Migration on high gear

Back from Spain and it seems that migration down the southern Arava and around Eilat are on high speed already. I had great time on the Iberian peninsula with many interesting and enigmatic species and un-president numbers of Vultures and great company of people, but as always it is great to be back in my local patch where migration is really defined!

Thursday I went on my monitoring and had great time with many birds. Most interesting were the many Sylvia Warblers that are here in full already. Most wonderful are the Ruppelle's & Cyprus Warblers which are all around, singing their heart out and the first Eastern Orphean and Lesser Whitethroats  are also seen regularly as well as Balkan Warblers and the first Cretzschmar's Buntings and Sedge Warblers.

Ruppell's Warbler

Steppe Eagles & Buzzards are moving in low numbers still but I believe that after this weather front which we should go this weekend, things will get open again.

Big groups of Short-toed Larks mixed with few Lesser Short-toed are seen around Yotveta and among them also few Bimaculated Larks but all keeping distance and allow only a bad record shot so far. Yesterday after noon I was joined by Shachar with his supper lens and managed to add also a Temminck's Lark in this party and also few hundreds of White & (Black-headed) Yellow Wagtails and a single Citrine as well.

Greater Short-toed Lark

Bimaculated Lark flying away

Temminck's Lark

(Black-headed) Yellow Wagtail

At K20 a single Greater Sand Plover has the joined the many waders (nothing unusual for the season).

Over all it seems that there is also a good movement of Vagrant Emperor but we should still see if this is going to grow into a real wave...

Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black Wheatear, Red-legged Partridge and many more Iberian peninsula specials are great, but there is nothing like getting back to your local patch and enjoy a real migration period.

Azure-winged Magpie

Spanish Imperial Eagle