Israel Birds Part 02_07 Wadi Hemda, Kibbutz Samar, Amran Pillars, K19 and K20

Day 06

The day entailed a very pre-dawn start so as to arrive at Wadi Hemda in the Arava Valley where the Great Hoopoe Lark can be found. This bird is rare and has a magical advertising flight whereby the male sits on a bush then suddenly flies vertically for 15-20 metres whilst calling then circles back to bush. Our guides heard the bird soon after arrival but it took an hour to actually locate one. A bit of triangulation was used to pinpoint it but once we got onto the bird, the experience was magical.

Greater Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaupides

Whilst there, the wagtail, warbler and raptor migration cloud was continuing.

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg

This subspecies is restricted to the Balkans, Caucasus and Turkey

Common (Steppe) Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus

Breeds in eastern and north-eastern Europe

Ruppell's Warbler Sylvia rueppelli

The other special bird at this site was a Pallid Harrier which quietly breezed past almost not being seen. The image is from 100 metres +.

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus

After a bus breakfast, we went to Kibbutz Samar, a working dairy kibbutz which has a very small but mature "jungle" in which was a very special bird, a Black Scrub-Robin (Bush Robin), which usually breeds south of the Sahara or in Arabia. The species has been a breeding resident of Eilat since 1994. Why? Good question. We very quietly snuck into the jungle (30m x 20m), sat down and waited. Soon enough, just like a Grey Shrike-thrush or a Common Blackbird, through the undergrowth, the bird came into view looking for food by flicking the leaf litter.

Black Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas podobe

From there we went to Amran Pillars, a dead-end canyon up in the hills to the west of Eilat where there are spectacular rock formations and colouring. Two great birds were seen here.

Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi

White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga

Back at the hotel Heather and I went for a stroll specifically looking for that potential scourge of Western Australia, the House Crow.

House Crow Corvus splendens

After another session at K20, our day finished at the K19 ponds where we (and plenty of others) gathered to see Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse. When we arrived, there were a small group sitting on the top of the wall (Point A). We went over and were told this was the spot from where the Sandgrouse were best seen the previous night. As we were settling in, a brash lady came over and told us in no uncertain terms that this was the wrong place to wait and we should be around the corner of the bank 30 metres or so to not spook the birds (Point B). Our group splintered with most and eventually all but me, going over to Point B. From where I was sitting on the ground, it seemed to me that I was in the much better place to see the birds as I had a full view of the rocky area upon which they were alleged to land and then walk down to the edge of the water for a drink. I thought that from Point B it was quite difficult to see the landing point and impossible to see the drinking point. 

And so it proved to be, especially in the deep dusk when they finally came in. I saw two birds land, was able to distinguish the red chest and the black, Collingwood stripes on the head in front of the eye. Bingo. No image I am afraid. The camera only goes to ISO 32,000!!