Eilat, Israel. September - November 2015

Overview

I spent the autumn of 2015 at the International Birding and Research Centre in Eilat (IBRCE), Israel. Located on the shores of the Red Sea at the Southernmost tip of Israel, Eilat is a world famous site for migratory birds and my time there did not disappoint.

Political map showing Israel with Eilat highlighted. From the beach at Eilat Israel's three Southern neighbours can be seen at once: Jordan to the East, Saudi Arabia to the South and Egypt to the West.

Working as a ringer and migration monitor, I spent my mornings ringing birds at the constant effort site and my afternoons visiting migration hotspots and recording the diversity and numbers of species.

In total I managed to observe 287 species including 110 new species for me (lifers) and ring 1584 individuals of 63 species. 

Many Afro-Palearctic migrants are declining, some rapidly, so keeping abreast of their population trends and physical condition through monitoring and ringing is crucial to our understanding of them and influences conservation effort elsewhere.

Cyprus warbler Sylvia melanothorax.

This 1cy (first calendar year, a bird hatched this year) male was the only Cyprus warbler captured this autumn. An endemic breeder to Cyprus, they come to wadis in the Eilat Mountains to overwinter. Although still regarded by the IUCN as Red List Category Least Concern (LC), the population is declining. This bird was one of many highlights of the trip.