Although the "Iron Swords" war broke out about two and a half months ago, the Birdwatching Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel continues its tradition, and this year as well gathered the rarest and most beautiful birds and the most special phenomena among the birds that passed through Israel in 2023 – with the choice of winner in the hands of the general public.
"We all mourn and mourn the unimaginable deaths of the murdered, worry about the safety of the abductees, pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded and hope for the return of our soldiers," said Dr. Yoav Perlman, director of the Birdwatching Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. "Personally, I believe that getting out into nature, especially bird watching, is very important for restoring mental health. Therefore, I make sure to go birdwatching as much as I can, including observing rare species. The Bird of the Year competition is one drop of escapism in the unimaginable reality forced upon us, and I hope it will bring a smile, even the slightest. You are welcome to vote and make a difference."
Birds flying at Agamon Hula (Archive) // Photo: Itzik Ben Dor - KKL-JNF
The competition takes place on the Israeli birdwatching website of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and if you connect with one of the candidates, you can vote for her – and maybe she will win the coveted title of "Bird of the Year". To vote for your favorite bird – click here.
Who will be the big winner?
Black reptile: The black reptile was the first rarity of 2023. It was found by Yishai Ben-Adar near Moshav Maor in Emek Hefer, in a neglected plot of land full of carcasses and filth, behind a gas station. The "attractive" habitat did not deter Israel's olfactory-less birds. Battalions of birdwatchers and photographers lined up daily among the skulls scattered in the field to admire the special visitor from Central Asia, and even birdwatchers from abroad arrived. This is the tenth sighting of this rare reptile – the last occurred in 2018, when it certainly attracted the attention it deserved.
Hollow Dohl, Photo: Amir Ben Dov
Atlantic storms: Winter storms provide the Israeli birding community with excitement and anticipation every winter. Last February, Mega storm "Barbara" hit the shores of Israel, one of the best storms in modern Israeli birding history. For more than a week, winds blowing from deep in the Mediterranean pushed quality seabirds towards our shore, with the highlight of the event being the historic arrival of the Atlantic stingrays. February 8 was their peak day, with more than 100 individuals observed at the crossing off Jaffa Beach and off Palmachim Beach. For birds so rare that they are very difficult to see in normal years, the storm provided an unforgettable experience that is unlikely to be repeated in the coming years.
Atlantic Yasouron, Photo: Micha Mandel
There are subspecies of birds that are just as equal as species. The mask Nahlieli is one such subspecies that drives Israel's birds crazy. It comes to us from Central Asia, it has a maddening facial pattern, a white mask on a black head – and it is very rare. This is the fourth ever sighting in Israel of this rare subspecies. Such a handsome male Nahlili was photographed in a parking lot at Maayan Tzvi Beach by Eitan Daphni on February 21. He stayed there, wandering the sandy parking lot, including frequent visits to the overflowing garbage can, and delighted our hearts until early March.
Nahlieli mask side by side, food, photo: Amit Goldstein
On March 28, three birdwatchers from the Netherlands found it in the pools of Ma'ale Gilboa in the Spring Valley, whose secret charm is its distinctly African aroma, because it is common in the Mara River that flows through Kenya's magnificent Maasai Mara Reserve. The report of the Dutch birders brought many birdwatchers to the scene. The stork made life a bit difficult, as it moved between the various ponds and fields, along with white storks and other waterfowl. The last report to his observation was on April 17. Where did he go? We'll never know.
Pink Hasid, Photo: Tuvia Kahn
Noam Weiss, director of the bird watching center in Eilat, has been monitoring seabirds in the Gulf of Eilat for about a decade. In recent years, monitoring has been carried out in cooperation with the marine unit in the Gulf of Eilat of the Nature and Parks Authority. The sustained effort in the heart of the bay has already led to stunning discoveries, and with food comes an appetite for even rarer species. On July 9, the stars aligned, and one of the birders on the small boat caught the little stingray. In such situations, when there are brief seconds of observation in difficult sea conditions, it is of utmost importance to be able to photograph properly and in a way that will show the identification signs. Incubating on islands in the North Atlantic, it is extremely rare in the Mediterranean, with only six sightings in Israel. This is the first observation in the Gulf of Aqaba.
A small storm in the heart of the Red Sea, photo: Netanel Bernstein
Dwarf shrubby: There are beautiful and colorful birds, and there are those that are beautiful and less colorful – and such is the dwarf shrub, a kind of small bird in a sandy-grayish-brown shade, but elegant and cute. Its charm is not in its beauty, but in its rarity in Israel. Before August 2023, it has only been observed four times in Israel. On August 24, Yigal Siman Tov found a special bush in riparian vegetation in the pools of Ma'agan Michael, right in the heart of the new bird watching park being built there in cooperation with the kibbutz. Yigal photographed her well, suspected, shared, and confirmation came soon – she is indeed a dwarf shrub.
Dwarf shrub, photo: Amir Ben Dov
Gray-headed porphyria: A few days before the outbreak of the war, on October 1, birder Dudu Raved found porphyria in the pools of Kibbutz HaMa'apilim. Although her photos were circulated on social media, no one had a red light. Only about two weeks later, after the war began, the young birder Jonathan Gordon dropped the token for everyone, raising suspicions that she was actually gray-headed, judging by the non-green back, lighter shade of the head and dark joints for the low-color legs. At the same time, on October 17, Tzipora Renata photographed another, even more distinctive one, at Agamon Rishon LeZion – and a few days ago, Shlomi Tova photographed another one at the pools of Kfar Masaryk in the Acre Valley. Since the 50s, this West Asian porphyria has only been observed once in Israel. Are we witnessing a new phenomenon? Time will tell.
Grey-headed porphyria, photo: Rami Mizrahi
Saharon thrush: Some birds are not very rare and not super colorful, but their sex appeal is so strong that it is irresistible – such is the crescent thrush. There is something about its alpine appearance and its habit of not showing itself properly, to make birders run around in the relevant season like crazy and look for it in vineyards and orchards. When thrush Saharon models, the excitement skyrockets. During the autumn there were at least two more observations of her, three individuals were observed in Yatir vineyards by Barry Abramov and another specimen was observed in the Amatzia Forest in the Lachish region, which Avner Rinot found.
Thrush Saharon, Photo: Jonathan Gordon
Black-faced gibbon: This bird first arrived in Israel in the fall of 2021, when it fell into Francis Argyle's net drowning at Agamon Hefer. We didn't have to wait too long for the next sighting in Israel, because last February 21, Chen Faibish found a wonderful memory of this rare gibbon in a deer spring, and it was later caught drowning there. The gibbon remained in a fairly limited area at Maayan Tzvi for about a week and a half, until the beginning of March. Also on November 29, a black-faced gibbon appeared in Ron Haran's drowning net, drowning in the Rubin Swamp near the mouth of Nahal Sorek south of Rishon LeZion.
Black-faced gibbon, photo: Ron Hearn
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