birding...

Israel is a great place to go birding having over 500 resident and migrant species. This is due largely to its location in the eastern Mediterranean at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa. Habitats from all three continents meet here: the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon, the temperate rolling mountains of the Galilee, the warm Mediterranean coastline, the semitropical Jordan Rift Valley, the varied deserts of the south and east, and the Red Sea shores of Eilat's desert oasis. Part of the only land bridge between the three continents, Israel is along the major migration routes between them, with millions of birds making the trip twice a year. All this variety comes in a small package: the drive from north to south takes less than a day and the trip from west to east under two hours.

Northern Israel is blessed with an abundance of water sources, craggy volcanic mountains in the northeast and a temperate climate, all of which attract species not found in other parts of Israel. The north is home to many birds of prey, including Griffon vultures, imperial eagles, long legged buzzards and Egyptian vultures. A prime site for these species, especially Griffon vultures, is the Gamla nature reserve in the southern Golan Heights. A concrete hide has recently been built there atop one of the cliffs directly across from a vulture nesting site, with large screens relaying live scenes from a nest camera. Further north is the Banias nature reserve. Its streams, woods, ancient ruins and huge cave shelter Smyrna kingfishers, rock nuthatches, grey wagtails and other waterside and forest birds. For waterfowl in northern Israel, visit the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Hula Valley. Among the many birds these sites attract are cormorants, marbled teal, shovelers, moorhens, cranes, glossy ibis, various kingfishers, marsh harriers, black storks, white pelicans and the rare pygmy cormorant. Organized birdwatching tours are available within the Hula Valley Wetlands Nature Reserve.

Just south of the Sea of Galilee is the Jordan River Valley, warm in the winter, very hot and humid in summer. The valley, and in particular the Bet Shean region, is a good place to see an interesting mixture of native and migrating birds, many attracted by the fish ponds and fields of the surrounding agricultural villages. For some semi-tropical or desert birds this is the northernmost extent of their range. The village of Kfar Ruppin has a birdwatching centre, one of the best in the country. Birds in the Bet Shean Valley and northern Jordan Valley include black francolins, black storks, reed buntings, white pelicans, barn owls, ospreys, marsh harriers, Smyrna kingfishers and cranes, as well as assorted ducks, raptors, warblers and egrets, and multitudes of swallows.

Continuing further south one reaches the Dead Sea, a large saline lake nestled in the lowest place on earth, and the surrounding Judean Desert. The crags, lush oases and special vegetation of the Judean Desert are fascinating areas to explore and are home to birds such as fan-tailed ravens, brown necked ravens, Dead Sea sparrows, Arabian babblers, blackstarts, pale crag martins, sand partridges, trumpeter finches, desert larks, scrub warblers, mourning wheatears, white crowned black wheatears and sooty and Barbary falcons. Many of these are also found further south in the Negev and Arava areas. One of the most characteristic birds in this part of the country is Tristram's grackle, a desert member of the starling family. Its loud distinctive call and flute-like song can be heard in many places around the Dead Sea, in particular in date palm groves.

Perhaps the most pleasant way to see birds near the Dead Sea is a hike in the Ein Gedi nature reserve. The natural springs of the Ein Gedi oasis nourish an unusual mix of desert, semi-tropical and waterside vegetation, attracting not only desert birds but also kingfishers and various garden birds such as sunbirds, bulbuls and bush robins. Over the years the little green bee-eater has extended its range north to include Ein Gedi and may often be seen perched on a branch over a stream hunting for flying insects. Other interesting birding sites in the Dead Sea area include the saline oases south of the sea in the Neot Hakikar area and the Metzukei Draggot cliffs over Nahal Darga north of Ein Gedi. Metzukei Draggot not only offers good views of the surrounding desert and nearby Dead Sea, but also puts you at the same height as the ravens and raptors soaring above the wadi.

A beautiful area for watching both desert and waterside birds is the Ein Avdat canyon south of Beersheba, part of the Wilderness of Zin that stretches south and west from the Dead Sea. The area around Ein Avdat is bleak desert but the Avdat spring keeps the canyon floor lush and wet year-round, providing the foliage that attracts many of the above oasis birds, as well as some waterfowl and sandgrouse. The steep cliffs above the canyon are home to wallcreepers, pale crag martins, bee-eaters, ravens and vultures. The fields and sewage ponds around Beersheba are also rich in bird life. Species found in the area include the uncommon houbara, cream-coloured courser, sand partridge and various types of sandgrouse.

At Israel's southern tip is the Red Sea resort of Eilat, perhaps the best known place for birdwatching in Israel. Eilat is a major rest stop for birds migrating between Africa and Eurasia, as it is the first substantial oasis after crossing the Sinai Desert. A birdwatching park lies just north of the town itself, close to the Jordanian border. To get there, turn east at the Eilot Junction north of town and follow the signs for the tree-planting centre. The park includes both salty and freshwater ponds and various types of vegetation, along with a ringing station, which is open to visitors during the early morning and late afternoon or evening, depending on the time of year. If you visit while the ringing station is open they will allow you to ring one of the birds yourself. A huge variety of species pass through Eilat during the autumn and spring migrations and you will see many different birds depending on when you visit.

Typical local birds in and around Eilat and the Arava region include white-crowned black wheatears, Tristram's grackles, desert larks and various types of buzzard, raven and bee-eater. Kibbutz Lotan, north of Eilat in the Arava desert, hosts its own birdwatching centre. Other areas of interest around Eilat include beautiful walking areas such as the Timna national park, the Red Canyon, and roadside lookout points in the Eilat Mountains north of town. In general areas around springs or with groves of acacia or other trees are naturally likely to be good birding spots in these desert regions.

The Hai Bar nature reserve north of Eilat offers a mixture of desert birds, including many raptors, such as Egyptian and Griffon vultures, which are attracted to the predator feeding area. The stars at the reserve, though, are the ostriches, once native to Israel's desert regions but extinct since the mid-twentieth century. The reserve has an ostrich breeding project and there are plans to reintroduce them into the wild. One can tour the reserve with a ranger/guide, who can provide commentary on the birds in the area, as well as the many other desert animals on the reserve.

Moving to central Israel, the Jerusalem region, though more famous for its religious and historical sites, can be interesting for birdwatchers too, with temperate wooded and rocky slopes to the west and the arid Judean Desert to the east. Typical forest birds, many also common in town parks and gardens, include jays, Syrian woodpeckers, several types of warblers and doves, song thrushes, assorted shrikes, blackbirds, robins, hoopoes, sunbirds, bulbuls, kestrels, hobbies, chukars and Scops and barn owls. Lovely areas for hiking and birdwatching include the forested mountainous area just south and west of Jerusalem around villages such as Nes Harim, Ora and Sataf, and forested areas further south near the town of Beit Shemesh and the Beit Guvrin archaeological park.

The Jerusalem Bird Observatory (JBO) is located in the landscaped gardens between the Knesset (Israel's parliament) and the Supreme Court, though you need to bring ID and be patient with security searches. The JBO holds guided birding walks in English every Monday afternoon and does ringing there too. The Israeli capital is also home to prime nesting sites for the endangered lesser kestrel. The Musrara neighbourhood in particular is home to several nests and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) occasionally arranges walking tours of the area.

Birding is also good on the Mediterranean coast, even though much of the coastal plain is densely populated. In Tel Aviv, Israel's major conurbation, the Yarkon River Park provides refuge for many birds, including egrets and glossy ibis. North of the greater Tel Aviv region, coastal nature reserves and small national parks are home to many waterfowl, including many species of duck, egrets (little and great white); spoonbills and assorted waders. The Ma'agan Mikhael and Carmel coasts in particular are known for attracting a variety of bird life among the fishponds and dune wetland areas. Nahal Alexander and the remnants of the Hadera marshes north of Netanya, and Nahal Poleg south of Netanya are other potential birdwatching sites north of Tel Aviv.

About an hour's drive south of Tel Aviv, between the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon, is Park Nitzanim, a dune nature reserve, beach and campsite. A small reed-surrounded lake in the nature reserve is a lovely spot for birdwatching, with reed warblers, clamorous reed warblers, Cetti's warblers, kingfishers and the odd purple heron. I love watching the antics of the lesser-pied kingfishers darting and diving over the water, resembling giant black and white butterflies. As with many of the above birdwatching sites, it's a beautiful place to visit in its own right. If your spouse or travel companion is not into birding, they can still enjoy the lovely dune landscape and beach, especially well known for its beautiful sunsets.

In general there is great interest in nature and wildlife in Israel. Recreational hiking and a love of nature are part of the national culture. Organisations that have become cultural institutions include the Jewish National Fund (JNF); which operates reforestation programmes and manages forests and reservoirs across the country, and SPNI, an environmentalist group. In any given week SPNI runs dozens of walking and hiking tours all over the country, a few of them guided in English, with topics ranging from the natural environment to the human history of the region. A network of nature reserves and field schools across the country offer information for hikers and nature enthusiasts. There are many local hiking and walking groups, as well as 4x4 clubs for people who enjoy cross-country jeep excursions. In addition many communities have active environmental groups.

Twitching, per se, is not as widespread as in England or other European countries and tends to be part of a general interest in wildlife and nature. That said, word of a rare bird sighting can attract thousands of enthusiasts from around the country. Many local Israeli naturalists and ornithologists are active in studying and protecting Israel's birds, while birdwatching centres such as the International Bird Centre in Eilat, the Jerusalem Bird Observatory and the birdwatching centres in Kfar Ruppin and Kibbutz Lotan are part of a reasonably well-developed birding infrastructure. Centres such as the Hai-Bar reserves and the Ramat Gan safari park have conservation projects focusing on preserving or reintroducing local species, including birds, especially raptors. In many parts of the country visiting birders can hire local birding guides to show them around.

In many of Israel's national parks, such as Ein Gedi or Gamla, there will be at least one ranger with a detailed knowledge of the park's birds, though it may depend on who is on duty when you visit. If you plan to visit a lot of national parks, consider buying an annual season ticket from the National Parks Authority, which may pay for itself with just 5 or 6 visits to national parks.

Aside from birds, Israel's main tourism draws are its holy sites, along with a huge number of other historical and archaeological sites. The sun, sea and sand are also popular, with beach resorts in Eilat, the Dead Sea, Tiberias, Tel Aviv, Netanya and Nahariya, among others. Eco-tourism is growing rapidly too, especially in the desert regions. The small size of the country makes it easy to combine all of these with excellent birding opportunities.

In general, Israel has a well-developed tourism infrastructure and English is widely spoken. Many international hotel chains are represented here, along with quality local hotels and rural guesthouses. Low-cost accommodations include youth hostels, field schools and camping. In the peripheral Negev, Arava and Galilee regions one can find guesthouses and campsites oriented towards eco-tourism.

Of Israel's population of 6.3 million, about 80% are Jewish, with most of the remainder Muslim Arabs. Smaller minority groups include the Druze, Circassians, Samaritans and many Christian groups representing western and eastern churches. The national language is Hebrew, but significant minority languages include Arabic, Russian, French, Amharic and Yiddish. Israel is a European style democracy, with a local culture influenced by both Europe and the Middle East.

The Israeli weekend is Friday and Saturday, though many people work a six-day week, taking off only Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. In Muslim and Christian areas the primary rest days are Friday or Sunday respectively. The Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends after sunset on Saturday night. In most parts of the country there is no public transport during this time save for taxis. Many shops and places of entertainment are also closed over the Sabbath and most national holidays, though it varies from place to place.

Though the familiar western (Gregorian) calendar is the primary one in use here, the Jewish festivals, which are national holidays, are fixed according to the traditional Jewish calendar. The main festive seasons are in the autumn and spring, which are also usually the most comfortable times of the year to visit and coincide with peak bird migrations. Be aware that due to the festivals these can be the most expensive times of year to come, and many attractions will be at their most crowded. On the other hand, festivals are the time for many special events, including nature hikes and tours of national parks. When planning a visit, it`s advisable to check in advance when the festivals fall and take that into consideration.

Israel's climate features hot, uncomfortable summers, with humidity high in the coastal areas. The summer is most bearable in the mountains of the Jerusalem area, the Galilee and Golan, where the heat is dry and there is usually a cool evening breeze. Rainfall is rare from May to September. Take care to drink a lot of water, wear a hat and protect yourself from the sun. Winter is the main rainy season, and can be cold in and around Jerusalem and the Galilee, as well as at night in the desert regions, though the temperature rarely dips below freezing. Especially in desert regions, there can be significant differences between daytime and night time temperature; a desert daytime high of 18C (64F) can plunge to a night low of 6C (43F); for example. Winter temperatures along the coast are mild and often pleasant when it's not raining.