A quick list of the birds from Israel

We just got back last yesterday, and I will give more detail as I have time. Today I go to the Dr, I am sick with sinus stuff, AS usual, when I return from Israel.  I should just make my appointment before I leave town!

  This list is in order, as written in the Middle East book, which I am not real happy with, I will be purchasing the Birds of Europe, one that everyone has recommended.  Asterik for the life birds in Israel. ( I have a number of birds derived from previous years)

  I will give more detailed accounts, especially of the big day with Noam Weiss, from the International Birding Research Center, in Eilat.  I highly recommend contacting him for guide assistance, and also, if you ever want to donate some time helping with banding, or ringing as they call it there. In the Spring, they easily process 1,000 birds in a day, and need lots of help for this time of year. They are also in desperate need of funding.

  Compiled November 17th-30th, 2008

*Black Throated Diver  (Eilat) found the day before my trip w/Noam

*Little Grebe

*Great Cormorant

 Pygmy Cormorant

 White Pelican

*Night Heron

*Squacco Heron

*Cattle Egret

*Little Egret

*Great White Heron

*Western Reef Heron

 Purple Heron

*Grey Heron

 Black Stork

 White Stork

*Glossy Ibis

*Spoonbill

*Greater Flamingo

*Widgeon

*Teal

*Pintail Duck

*Mallard

*Shoveler

*Tufted Duck

*Black Kite (thousands)

 Marsh Harrier

*Hen Harrier

*Sparrow Hawk

*Common Buzzard

 Long Legged Buzzard

*Greater Spotted Eagle

 Kestral

*Moor Hen

*Coot

 Common Crane

*Avocet

 Black Winged Stilt

*Little Ringed Plover

*Ringed Plover

*Kentish Plover

 Spur Winged Plover

*Lapwing

*Sanderling

*Little Stint

*Dunlin

*Common Snipe

*Red Shank

*Green Shank

*Marsh Sandpiper

*Green Sandpiper

*Ruff

*Common Sandpiper

*White Eyed Gull

 Little Gull

*Black Headed Gull

*Great Black Headed Gull

 Common (Mew) Gull

 Yellow Legged Gull

 Armenian Gull

*Heuglini Gull (from recent split of another gull species)

*Caspian Tern

*Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse (3, was an incredible life changing experience)

 Rock Dove

 Palm Dove

 Collared Dove

*Namaqua Dove  (one female, beautiful delicate bird, very tropic like)

 Ring Necked Parakeet

*Barn Owl

*Little Owl (VERY LAST BIRD OF THE TRIP! We were in Jaffo, the night we flew out)

 White Throated Kingfisher

 Common Kingfisher

 Pied Kingfisher

*Green BeeEater

 Hoopoe

*Desert Lark

*Greater Short Toed Lark

*Crested Lark (the only REALLY easy one of the Larks!)

*Sky Lark

*Oriental Sky Lark

*Pale Crag Martin

 Barn Swallow

 Red Rumped Swallow

*Richards Pipit

*Tawny Pipit

*Red Throated Pipit

*Meadow Pipit

*Water Pipit

 White Wagtail

 Yellow Vented Bulbul

 Wren

 Robin

*Blue Throat

*Black Red Start

*Semi Rufous Red Start (recently split from Black)

 Stone Chat

*Isabelline Wheatear

*NorthernWheatear

*Desert Wheatear

*Mourning Wheatear

*Hooded Wheatear

*White Crowned Wheatear

 BlackBird

*Song Thrush 

*Graceful Prinia 

 Sardinian Warbler

*Black Capped Warbler

*Chiff Chaff (two sub species)

*Arabian Babbler (lots, and lots of fun!)

*Penduline Tit (very rare and hard to get out of the bush)

 Palestine Sunbird

*Great Gray Shrike

 Jay

 House Crow

*Indian House Crow (invading Eilat, they are trying to iradicate)

 JackDaw

 Hooded Crow

*Brown Necked Raven

 Fan Tailed Raven

*Common Mynah

*Tristans Grackle

 House Sparrow

*Spanish Sparrow

*Dead Sea Sparrow

 Chaffinch

*Greenfinch

*Siskin

*House Bunting (only one, that was all I needed! )

*Corn Bunting (only one as well)

I think this is 126 species~~~~~pretty good for missing the migration, and ducks were  just starting to come into Eilat as we were there, toward the end of our trip

Okay, this is mostly for me, just a place to share some of the wonderful birds I experience, and the things I love in life. I spent the last few years helping my husband, and as the years progressed and we got busier, birding took a back seat in the bus, and eventually fell out the window.

  After recently reading an incredible book, and a new favorite, my passion for birding has bloomed once again. In my crazy busy life, I am really trying hard to work again on bird ID, bird calls, habitats, and make up for time lost.

  The book I recommend for ALL birders, and any who are even slightly interested in birds or the natural world, is

THE OWL AND THE WOODPECKER by Paul Bannick (www.paulbannick.com)

It has an incredible bunch of information, well written and enjoyable to read. The photos you would love to frame and hang on the walls, of the highest quality. The CD recordings of the Owls and Woodpeckers of North America, is a great utility, and my favorite recording of these birds, good source for learning their drumming, calls, and songs.

Yesterday I went birding with my friend Ruth, out to the ocean, we got to see thousands of shorebirds; tons of water fowl,  did not focus on the sparrows, and did not get to owl.  The waves were ferocious, as we had had a huge storm come through the day before.  We hoped for rarities, but found none.

  As we hit Brady Loop Road on the way home, we found 5 killdeer, at the last puddle of water we could see, at 5:12 PM. Only because of the beautiful full moon, were we able to even locate this common, but enjoyable bird to end a long day.