minimum, feels hotter.

Another heatwave at the end of Sept, beginning of Oct, again temps reached into mid 30s at peak.

2nd Oct: Gazelles: In east field, an adult male just south of small olive grove. Farther south towards slopes of windsurfer hill, group of four gazelle, from sharpness of head markings and small horns would guess a young group, 'teenagers', individuals of a couple of years old.

Lots of hyrax activity by valley road by cypress slum colony including a litter of four young 'uns just down from, I assume their mom, guarding near the road edge.

Tristram's starlings heard again, from direction of 'hood somewhere. collared doves region of bunker, hoopoe flew over us there, heavily, towards look-out corner, graceful warbler around garden, also around bare patch service road woods, Syrian woodpeckers heard, sparrowhawk sightings lately and hobbies though they are relatively quiet now. Peregrine/s ? unconfirmed.
Jackdaws, hooded crows, blackbirds, great tits. chukars?

House: House sparrows, sunbird almost every day some song late morning, early afternoon, some bulbul calls this norming (3rd) , laughing doves about, foraging on ground.

September, around Rosh Hashanah

Sunbird singing in Bauhinia outside my window. Lack of sharpness due to the mosquito screen between. This can just be made out in the lightest patches. Pic doesn't do justice to iridescence. Emerald feathers on neck stood almost on end on neck as the bird sang. ~10% enhancement of brightness and contrast to counteract the artificial gloom caused by tree shade.. thus bringing the pic close to brightness perceived by human eye.

It's Tuesday 7th September
Quiet time of year.. time for a quick catch up of the past week. Late summer is a very quiet season. We've been listening out for masked shrike but not a


Hyrax : adults on boulders by valley road, just sitting there looking at us until we take even a fraction of a step in their direction, in which case they scamper off down. At a distance we see them crossing the road ahead of us
Bee-eaters : Not heard or seen over these days.

Bulbuls : some calls heard from gardens on the street
Sunbirds: regular song/subsong from 10 a.m. and onwards, over hottest time of day.
Laughing doves quiet coos many times today. House sparrows quieter than usual. Hooded crows and jackdaws about as usual, large flock just off south west slopes of windsurfer hill. . Jays active various parts of the forest.
Syrian woodpecker some calls
Collared doves about, active, not cooing but usually seen flying between trees when something spooks them.
Blackbirds some alarm calls heard
Graceful warblers still quite active and vocal about street, gardens

13th September

Shrikes heard from east valley dirt road on the 11th- at least two individuals, one towards the Pistacia orchard, at least one from across the watercourse in an open sapling planted area between the watercourse and pines. Akiva also saw a few (masked shrikes) in a brushy area near the central bus station on the 12th, mid afternoon .

Sunbird: in the last few days the sunbird has been getting earlier and earlier.. moving his start back to around 9 a.m. then between 8 and 9 and today rather abruptly some alarm squeaks and hardly any song at all.

I seem to be missing some of recent records, accidental deletion of material between 7th and 13th but there was not a great deal in it.. (great tit call, syrian woodpeckers, jackdaws, laughing doves, bulbul, house sparrow, jays, hooded crows, feral pigeons, ) much was repetition apart from the mention of some kind of waterfowl flying over cistern area and heading east shortly after sunset. Seems they came from north or north west. Deep grating quack like sounds, some kind of duck but not malllard. Gadwall, garganey and pochard are common passage migrants this time of year. No detail seen, in silhouette above in poor light and quite quick flying.. vocalising as they went, as a group but little attempt at a V.

young adult male gazelle crossed east valley road ahead of us near Pistacia orchard on 11th.

August

Recent pic of slender cypress by valley road. You might want to compare this to a similar pic at the beginning of this blog to see how much or little has changed. That one was taken a few months earlier in that year.

Period till 16th August

Gazelle: occasional. On Monday 16th adult male seen up on slopes immediate east of east valley dirt road.

Hyrax n some spotted by valley road, boulders just down from cypress slum. Also activity on slopes by pumphouse. Also some activity just down from school, a relatively inactive colony but still occupied it seems unless these are just wanderers from cypress slum.

Bee-eaters regularly heard from house on and off between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and again 6 p.m till sunset.

Bulbuls now starting between 5.30 a.m. and 5.45 a.m.
Sunbirds: occasional song/subsong from Bauhinia, also alarms from a cape honeysuckle on road behind/up from us, heard through enclosed back porch
House sparrows and Laughing doves, still cooing, about house and gardens as usual
Hooded crows and jackdaws about as usual heard. Jays heard and seen various parts of the forest.
Syrian woodpecker calls
Collared doves about, active but not cooing so much. Turtle doves, keeping low profile.
Blackbirds not singing lately but alarm calls occasionally heard
Graceful warblers quite active and heard from garden or nearby esp. around dawn.
Hobbies, heard several times esp. bat cave area and wood around service road.

Patch of woods by central trail cut down as is also patch by service road. Bald area not visible from valley road.

Afternoon temps between 30- 36 degrees C. humidity between about 35 % and 80%

Period till 25th August.

Gazelle: occasional. On Wednesday 25th one on ploughed area beyond almond line around sunset, couldn't see horns. Adult male seen a couple of days ago.

Hyrax : adults active on boulders by valley road. Later, high pitch chittering alarm call heard repeatedly as a group of 5 feral dogs approached colony.
Bee-eaters : Not heard or seen over these days.

Bulbuls : quiet now, just one seen calling melodiously by Akiva one day.
Sunbirds: regular song/subsong from Bauhinia through early afternoon, also alarms from there and from a cape honeysuckle by entrance at various times.
House sparrows and Laughing doves quieter
Hooded crows and jackdaws about as usual heard. Jays heard and seen various parts of the forest. That still the same
Syrian woodpecker some calls
Collared doves about, active but not cooing so much. .
Blackbirds not singing lately but alarm calls occasionally heard
Graceful warblers quite active and heard from garden or nearby esp. around dawn and by valley road and near look out corner.
Hobbies, heard several times esp. bat cave area and wood around service road.

Storks are known to be migrating south now, passing just east of here but no luck. Just after sunset heard hoarse calls, first took to be those of fox, but then 8 birds flying together came into view. They were flying north to south, and turned east towards Dead Sea. Large water birds, black and white, could not see extended neck, calls higher and hoarser than the honks of cranes, light was already considerably dimming and hard to see but pelicans I think. First time I've seen those over the patch! They would or could not alight on the Dead Sea itself but could make use of brackish and freshwater marsh next to it.

29th August:

Hyrax : adults on boulders by valley road, just sitting there looking at us until we take even a fraction of a step in their direction, in which case they scamper off down. At a distance we see them crossing the road ahead of us
Bee-eaters : Not heard or seen over these days.

Bulbuls : some calls heard from gardens on the street
Sunbirds: regular song/subsong from 10 a.m. and onwards, over hottest time of day.
Laughing doves quiet coos many times today. House sparrows quieter than usual. Hooded crows and jackdaws about as usual, large flock just off south west slopes of windsurfer hill. . Jays active various parts of the forest.
Syrian woodpecker some calls
Collared doves about, active, not cooing but usually seen flying between trees when something spooks them.
Blackbirds some alarm calls heard
Graceful warblers still quite active and vocal about street, gardens

Chukars, stone curlews and various others keeping a low profile. One falcon in flight very recently over bat cave area, grey back, quite large, might have been a peregrine but didn't get a good view of details.

Centre of forest around 'crossroads' by centre trail looks like a sad bald wasteland, so many trees cut but hopefully there will be more planting early the coming spring, and it will also be interesting to see the succession of natural vegetation there in coming months.

Late July, Early August obs.

Our street (betw centre and top left) overlooking valley. Valley road can be clearly seen just to the right of and down from the buildings, and pumping station just visible at near end. From there a dirt road loops around to the right and away again towards north gazelle field, (top right)

Pic. taken from 'villa' hill just to the south of windsurfer hill. (out of sight to the right)


Tuesday 27th July

sunbird : song in Bauhinia early/mid afternoon

bee-eaters: calls about 6 a.m. but not heard on walk

Syrian woodpecker: call in pines south side of north valley watercourse.

Hooded crows and jackdaws: about , flying over, calls

gazelle: 6 in view (1) in ploughed area behind almond row, north gazelle field, rest beyond grazing amongst the dry grasses and oats.

Hobby: calls from shaft/owl glade pines area

Turtle doves: not noticed today

Blackbirds: 'Moon line' blackbird (? or close neighbour) in song in tree by east watercourse dirt road approaching bridge.

Graceful warblers : calls

Collared doves: some coos and activity by north valley dirt road, betw. trees.

Stone curlew: heard on our later walk, about 10.30 pm


Wednesday 28th July

Bulbul started up about 5.20 a.m.

Last few mornings release of powerful fragrance just after 6 a.m. Only thing blooming in the gardens nearby right now is jasmine. Could it be that?

sunbird : squeak calls shortly after dawn. song in Bauhinia again mid afternoon, calls also heard various places along dirt roads last few days.

bee-eaters: calls about 6 a.m.

Syrian woodpecker: calls in pines

gazelle: 2 in view in ploughed area behind almond row, north gazelle field and dry grass just beyond. 3 more north windsurfer hill, near fence.

Hobby: 2 falcons in air above east field, territorial dispute, one from Hizmeh being 'headed off' by another coming from Mir forest. First seemed to have rufous tail, no bands, spread a little occasionally while wheeling about.. also quite a bit of brown in plumage, and dark top. Couldn't find a match so I'm thinking it was a juvenile.

Turtle doves: not noticed today

Blackbirds: 'tzeet' alarm call
great tits: calls, scolds heard various parts of woods .. several times in last week or so.

Graceful warblers : calls heard on walk and from house.

Collared doves: some coos and activity around cistern area.

Stone curlew: today?

Thursday 29th July- Wednesday 4 August

gazelle: August 3rd: at least 8 by north valley watercourse betw. euc grove near bat cave and ploughed area, small groups. One consisted of two adult males and a younger individual, young male I think. Prob the same two males that have often been seen in the woods near the bat cave. Then female and young seen farther east more out in the open , another small group in ploughed area. 1 buck following another individual along watercourse but not clear if it was one of first bucks we saw earlier.
August 4th: 5 on open west slopes windsurfer hill - two together and three a little farther south. Just up from them a small group of hooded crows were busy doing their windsurfer thing, the breezes were quite brisk up there and perfect for their sport.

Bulbul started up between 5.20 a.m. to 5.45 a.m. over last few days, mostly within five minutes of 5.20, sky dark/just beginning to get light.

sunbird : some squeak calls in Bauhinia and cape honeysuckle, some song or subsong in Bauhinia some days various times of afternoon.

bee-eaters: calls about 6 a.m. or shortly after most days but not seen in valley so much last few days.

Syrian woodpecker: calls in pines, various parts of woods most days.

Hobby: Some high multi-note calls various parts of woods, brief views.

Turtle doves: not heard or seen much lately but probably still about, quiet.

Blackbirds: 'some alarm calls, some brief song heard.

Graceful warblers : calls heard esp by valley road and down near look out corner.

Collared doves: some coos and activity along east valley dirt road, trees.

Period till 10 August:

Occasional sightings of up to about half a dozen gazelle on west slopes of windsurfer hill and north gazelle field, adult buck when seen, in gazelle field.

Hyrax nursing out on a rock- tolerated two nursing but became a little aggressive when another two also wanted to nurse. She would make low pitch grunting sounds and snap at them. The youngsters weren't the smallest I've seen, must have been out and about for a couple of weeks at least. They made occasional low volume squeaking noises as they nursed. The young one in front kept switching from front to back on left sides, perhaps mother is getting dry. She was quite shaggy blonde which showed me that these more mature looking individuals can still nurse.
Bee-eaters regularly heard from house at about 6 a.m.
Bulbuls now starting around 5.30 a.m.
Sunbirds: occasional song/subsong from Bauhinia
House sparrows and Laughing doves, still cooing, about house and gardens as usual
Hooded crows and jackdaws heard.

Afternoon temps between 30- 38 degrees C.