December 2004 - first half

Barak Granit

2.12 - A Ring ouzel flew over the JBO.
At the Hula Valley a Greylag Goose was reported and two Red-breasted Mergansers were seen in Ma'agan beach at the southernmost part of Sea of Galilee (Amit Geffen).

3.12 - Eight Ruddy Shelducks were reported from Afikim fishponds (David Porat), 3 birds seen at Hulda (Assaf Katan, Uri Makover), and a flock of 12 seen in flight at Ma'agan Michael (Yuval Dax). At the same place a Mediterranean Gull and 5 Citrine Wagtail were reported (Rami Mizrachi). 170 White-headed Ducks and 45 ferruginus Ducks were counted at Hulda-Yesodot reservoirs (Assaf Katan, Uri Makover).
A Short-eared Owl found dead (driven over) on road 40, wadi Hadav, south to Ramon crater. About 30 Syrian Serins were seen at the same place (Yoav Perlman).
A juv Golden Eagle seen at the refolded area, Hula Valley (Nadav Israeli).

4.12 - Two female type Red-crested Pochards and the two Red-breasted Mergansers reported from Ma'agan Beach, SG (David Porat). On the same day, the Red-breasted Merganser from Tzoraa reservoir, reported at November 24, was still present (Samech Darawshi).
The relatively recent findings of Little Green Bee-eaters at the north continuing with a juvenile reported from wady Tavor (between Sea of Galilee and Beit Shean valley) .
At Yerucham Lake , a Purple Gallinule was seen (Ido Tsurim).

5.12 - Two Red-breasted Mergansers were reported from Geinosar beach (northern SG), presumably the same birds seen earlier at Ma'agan beach (Lior Kislev). Juv Black Vulture, the Golden Eagle , a Stepe Eagle, 15 Ruddy Shelducks and 1 st winter Isabelline Shrike were seen around the refolded area or nearby (Barak Granit, Tomer Landsberger). High number of 90 Ferruginus Ducks counted at the northern Hula Valley , 74 of them at Dafna Fishponds (Barak Granit, Tomer Landsberger).
A Namaqua Dove, 200 fieldfares 100 Bramblings and 30 Hawfinchs were reported from Judean Plains (Ezra Hadad).

7.12 - An adult Goshawk was seen at mt. Herzel, Jerusalem (Tomer Landsberger).

9.12 - Two female type Smews were seen at Revaya Reservoir, Golan Heights, where at exactly the same place 4 birds spent the previous winter. Probably different Black Vulture was seen at the refolded area (Tomer Landsberger, Nir Sapir, Rami Mizrachi).

	Smew (Mergus albellus)

	Revaya reservoir, 09-DEC

10.12 - No less than 3 Radde's Accentors , a national record of 1200 Bramblings, 20 Filedfares and 20 Mistle Thrush were counted at an apple orchard near Kibutz El-Rom, northern Golan Heights (Tomer Landsberger, Nir Sapir, Rami Mizrachi, Barak Granit, Eyal Vanunu).
At mt Hermon, a national winter record of 80 Shore-larks, 17 Crimson-winged Finches and a Redstart was 'achieved' (all 3 species are unusual in location or in quantities at winter time) (Nir Sapir, Rami Mizrachi, Barak Granit, Eyal Vanunu, Tomer Landsberger).

	Radde's Accentor (Prunella ocularis)

	El-Rom, 10-DEC

11.12 - 65 Yellowhammers, 20 Hawfinchs and 100 Bramblings were counted on the famous Almond orchard near Birya, Zfat (Barak Granit, Tomer Landsberger).
A Black Vulture was seen at Gamla, Golan Heights (Avishai Shoresh).
A Red-crested Pochard was seen at Kefar Rupin (Rami Mizrachi).

	Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

	Kfar Ruppin, 11-DEC

12.12 - Two Velvet Scoters a male and a female were seen in flight at Jaffa port, representing the 6 th record for Israel if accepted (Tomer Landsberger).