New arrivals...

Like every year this time is very thrilling. Each day brings its surprises and there are plenty of new birds throughout and also a growing number of birders are travelling around and bring more updates from the field.

Last weekend, the IBRCE ringing station has started its season operation and we have 2 new volunteers - Markus Lampinen from Finland and Eran Makover from Israel who have started the season with help from Yael, Ron, Noa, Tzadok and myself. we wish then a great season and many interesting and common species!

Over the last week we were busy with opening all the nets and showing Markus and Eran how do we work at the IBRCE. So far the numbers are moderate for the season, but we're sure that it is only a matter of time till the skies and the begs will get filled...

A great discovery was made by Mori Chen of a breeding Cream-coloured Courser up in the area of Ovda Valley, surely there is never stop for the surprises...

Here is Markus first report:

"The last few days of ringing have all produced around 40 to 60 birds including mainly basic stuff like Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroats and Reed Warblers but also some nicer ones like Tristram's Grackle, Penduline Tit, 

quite an early Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, and the first Eastern Bonelli's (aka Balkan) Warbler,

two Indian Silverbills and two Quails. 

Hopefully the numbers will increase in following days and the first Rueppell's Warbler will find their way into the nets and not just hoping in the bushes.

Steppe Eagles of older age classes are still migrating and on Feb 22nd about 150 birds passed the ringing station in half an hour.

On Feb 24th while we were ringing in the station and Itai was on his way for a net round, we heard hime shouting "out, out, White-tailed Plover flyover" unfortunately, by the time we were out, only Eran got a short glimpse of it while it flew next to the station due north. A female Citrine Wagtail was seen at the saltpans on the next day and today, Feb 26th, two gorgeous Dead Sea Sparrows were hanging around the station area in the morning. Unfortunately they weren't in the mood of getting caught this time. On Feb 23rd we walked around Holland Park seeing couple of Sand Partridges, two Little Green Bee-eaters, a Rueppell's Warbler, pair of Trumpeter Finches and other nice stuff."