It is mid July and the daily average temp’ is around 35-37 deg’ with daily max’ temp raising to 40-42 (and sometime even higher up to 45-47). The nights are short with average temp of 27-29 with daily min’ temp of 22-24 deg andyet, another Summer is going to come to its end soon and Autumn is already starting its swing. Many juv’ birds can be seen almost any where with local specials like this Little Green Bee-eater.
Thick-billed Lark fledglings were seen and photographed around K20 by Shachar Shalev last Sat’
and as one comes to K20 the feeling is that the ponds are filled with juv’ Black-winged Stiltand Kentish Plovers(which are finalising their 3rd brood for the season)
WhileGreater Flamingo’sare dancing
and others are coming from afar (like this Turkish T/DCP).
At Yotveta, thePharaoh Eagle Owl is present again
and Namaqua Dovescan be seen almost daily in various places
A White Storkwas spotted this evening by the torch resting on a tree, I wonder if it is
one of the lingering ones we had during the summer or a new bird which havetravelledfrom the north?!
YesterdayI’vebumped into this 2nd CalSooty Falcon (a morph which I haven’t seen too often before). Most of the birds are already on their territories and it won’t be too long before we start seeing them displaying.
At the IBRCE ringing station the first Eastern Orphean Warblersare seen together with the returning Eastern Olivacous Warblersand thecheerfulRufusBush Robins.
At North Beach we have great views ofStriatedHeron and groups of Little & Common Terns. Up to 8 Bridled Terns,2-6 White-cheeked Terns, 1-3 Sooty Shearwatersare seen daily now from the coast.
Despite being still around mid July, I can really smell the Autumn in the air and hope to have more reports coming soon…
Itai Shanni
Itai Shanni is the coordinator of the Eilat Birding Blog, which is jointly written by the Israeli Ornithological Centre (IOC) and the International Birding and Research Centre Eilat (IBRCE). Itai is working to promote bird and wildlife conservation throughout this area. As an Israeli A licensed ringer, he also gives support for the IBRCE staff when needed. Itai has also developed a real passion for Odonata watching and spends many hot hours chasing also Dragonflies and Damselflies.
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