ISRAEL JANUARY 2004 NEWS UPDATE From: James P. Smith

Generally thought of as a quiet month for birding in the Eilat area, January brought some excellent finds. Brown Boobies Sula leaucogaster were discovered at Eilat's north beach with at least three different individuals being seen during the month. Another rare mid-winter visitor was a White-tailed Lapwing at Eilat on the 10th and 11th January.

A survey of wintering Striated Scops-owls has so far revealed at least 20 individuals along the Southern Arava Valley. It also turned out to be a very good month for the discovery of rare wintering warblers with a Hume's Warbler at Lotan, a Yellow-browed Warbler at Yotvata, and about four Desert Lesser Whitethroats, most of which were also at Yotvata. Other exciting Asian rarities included a Steppe Grey Shrike at Samar, and an adult Daurian Shrike near Eilat.

Good numbers of Hooded and Desert Wheatears, Cyprus Warblers, Asian Desert Warblers and Sinai Rosefinches were seen at various desert locations throughout January into early February.

Although perhaps difficult to imagine back in the UK, spring migration is already underway in southern Israel. We recorded a Steppe Eagle on the 17th, House Martin on 22nd, Sedge Warbler on 26th, and Lesser Whitethroat on 30th January, with Great Spotted Cuckoo at Samar on 2nd February, Barn Swallow and Common Quail at Lotan on the 3rd, and Common Whitethroat near Lotan on the 4th February. The first spring arrivals of Eurasian Scops-owls on 28th and 29th January and on 2nd February have also presented some nice identification challenges as they often show up the same desert wadis as Striated Scops-owls!

Northern Israel has enjoyed an excellent crop of winter rarities with Smew, Greater Scaup, Black-shouldered Kite, Great Bustard, Radde's Accentor and good numbers of Pine Buntings, all being seen in January. A Goosander on the Sea of Galilee in late January was the first ever twitchable one in Israel, and the first to be recorded since one was collected in 1925!

It's already shaping up into another great birding year in Israel and I'll be presenting another update on Israel's latest birding finds towards the end of February.