Foto Friday – Oded Dayan – Bird Migration Across the Hula
Filed under: Environment, Foto Friday, Travel
The days are getting shorter and bird migration across the Rift Valley — otherwise known as our little corner of the Middle East — is at its height.
Israel is something of a paradise for birdwatchers, with 500 million birds migrating south from Europe to warmer climates in Asia and Africa each fall. The Israel Ornithology Center, which operates three bird watching centers, has recorded more than 540 different species of birds in Israel at various seasons in the year.
Photographer Oded Dayan, who works with the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – JNF, produced this series of images documenting Lake Agmon, the heart of the re-flooded Hula Valley in Northern Israel.
Agmon is one of the best-known birding centers with a developed tourist infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Tourism, “approximately 35,000 cranes fill the fields and wetlands during the fall migration, with about 25,000 staying for the winter.”
“Visitors can take advantage of the camouflaged bird observation points and choose to tour the area on foot, by bicycle, golf cart, safari wagon or train. This is also a center for bird research and a station for bird ringing.”
More information about Lake Agmon can be found on the KKL-JNF website, or on the Ministry of Tourism website. And of course, ISRAEL21c has reported extensively on the rehabilitation of the now-flourishing Hula Valley.
Foto Friday – Israel is Birdwatch Central
Filed under: Environment, Foto Friday, General, Travel
Tiny Israel is located on a land bridge that forms one of the major routes for birds migrating between Eurasia and Africa. Each spring, hundreds of millions of birds fly north to Europe and Asia, and thousands of birdwatchers from around the world come to Israel to watch them at sites such as the Kibbutz Lotan Centre for Birdwatching, the International Birding & Research Center in Eilat (IBRCE), and other birdwatching stations.
View in HD Download 400p Version Visit Sassi Haham’s ExposureRoom Videos Page
Bird watching season opens next week with the 2nd annual Artists for Nature Festival , which will take place in the Hula Valley on 6-15 March 2009 The festival, organized by the Israel Ornithological Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) together with the Dutch-based Artists for Nature Foundation (ANF), is intended to raise awareness of top priority conservation issues through cultural exchange. Over 20 internationally-renowned wildlife artists will participate by drawing and painting alongside Israeli wildlife artists in the open landscapes of the Hula Valley. In addition, there will be nature tours, lectures and workshops that will be open to the general public.
View in HD Download 400p Version Visit Sassi Haham’s ExposureRoom Videos Page
Then, at the end of the month, the Ornithological Center, together with IBRCE, will organize the 3rd annual International Spring Migration Festival in Eilat on 23-30 March 2009. The program, timed to coincide with the peak week of Israel’s spring migration, will include activities for nature lovers and birders of all levels.
View in HD Download 400p Version Visit Sassi Haham’s ExposureRoom Videos Page
These activities dovetail nicely with the news that British nature magazine BBC Wildlife, declared the Hula Lake Park as one of the most important photography and observation sites in the world.
View in HD Download 496p Version Visit Sassi Haham’s ExposureRoom Videos Page
Sassi Haham is an avid photographer/videographer and birdwatcher who shoots amazing videos. Some of these are posted here with many more to view on ExposureRoom, and on Zapar.col.il, the Israeli birdwatching portal – which also has a comprehensive index of Israel’s birds.
View in HD Download 400p Version Visit Sassi Haham’s ExposureRoom Videos Page
Subscribe
Subscribe to Israelity via email:
Social Media
Categories
- A New Reality
- Art
- Blogging
- Business
- coexistence
- Crime
- design
- education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Food
- Foto Friday
- General
- health
- History and Culture
- Holidays
- Immigrant Moments
- Israeliness
- Life
- Medical Breakthroughs
- Movies
- Music
- News
- Nostalgia Sunday
- Picture of the Week
- Politics
- Pop Culture
- Profiles
- Religion
- Science
- Social Justice
- Sports
- Technology
- Travel
- tv
- War
The Face of Israel Today
-
About Israelity
Free newsletter
Stories from ISRAEL21c.orgPopular Posts