SOUTHERN ISRAEL: A SPRING MIGRATION SPECTACULAR MARCH 21–APRIL 3, 2019 Spectacular male Bluethroat (orange spotted form) in one of the world’s greatest migration hotspots, Eilat © Andrew Whittaker LEADERS: ANDREW WHITTAKER & MEIDAD GOREN LIST COMPILED BY: ANDREW WHITTAKER VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM SOUTHERN ISRAEL: A SPRING MIGRATION SPECTACULAR March 21–April 3, 2019 By Andrew Whittaker The sky was full of migrating White Storks in the thousands above Masada and parts of the the Negev Desert © Andrew Whittaker My return to Israel after working in Eilat banding birds some 36 years ago certainly was an exciting prospect and a true delight to witness, once again, one of the world’s most amazing natural phenomena, avian migration en masse. This delightful tiny country is rightly world-renowned as being the top migration hotspot, with a staggering estimated 500–750 million birds streaming through the African- Eurasian Flyway each spring, comprising over 200 different species! Israel is truly an unparalleled destination allowing one to enjoy this exceptional spectacle, especially in the spring when all are in such snazzy breeding plumage. Following the famous Great Rift Valley that bisects Israel, they migrate thousands of miles northwards from their wintering grounds in western Africa bound for rich breeding grounds, principally in central and eastern Europe. Israel acts as an amazing bottleneck resulting in an avian abundance everywhere you look: skies filled with countless migratory birds from storks to raptors; Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Southern Israel, 2019 rich fish ponds and salt flats holding throngs of flamingos, shorebirds, and more; and captivating deserts home to magical regional goodies such as sandgrouse, bustards and larks, while every bush and tree are moving with warblers. Also, Israel is a charming country with an astounding assortment of delicacies, incredible history, and a heritage spanning thousands of years, entwined with a diversity of faiths and cultures unlike almost any other place on our planet! In a rugged region nestled by deserts and devoid of much natural freshwater, Israel is a magical oasis abounding with nature and fully protected by its great conservation policies. Peaks in Mount Hermon to the northeast supply the headwaters of the Jordan River, which runs along the country’s eastern border and flows into lush valleys to the west and terminating to the south in the famous Dead Sea, the lowest point in the world at an incredible 1,400 feet or 420 m below sea level! To the south stretches the starkly beautiful Negev Desert with its rocky canyons and amazing badlands stretching to reach the blue waters of the Red Sea with their amazing coral reefs in Eilat. World-famous as a major junction on the bird migration flyway, Eilat is one of the most important stopover sites for migratory birds in the world, being the only overland bridge between Europe, Asia, and Africa, acting as a bottleneck that serves hundreds of millions of migratory birds annually. On our first day we got our first of many iconic looking Hoopoes © Andrew Whittaker We began our incredible Israel experience by gathering in the lobby of the hotel for a formal welcome and introduction at 6pm. Our adventures commenced immediately after that with the first of our Middle Eastern meals at a traditional restaurant operated by a family of Jewish Yemenites living in Israel for decades. We sat together at a large table under a furl of decorative domes lining the ceiling. As conversations ignited, plate after plate of sauces, pickled vegetables, tahini, and cheeses were placed before us. Here we had the first of many experiences with falafel, which were prepared quite differently at each of the various restaurants we visited throughout the tour. Soon, shashlik skewers were placed before us, with the chicken being particularly juicy and flavorful. We finally wrapped-up with homemade baklava for dessert. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Southern Israel, 2019 We witnessed the awesome migration of countless millions of Painted Lady Butterflies which already had been going on for almost a week throughout the country! © Andrew Whittaker The next morning our exciting bird extravaganza began as we loaded into our van, taking along a picnic breakfast and heading south to be in time for the best hours of birding. Our introduction to the Middle East avifauna was a wonderful one from both the two species of brightly colored rock-thrush to our first migrating raptors and colorful Sylvia warblers, including the lovely localized Spectacled. Localized species included Long-legged Buzzard and displaying Long-billed Pipit, plus gorgeous Mourning Wheatear, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Black Kite, Little Owl, and striking Woodchat Shrikes, while the ever constant insect-like songs of Hill (Pale-Rock) Sparrow filled the air. However, the highlight was a magnificent Persian Wheatear—only the 2 nd country record! A recent split from Red-rumped Wheatear, few birds capture the spirit of the Middle East better than these beautiful wheatears. And let’s not forget the awesome migration of countless millions of Painted Lady Butterflies that had been going on for almost a week! In the afternoon, even the vastness of the adjacent Ramon Crater, as apparently lifeless as it seemed, shone golden below the sun and granted us generous views that humbled the spirit. We settled into our comfortable base for the next three nights in the quaint town of Mitzpe Ramon, where we enjoyed an incredible buffet. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Southern Israel, 2019 The beautiful but shy male Rock-Thrush © Andrew Whittaker Our base for the next two days was the impressive northern Negev. First we headed towards the southwestern Negev, near the border with Egypt, visiting the vicinity of Nitzana, an ancient Nabataean settlement where rocky outcrops give way to sandier and open deserts. We skirted along the Ottoman Railway Line, built 100 years ago in a military effort to control the Suez Canal to the south—an effort rendered obsolete after the empire’s demise post World War I. To the west we could see fortified Egyptian border posts. We stopped by one of the remaining train cars, now refitted as a blind for wildlife viewing. From here we were rewarded with views of the rare Macqueen’s Bustard doing its comical but truly spectacular headless chicken display and wonderful Cream-colored Coursers. This was followed by sandgrouse heaven as we were spellbound when flocks of Spotted and Black-bellied swirled in from barren desert surroundings to drink. Later, exploring the desert, we even had a delightful young Levant or Streaked Scrub Warbler land on our van’s bumper! On our return to our hotel, we even had magnificent alpha male Nubian Ibex in all their glory waiting for us in the park square! An incredibly well camouflaged female Macqueen’s Bustard on a nest (found post tour by Jaqueline and me) close to where we briefly saw the displaying male in a wadi north of Eilat. Constituted the first breeding record there for 20 years! © Andrew Whittaker Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Southern Israel, 2019 The next day, dodging rain storms and flash floods, we revisited and birded again one of the most spectacular sites in Israel, a memorial vantage point containing the graves of David Ben Gurion—the leading founder of the State of Israel and its first Prime Minister—and his wife Paula. From there the landscape opened to the impressive Zin Valley, giving view to one of the most evocative desert vistas, leading the eye through an enormous wadi carved into jagged outcrops and winding towards the vast stretch of remote badlands. The palette of ochres and sienna shone crisp with every sculpted ridge and jagged crag, eventually washed as the distant haze blended the horizon into the sky. Vultures were a highlight, with breeding Eurasian Griffon and the striking Egyptian both seen very well, along with lovely Alpine and duller Pallid swifts and our first Common Nightingale. After this moving and memorable visit, we encountered our first migrant stunning male Bluethroat, tired Turtle Dove, and a lovely, classy male Caspian Stonechat, which was a great find. Around our hotel grounds both days, bushes and trees were alive with Blackcap, Chiffchaff, and Eastern Bonnelli’s (Balkan) warblers. We enjoyed delightful spreads in a buffet dinner each night. Impressive alpha male Nubian Ibex near our hotel, a threatened species but doing well with the country’s strong conservation protection; it’s protected by law © Andrew Whittaker We enjoyed some exciting pre-breakfast birding in the Wadi Nekarof. As dawn temperatures rose, the tiny bushes here began to move with warblers, including our first Eastern Orphean and wondrous Ruppell’s, nightingales, shrikes, and some surprises in the form of a superb male Trumpeter Finch and a smart male Cretzschmar’s Bunting. The Desert Broomrape was truly fascinating too. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Southern Israel, 2019 The distinct and interesting Desert Broomrape was a truly fascinating and lovely saprophytic specialty too © Andrew Whittaker After another mouthwatering breakfast, we headed south, birding through the desert to our destination of Eilat. We stopped at the famous Meyshar Plains, which were a green oasis full of colorful flowers after the first winter rains in ten years. Huge numbers of migrating White Storks filled the skies above while roving feeding flocks of Lesser Kestrels, Desert Wheatears, and hundreds of colorful Yellow Wagtails, larks, and pipits were flushed by hunting harriers. We carried on through the stark scenic desert to Eilat and our magnificent hotel and complex. Late afternoon we enjoyed birding the famous K20 salt ponds alive with hundreds of colorful Greater Flamingos, flocks of Slender-billed Gulls, and newly arriving Gargany swirling around before landing.