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A Bird’s Eye View of the Holy Land Newsletter From | No. 12 | June 2013

Barn Owls of Peace: For the first time in the , a female Barn Owl (right) with a Jordanian ring nested with an Israeli-ringed Barn Owl male (left) at Beit Shean Valley. The pair was monitored by Kobi Meyrom, and successfully raised seven healthy chicks (Photo: Motti Charter)

Dear Friends, The Hoopoe Foundation, established with a generous gift from Racheli and Moshe Yanai, completed its second year of operations in 2012. The annual $250,000 donation is slated to promote birding in Israel with an emphasis on education and preservation of birds and habitats, as well as research to support these goals. The Foundation recruits resources and new ventures and expects to triple its reach through additional donors and government support. This year, Mark Gelfand, a supporter for many years joined the foundation’s major donors with a $100,000 gift. Moshe Yanai doubled his yearly donation with edition $250,000 in order to advance the pilot for “The Army for the Protection of ”, designed to lead a major process in the Israel Defense Forces which will encourage officers and their troops to take responsibility for their surrounding environment. The idea gained momentum and the Hoopoe Foundation will be adding another goal to its program for 2013, having decided together with the IDF General Staff to bring all of Israel’s green organizations into the initiative. In our second year we succeeded in expanding the foundation from 13 projects in 2011 to 30 projects in 2012, an increase of 230% in scope of activity and number of projects. Some of these projects are presented in this newsletter. As part of the annual plan we established the “Hoopoe Library” with the publication of two books in Hebrew and . Our goal is to publish three more books in 2013. In addition, we produced our first movie and hope to continue this tradition this year too. For the first time, we held a highly-successful lecture day led by the Hoopoe Foundation in cooperation with the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Studies and the Israeli Air Force. This seminar will become an annual event. Five research projects were approved by the Hoopoe Foundation in 2013. At this juncture, we would like to thank Moshe and Racheli Yanai and Mark Gelfand as well as an additional anonymous donors who were vital to the establishment of the foundation. Also, several other donors contributed sums starting at hundreds of shekels and as high as Hiltrud Oberwelland’s NIS 25,000 in honor of the Bruno H Schubert Award awarded to Yossi Leshem in her home country of Germany. A special thanks is also in order for Foundation Chairman Moshe Yanai and board members Professor Yoram Yom Tov, Profesor Ido Yitzhaki, Alon and Adi Shai, who have worked tirelessly on approvals for projects and research, and SPECIAL EDITION ensured that the foundation operated in a professional manner. FOR BIRDLIFE Enjoy reading the newsletter! CONFERENCE, Prof. Yossi Leshem Dan Alon OTTAWA, CANADA, Director, The International Center for the Study of at Latrun Director, Israel Ornithological Center JUNE 2013

Visit our website: www.birds.org.il National initiative to use Barn Owls and Kestrels as pest control agents, 2008-2012

The organic pest control venture using Barn Owls and Kestrels began as the whim of a few die-hard advocates and grew into a tremendous success story. The project managers - the Ministry of and Rural Development, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel through the Hoopoe and Beracha Foundations and Tel Aviv University – created a venture that both protects the environment and biological diversity as well as providing a solution to a serious problem for farmers: rodent damage to crops. Everyone wins. Although the venture began with the modest goal of doubling the number of nesting boxes in farmland from 730 in 2008 to 1,500 in 2011, five years later, we now have over 3,000 nesting boxes in the field and hundreds more in the planning stages. The professional Seven Barn Owl chicks hatched by the “Mixed Pair,” an Israeli male and a Jordanian female. (Photo: Motti Charter) staff monitor the boxes and provide consultations, information and assistance to farmers. The venture operates unique study programs for farming There are now hundreds of farmers using this organic method of pest communities, becoming a partner with real influence on public opinion control against rodents. It is practiced in almost all farming areas in and decision makers. Israel from Beer Sheva in the south through the country’s northern We have also succeeded in recruiting the Arab farmers in Israel to join the border. Many farmers are switching to Barn Owl-based pest control, Barn Owl project despite ingrained superstition, still occasionally noted, reducing the use of poisons against rodents without reducing crop yield. associating owls with bad luck. The successful project was also exported to The organic control of rodents through owls and falcons improves Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Throughout the project, substantial yield, increases profits and has health and environmental benefits for research has tracked owl populations, collected vital biological data and everyone. The venture has become a model of cooperation between monitored their effective use to benefit the human population. farmers, conservationists and scientists.

First year of the national project number of nesting boxes

year

Following the success of the project, the number of Yossi Leshem lectured on the project at Oxford University on Oxpeace Conference, May 11th 2013, under the title: Birds as Peacemakers in the nesting boxes nationwide raised from 730 in 2007 to . Left to Right: Prof. Yossi Leshem,Dr. Azzam Alwash (from Iraq), about 3,000 in 2012. Dr. Andrew Gosler (Oxford) and Chris Naylor (A-ROCHA, Lebanon)

2 Sooty Falcon: A pleasant surprise in Israel’s desert Meidad Goren, Birdwatching Center Ramat HaNegev

The Sooty Falcon (Falco concolor) is a small, blue-grey bird of prey. This conducted for the elegant falcon has particularly narrow wings and is an excellent flyer, past 30 years, specializing in midair hunting of migrating birds such as swallows, martins and because this and swifts as well as bats and insects. The Sooty Falcon is different from species of falcon is most birds of prey in timing nesting coincide with the autumn migration. disappearing from The Sooty Falcon has a long migration route and its winter habitat is mostly its nesting areas, in Madagascar, although it can also be found wintering in Mozambique it was decided to and to a lesser extent in South . The falcons arrive in Israel in May conduct another and June, and set up fairly permanent colonies. In Israel, they nest in comprehensive the desert region ranging from Eilat through Mount Negev and into the survey. This survey Judean Desert. They nest in crevices in cliffs, on rock steps and even in aimed to determine the abandoned nests of other birds. About three weeks after the fledglings a more exact picture leave the nest in October, the falcons leave for their wintering site in Africa. of the current The Sooty Falcon is on the global endangered species lists. Recent population size and data indicates a substantial the trends that have drop in the world population taken root in the past The Sooty Falcon after catching a migrating Sedge Warbler in the Negev Desert. in the past two decades and three decades. (Photo: Hadoram Shirihai) it is possible that Israel’s The survey was part desert regions are the of the Nature and Parks Authority, Society for the Protection of nesting grounds for as much Nature in Israel and the Israel Electric Company’s “Taking the as 10% of the global Sooty Vultures under our Wings” project. The survey was launched in the Falcon population. The only fall of 2011 and is the only such survey of an inland Sooty Falcon previous comprehensive population. The first part of the Sooty Falcon nesting and distribution nesting survey of the Sooty survey began in August 2011. To date, we have found 46 nesting Falcon in Israel’s desert pairs of Sooty Falcon. According to this data, we believe the Sooty region, was conducted in Falcon population to number about 100 nesting pairs, however the 1980-1984. That survey survey is not yet complete, with another nesting season ahead of us. found about 100 nesting Interim results indicate that Israel’s Sooty Falcon population is healthy About 100 pairs of Sooty Falcon nest in pairs. Because no survey and important and, unlike the global population, it is not shrinking. the Negev Desert. or other monitoring of This very encouraging data emphasizes the importance of substantially (Photo: Hadoram Shirihai) the population had been preserving the Sooty Falcon nesting grounds in Israel.

Plan for protection of the Collared Pratincole in Israel. Nadav Israeli, Hula Valley Birdwatching Center

The Collared Pratincole is a part of the Charadrius family. Until the Hula Valley Nesting Season 2013 1960s, hundreds of pairs of Pratincoles nested in central and northern At the beginning of the season, a nesting ground was prepared for Israel. However, in the late 1960s and 1970s, a drastic drop in their the Pratincoles, however as has been true in the previous three years, numbers led to the disappearance of Praticole nesting grounds in Israel. they chose to nest in agricultural land north of the Agamon-Hula Lake. Today 50-100 pairs of the Collared Pratincole nest in Israel. The colony, the largest in Israel, included 30 nesting pairs. The farmer The plan for the protection of Pratincole nesting has been in place in had planned to plant corn in the area about a month after the colony Israel since 2010 and has involved the cooperation of the Society for the was established. Clearly, without action, the colony would have been Protection of Nature, the Israel Parks and Nature Authority, the Jewish destroyed in the preparation of the soil for planting. We contacted the National Fund in the Hula Valley region and farmers. The Hoopoe farmer and negotiated a settlement under which he would not work the Foundation has provided financial backing. The plan aims to provide land until after the nesting cycle and the plan would compensate him safe nesting grounds in Israel for the Collared Pratincole where the for the lack of crops from this area. birds are undisturbed by farmers and to attract the Pratincole to nest in these designated areas. In the event Pratincole pairs nevertheless nest The nesting colony was marked and fenced at about 20 dunam (5 acres). in agricultural areas, the plan promotes cooperation with farmers to All farming activity took place as usual outside the colony however there protect the colonies without causing them financial damage. was no agricultural disturbance inside the marked area during the

3 nesting cycle. On May 24, the first hatchlings were seen in the colony and since then more than 60 chicks have hatched and are growing up in the marked area. The parents constantly feed them with insects from the surrounding fields. This year we have placed two small motion-sensitive cameras near one of the nests which have filmed both stills and video and broadcast back to the center every few minutes. Seeing the hatchlings emerge was very exciting. The information from these cameras will assist us greatly in better managing the protection plan in the future. This year, Ms. Liraz Cabara, M.Sc. student at University, sponsored by the JNF and the Hoopoe Foundation aims to uncover the factors that influence the Pratincoles’ choice of nesting grounds and enable us to prepare better-suited areas that will attract the birds to nest outside farmland. Pratincole nesting in other areas in 2013: Beit Shean Valley – a colony of about ten pairs was found by local volunteers. The farmer informed us that no crops were planned for that area during the nesting season Collared Pratincole in the agriculture fields at the Hula Valley (Photo: Dror Galili) so the colony’s situation appears good.

Bird monitoring in Israel moves forward | ‏Yoav Perlman, IOC Ecologist

Fighting extinctions and protecting species and habitats depends on As result most of its typical breeding birds have become endangered, robust field data. In recent years IOC has been spending more resources such as Long-billed Pipit and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear. on conservation-aimed bird monitoring. Following successful breeding Even though the breeding season has not ended yet, some preliminary atlas projects in southern Israel during 2009 – 2011, supported by USFS, results show the importance of top-quality fieldwork for conservation. in 2012 and 2013 IOC launched a national bird monitoring upgrade One of the best examples is the monitoring project of the Critically project, aimed at producing the first national data-based State of the Endangered Nubian Nightjar, one of Israel’s rarest breeding birds. Birds report in 2015. Major data gaps were mapped, and prioritized Once common along the Rift Valley in suitable habitats, nowadays according to the sensitivity of species or habitats. the only population survives in Sodom Saltmarsh, the last remaining In 2013, IOC executes a series of habitat- and species-based projects, saltmarsh in Israel. The remaining habitat is still threatened mainly by supported by the Hoopoe Foundation. We monitor Israel’s rarest breeding further cultivation. This years’ monitoring found a healthy population birds, including Nubian Nightjar, Greater Hoopoe-lark and the globally of 55 pairs in Sodom Saltmarsh. IOC leads the conservation campaign Vulnerable Marbled Duck; we monitor endangered wintering raptors, there, in partnership with other stake-holders there, including Tamar such as Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles, and endangered Regional Council, Nature and Parks Authority, Works and breeding raptors, such as Sooty Falcon, Lesser Kestrel and Egyptian local communities. This conservation project is aimed at protecting Vulture. This year we launched two breeding bird atlas projects: the unique and highly threatened habitat. Finally, after several years of • Mt. Hermon, Israel’s highest mountain with unique alpine habitats strenuous planning procedures, a breakthrough was noted earlier this holds 16 bird species that breed in Israel solely on Mt. Hermon. year, that will allow signing on an agreement between all stakeholders, Its habitats are seriously threatened by further development and and will ensure protection of the saltmarsh and of the nightjars. overgrazing. On Mt. Hermon our team discovered breeding pairs of the rare White- • Batha – this unique open, rocky habitat is found in patches in North and throated Robin and Crimson-winged Finch. We hope that our data will Central Israel, but is threatened and seriously degraded all over Israel. lead to better protection of Mt. Hermons’ fragile .

Sodom Saltmarsh, south of Dead Sea. (Photo: Yoav The Nubian Nightjar at Sodom Saltmarsh, south of the Dead Sea. Perlman) (Photo: Yoav Perlman)

4 The 7th Eilat Bird Festival | ‏Dan Alon, Director IOC

Another great festival week is behind us, marking the start to an excellent birders truly make a difference as all benefits from the festival go directly spring migration season. The 7th Eilat Festival took place on the 13-20 to conservation projects in Israel, For that we thank you. March and over 200 birders, photographers and nature lovers from 11 The 8th Eilat Bird Festival will take place on the 23-30 nationalities took part in festival activities. These included daily tours to March 2014. For more information log on to: the best sites in Southern Israel including the Dead Sea and the Negev, www.eilatbirdsfestival.com and incredible night tours amply named “Rambo Nights” where we aim (and succeeded) in seeing both the critically endangered Nubian Nightjars and the enigmatic Hume’s Tawny Owl in one night. Every evening of the week visiting birders enjoyed a casual Birders Pub where daily summaries and expert presentations took place and drew a nice crowd. The Eilat Bird Festival, which is produced by the Israel Ornithological Center of the SPNI proved once again that birding tourism is a viable source for generating funds for bird conservation. This is where visiting

(Photo: Ilan Biel)

Birders at the 7th Eilat Bird Festival (photo: Ilan Biel)

Hume’s Tawny Owl (photo: Roni Livne)

The 3rd Hula Valley Bird Festival – 10-17 November 2013

The “little brother” of the Eilat Bird Festival, the Hula Valley Festival sites in Northern Israel, from the alpine peaks of Mt. Hermon to the is strongly establishing itself as a major event on the International low lying shores of the Sea of . Besides the regular backdrop of Birdwatching calendar. The Hula Valley Bird Festival offers a full week 25,000 Cranes and some of the rarest birds of prey in the Hula of birding tours led by the best guides in Israel. is one of the best places in Israel for mammal encounters and amazing animals like the Jungle Cat, Golden Jackal and even Wolf were recorded. The previous festival that took place in Nov 2012 hosted over 150 Join us for a memorable week of birds and birding in one of the best birders that swept over Northern Israel logging an amazing 202 species fall birding destinations in the world, all festival profits go directly to of birds including a handful of quality vagrants and memorable migration bird conservation projects around Israel. Join us in fall 2013 and do experiences. The festival week starts with several introduction tours to your little part in protecting Israel’s wildlife and birds. For more the magical Hula Valley, and then we set out further afield to the best information log on to: www.hulabirdfestival.org

5 Israel’s national network of 15 Birdwatching Centers “Takes off”

Israel’s government decided on April 1, 2012 to establish a national center at Latrun, and JNF is funding the construction of a network of birdwatching centers. The cabinet decision included a $10 birdwatching center in Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon at the “Rosh Tsippor” million allocation over the 2012-2016 period. The first-stage money (Head of the Bird) site. There are also major centers at the Agamon is earmarked for the development and upgrading of seven birding Hula Valley (funded by KKL-JNF) and in the Afek sites and the establishment of a network of birding centers (out of an (managed by the Nature and Parks Authority), as well as the Jerusalem eventual network of fifteen birding sites). Prof. Yossi Leshem and Dan Bird Observatory near the Knesset, led by SPNI. Alon first envisioned this national network of birding sites. Part of the national birding network project will be a major online portal The layout of the network and the cabinet decision that followed with the results of migration studies, ringing, nesting and wintering are the result of planning conducted by an inter-disciplinary team of bird distribution studies, radar data, data from satellites transmitters 25 experts including academics, public officials, and planning and and online cameras. economics experts. The team defined the nationwide list of birding sites. Some already have birding centers and some do not. Seven sites Ahead of the cabinet debate, a programmatic document detailed the were identified for initial handling. necessary actions at each site. This formed the basis of the budget decision by the cabinet. The birding network plan aims first and Those seven sites were budgeted in the cabinet decision: foremost to create synergy. 1 International Birdwatching Center of the at Kfar The Israel Bird Portal will merge the content of the various birding Rupin (upgrade) entities and allow uniform presentation and an overview of birding 2. Maagan Michael Birdwatching Center (upgrade) in Israel. It will also provide an interactive database for several 3. Ramat Hanegev Birding Center at Sde Boqer (establishment) target audiences: 4. Eilat Birdwatching Park (upgrade) 1. Birdwatchers from Israel and abroad (tourism) 5. Kibbutz Lotan Birdwatching Center (upgrade) 2. Academic researchers 6. Hatzeva Field Study School (upgrade) 3. Nature preservation and environmental protection entities 7. Birdwatching Center (establishment) 4. Government bodies, planners and decision makers In addition to government financing, the Samis Foundation, Moshe 5. School systems Yanai and Mark Gelfand are funding the construction of a birdwatching 6. Civil and military aviation organizations

Map of the new National The Latrun Birdwatching Center currently at beginning of construction at the Yad Lashiryon Armor Memorial site is Birdwatching Center network shaped like a bird of prey.

6 33rd Annual Birding Lecture day marking 30 years of cooperation with the Israel Air Force. Hannukah, December 10, 2012

The lecture day has been conducted annually for 33 years. In recent years, due to burgeoning interest, it has been held in Tel Aviv University’s Smolarz Hall, attracting 1,200 bird lovers, academics, teachers and students. The Hoopoe Foundation helped conduct this significant event, sponsored by Lockheed Martin. This year, the seminar marked 30 years of cooperation with Israel Air Force. We were honored to host IDF Chief of Staff General Benny Gantz, who spoke about our special connection to the families of fallen soldiers, particularly two paratroopers who fell in Lebanon, Major Nadav Milo and Captain Eran Shamir, both of Kibbutz Sde Eliahu. The soldiers’ mothers, Brigit Milo and Hadassi Shamir, presented the Chief of Staff with the first copy of “Buma the Barn Owl – the farmer’s friend,” which was published by the Hoopoe Annual birding lecture day marking 30 years cooperation with Israel Air Foundation and dedicated to three paratroop officers from the kibbutz. Force. IDF Chief of Staff, General Benny Gantz and Chief of IAF Operations Amikam Norkin present the legendary, 92-year-old Lou Lenart with a gift Brigadier General Amikam Norkin, head of Israel Air Force Operations in appreciation for his role in establishing IAF while an American volunteer and Deputy commander of IAF, attended the seminar, which included during the War of Independence, in 1948. (photo: Hagai Aharon). varied lectures on cooperation with IAF and other subjects. A movie about famous birder Hadoram Shirihai was screened at the beginning of the seminar, in order to inspire young birdwatchers to follow in his footsteps and deepen the bird-related knowledge in Israel.

Travelling Exhibition on IDF and IAF bases

An exhibit including 28 photographs documenting joint research with Israel Air Force over the past thirty years was sponsored by Eli Peretz, CEO of Ayit Company, which operates twelve planes and a parachuting school at Sde Teman, outside Beer Sheva. The 100x70cm photographs and the exhibit itself were produced in memory of three IAF pilots who were killed by collisions with birds. The exhibit will travel among IAF In the picture: IDF Chief of Staff General Benny Gantz launching our bases and IDF units, and will include lectures. The exhibit will then reach exhibit. In the photo: General Rami Ben-Ephraim, who ejected from a its permanent home at Sde Teman. The exhibition is geared to expose F-16 hit by an Eagle. (Photo: Haggai Aharon) the cooperation between the IDF and research and nature preservation entities, centrally the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and Tel Aviv University. The exhibit was launched at the annual conference with the IDF Chief of Staff, the IAF Chief of Operations and Lou Lenart.

Annual lecture day “The Way of the Vulture in the Sky” with Fisher Institute, Hoopoe Foundation

Guests of honor at the lecture day (from left): retired Major General Uzi Dayan – former deputy chief of staff and current chair of national lottery Mifal Hapayis, attorney and cabinet secretary Zvi Hauser, and retired Major Over 700 people attended the lecture day in cooperation with IAF, the General Herzl Bodinger – former IAF commander and current president of Fisher Institute, CAASI, and the Hoopoe Foundation. (Photo: Amir Ezer) the IAF association. (Photo: Amir Ezer)

The lecture day was held on April 29, 2013 in Tel Aviv University’s by retired Brigadier General Assaf Agmon and Professor Yossi Leshem. Smolarz Hall, sponsored by Rob Rubinoff, a board member of the The event was attended by 700 IAF pilots, El Al airline’s commercial Canadian Association for Avian and Space in Israel (CAASI) and facilitated pilots as well as Israeli bird-lovers, and will become an annual tradition.

7 Hoopoe Foundation “recruits” 4-star U.S. Marines General to Israel’s “Army for the Protection of Nature”

Following the Annual Birding Seminar on December 2012, at which the Fisher Air and Space Strategic 92-year-old combat pilot Lou Lenart – one of Israel Air Force’s first Studies and a leader in the Army for combat pilots and the founder of its first fighter squadron (Squadron the Protection of Nature initiative, 101) – received an award, Lenart, who served in the Marines before hosted the visitors in a birdwatching becoming a pilot, invited Yossi Leshem to lunch with guest of honor tour of the Hula Lake and a Lake General Robert (Bob) Magnus, a retired 4-star general who served as Kinneret cruise with thousands of the U.S. Marine Corps first Jewish Commander. seagulls. Magnus expressed interest Magnus, who was visiting Israel with his partner Meredith Edge Loveman in joining the Hoopoe Foundation’s attended the luncheon with Hoopoe Foundation chair Moshe Yanai, “The impressive work and the IDF initiative Army for the Protection of Nature” leader retired Brigadier General Baruch and in employing his international 4-star General Robert Magnus during his Marine corps service. Spiegel and retired Major General and Elbit Systems vice president Gideon connections to promote the ventures. Sheffer. Bob Magnus serves as Elbit Systems chairman in . Leshem and retired Brigadier General Assaf Agmon, director of

Ceremony launching the online camera at Qasr el Yahud in the Jordan Valley. The camera films a colony of insect eating bats at the abandoned IDF outpost “Pheasant” and broadcasts the images online. A joint project of IDF and the Hoopoe Foundation, thousands of bats make their homes in Luncheon with General Magnus and his partner Meredith, right of the IDF outposts. Pictured: Jordan Valley Commander Colonel Nochi Mandel, flowers, and retired Major General Gideon Sheffer and Hoopoe Foundation center, SPNI Mammal Center director Dr Eran Levin, second from right, chair Moshe Yanai. Lou Lenart (in blue), back to the camera, as well as INPA ranger Avim Atar, right, and Hoopoe Foundation chair Moshe Yanai, Baruch Spiegel, Yossi Leshem and Rachel Lenart far left. (Photo: Amir Ezer)

5 Short - toed Eagles, who nested at the “Judean foothills” in 2012, migrated to Africa, and returned back to Israel in March 2013

Data based on the work of Guilad Friedemann, PhD student 3 Long-legged Buzzards, migrated in a reverse migration up north to Russia and Turkey (left at the end of June and returned on November) all with GPS transmitters Radars PhD. Student- Gilad Fridman

Dark red- STE, female 2185, migrated to Sudan

Velvet- STE, male 2186, migrated to Yemen

Green- STE, male 2223, migrated to Yemen

Brown- STE, female 1678, migrated to Sudan

Light blue- STE, male 1680, migrated to the Central African Republic

Red- LLB, female 1672, migrated to Russia

Light velvet- LLB, female 1674, migrated to Turkey

Dark green- LLB, female 2143, migrated to Turkey

8 International conference on Ospreys, Internet and satellite transmitters, February 3-6 2013

The environmental program “Yes to the Bird” on biodiversity and supervisors and principals of schools leading in technology and science sustainability, with emphasis on the birds of northern Israel, operates in education. The seminar provided the opportunity to study and discuss the fourth grade classes of its 100 participating schools, half of which the subject, as well as enjoy a tour of the Hula Valley on a tractor- are in the Arab community. Under the direction of Dr Orna Simchon, drawn wagon. As a result of the seminar, national program directors in director of the northern district of Ministry of Education with Prof. Yossi science and technology and in computer science developed a national Leshem of Tel Aviv University, Hoopoe Foundation and SPNI, the curriculum on the subject in Israel, as well as a global program led by program has been successful for each of its three years of operation. Tim Mckrill, Rutland Wales, UK and European Space Agency and This year, the Science and Technology Administration joined the Hoopoe Foundation. Professor Leshem and his team will conduct a program to leverage studying bird migration in 100 more schools seminar for teachers in conjunction with the Ministry of Education so nationwide, and has expanded the program with an emphasis on that interested junior high schools can begin teaching the subject in collective learning, learning through scientific research as part of the September 2013, in keeping with national targets for teaching science curriculum and goals for learning science, technology and computer and technology. The conference was a unique success, receiving science. On February 3-6, 2013, an international conference at Kfar financial backing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an anonymous Blum examined collective learning among schools all over the world foundation and the Hoopoe Foundation, and starting a process that through online tracking of nesting, migrating and wintering Ospreys. will facilitate teaching the subject in schools nationwide during the The Osprey was chosen due to its holoarctic distribution (nesting in 2013-2014 school year. Europe, and North America), migration through the Middle East, Israel, Straits of Gibraltar and Italy through to Africa, through Asia from north to south and from North to , rendering it especially suitable for school curricula all over the world. The seminar dealt with an action plan for collective learning that would implement technological know-how and use of Internet and satellite transmitters and online cameras in nests to study biodiversity and migration through an Internet portal established with government support through its heritage site funding program. The new portal will serve as the education infrastructure for the school system, for tourism and science. At the end of the conference, a curriculum was developed and presented at a February 6 seminar for 120 science and technology teachers,

Migration mapping of some of the 241 ospreys fitted with satellite transmitters in North America. (Courtesy of Dr. Rob Biergard, USA)

An osprey map tracked using a satellite transmitter from northern Finland to Cape Town, South Africa, a global record. (Courtesy of Professor Pertti Saurola)

9 The International Workshop: Management of Common Cranes at the Hula Valley, Israel- Past, Present and Future,16-18 December 2012

Key scientists and professionals, both local and international that being published in Hebrew and English and will form the basis of deal with crane management issues came together to participate in future work in the valley. the workshop that was held at Pastoral Hotel, Hula Valley, The workshop was organized and supported by the Israel Ornithological Israel from 16-18 December 2012. The 3 day program included Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (www. field trips and meetings with local stakeholders to become familiar teva.org.il), the International Center for the Study of Bird Migration, with the local situation; 20 lectures that summarized much of the Hoopoe Foundation, Tel Aviv University (www.birds.org.il), Agamon- current knowledge of crane biology and conservation worldwide, Hula Park and Keren Kayemet L’Israel (KKL). Partner organizations with a specific emphasis on Common Cranes (Grus grus); and a include: Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, Ministry of Tourism, Negev half-day discussion session dealing with management issues within and Galilee Development Authority, African-Eurasian Waterbird Israel. The results and recommendations from the workshop are Agreement, and BirdLife International.

The Crane Seminar participants at Kfar Blum Pastoral Hotel, Hula Valley.

30,000 common Cranes wintering in the Hula Valley (Photo: Dror Galili)

10 Swift nesting in Israel: education, nature conservation and awareness

Swift preservation in Israel is a central goal of the Hoopoe Foundation D. Western Wall welcoming ceremony for swifts with Western Wall for the second year in a row. The decision to promote swift nesting in rabbi and Jerusalem mayor, March 12, 2013 - Western Wall the region is based on a number of factors. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat and • The number of Common Swifts nesting in Israel, much like their deputy mayor Naomi Tsur attended a ceremony welcoming the numbers worldwide, is decreasing as nesting spaces disappear more than 80 pairs of swifts that nest in Jerusalem’s Western following the renovation of old buildings. Wall. In addition, about 500 schoolchildren from Givatayim and • The Common Swift, which nests in urban areas, is the ideal bird to Jerusalem , as well as the public at large all took part. The ceremony spotlight preservation for the public at large. garnered a great deal of media attention both in Israel and abroad. • The Common Swift arrives from Africa to nest in Israel each year at In March 2013, Jerusalem city hall organized a second ceremony the end of February, staying about 100 days before returning to Africa. for the participants in Green Pilgrimage Tourism. This renders it an ideal bird for tracking during the school year. E. Swift study in schools and for the public in central Israel - Ten Tel For these reasons, SPNI along with Swifts Friends Society and the Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Givatayim and Herzliya schools studied swifts, held Aviv and Jerusalem municipalities, initiated a number of activities in observations and were very excited by the subject. The SPNI unit 2012. These include for environmental education and the Swifts Friends Society took A. Online camera at Schiff House – The swifts nesting at Schiff House the schoolchildren on guided tours. after its renovation by Israel Discount Bank, drew 50,000 visitors F. Regional seminar on swifts and birdwatching , May 14-15, 2012 – last year to the Museum of Banking and Tel Aviv Nostalgia. The Swifts nest in Jerusalem’s Western Wall, Bethlehem’s Church of the camera installed by SPNI broadcast online at the Israel birding site Nativity and Amman’s mosques. A Schiff House seminar promoted and on the homepage of the Swifts Friend Society, drawing hundreds regional cooperation on swift preservation. Palestinians from Al of thousands of viewers. Quds University and Jenin, as well as teachers and educators from B. Swift chick treatment seminar on the rescue and return to nature Jordan attended the seminar and decided to develop a joint plan. of chicks that have fallen from nests, April 2012 – Swifts Friends The Foreign Ministry sponsored the seminar. Society chair Amnon Hahn, brought Spanish swift rehabilitation G. Twin cities agreement between Frankfurt, Germany and Tel Aviv expert Miguel Carrero Galvez to Israel. Galvez conducted a special – Yossi Leshem put forth the idea of a twin cities agreement on seminar for animal handlers and bird lovers from across the country swifts with Frankfurt. Ingolf Grabow has been working with swifts at Ramat Gan Safari’s wild life hospital. Attendees learned how for many years, including installing 1,380 nesting boxes in schools, to participate in the Safari’s swift rehabilitation project, returning public buildings and private homes. Tel Aviv city hall expressed great injured swifts found by members of the public to nature. interest in promoting and implementing the swift twin cities project. C. Farewell ceremony for swift chicks raised at Tel Aviv’s Beit Azouri H. International conference, March 16-20, 2014 – The third annual Eco Tower, April - May 2012 and June 2013 – Swifts were released international swift conference will be held in Tel Aviv next year, aimed from the roof of the tower in events sponsored by Azouri Brothers at substantially advancing swift preservation in Israel specifically as and attended by about 100 guests each time. well as among other countries.

Western Wall rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz blessing the swifts upon their return Amnon Hahn showing off the sign welcoming swifts to Jerusalem after a to nest. The Western Wall swifts are a unique urban nature story linking 2,000-year hiatus in holding the traditional swift-welcoming ceremony. schoolchildren and adults to birds that nest in the heart of downtown.

11 June 6th 2013 -The CEO of the SAFARI in Ramat Gan, Yehuda Bar, is releasing a Swift back to the wild in the Farewell Ceremony

Jordan’s General Mansour Abu Rashid and Palestinian partners Swifts nesting in Schiff House on the corner of Tel Aviv’s Herzl and participating in the Schiff House seminar on regional cooperation, Lilienblum streets. The building serves as the Museum of Banking and education and swift preservation. Tel Aviv Nostalgia.

Between the 2nd and the 7th of April 2013, Yossi Leshem and Dan Alon hosted a “top birding team” in Israel. Left to right: Dr. Gary Langham, VP & Chief Scientist, National Audubon Society, Dave Yarnold, President & CEO, National Audubon Society, Dave & Barb Roux, Chairmen and CEO of Silver Lake equity firm, Board member of Audubon Society & wife. Missing are: Yuda & Prof. Stanley Fischer the Governor of the Bank of Laila Doron, Silver Lake Senior Advisor for Israel & wife as well as Lata Krishnan & Ajay Shah, Israel joined our birding activities several times, here CFO for Shah Capital Partners & Sumeru Founding Managing Partner releasing a Short-toed Eagle in the Judean Hills

12 Second Annual Crane Race, November 30, 2012

The Second Annual Crane Race was sponsored this year by Ernst & our 1 kilometer Scrub Warbler Race, 100 Palestinian and Jordanian Young, the Minister of Regional Cooperation, Hoopoe Foundation, runners participated. All participants later toured the Hula Lake for IOC, IDF - Northern Command led by Maj. Gen. Noam Tibon. Over birding. 2,000 runners from the IDF and the public at large completed the 10 The race, planned to become an annual happening, integrates the kilometers (Crane Race). All students at the Muki Batzar military academy “healthy mind in a healthy body” philosophy with nature preservation took part in 5 kilometers Hoopoe Race, while 600 schoolchildren ran and connects the IDF to the civilian population

Second Annual Crane Race, November 30, 2012 – Thousands of professional runners, students in the “Yes to the Bird” educational program, IDF Northern Corps Commander Major General Noam Tibon awarding IDF officers and soldiers, and about 100 Jordanian and Palestinian runners, the trophy to Jordanian runners, who toured the Hula Lake to view the took part in this educational race, a new annual tradition. cranes after the race. (Photo: Real Timing)

“Buma the Barn Owl – Farmer’s Friend”, the first in a series of books on birds, the Hoopoe Foundation will be publishing. The book describes a barn owl project in cooperation with our Jordanian and Palestinian neighbors and its environmental importance. Written by Yossi Leshem with photos by Amir Ezer, the book was published in Hebrew and Arabic with an accompanying DVD. An English edition is already in the works, thanks to donations from Geoffrey Simmonds of the U.K. head of Legacy project, TAU, Arthur Sporn and Irving Cantor of New York, and an anonymous donor.

A Bonelli’s Eagle attacks a Steppe Eagle migrating in spring too close to its nest in the cliffs above the Dead Sea, Judean Desert (Photo: Hadoram Shirihai)

13 Yossi Leshem, Guest of honor of the president of Taiwan

May 12th 2012: Inauguration Ceremony for President Ma Ying-Jeou, 13th President Ma hosted Yossi Leshem and presented him term as President of the Republic of China, in which Yossi represented Israel with a picture of the visit.

The President of Taiwan, Professor Ma Ying-Jeou, was inaugurated of Israel’s Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, and a few for his 13th term in Taipei on May 20, 2012. President Ma personally cabinet ministers. Yossi also met with General Yen-Ming, Chief invited Professor Yossi Leshem to attend, representing the State of the ROC Air Force. During his visit, Yossi gave seven lectures of Israel along with about 70 delegations from around the world. furthering cooperation in nature preservation between the two President Ma met with Yossi and H.E Simona Halperin, the head nations.

Yossi presented General Yen-Ming, Chief of the ROC Air Force with his book – “Flying With the Birds” about his research with the Israeli Air Force, and presented a lecture to the ROC Air Force board

Valentine’s Day February 14, 2013, Hoopoe Foundation tour During a Hoopoe Foundation birding tour, we observed a flock of tens of thousands of starlings gathering for an overnight roost in Nahal Gerar, near Moshav Tidhar in the western Negev. Professor Peretz Lavi, President of the Technion, captured the flock Professor Lucia Severinghaus from Taiwan, Sinica Institute was selected to creating a top hat and heart shape. (Photo: Peretz Lavi) conduct joint research with Tel Aviv University Israel in the coming years.

14 Yossi Leshem was awarded with Bruno H. Schubert 1st Prize, Frankfurt am Main, 13th November 2012

Israel’s bird expert, Prof. Yossi Leshem of the Department of Zoology at Tel-Aviv University and SPNI, is the first Israeli to be awarded Germany’s prestigious Bruno H. Schubert Prize. The Prize is presented every two years in the field of environmental conservation and nature protection. Prof. Leshem, who directs the International Center for the Study of Bird Migration in Latrun, was recognized for his four decades of advancing ornithology in Israel and for his numerous projects promoting conservation and environmental awareness

Prof. Yossi Leshem (center) receives the Bruno H. Schubert Prize from Carl Albrecht Treuenfels, former President of the German branch of the World Wildlife Fund (left), and Prof. Manfred Niekisch, Chairman of the Prize Committee Board of the Bruno H. Schubert Foundation at Frankfurt’s Old Town Hall, Chairman of Frankfurt Zoo

Yossi Leshem’s mother, Klara Löffelholz, was born in Frankfurt am Mine in 1905. In 1933 she escaped the Nazis to Israel. In 1988 she flew back and was hosted by the Mayor of Frankfurt as the 1000th Jewish guest of the Mayor of Frankfurt. A ceremony took place in the same Kaisersaal The ceremony took place in the most impressive Kaisersaal des Römers in which Yossi received his award (Photo: Mirko Krizanovie, Frankfurter from the 15th century at the municipality Frankfurt am Main. Allgemeine Zeitung).

June 9th, 2013: Over 100 schools, half from Israel’s minority Arab, Druze, and Circassian communities, met to celebrate the conclusion of this year’s “Yes to the Bird” program. At the event, Israel Post launched three new stamps entitled “Taking Vultures under our wing.”

15 Special Offer for summer 2013 12 giant postcards 18X24 cm, of “Drawing Inspiration from the Hula Valley”Art Book ‏ $25 including P&P,3 Examples (out of 12 postcards):

postcard of Cranes flying postcard of Hoopoes postcard of Spur-winged Plovers Wolfgang Weber Michael Warren Andrea Rich

ּומֵעֹוף הַׁשָמַ יִם יְחַכְּמֵ נּו )איוב ל"ה, 11(

ציפורי ישראל משחק רביעיות Birds of Israel Picture Card Game لعبة رباعيات طيور أسرائيل

‏Card Game - 40‏ Cards of the birds of Israel, Trilingual; English, Hebrew and Arabic 10$ ‏USD including P&P Art Book: Drawing Inspiration from the Hula Valley Migration T-Shirt Painted by Walter Ferguson All sizes, 192‏ Pages |29X32‏ cm high quality 100% cotton 25$ including P&P 55$‏ USD including P&P

For further information. please contact: Latrun Center: [email protected] or IOC: [email protected] We would like to thank all Donations: our supporters: Editors: Yossi Leshem,Natasha Dornberg קרן יוסף וקריסטיה קסירר I would like to support the work of the Latrun Center and the IOC and Dan Alon through Hoopoe foundation. Enclosed is a check in the amount of $ ______. Please make check payable to ASPNI or SPNI Graphic Design: UK and be sure to designate it for Birding Activities and mail to: Studio Billet Robin Gordon John Levy Prof. Yossi Leshem, Director ASPNI UK SPNI International Center for the 28 Arrandale Ave. PO Box 42763 Study of Bird Migration, Latrun Great Neck, NY 11024 London N2 0YJ Department of Zoology USA, [email protected] UK Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Please charge my credit card for donation $ ______Tel Aviv 69978 Products purchased to the sum of $ ______Tel/Fax: +972 3 640 6010 Name ______Email [email protected] Street ______Phone/Cell ______Moshe Yanai • Mark Gelfand Samis Foundation • Friedman Foundation Dan Alon, Director City ______State/Zip ______US Forest Service • Abraham Bachri Arthur Sporn • Nyman Family Israel Ornithological Center Visa Mastercard Other Brechia Family • Keren Hayesod SPNI ______Ministry of Tourism Milken Family Foundation 2 HaNegev Street Card number ______Expiration date ______Mafa’at Ministry of Defense Tel Aviv, 66186 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Signature ______Kassirer Foundation [email protected] Caesaria Foundation • Irv Cantor

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