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Highs and Lows from the Champions of the Flyway Bird Race in Eilat, Israel

10,000 Birds

Today, I am writing about another very birdy place and an event that I was very fortunate to have experienced, the Champions of the Flyway Bird Race in Eilat, Israel. Unlike other bird races where participants keep tight-lipped about bird species as mundane as a House Sparrow , this event gives a prize to the team that helps the most.

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A Comparison of Birding in Costa Rica and Eilat, Israel

10,000 Birds

I have been back from Eilat, Israel for more than a week but still find myself dreaming about birding in the desert. Hit the coast these days and you will see that river of birds but there won’t be as many species as Eilat, nor as many chances at vagrants, and especially, not as many raptor species.

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Champions of the Flyway – the Dakar Rally of Birding

10,000 Birds

I’ve just returned from a trip to Israel and I feel like I’ve run 300 miles in a week…in the blazing sun…uphill…with no water…and carrying a one hundred pound sandbag. The playing field for the race was limited to southern Israel. And I had it easy.

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This Week in Bird(ing) News: Science, Citizen Science, and Citizen Savagery

10,000 Birds

Birding in Israel? News Bird evolution Common Cuckoo Israel Nature News perching' Report your sightings to help build an eBird-like database of the country’s avifauna. Who knew there was such a thing?). Engineers are trying to mimic the mechanics of how birds perch in hopes of improving drones’ ability to land on wires.

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Secret Agent … Bird?

10,000 Birds

The bird in question, a Kestrel (its species wasn’t named), drew the attention of folks in Altinayva, Turkey because of the metal band upon its leg. Upon the bird’s capture, the band was found to read “24311 Tel Avivunia Israel.” News Israel kestrel Turkey'

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A Few Jordanian Birds

10,000 Birds

Bethany-on-the Jordan is literally a stone’s throw from Israel, which is why we were required to stay with the group and keep moving. I suspect that if I could have stood still for a bit, or even (gasp) wander away from the group, I could have seen many more species. Actually, Bee-eaters , as they were quite numerous at the site.

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Highlights from Birding Costa Rica, 2019

10,000 Birds

There are three species of crow-like cotingas with odd hairdos known as umbrellabirds, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird is the one that lives in Costa Rica. Ruffs from Israel, the one in Costa Rica kind of looked like the top bird. These are some of mine: The umbrellabird. Bird counts. Three days, three hawk-eagles.