"Water to Sea":
We all remember the fascinating and long trip across the country, from the Mediterranean to the Sea of Galilee.
Some of us went on the long route with the youth movement, some of us as part of a school trip.
Dotan Rotem, from the Science Division of the Nature and Parks Authority, recently made the fascinating journey, documented it, and reminded us how spectacular the nature of Eretz Israel is at this time of year.
Nature and Parks Authority
As usual, Rotem's journey began at Achziv Beach and from there continued up Nahal Kaziv.
"After a few miles of walking alongside banana groves in the Radiant Valley, we reached the mountainous parts of the creek," he recounts.
"A mustard eye was crowded with visitors. We continued up the creek that flowed at our feet."
The flow of large amounts of water, due to pollution that does not allow them to be pumped for drinking, gives new life to the long sections of the creek.
Among other things, Rotem documented the dry parts of plane trees that survived the years when water allocation was small, and today they are once again in all their glory.
Autumn has given its signs and many leaves have already begun to fall with each breeze.
"Up the creek, a little before the ascent to the knights, we continued to Ein Ziv, where we dipped in the water and also met an Israeli fish, which seemed to be playing with the shallow stream of water across one of the concrete crossings crossing the creek," Rotem recalled.
The Hafafi fish - as their name implies, are light (Hafafi in Arabic).
In the fall season they make their way upstream to reproduce, but where they were photographed the fish seemed to ascend the small waterfall and after a number of tail blows and body twists they ‘give up’ and drift back and forth for goodness sake.
Autumn signals
The first night was spent by the Nature and Parks Authority in Horbat Moragot.
"We were summoned to experience the declaration of territories of a common lily, a medium-sized lily raptor that feeds on songbirds and small rodents. One individual stood above us and made characteristic noises and for a few minutes was answered by four different details from several sides."
The next day they continued up Nahal Kaziv to the top of Mount Meron.
"For the summit we met the senior saffron, and heralds autumn with less good public relations - the fringed woodpecker, which blooms in a light purple color."
Saffron in Nahal Amud, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
A few days before the trip it rained lightly for the first time of the season, a signal to the harvester ports to emerge from their nests for a bridal flight.
"During the entire descent from the mountain, we saw dozens of ant nests sizzling on the ground, many details of which are winged," says Rotem.
"These are the princes and princesses who leave the old nest and band together to form a new nest.
"On this day we slept in the winding parking lot in Nahal Meron. The next day we continued at first light along Nahal Meron and were happy to hear the rattling of the flowing water at the top, spring water that until a few years ago was imprisoned and taken for irrigation and drinking and recently released into nature after many efforts "The chameleons hatch from nests that were laid in the ground a year ago, and now the young people are emerging from the ground, climbing plants and looking for their first prey."
Chameleon, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Lucky nature
Nahal Meron connects to Nahal Amud, which runs along it to the Sea of Galilee.
Early in the morning she invited the group to a meeting with a family of wild boars, a female and two puppies.
They also encountered a young Solomon benefit.
The roll of the abdomen, the back of the insect's body, indicates that it is young.
It has no wings and the reproductive organs are not yet developed.
"Make no mistake, this is still a perfect killing machine," Rotem emphasizes, "a camouflaged killing machine lurking for prey in the raspberry thicket along the creek."
A young female camel, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Impressed by the completion benefit, the members wondered to whom right ahead, to them or to the wild boars, to the one going up or the one going down?
After a short negotiation the pig turned back and continued to burrow in the eagle of leaves on the side of the path.
The members continued towards the Shikwi pools, where they dipped for the last time before embarking on a challenging section of crossing the Nahal Amud canyon, which summoned them to a breathtaking view.
"After a few hours we reached the huge bridge of Road 85. Once upon a time there was a huge dirt embankment here and the whole stream drained into a narrow concrete pass. Today it is a continuous and high passage that blends nicely into the landscape.
"As we got closer towards the Sea of Galilee it got warmer and also the famous wind making its way from west to east in the afternoon did not bother to refresh us because we walked from north to south inside the narrow and amazing canyon of the lower pillar."
The journey ended after three days laden with spectacular views of the shores of the Sea of Galilee and immersion in its waters.
How do you sum up such a journey?
"Very tired," Rotem admits, "but happy and proud that we managed to withstand the long journey."
Buckthorn lime butterflies, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
The buckthorn lime butterflies go through a kind of summer coma.
They enter between branches of shrubs and trees and lower the level of metabolism to the minimum necessary.
In the fall they fly again, the females lay eggs that survive the winter and hatch towards spring.
Honeysuckle nymph butterflies, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Honeysuckle nymph butterflies along Nahal Kaziv.
The surrogate of this species is the Italian honeysuckle, a species of plant that climbs in the Mediterranean forest.
The males maintain terror and 'attack' passers-by, including curious bullies on the trail.
Pelican Wasp, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Pelican wasp on nest.
In the autumn season royal wasps hatch that will spend the winter in hiding places and set out towards spring to establish a new generation of wasps.
Water runners, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Water runners take advantage of the surface tension of the water.
They move on their faces quickly and hunt unlucky insects.
Shoshanat Yam, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Red sea rose on the rocky shore in Achziv.
Its stinging arms catch prey that comes with the currents of water and waves.
Tzatia, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Tzatia chirps in the thicket of Nahal Amud.
A songbird is difficult to watch, but is clearly heard in its loud voice out of the thicket.
Deer in Nahal Amud HaTaharon, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Rock rabbit in Nahal Amud between the cliffs, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority
Common fox, Photo: Dotan Rotem, Nature and Parks Authority