NEW:Israel in November - Eagles and more

Eagles and Arabian Warbler - Winterer and one of the rarest resident species were the main targets for my most recent research trip for our planned bird guide to Israel.

Arabian Warbler of the subspecies negevensis, only to be found on both the Israeli and the Jordan parts of the Southern Arava Valley has gone through a dramatic decline in its population size and is considered as critically endangered. During a systematic search for this species in spring 2009 organized by the Israeli Ornithologcial Center only 12 territories  could be registered throughout the Israeli part of the Arava-Valley. We found the photographed bird in the well-known Shezaf Nature Reserve in the Northern Arava Valley and a second bird in a Wadi closeby.

To photograph the eastern species of Eagles, the Hula-Valley in the north of Israel, close to the borders with Lebanon and Syria is probably one of the best places. Up to 35 Greater Spotted Eagles and up to 15 Imperial Eagles winter in good years in the region, feeding on cranes that use the fields of the Hula Valley as a stoppover site. Other raptors here include Merlin, Peregrine, Booted Eagle and Hen Harrier.

To get close to the shy birds, a hide and a carcass to attract the birds are inevitable.

On my way from the South to the Northern Hula Valley I took some pictures of Sandgrouses and other birds in the Negev-region.

Enjoy the pictures.

 As always I thank my friends from the Israeli Ornithological Center for their support. Special thanks to the staff from the Hula: Itai, Nadaf and Dotan.

Preparing the site, in the background the Golan-Hights