They call the wind Maria……….
Well, they did in Paint Your Wagon - we are almost on first name terms but for the time being ‘wind’ is the latest 4-letter word to gain entry to the swear-word shelf on my Lexicon. There is no let up. The forecast says ‘gentle’ - it’s 12-15mph which in my book is moderate. First thing it’s still cool and obviously a headwind - that goes without saying. This Northerly airflow is forecast for the rest of my trip and will knock 5 or 6 degrees off the 28-32c top end. By 11 at least it is warm. Yesterday I got dropped off near some Godforsaken canyon up in the Eilat Mountains. Cycling back and in theory gravity always wins - it’s a lovely winding drop for several miles…..I got literally stopped by the wind and had to pedal on several occasions - not good. At least I got some Raptor action with several thousand birds. I was at head hight, which is not ideal, with birds passing half a mile away in steady streams. A coupla miles further along they started kettling…..until the wind broke them up and were scattered like Rice at a Greek wedding. SteppeB’s dominated with several hundred BK’s and dotted SteppeE’s and probably other stuff I will have to check thru photos that I just blasted at the kettles. Several Eastern Imps were reported. I left at midday. En-route back I flushed a White-crowned Black Wheatear a 1S job. A pair of Sand Partridge scrutinised me from a distance as if they had been on an IDF training course.
I dropped back down to Canada Park the way that a cyclist should - downhill. It’s more extensive than I thought but it was blowy and to make matters worse there was someone on a drive-on mower cutting grass ffs. I cannot stand the background noise of this sort of thing. There is an employee down at the IBRCE whose sole reason for gainful employment is to select a tool of the day with which to make noise with. Whether it is a leaf-blower, trimmer, pole-saw, pressure-washer…..oy vey. Time could actually be spent constructively spent picking up plastic odds and sods that infest the place imo. I pick a bag full up in between ringing collections (and halo polishing obviously) consequently I qualify for the highly-prized ‘volunteer discount’ with regard to ice-cream, t-shirts etc. CP yielded a female-type Ficedula which, after checking pics, I deemed a Collared.
Holland Park produced Warblers of several sp plus a lifer in the form of a coupla Napalm Doves. I managed to photograph a female but the male shot off like a Patriot missile towards Jordan - very impressed with the fast jinking flight that reminded me of a Pratincole. Other bits and bobs obviously. I didn’t pop into the IBCRE yesterday and didn’t miss anything as they rung about 25 birds when it should be 250. Today was no better with 34 although it did include a Great Reed Warbler. I had to get back and move house to another hostel so it was game over by midday birdwise.
I have to say that one month in, despite all the new birds, I am disappointed with general migration. I am not alone almost to a birder visitors have said the same - certainly as far as the general Eilat and reserve area is concerned. Of course there is a plethora of species but only if you have a car. I expected, or hoped, for bushes dripping with warblers, raptors moving across the area overspilling from the hills and waders vying for a feeding spot on the reserve lagoon edges. This has not been the case and there is that effing wind. A chap just leaving my new hostel cranked through shots of BBRobin at Samar, Larks at wherever and frame filling Sandgrouse etc etc but you have to put in some mileage for that - an air-con car helps. 2 birders yesterday decided to go for the Yellow-billed Stork…..that was a round trip of 1k km - I wouldn’t go if it was free. Not even an adult afaik and more to my point I saw shedloads around Nakuru and Naivasha 40+ years ago but hey ho.
My remaining time will be spent locally around IBRCE and see how it (salt) pans out.
I will post some pics tomorrow.
Good birding -
Laurie -