Israeli Rarities & Distribution Committee

07/02/2023

We are up in the air!
The 2022 Bulletin is now published on our new platform.

Our new webpage is now public and contains all the latest Bulletins and publications by the IRDC as well as all of the previous work done by the committee since it's "re-inception" in 2000.

In this year issue is also included a fascinating submission of an observation of a Streaked Shearwater from 1981! and all rarities records from 2022.

February 2023 ​

25/12/2022

Pick your bird of the year 2022!

With 2022 drawing to a close it's always good time to reflect on another fascinating year of birding in Israel.

While we didn't have any new additions to the Israeli bird list, We had plenty of great birds with new breeders, few 2nds and cool twitching opportunities.

The SPNI is holding its yearly "Bird of the year competition" and can go here (in Hebrew) and vote for your bird of the year 2022:

אתר הצפרות הישראלי הינו פורטל צפרות העוסק בשימור מגוון העופות בישראל. באתר מפות עולמיות המאפשרות לעקוב אחר מסלולי ציפורים נודדות ולהתעדכן בכל מידע אודות ציפורים.

29/06/2022

Yellow-throated Sparrow - a new breeding mega rarity in Israel!

Yellow-throated Sparrow was first recorded in Israel in 1982 by Ehud Dovrat, this rather beautiful Sparrow remained extremely rare despite being migratory and breeding not too far in southern Turkey.

In the last 10 years observations became more frequent with several confirmed sightings in the Dead-sea and Eilat area, and a late May record from the northern part of the Golan heights, so when Nadav Israel reported 1 or 2 individuals on 25/06/2022 in the Golan heights the possibility of breeding was immediately apparent.

Birders/twichers/chasers soon confirmed breeding has occurred with one individual feeding a fledged young and in the following days more Yellow-throated Sparrows were found in the same area!

Is it a one time irruption? How extensive is it? Are there dozens of pairs across the Golan? Watch for more updates soon.

Thanks to Lavi Lilo for the excellent pictures

21/02/2022

We are happy to announce the publication of our recent rare birds bulletin!

This is a summary of the Israeli Rarities & Distribution Committee evaluation of the records of rare birds between 2019 to 2021, plus some older records that needed re-evaluation.

No Fewer than 10 new bird species are included in this bulletin showing just how fascinating and vibrant Israel's avifauna is and how prolific is the birding and bird photography community has become in recent years.

Enjoy the excellent pictures and details provided for each record:
https://www.israbirding.com/irdc/bulletins/bulletin_12/

The Israeli Birding Website - IRDC - Bulletin 12, The Israeli Rarities and Distribution Committee Bulletin on Rare Birds in Israel (1989 - 2022)

01/02/2022

Rustic fantastic

A Rustic Bunting was found earlier this week by Micha Mandel at Kiryat Anavim near Jerusalem, this cracking bird stayed around for few days giving an excellent twitching opportunity for many birders. This individual comes after 3 ringing records and one sighting during last autumn.

Rustic Bunting was first recorded in Israel in 1968 in Eilat, in the following decades few individuals were observed every year in Eilat with tiny irruptions every few years: 9 were recorded during one month at Eilat in 1980 (Shirihai, 1996), over the last 25 years records were few and far between and over the last decade only 3 were seen in 2012, 2014 and 2020.

All of that changed this year when 3 birds were ringed during a single week during last November at Maagan Michael (I. Bloch 05/11), Kfar Menachem (R. Livne 08/11) and Agmon Hula (S. Agmon 10/11). One was Observed on Mt. Hermon (05/11 O. kirschenbaum & G. Moshe) with this bird bringing this year crop up to 5 birds!

Great Job Micha!

20/01/2022

Not a moment too soon!

An (most probably) American Golden Plover was found this morning at Poleg Marshes by Yotam Lehnardt with ID help from Barak Granit.

This is the 3rd record for Israel.
The first two (from Maagan Michael and Acre) from 2008/9 are treated as one as it likely the same individual and the 2nd record from Eilat last year.

Terrible record shots show it's small size and strong head pattern.

18/01/2022

Welcome to the official page of the Israeli rarity & Distribution committee!

The IRDC, re-established in 2000 is currently undergoing a further modernisation and we are thrilled to bring our work to the social media platforms. On this page you will be able to follow updates on the IRDC work, on rarities in Israel and access our existing publications:

Our historical work and publications are available on:
https://www.israbirding.com/irdc/

and our concise database of rarity observations in Israel:
https://www.israbirding.com/irdc_db/

The current members of the committee are:
Yoav Perlman Barak Granit Yosef Kiat Re'a Shaish Yotam Lenard

We will soon publish our yearly bulletin: so, hit the Like button – more updates will follow soon!

18/01/2022

ברוכים הבאים לדף הפייסבוק של ועדת הנדירים הישראלית

הועדה, שהוקמה מחדש בשנת 2000 עוברת בימים אלו תהליך מודרניזציה ואנחנו נרגשים להציג את פועלה של הוועדה גם במדיה החברתית. בעמוד זה יועלו פרסומים על פועלה של הועדה, דיונים ועדכונים על מינים נדירים בישראל וגישה לפרסומים הקיימים של הועדה:

הפרסומים ההיסטוריים ועיקרי העבודה של הועדה זמינים באתר ישראברדינג:
https://www.israbirding.com/irdc/

מסד נתונים תמציתי של תצפיות במינים נדירים בישראל:
https://www.israbirding.com/irdc_db/

החברים הנוכחיים בועדה:
יואב פרלמן, ברק גרניט, יוסף כיאט, רע שיש ויותם לנרד.

בקרוב נפרסם את העלון השנתי שלנו: אז לחצו על LIKE – עדכונים נוספים יעלו בקרוב!

Yoav Perlman Barak Granit Yosef Kiat Re'a Shaish Yotam Lenard

13/01/2022