November is not fulfilling but...

November is known as the month we all live for in Israel... In most years this is the month when many interesting species occur all over the place. This year we had most of the 'goodies' already during late October and instead of having many good birds jumping around, we have, yet again, problems with our neighbours... But we try to keep our spirits up and still we go out for monitoring and guiding as much as we can.

The returning?! Imperial Eagle is seen again around Yotveta and it has a full adult plumage now days.

A second bird, fresh from this year is hanging around Eilat Mts. together with an adult Greater Spotted Eagle. 

Down at the North beach, there is not too much movement except for the regular winter birds and today a pair of  Pallas's Gulls were reported by a group of British birders.

Up in Uvda Valley it is very green already from the 3 floods we had here (more on that later) but the Larks seems to avoid it at this time and instead there is a huge influx of White Wagtails and few Red-throated, Meadow and Water Pipits all around. Groups of Trumpeter Finches are also present.

In Yotveta, there is a pair of Hoopoe Larks  back to their last year winter territory and a single Linnet (again a local rarity). David Schoneveld photographed a family of Eurasian Cranes feeding in the tall grass. Probably a family who have diverted from the many that are passing daily in the area now very vocally....

The most outstanding phenomena though for this November seems to be the local whether. So far we had 3 huge floods and we have passed the 100% of the average annual rainfall (which is only 30 mm). Last Sunday a huge storm came out of nowhere and the amount of rain and ice developed unbelievable mud floods around the IBRCE park! most of the road to the IBRCE park was washed and there is very limited access also to K20, K19 and many of the sites in the southern Arava.