Floods...

Sunday 21st was just another morning with 30 Bluethroats, a third of the whole captures... Chiffchaffs and Reed Warblers run after them and other remarkable species were Tree Pipit, Wryneck, Marsh Warblers and another momus Sardinian Warbler. So, the morning went by as usual while some clouds were covering the sky. During that afternoon the wind cursed from South and I thought it might be a nice chance for seabirds in North Beach. Just in the beach the wind grew stronger and White-eyed Gulls moved crazy around the buoys. No signals from the Brown Bobby and not even a single Sand Martin flying southwards over the Red Sea, clues enough for noticing a storm is coming but it´s plain that birds were smarter than I was because I kept standing on the beach with my binoculars, waiting for Noodies… till wind strength was able to take my teeth away just in the time it takes to say humus. I barely reached the Kangoo when the first drop of rain felt down and I arrived at the ringing station in the middle of a tropic rain, thunderbolts and dust, just in time for switch off the computers before the unavoidable electricity breakdown. So, I founded myself in the dark, nude with my drowned clothes off and surrounded in the floor by three Golden Spiny Mice, clever guests of the ringing station as wet and shaking as myself, may be looking for safety getting close to me in the misunderstood believing that I must know what exactly to do in a climate Armageddon like that. I´m no usually ending my days like this.

Monday 22^nd started with the unlikely smell of wet land. No idea about the influence of the storm on the migrating birds so we expected whatever. And what we founded was a sort of “step back” in the composition of captures. Now that we were used to ring mostly Bluethroats and Chiffchaffs and once said goodbye to most of the warblers, this day Bluethroats and Chiffchaffs were by far led by Reed, Sedge and Marsh Warblers; Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats; Savi´s and Willows Warblers and even some Barn Swallows felt into the mist nets like they use to do in September. In the afternoon, we were twice lucky for going to dinner to Itai´s home that very evening and, before doing our best in the table (here Manolo would make a difference) the same Pharaoh Eagle Owl just reported in the last update, was perched over the chimney of Itai´s neighbour. Only after eaten an amazing amount of food, we could say the day was over and we could enjoy also the great photos David Schoneveld sent us from Uvda Valley…

Just one day after the storm, Tuesday 23^rd, rules were back again. From 93 birds, almost 40 were Bluthroats, followed by Chiffchaffs and then the rest of birds expected like the latest wave of Reed Warblers, Spanish Sparrows, Redstarts, Sardinian Warblers and so. Very nice morning with some clouds as well. At K20 a strange dark Greater Flamingo, which didn't seem to be a young bird but rather an hyper pigmented individual…

Wednesday 24^th the morning was little bit cool (I mean just 25º C) and the ringing seemed quite disappointing. With only nine Bluethroaths, Chiffchaffs became the most captured species for first time (and not the last, for sure) and also the diversity of species were lower than usual. Just thinking on closing nets and going to Tzadok´s house for another outrageous dinner (please notice about the South Arava hospitality) I proceeded to take out of the net another excruciating Red-backed Shrike, species that shows a regularity and an abundance all through this Autumn that sometimes I think they must be a sort of mystic punishment on account of my sins; I proceeded, as I told to handle it when, at the first bite, I find out the lower pain level. May be my fingers have become harder, as Michael Angelo´s David? I left apart ridiculous comparisons and focused on the bird. Medium size Shrike, sandy brown upperparts with dark ears, no bars in the crown and rufous rump and tail… We've got it, a first winter Isabeline Shrike making up our boring day - the very first this year 2012 for the IBRCE Ringing Station, just in time for saving the morning.

Sitting in the terrace of the station we saw the morning going by while in the sky, flying from East to West, tens of Steppe Eagles continues its migration with Long-legged Buzzards and Lesser-spotted Eagles.

Thursday 25^th Autumn migration stands still providing us up to 60 birds from almost 20 species. Was a very interesting morning with all the species that belong to the end of the season, I mean the Bluethroats, Chiffchaffs, Redstarts, Sardinian Warblers, Spanish Sparrows and, my day´s favourite, the Caspian and the European Stonechats, adult males both of them. But also some other species already out of timing visited our nets like Willow, Garden and Great Reed Warblers, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins all of them agreed for joining us in the same morning.

Friday 26^th woke up just like the day before, with the same promising feeling but, you know, feelings don´t rule too much in the field work specially in the ringing. The half number of birds ringed and few than this of species as the day before and, by first sight, nothing had changed from yesterday. Just a flock of eleven Dead Sea Sparrows, males and females, gave a touch of triumph instead the bitter taste produced for the European Nightjar that laughed in my face during the nets opening or the Isabeline Shrike that escaped from trap number 2 across a microscopic hole. Thank you, Dead Sea Sparrows…