February 2004

Eyal Shochat

Below is a summary featuring the most interesting observations from this month, based on reports from the ISRABIRDNET mailing list and other sources.

Northern Israel
Mega rarities continue to show up in northern Israel. The best bird (so far) found in February was a Dalmatian Pelican in the Hula on 10.2 (Eli Galilee).

	Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)

	Hula valley, 12-FEB

The Hula Lake is good for Geese this year, with 8 Greylag, 15 White-fronted, and 41 Ruddy Shelducks (Lior Kislev). The Black Vulture found earlier this winter was seen in the Griffon Vulture roost on 11.2 (Vincent de Boer), and the Great Bustard was seen again on 7.2 (Rami Mizrachi et al.). The Black-shouldred Kite continues in Kfar-Rupin.

Central Israel
Three fledgling Long-eared Owls were found near the Jerusalem bird observatory on 3/2 (Shai Agmon et al.). This is the second case of winter breeding of this species in the JBO. Sea watching in Jaffa during the storm of 14/2 yielded 82 Flamingos flying south, 5 Gannets, 12 Arctis Skuas and 1 1st winter Kittiwake (Tomer Landsberger et al.).

Southern Israel
By late January 20 Straited Scops Owls have been found in the southern Arava between Eilat and Hiyon plains (Susannah Lerman and James Smith). An immature Brown Bobby, a different bird to the two found last month was at the northern beach, Eilat.