From the high Shomron

This week I ringed at Mt. Grizim, high Shomron (850 m), this is Mediterranean garrigue with scattered scrub and some olive trees, mainly exposed and windy slopes. Most species inhabiting this extreme habitat are adapted to live in dry and barren landscape.  My captures included a few locals such as Blackbirds, Sardinian Warblers and Linnets, a few migrants such as Lesser Whitethroat. The highlights were an adult Balkan Warbler with nice moult limit in the wing, and juvenile Spectacled Warbler during their active partial post juvenile moult; this was the first for me in the hand.

Spectacled Warbler - juvenile

Balkan Warbler - adult

Barn Owl takes a death-ride

As part of the pest control via Barn Owls and Kestrels project, every year hundreds of nestlings of Barn Owls and Kestrels ringed. Annually, we receive tens of reports about unlucky juveniles that get themselves killed in various methods.

On July 18^th we received an exceptional report about a ringed owl found dead on a service vehicle belonging to the Israeli Electric Company. After a short investigation the details became clear: the dead owl carrying ring GG-22439 was found on the vehicle in Taibe in N Israel, but the vehicle had driven during the previous night from Be'er-Sheva to Taibe (about 120 km). Its original ringing site was close to the road between Be'er-Sheva and Taibe, so the bird must have been hit by the vehicle and carried on it northward. We will never know exactly where this bird was run over.

Answer from Germany

I received the ringing details about the Germania Common Tern that was controlled at Atlit on 13/07 (see below). The bird was ringed in NE Germany, on the Baltic Coast, in 2007 as a breeding adult (2880 km); it was documented again in same place also in 2008 and 2010. This is very interesting; I am looking forward to other exciting news from this project.

Meanwhile, here are Long-eared Owl images that was ringed yesterday at JBO.

One night two controls!

Before going up to the Mt. Hermon ringing session, I made the correct decision and visited Atlit. The catch included 59 Common Terns, 12 Little Terns, 2 White-winged Terns and 1 Redshank. Two of the Common Terns were controls, one from Lithuania and another from Germany! This is an amazing incident in Israeli standards. The potential distance from the ringing sites might be 2500-3000 km; I was never aware of such early autumn migration of Common Terns. I am eagerly waiting for the answers from Lithuania and Germany, but I'm sure they will be interesting.

Two foreign rings in one ringing session - it's a first for me!

Thanks to Yotam, Rea, Gilad, Avishai and Yohay.

White-winged Tern

HIDDENSEE GERMANIA

LITHUANIA

Mt. Hermon annual ringing session

Every summer most of Israel's ringers meet on Mt. Hermon, for the annual ringing session. Mt. Hermon is the highest mountain in Israel (2272 m ASL on the Israeli part of the mountain), with unique weather, flora and fauna. We have been monitoring bird populations on Mt. Hermon since the late 1970's. Our ringing session takes place in a major drinking site, and most birds coming in to drink are seed-eating passerines. The main species are Syrian Serin, Linnet, Goldfinch, Rock and Black-headed Bunting, and many other Hermon specialties such as Sombre Tit and Western Rock Nuthatch.

Rock Bunting

Syrian Serin

Black-headed Bunting

Sombre Tit

Linnet

This ringing session was highly successful, with many old friends and good birds. Thanks to all.