Recent trips and additions to the site
October 5, 2025: Neot Smadar sewage ponds and fields
A quick evening trip to the neighbors
Red-backed Shrike
Glossy Ibis
Eurasian Wryneck
Whinchat
September 24, 2025: Gazelle Valley, Jerusalem
Nature havens in cities are wonderful places to spend time in. This spot in the heart of Jerusalem is one of my favourites. There was a lot of action going on in and around the small lake over the course of one morning. The peak was when a flock of European Bee-eaters arrived to take a bath, diving repeatedly at high speed into the water, completely submerging themselves. It was a spectacular show to witness, they are extremely fast flyers so I was happy to manage to get a few shots that were in focus to record the event.
Little Grebes
Common Kingfisher
Chukar having a drink
Grey Heron with breakfast
One of the local residents
Water off a duck’s back. Mallard
White-breasted Kingfisher
White Egret grabs a frog
The frogs were definitely having a bad day
Shower time for a Willow Warbler
September 20, 2025: Lotan fields
Spotted Flycatcher
Red-backed Shrike
Isabelline Wheatear
September 13, 2025: Grofit Wadi
Mud stalactites formed from floodwaters carrying clay deposits. After the canyon floods with water carrying clay, as the flood recedes and the water evaporates, these drip formations are left behind that mimic cave stalactites. Only these are fragile and will probably disappear with the next flood. Lots of ammonite fossils also present in that wadi.
September 7, 2025: Lunar Eclipse
Composite of 10 images taken 15 minutes apart + landscape just after sunset
September 6, 2025: Wadi Ketura
Gazelle, ibex and about 20 species of birds. The wild capers are flowering as well as the acacias.
Scrub Warbler
Red-backed Shrike
Desert Lark
August 30, 2025
Met a couple of young male ibex during a Saturday morning walk in Yaalon Wadi. The acacia trees are in full bloom at the end of the summer and the flowers make a tasty treat.
August 27, 2025
Golden hour at Km20, perfect time, perfect conditions.
Black-tailed Godwit
Marsh Sandpiper
Greater Flamingo
July 24-25, 2025
Took part in a great sunset to sunrise photography workshop led by Kfir Veler, chasing the Milky Way around the region of Mitzpe Ramon. Not much sleep but very worthwhile.
July 23, 2025
Patience and perseverance pay off! After a few unsuccessful attempts, I finally saw and photographed two of the rare Grey Hypocolius family that have taken up residence at Km20 over the last few weeks. Possibly the first breeding record for Israel, these are the two young individuals of the family that finally cooperated with me.
Footnote: A full report on this exciting discovery by Shachar Shalev can be found here.
July 19, 2025
While waiting (unsuccessfully) for the Hypocolius family to show up at Km20, I passed the time taking some shots of a male Namaqua Dove building a nest. They always remind me of big, beautiful butterflies when they zip past with their colorful wings outstretched.
Saturday morning survey of some key birding sites in the Southern Arava with David Schoneveld. We started at the North Beach in Eilat, and from there proceeded to the Bird Park, Km19 (Eilat wastewater system), Km20 (Flamingo pools) and finished at Samar wastewater system. A few welcome photographic additions for me: Cory’s Shearwater and White-eyed Gull at North Beach were really too far away, but some quite nice shots of a Purple Heron and Little Bittern at the Bird Park, and a Hooded Wheatear at Km20.
July 5, 2025
Cory’s Shearwater, North Beach, Eilat
White-eyed Gull, North Beach, Eilat
Purple Heron, Eilat Bird Park
Little Bittern, Eilat Bird Park
Hooded Wheatear, Km20
Moon-less summer nights are the time to try to capture images of the Milky Way. The challenge is to find a spot with the absolute minimum of light pollution, which is actually not an easy task even for a resident of the Arava desert like me. Fortunately all it took was a 45 minute drive to the Faran Wadi and I was in a beautiful spot. And in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, when I came across another vehicle, I knew immediately that it could only be another photographer obsessively on a similar journey. It took Yaniv Shaya most of the day to get there. That's dedication. We spent a happy couple of hours enjoying the company, the desert, the night sky and geeking out about cameras and lenses. Thanks Yaniv.