Israel 10-17 March 2013 trip report

Israel 10 – 17 March 2013

Introduction

After a gap in 2012 (which was a shame because it was a vintage year for spring migration in Israel) my brother Rod and I joined up once again for a week of intensive spring birding. 

Since this was our fourth campaign we decided to focus on a number of Northern species we had missed on our previous trips – Black Francolin, Pallas’s Gull, Little Swift, Long-Billed Pipit, Calandra Lark, Penduline Tit and Striolated Bunting (if you can call it a Northern species!).  This turned out to be a stroke of luck as passage in the South was poor while we were there. 

Two sorties into the Negev also gave us Desert Warbler and Lesser Short-Toed Lark, a long-awaited lifer for both of us.  Along the way we collected Black-Shouldered Kite and Hill Sparrow, also long sought after.

Overall it turned out to be our most enjoyable week yet largely due to the great variety of habitats we visited and the expert help of Lior Kislev (http://www.tatzpit.com), who guided us for a day.  Lior’s field skills are superb and the total of 192 species for the trip was our second best so far (beaten only in 2009 when we had 196 species in 10 days). 

Special mention must go the enormous swarms of locusts we encountered – once near Nizzana and once at HaBesor near Urim – although in fact everywhere we went in Israel we encountered locusts in varying quantities.  The swarm at HaBesor must have been a kilometre wide and many kilometres long as it flew over our heads in a seemingly un-ending stream – an awe-inspiring sight.

We hope that you enjoy reading this trip report and find it helpful when planning your trip.  Please note that some of the best places for birding in Israel are very close to the borders and we strongly recommend that you are accompanied by a local guide if you want to go there, particularly at times of heightened political or military tension.

Summary of Itinerary

Date	Locations Visited
10 March	Meishar Plateau, Yeroham Reservoir, Ezuz
11 March	Nizzana, Ezuz, Urim
12 March	Maa’gen Michael, Kfar Ruppin
13 March	Kfar Ruppin, Golan Heights
14 March	Hula Valley, Mount Hermon
15 March	Jordan Delta, Golan Heights
16 March	Wadi Mishmar (Dead Sea), Mount Amasa
17 March	Mitzpe Ramon

Detailed Itinerary

Sunday 10 March

Where would you start a trip to Israel in March?  Larks were high on our target list so dawn on our first morning found us on a very cold but sunny Meishar Plateau in the high Negev.  Desert Warblers had been present for some months and as we worked along the roadside bushes in the early morning sun we were pleased to find that 4 or 5 were still there.

But what about the larks?  The Temminck’s Larks from earlier in the winter had obviously gone but in their place were at least 4 Bar-Tailed Larks close to the road and a few Short-Toed Larks flying around.  Other desert specialists were 85 Spotted Sandgrouse settling on the plain, a calling fly-over flock of Crowned Sandgrouse and many Desert Wheatears.  Migrants were represented by several Ruppell’s Warblers and Cretzschmar’s Buntings  

and our only Ortolan Bunting of the trip.  Fifteen Spanish Sparrows cavorted in some of the bushes near the road, no doubt ‘resting’ on their way north.

This was our southernmost stop and we started our journey back north with a stroll along Wadi Terashim on the northern rim of the plateau (west of the road).  Summer-plumaged male Rock Thrush 

and Trumpeter Finch both gave excellent views as the temperatures climbed.

Continuing north we stopped for a fantastic shwarma for lunch in Mitzpe Ramon and carried on to Yeroham Reservoir, picking up two roadside White-crowned Wheatears on the way.  The grassy areas around the boating lake held large numbers of Water Pipits and Cretzschmar’s Buntings and two Pallid Swifts flew through.  It was great to see that the main reservoir is once again full of water and when the reeds and trees have re-established themselves the full wildlife value will no doubt be restored.

In 2010 we had missed Hill Sparrows several times so we were really keen to see them.  Our final stop of the day was therefore at Ezuz near Nizzana, from where the recently-reported flock had sadly departed.  As the sun set we worked along the wadi running west from the old railway bridge towards the old cistern and encountered a male Pallid Harrier, two Black Redstarts, two Black-Eared Wheatears and a couple of Stonechats.  A flock of 7 Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse flew fast over our heads uttering their distinctive rook-like calls.

Monday 11 March

We didn’t have long to wait.  The next morning, following advice from Meidad Goren and Yoav Perlman, we tried Nahal Lavan north-east of Nizzana which following the winter rains in the area  was as verdant as a wadi can be, the air thick with birdsong and the calls of Quail.  The access is limited here due to it being a military area and initially we saw ‘only’ two more Pallid Harriers, our only Tawny Pipit of the trip, a family of Arabian Babblers, 20 Skylarks, lots of Cretzschmar’s Buntings and a female Desert Finch.

After a while though we heard the distant song of a Hill Sparrow and with a little patience and a lot of luck we had great views down to 5 meters,

along with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Siberian Stonechat.

Flushed with success we made a tour of the other main Nizzana sites and apart from three McQueen’s Bustards flying near Ezuz saw little of note.

In fact the rest of the day was rather quiet as we worked our way northwards, picking up just a White-Breasted Kingfisher

at Wadi Besor and Hen Harrier and Peregrine at Urim fields.  Even so we were pretty satisfied with our two days in the Negev as our thoughts turned to the North.

Tuesday 12 March

Our first port of call was Ma’agan Michael on the Mediterranean coast.  This time we decided to tour the fish ponds in the hire car, which was far better than on foot because the car acted as a mobile hide allowing close approach.  The highlight was a 1^st summer Pallas’s Gull sitting on the mud in a drained fish pond,

along with many Black Storks, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis,

Temminck’s Stints,

Armenian Gulls,

and Slender-Billed Gulls (this one with Black-headeds).

Then to the Beit Shean valley, which we approached via the scenic Mount Gilboa road where we caught a passage of Steppe Eagles, Short-Toed Eagles

and one Alpine Swift.  We were surprised to hear a Scops Owl calling amongst the pine trees during broad daylight.

Finally, to Kfar Ruppin which handsomely lived up to its reputation.  In the hour before sunset we checked out the fish ponds south of the kibbutz and saw 12 White Pelicans flying in,

250 Black Storks, an Osprey,

a Merlin, another 20 Pallas’s Gulls, more Temminck’s Stints, 3 Garganey

and our first White Storks.

Pelican, Spoonbills and Grey Herons.

Wednesday 13 March          

After a very comfortable night at the Birdwatching Centre, we rose at dawn and toured all the known sites in the area for Black Francolin without seeing or hearing a single one.

Undeterred, we then worked the adjacent arable fields which held good numbers of Water and Red-Throated Pipits, 2 Woodchat Shrikes, some late Starlings, two more Ospreys perched on irrigation booms, another Hen Harrier, hundreds of Black Storks, our first Red-Rumped Swallow and a Stone Curlew.  Back at the fish ponds we found Pygmy Cormorant, Moustached Warbler, Bluethroat, more Garganey, 50 Tufted Duck and the Pelicans had increased to 35.

                                                                    

We then headed up Route 98 onto the Golan Heights and in lovely sunny weather worked our way north stopping at various places en route.  In this way we picked up Great Crested Grebe, several Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Linnet, Black Redstart and huge numbers of Short-Toed Eagles. 

By the time we had got to Tel Hazeka close by the Syrian border, the sunshine had given way to cool and misty weather conditions with a strong westerly wind and seeing birds became virtually impossible, so a Great Spotted Cuckoo singing near the entrance track was a bonus.

Thursday 14 March

This was our Hula Valley day and we repeated the pattern of our previous visit with one crucial difference.

The Hula Reserve was our first stop but because it does not open until 8 a.m. we checked out the complex of former fish ponds by the access road just outside the boundary.  No Bee-eaters this time but huge numbers of Clamorous Reed Warblers, 

Pygmy Cormorant, Black Francolin singing and two adult White-Tailed Eagles perched in a nearby tree (presumably part of the re-introduction scheme).

The reserve itself held surprisingly little apart from one dark-phase Booted Eagle,

a Spoonbill and some Common Cranes and an Alpine Swift flying around.

Next we went to the Hula Agamon re-flooded area just up the road.  The big difference from last time was our decision to hire an electric buggy to get around the reserve – worth every shekel!  First up was an adult (Greater) Spotted Eagle sitting on a bush by the access track.

Then we saw a couple of Marbled Ducks on the main lake, 

a good selection of waders and many flocks of Cranes flying north calling loudly.  Finally, we were delighted to find a pair of Black-Shouldered Kites perching in trees by the eastern extremity of the reserve.  

Not a lifer for either of us but great to see in Israel.  Hopefully they will become a widespread species in years to come.

We couldn’t resist an afternoon visit to Mount Hermon, looming temptingly to the north.  We had been warned that birding would be slow in March and indeed it was, but Blue Rockthrush, 

three Rock Buntings and a Serin were nice to see near Neve Atif.  As on our previous visit we followed the track from the road just east of Neve Atif as it winds up the hill above the village until it joins the road between Majdal Shams and the Mount Hermon ski lift.  A nuthatch-like call tantalised us but was not repeated.  This is a very beautiful walk whether birds are seen or not so it still felt like time well spent.

Back at Park HaYarden we fell asleep in our tents to the calls of Cranes as they flew north in the darkness and Tawny Owls hooting nearby.

Friday 15 March

This was our day of being guided by Lior.  We met at 6am at Ramot and immediately headed for an interesting area nearby known as the Jordan Delta, where the River Jordan empties into the Sea of Galilee.  Black Francolin calls abounded and we had great views of two males, one of which perched obligingly on a rock.  

We also found our first Turtle Dove, two singing Olivaceous Warblers, a male Dead Sea Sparrow at its nest and a record Desert Lark well north of its normal range.  The best birds in this area were two wintering Penduline Tits still occupying a thin strip of reeds around a sewage pond. 

The wintering Steppe Grey and Isabelline Shrikes had already left.

Then to Mount Susita, commanding fabulous views of the Sea of Galilee and occupied by the Romans, the remains of whose town are very visible on the top of the hill.  Vehicular entry past the barriers across the access road is now not possible without a high-wheelbase vehicle.

Our targets were Little Swift and Long-Billed Pipit but a hot north-westerly wind blasting the hill top did not help us.  Lower down there were many Cretzschmar’s Buntings and a Siberian Stonechat by the road 

and two Common Cuckoos were flying around singing in the bottom of the wadi, looking for Long-Billed Pipit nests.  A male Desert Wheatear was, again, well north of its usual range.  Is there a northward movement of desert species in Israel, perhaps in response to climate change?  After several slow passes along the road a Long-Billed Pipit finally flew up and perched conveniently on a rock by the roadside giving excellent views.

We next went in search of Little Swifts and Lesser Kestrels and Lior drove us to a spot near Meitsar close to where the borders of Israel, Jordan and Syria meet.  Overlooking the deep valley separating Israel from Jordan, we quickly spotted several of the former with some Alpine Swifts and one male of the latter.  This looks like an amazing place to watch raptors later in the spring.

We then drove down into the astonishingly green and leafy Wadi Meitsar, where we found Little Owl, 

many Woodchat Shrikes, Orphean Warblers and Cretzschmar’s Buntings singing (all breed there).  This is a very remote and beautiful area and would repay a visit at any time of year.

Back at Ramot we swapped Lior’s Jimny for our hire car and sped north up on to the Golan Heights, past our previous northernmost point at Tel Hazeka, to the Btecha Valley.  Lior took us to a spot very close to the Syrian border where Calandra Larks breed and we were treated to several birds flying, singing and perching giving great views.  

In flight they are more reminiscent of waders than larks!

We ended the day working the orchards and hills in the area.  Several mixed flocks of finches contained Bramblings (an Israeli tick for both of us) and Serins and almost the last bird was a migrating Imperial Eagle, a fitting end to a fantastic day. 

Thanks Lior!

Saturday 16 March

Our last full day was focused on the Dead Sea and nearby sites. 

We had decided to visit Wadi Mishmar in case a late Cyprus Warbler or Sinaii Rosefinch was still present (they weren’t) and so rose early to complete the walk-in from the car park to where the cliffs begin by dawn at 6 a.m.  The temperature at that point was 25 degrees but mercifully the day was cloudy so the three hours we spent ascending and then descending the wadi gave us some high-quality birding in comfortable conditions.

Almost the first bird was a Lesser-Spotted Eagle flying north, which neatly filled a gap on the trip-list although that is not where we would have expected one.  We then saw good numbers of many of the area’s resident specialities – Fan-Tailed Raven, 

Blackstart, Tristram’s Grackle, Sand Partridge, 

Scrub Warbler and Little Green Bee-eater.

Migrants included a Bluethroat, many Orphean Warblers and a couple of flocks of Cretzschmar’s Buntings.  And it was associating with the latter that we found two Striolated Buntings.  

The first was high up the Wadi and was very approachable, allowing good views as it fed on grass seeds.  The second was near the entrance and was much warier.

After this success we then toured our favourite sites in the area but saw little, except for another Dead Sea Sparrow at Neve Zohar.  The drive up to Arad provided a Mourning Wheatear by the road but the Arad-Massada road was quiet.

                                                     

Our final stop was at Mount Amasa northwest of Arad, where the strong westerly had cooled to just 9 degrees.  We therefore didn’t stay long on top although a couple of Woodlarks were nice, the male in his song flight.  Lower down the slopes we found a nice male Spectacled Warbler and a late female Finsch’s Wheatear but the Hill Sparrows had not yet arrived (see 'Lesser Kestrels etc' post).

Sunday 17 March                                         

On our last half day we were keen to end on a high.  We headed down to Mitzpe Ramon and turned right onto Route 171 heading south west into the remote Negev.  Imagine our delight when we eventually decided to stop, walked out on to a gently sloping stony plain and quickly found a Lesser Short-Toed Lark singing its heart out in the crisp air over our heads (it was 6 degrees!), its slow wing-beats instantly confirming the id.

In fact there were at least two males holding territory in the area, which also contained several pairs of Black-Bellied Sandgrouse, many Stone Curlews and several singing Isabelline Wheatears.  Great desert birding and a fabulous end to the trip.

Systematic list

No	Name	Comments
1	Egyptian Goose	Widespread in small numbers
2	Mallard	Very common on fresh water bodies
3	Wigeon	10, Hula Agamon 14/3
4	Shoveler	Common on fresh water bodies
5	Teal	Very common on fresh water bodies
6	Garganey	5, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
7	Gadwall	2, Hula Reserve 14/3
8	Marbled Duck	2, Hula Agamon 14/3
9	Tufted Duck	50, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
10	Pochard	10, Yekutsa Reservoir, Golan Heights 15/4
11	Black Francolin	Hula Reserve 14/3; 2 Jordan Delta 15/3
12	Chukar	Widespread and common
13	Sand Partridge	Common in Wadi Mishmar 16/4
14	Quail	Common in flat grassy habitats
15	Little Grebe	Very common on fresh water bodies
16	Great Crested Grebe	2, Bnei Israel Reservoir, Golan 13/3
17	White Pelican	Up to 35 Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
18	Great Cormorant	Common at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
19	Pygmy Cormorant	Several, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
20	Grey Heron	Very common on fresh water bodies
21	Night Heron	Abundant at Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
22	Little Egret	Common on fresh water bodies
23	Cattle Egret	Common on fresh water bodies
24	Great White Egret	Common on fresh water bodies
25	Glossy Ibis	Strong passage north Ma’agan Michael 12/3
26	White Stork	Small numbers flying N at many locations
27	Black Stork	Large numbers flying N at many locations
28	Spoonbill	Small numbers on fresh water bodies
29	Griffon Vulture	Several, Golan Heights 13/3
30	Egyptian Vulture	2, Golan Heights 13/3
31	Osprey	2, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3

32	White-Tailed Eagle	2 adults Hula Reserve 14/3
33	Steppe Eagle	Widespread in small numbers
34	Imperial Eagle	1, Btecha Valley 15/3
35	Lesser-Spotted Eagle	1, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
36	Spotted Eagle	Adult, Hula Agamon 14/3
37	Booted Eagle	Dark adult Hula Reserve 14/3
38	Short-toed Eagle	Common
39	Steppe Buzzard	Single birds seen most days
40	Long-Legged Buzzard	Widespread in small numbers
41	Black-Shouldered Kite	Pair Hula Reserve 14/3
42	Black Kite	Abundant
43	Marsh Harrier	Widespread in small numbers
44	Hen Harrier	Widespread in small numbers
45	Pallid Harrier	2 adult males near Nizzana 10-11/3
46	Sparrowhawk	1, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
47	Kestrel	Widespread in small numbers
48	Lesser Kestrel	Male near Meitsar 15/3
49	Peregrine	1, Urim fields 11/3
50	Merlin	1, Kfar Ruppin 12/3
51	Moorhen	Common on fresh water bodies
52	Coot	Very common on fresh water bodies
53	Common Crane	Common on passage in North
54	McQueen’s Bustard	3, Ezuz 11/3
55	Avocet	20, Hula Agamon 14/3
56	Stone Curlew	1,  Kfar Ruppin 12/3; several R171 17/3
57	Black-Winged Stilt	Common on fresh water bodies
58	Spur-Winged Plover	Common near fresh and saline water bodies
59	Ringed Plover	Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin
60	Little Ringed Plover	2, Ma’agan Michael 12/3
61	Kentish Plover	10, Ma’agan Michael 12/3
62	Wood Sandpiper	10, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
63	Green Sandpiper	Common on fresh water bodies
64	Common Sandpiper	Widespread in small numbers
65	Marsh Sandpiper	15, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
66	Temminck’s Stint	Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin
67	Little Stint	Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin

68	Redshank	Common on fresh water bodies
69	Spotted Redshank	1, Kehemin Sewage Pools 11/3
70	Greenshank	1, Ma'agan Michael 12/3
71	Black-Tailed Godwit	60 at Hula Agamon 14/3
72	Ruff	Common on fresh water bodies
73	Snipe	A few on fresh water bodies
74	Black-Headed Gull	Abundant on fresh water bodies
75	Slender-Billed Gull	Small numbers Ma’agan Michael 12/3
76	Armenian Gull	Common at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
77	Yellow-Legged Gull	Small numbers Ma’agan Michael 12/3
78	Pallas’s Gull	1, Ma’agan Michael, 20 Kfar Ruppin: 12/3
79	Sandwich Tern	1, N Ma’agan Michael 12/3
80	Spotted Sandgrouse	85, Meishar Plateau 10/3
81	Crowned Sandgrouse	Flight calls Meishar Plateau 10/3
82	Black-Bellied Sandgrouse	6, Route 171 17/3
83	Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse	7, Ezuz 10/3
84	Feral Pigeon	Abundant
85	Collared Dove	Common by human habitation
86	Turtle Dove	1 Jordan Delta 15/3; 1 purring Nir Oz 17/3
87	Laughing Dove	Abundant
88	Ring-necked Parakeet	Widespread in small numbers
89	Common Cuckoo	2,  Mount Susita 15/3
90	Great Spotted Cuckoo	1 singing, Tel Hazeka, Golan Heights 13/3
91	Scops Owl	1 singing, Ein Gedi 16/4
92	Little Owl	Pair, Wadi Meitsar 15/3
93	Barn Owl	Pair, Nir Oz 10/3
94	Tawny Owl	Heard Park HaYarden 14/3
95	Long-Eared Owl	Heard Nir Oz 16/3
96	Common Swift	Small passage at several locations
97	Pallid Swift	Small passage at several locations
98	Alpine Swift	Widespread in small numbers
99	Little Swift	Small numbers near Meitsar 15/3
100	Hoopoe	Widespread and common
101	White-Throated Kingfisher	Widespread in small numbers
102	Pied Kingfisher	Several at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
103	Little Green Bee-eater	Small numbers in suitable habitat

104	Syrian Woodpecker	Widespread in suitable habitat
105	Woodlark	2, Mount Amasa 16/3
106	Skylark	Small numbers in several locations
107	Crested Lark	Abundant
108	Desert Lark	Small numbers in suitable habitat
109	Bar-Tailed Lark	4 ,Meishar Plateau 10/3
110	Short-Toed Lark	Small numbers in several locations
111	Lesser Short-Toed Lark	2, Route 171 17/3
112	Calandra Lark	3 pairs, Btecha Valley Golan Heights 15/3
113	Barn Swallow	Small numbers
114	Red-rumped Swallow	Small numbers
115	House Martin	Small numbers
116	Rock Martin	Common in suitable habitat
117	Red-Throated Pipit	Good numbers Kfar Ruppin 13/3
118	Meadow Pipit	Small numbers in several locations
119	Water Pipit	Good numbers Kfar Ruppin 13/3
120	Tawny Pipit	1, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/2
121	Long-Billed Pipit	1, Mount Susita 15/3
122	White Wagtail	Common in suitable habitat
123	Yellow Wagtail	1, Kemehin Sewage near Nizzana 11/3
124	Robin	1, near Neve Atif 14/3
125	Bluethroat	1, Kfar Ruppin 13/3; 1, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
126	Black Redstart	Widespread in small numbers
127	Northern Wheatear	Widespread in small numbers
128	Isabelline Wheatear	Several, Route 171 17/3
129	Black-Eared Wheatear	Widespread in small numbers
130	Desert Wheatear	Common in suitable habitat
131	Mourning Wheatear	Two by roadsides in mountains/deserts
132	White-crowned Wheatear	Several, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
133	Finsch’s Wheatear	Female ,Mount Amasa 16/3
134	Blackstart	Common  in deserts and mountains
135	Stonechat	Widespread in small numbers
136	Siberian Stonechat	Wadi Lavan 11/3 and Mount Susita 15/3
137	Song Thrush	Widespread in small numbers in the North
138	Blackbird	Common in the North
139	Rock Thrush	Wadi Terashim near Meishar Plateau 10/3

140	Blue Rock Thrush	Widespread in small numbers
141	Scrub Warbler	Common in suitable habitat
142	Graceful Prinia	Common in suitable habitat
143	Blackcap	Very small numbers
144	Whitethroat	Common on the Golan Heights
145	Lesser Whitethroat	Widespread and common
146	Orphean Warbler	Widespread in small numbers
147	Sardinian Warbler	Widespread in small numbers
148	Ruppell’s Warbler	Widespread in small numbers
149	Spectacled Warbler	Male, Mount Amasa 16/3
150	Desert Warbler	4-5, Meishar Plateau 10/3
151	Sedge Warbler	Heard Hula Valley 14/3
152	Reed Warbler	Common in suitable habitat
153	Clamorous Reed Warbler	Common in suitable habitat
154	Moustached Warbler	1, Kfar Ruppin fish ponds 12/3
155	Cettis Warbler	Common singing in suitable habitat
156	Olivaceous Warbler	2, Jordan Delta 15/3
157	Chiffchaff	Common in suitable habitat
158	Wren	Singing at Neve Atif
159	Spotted Flycatcher	1, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/3
160	Great Tit	Common in the North
161	Penduline Tit	2, Jordan Delta 15/3
162	Palestine Sunbird	Widespread in small numbers
163	Southern Grey Shrike	Common in suitable habitat
164	Woodchat Shrike	Common in suitable habitat
165	Masked Shrike	Widespread in small numbers
166	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	Abundant
167	Tristram’s Grackle	Common  in mountains
168	Mynah Bird	3, Yeroham Reservoir 11/3
169	Arabian Babbler	Family Wadi Lavan, near Nizzana 11/3
170	Jay	Fairly common in the North
171	Brown-necked Raven	Fairly common in the Negev and Dead Sea
172	Fan-tailed Raven	Common near Dead Sea 16/4
173	Jackdaw	A few in the North seen from the car
174	Hooded Crow	Widespread and common
175	Starling	Several, Kfar Ruppin 13/3

176	House Sparrow	Abundant
177	Spanish Sparrow	Widespread and common
178	Dead Sea Sparrow	1, Jordan Delta 15/3; 1 Neve Zohar 16/3
179	Hill Sparrow	3, Wadi Lavan, near Nizzana 11/3
180	Chaffinch	Common in the North
181	Brambling	A few with Chaffinches, Btecha Valley 15/3
182	Greenfinch	Widespread and common
183	Goldfinch	Widespread and common
184	Linnet	Common on the Golan Heights
185	Serin	A few in Btecha Valley and Mount Hermon
186	Trumpeter Finch	Male,Wadi Terashim, Meishar Plateau 10/3
187	Desert Finch	Female, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/3
188	Corn Bunting	Abundant almost everywhere
189	Rock Bunting	3, Mount Hermon 13/3
190	Ortolan Bunting	Female, Meishar Plateau 13/3
191	Cretzschmar’s Bunting	Widespread and common
192	Striolated Bunting	2, Wadi Mishmar 16/3