EILAT SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL

18^th March to 25^th March 2007

Bird watching Southern Israel in spring needs no introduction.

Eilat and the surrounding areas are known worldwide as one of the best, if not the best Western Palearctic destination for birders. The dramatic outline of the Rift Valley serves as a corridor for millions of migrants every season. The variety of habitats promises an incredible range of species of many families and breathtaking views.

Besides the migrant birds that dot the bushes and fill the skies, Southern Israel is also home to many exciting near eastern residents that can be hard to come by anywhere else.  

Come enjoy this birders paradise with us and let us point you in the right direction to an unforgettable birdwatching and nature holiday.

Eilat and Southern Israel – General overview

Nestled in the southern tip of Israel Eilat is beautifully placed between the magical blue waters of the Red Sea and the majestic Eilat mountains, an extension of the massive granite ridges of Sinai.

The relaxed city of Eilat provides new habitats for many migrant and local species and amazing birds can be seen from your hotel room balcony or during a stroll through the cities gardens and parks. At your doorstep you will find Laughing Dove, Yellow vented Bulbul and the beautiful Palestine Sunbird to name a few.

Eilat North beach at the tip of the Red sea is one of the most interesting seawatching locations in the Western Palearctic. Migrant herons, ducks, gulls and terns mingle with near tropical species like White-eyed Gull, Western Reef and Striated Herons and Pied Kingfisher for a memorable seawatch. The North beach regularly produces astonishing rarities and has hosted many new species for the region and even a new species of Shearwater to science! Many Red Sea and Indian Ocean species regularly work their way north up the bay of Eilat and reach the North beach.  

Bordering the city from the west are the beautiful Eilat Mountains. Besides the breathtaking scenery, the mountains are home to some great desert species like Little Green Bee-Eater, White-crowned and Hooded Wheatears, Sand Partridge, Desert Lark and Barbary Falcon. During the spring, millions of soaring birds pass over the Eilat Mountains. On a good day thousands of raptors and storks can be seen at amazing proximity. There is no better place in the Western Palearctic to work on identification of birds of prey of various species, not to mention the photography opportunities.

The pools and reservoirs just north of the city are an important stop for hundreds of thousands of shorebirds that migrate to and from their Eurasian breeding grounds. Any visit to the famous K19 and K20 pools produces an astonishing list of waders and other species. Rare birds like phalaropes, Broad billed and Curlew Sandpipers and more are easily found here.

Moving North of Eilat up the rift valley, the developing Southern Arava region is dotted with fields, plantations, pools and reed beds that host highly localized residents like Namaqua Dove, Little Green Bee-eater and Indian Silverbill. During the spring these habitats hold thousands of migrant passerines and birds of prey. The fields are full of pipits, wagtails, wheatears, hirundines, buntings and larks. A good few days are necessary to bird through these areas and the wealth of birds is incredible.

40 minutes north of Eilat lies Kibbutz Lotan. This magical little kibbutz has grown to be an exciting destination for visiting birders. Lotan is a good example of the importance of these green oases for birds.

The open desert areas of the Southern Rift valley and the Southern Negev plateau hold exciting residents like Trumpeter Finch, Desert Wheatear, Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse and more. These areas are also important sites for rare and nomadic Desert Larks which peak during March. Temminck's and Hoopoe Larks require searching for but can be found in these areas and in previous spring’s have produced sightings of the rare and unpredictable Thick-billed, Dunn's and Black crowned Finch Larks.

During late March the whole valley is flooded with birds and migration is evident everywhere. Any green area acts like a magnet to migrants as are the patches of Acacia scrub that dot the valley. Spring migration in Israel is undoubtedly one of the best in the world.

The Spring Migration Festival

Organized by the Israel Ornithological Center, The IBRCE (International Birding and Research Center Eilat) and Kibbutz Lotan Center for Birdwatching, the spring migration Festival aims to bring together birders from all around the world for an unforgettable event during the peak migration period in Southern Israel.

Besides the wealth of birds around, during the week many bird related activities will take place. These will include active birdwatching trips led by field experts, ringing demonstrations, identification workshops, lectures and more.

Visitors are welcome to go birding around the area either on their own, or with a guide. They will be greeted at various locations and hotspots by local guides and birders who will point them in the right direction, answer questions and help with difficult families or species. The Festival headquarters will provide up to date information, sighting boards, rarity alerts and give any help that might be needed exploring the region.

Every evening you will be invited to enjoy lectures, talks and slideshows from professional, local, and visiting birders and a detailed summary of the days sightings.

Local guides and birders will let you in on some of their hotspots and world renowned bird experts will give you a personal look at their work. Professional photographers will help you enhance your results with reflex photography and digiscoping techniques.

There are two choices of accommodation, Kibutz Lotan just outside Eilat or the Isrotel Agamim Hotel in Eilat itself ( a 4* resort) which is the Festival headquarters. The full range of activities and excursions will be available to you from both locations.

Here are a few examples of activities to be held:

The Eilat Mountains Experience – 1/2 day outing with the focus being Raptor identification workshops. Every morning, an experienced raptor enthusiast will help visitors find the birds, identify them with confidence and give a brief introduction to the marvel of soaring bird's migration over the Eilat Mountains.

These sessions will be held daily, as every day is different and will carry on till around mid day. When conditions are right then there is always something to look at in the sky and the weather and scenery are great. If for various reasons soaring bird migration is slow then this is a good area to find some interesting resident birds typical of the region.

Cost: US$50  

Eilat's North Beach – At the Tip of the Red Sea – 3 hours, with the main focus on sea watching.

Every evening and morning an experienced birder will greet visiting birders on the North beach and help with finding challenging local species (Striated Heron, White eyed gull, Pied Kingfisher and other specialties). This time of spring there is always something interesting to watch as large flocks of ducks gather on the sea and the fish farm cages host a variety of gulls and terns. The chance for potential rarities is excellent.

Cost: US$50

K20 Salt pools – 3 Hours, with the main focus being Wader identification. An experienced birder will help you scope through the flocks of shorebirds and go over the various features of tricky wader identification.

Cost: US$50

Other field trips.

The options are numerous and birds are everywhere at this time of year. Depending on rainfall, weather and other factors we will focus our attention on the relevant hotspots, K33, Samar/Elifaz, Yotvata, Lotan, Neot Smadar, and K76 are all birding places.

Ringing Stations - 

During the week there will be several active ringing stations carrying out ringing in the morning and evenings. At the sites visitors will be able to get a close look at various species in the hand and get a feel for the real heroes of migration, the passerines.

Lectures and Presentations

Migration in general and in Southern Israel in particular.

Raptor identification and ageing -  Dick Forsman

Seabirds and Gulls  - Klaus Olsen

Difficult families, Wheatears, Pipits and Desert Larks

Identification of Sylvia Warblers and other Passerines

Ringing and research in Eilat

Photography and equipment lectures.

Digiscoping vs conventional,

Desert photography (dealing with harsh light, exposure etc)

Other optional birding tours

Specialty species tours –

Also on offer will be species specific tours to see species such as: Nubian Nightjar, Humes Owl, Lichtenstien’s Sandgrouse and more.

The Magical Dead Sea – In this tour we will find some of the specialties of the Dead Sea , Fan tailed Raven, Tristram's Grackle, Dead Sea Sparrow, House Bunting and more. We will visit some dramatic landscapes, see some amazing birds and even have a dip in the lowest sea in the world.   Full day  Cost: US$85

Nizzana – bustards, sandgrouse and more – This tour will be aimed at the specialty species of Nizzana and the Western Negev. Maqueen's Bustard, Cream Coloured Courser, Up to four species of sandgrouse, Desert Little Owl and much more await you in the magical steppe like terrain of the Western Negev.  Full day Cost: US$85

The Enigmatic Nubian Nightjar

During the week we will schedule several outings to see the Nubian Nightjar, one of the West Palearctic's rarest birds.   Full day  Cost: US$85   

Optional Activities for Non Birders

Day trips :

Eilat sightseeing – A relaxing day in which you can really get into the relaxed atmosphere of Eilat. During the day we will visit the Underwater observatory, visit Eilat's Coral beach for snorkeling and visit the world famous Dolphin Reef.  US$70.

Desert trip, Timna Park – Join us for a venture into the desert. We will admire natural wonders like Amram's pillars and visit the worlds oldest Copper mines at the Timna national park. Lunch will be taken at a traditional Bedouin tent. US$70

Petra and the surrounding areas – Jordan.

Visit the amazing sandstone canyons and temples of Petra. World renowned for its magnificence Petra is only a short drive from Eilat. US$ TBA

Those interested will be able to book a day trip to Petra and we will take care of all the arrangements. The trip includes a minibus trip and visit to Jordan's Petra National Park with enough time to explore the sights, a traditional lunch and a visit to Aquaba.

Lotan Spa and Watsu treatment centre. The visitors of the festival will enjoy discounted rates for an amazing Watsu (water-shiatsu ) session at Lotan's unique treatment pool or choose from an array of relaxing massages and treatments.

Lotan Ecological Park. Visit the friendly community of Kibbutz Lotan and learn about permaculture, sustainable building, recycling and building with mud. US$35

Hai-Bar National Safari Park. This beautiful park with it's Acacia forest and animals holds animals mentioned in the Bible and that used to roam the land. Visit the predator’s enclosures and learn about the wildlife of the region. US$ TBA

Flora and Fauna of the region. For the botanists, insects and animal lovers, we will visit a number of places to experience spring in the desert. On this trip we will see desert plants, insects and reptiles. There is a wealth of wildlife around and with some searching we should find Dorca’s Gazzelle, Southern Red Fox, Nubian Ibex, Syrian Hyrax and more. US$55.

Itinerary

Day 1: Flight London Luton - Eilat. Transfer to your chosen accommodation.

Days 2-7: Six full days birding in southern Israel.

Day 8:  Transfer to airport for flight back to London Luton.

Holiday Information 

Dates: 24th – 31st March 2008

Cost: The basic cost is from £565 per person sharing a twin room

Single Supplement: from £45

Deposit: £200 per person

Price includes: Return flight UK /Eilat, pre-paid airport taxes, transfers to and from accommodation  in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities on a bed and breakfast basis in either an Eilat resort hotel set on the North Beach, the Isrotel Agamim (£799pp) or the Kibutz Lotan (£565pp),  bird checklist and the services of local English speaking expert guides, attendance at lectures and presentations. Single supplements: Kibutz  £45     Hotel  £69

Price excludes: Travel insurance (available from £29.32), optional birding excursions, lunches, dinners, drinks and items of a personal nature.

Dinner is available for US$56 per person for the week at Kibutuz Lotan or US$126 per person at the Hotel Agamim. Picnic lunch will be available for US$15 per person, per day.

You may pre-book your birding excursion in advance or on arrival in Israel. Payments for all optional extras will be made locally in Israel including meal supplements. Exchange rate as of 2/11/2006   £1 = US$1.89

For more detailed information, including a potential species list, itinerary and full accommodation details please the special website:

www.birdingisrael.com