Commendations
2 days tours- Negev and Northern Israel- August 2024
Purple heron. Pic taken by carmel z.
“I took a birding tour with Carmel in Israel. We visited both the north and south of the country in August. Carmel is an incredible guide, he knows the Israel birds very well and knows where to find them which is very important. He also gave me a lot of confidence on the places you can go or not in Israel at this time given current country situation. If you are thinking about doing some birding in Israel, Carmel is a great option, a person you can trust and with a lot of experience.”
Once again, many thanks for all your help during my stay in Israel. See you next year.
Regards,
Mauricio
Once again, many thanks for all your help during my stay in Israel. See you next year.
Regards,
Mauricio
1 Day tour- Negev and jerusalem - August 2023
My wife and I were on a 10 day tour of the Holy Land and as Saturday was our free day, I wanted to spend it birding. My research had pointed to Carmel as possible guide for the day and our tour leader also recommended him to me. That was good enough for me.
Carmel picked me up from Jerusalem at 4.15am, bang on time, and we began our 2 hour drive south to the Negev Desert. Birding began along the Nizzana to Ezuz Road, with a stop at the railway carriage hide at km7. Moving on to British ex-pat Celia Poulton-Friede's sandgrouse pool, we picked up 3 species of sandgrouse. En Avdat National Park, with Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, came next, before travelling back to Jerusalem, with a stop at Lake Yeruham where Little Bittern was added to the growing list. Gazelle Park and the Jerusalem Bird Observatory were both productive spots.
Carmel dropped me off at the my hotel at 5.30pm, what a cracking day - Great Birds, Great Scenery and Great Company, can’t get better than that!
56 species in the day, of which 14 were Lifers.
Carmel was great company, very knowledgeable and took me to many spots that I would never have found myself. I would thoroughly recommend contacting Carmel if you want to see great birds in Israel. If I get the chance to return to Israel, I will certainly be giving him a call.
Steve Dance, Derbyshire, England.
Carmel picked me up from Jerusalem at 4.15am, bang on time, and we began our 2 hour drive south to the Negev Desert. Birding began along the Nizzana to Ezuz Road, with a stop at the railway carriage hide at km7. Moving on to British ex-pat Celia Poulton-Friede's sandgrouse pool, we picked up 3 species of sandgrouse. En Avdat National Park, with Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, came next, before travelling back to Jerusalem, with a stop at Lake Yeruham where Little Bittern was added to the growing list. Gazelle Park and the Jerusalem Bird Observatory were both productive spots.
Carmel dropped me off at the my hotel at 5.30pm, what a cracking day - Great Birds, Great Scenery and Great Company, can’t get better than that!
56 species in the day, of which 14 were Lifers.
Carmel was great company, very knowledgeable and took me to many spots that I would never have found myself. I would thoroughly recommend contacting Carmel if you want to see great birds in Israel. If I get the chance to return to Israel, I will certainly be giving him a call.
Steve Dance, Derbyshire, England.
Crowned Sandgrouses. Pic by Carmel zitronblat
1 Day tour- Negev and the Carmel coast- August 2023
I recently completed a day birding tour with Carmel, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Setting up the logistics of date, pick-up time and place, and where to go for my target birds (desert species, with a specific ask for Sandgrouse), was all done very efficiently by email. On the day of, Carmel picked me us at my hotel promptly at 4:30 am, and we headed out of Tel Aviv and south to the Negev.
Once we were off the main route and into the moon-like surface of rocky desert, we quickly picked up Arabian Babbler, Sand Partridge, Chukar and Brown-necked Raven. Our first stop, a good wagon converted to a hide on a small stretch of track from the Ottoman era railway (now disused), led to sightings of Desert Lark, Mourning Wheatear, Cream-coloured Courser, and Desert Wheatear. Driving on along roads largely free of other traffic, we saw Great-grey Shrike, Little Green Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, and Masked Shrike.
The last stop in the desert was at a small village, where an accommodating bird-lover has set up a patio for birders to observe a small body of water (not much more than a puddle), that was a magnet for birds in a dry and hot land. Crested Lark was first up, but then came the Sandgrouse, Crowned, Pin-tailed, and Black-bellied, so I left a very happy birder.
A national park stop in a canyon setting gave us Griffon Vulture and Honey Buzzard, and on the way back north of Tel Aviv to bird some fish ponds, we saw Kestrel and Short-toed Eagle. The fish ponds were good for gulls and terns, surprisingly absent from the beaches in Tel Aviv, as well as Squacco Heron, Spur-winged Lapwing, Greater Flamingo, various waders and shore birds and a Graceful Prinia.
Throughout, Carmel proved to be a fountain of knowledge on the avifauna, life in Israel, and generally agreeable company. The day flew by, and it was one of the highlights of my two-week stay in the Middle East. I would highly recommend you consider him as a tour guide to get the most of what this harsh landscape offers for the birder.
Once we were off the main route and into the moon-like surface of rocky desert, we quickly picked up Arabian Babbler, Sand Partridge, Chukar and Brown-necked Raven. Our first stop, a good wagon converted to a hide on a small stretch of track from the Ottoman era railway (now disused), led to sightings of Desert Lark, Mourning Wheatear, Cream-coloured Courser, and Desert Wheatear. Driving on along roads largely free of other traffic, we saw Great-grey Shrike, Little Green Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, and Masked Shrike.
The last stop in the desert was at a small village, where an accommodating bird-lover has set up a patio for birders to observe a small body of water (not much more than a puddle), that was a magnet for birds in a dry and hot land. Crested Lark was first up, but then came the Sandgrouse, Crowned, Pin-tailed, and Black-bellied, so I left a very happy birder.
A national park stop in a canyon setting gave us Griffon Vulture and Honey Buzzard, and on the way back north of Tel Aviv to bird some fish ponds, we saw Kestrel and Short-toed Eagle. The fish ponds were good for gulls and terns, surprisingly absent from the beaches in Tel Aviv, as well as Squacco Heron, Spur-winged Lapwing, Greater Flamingo, various waders and shore birds and a Graceful Prinia.
Throughout, Carmel proved to be a fountain of knowledge on the avifauna, life in Israel, and generally agreeable company. The day flew by, and it was one of the highlights of my two-week stay in the Middle East. I would highly recommend you consider him as a tour guide to get the most of what this harsh landscape offers for the birder.
Sandgrouses- Ezuz- Pic by Shahar Zitronblat
2 Day Birding tour- Northen Israel-Early July 2023
Carmel organized and lead a wonderful two-day birding trip for us at the least “birdy" time of year in Israel, which was the only time we would be there. He knew exactly where to take us and what species we could expect to see there. He found and identified birds for us, teaching us about the different species we saw. He even knew where certain birds were nesting, resulting in us having the pleasure of seeing several beautiful Dead Sea Sparrows as they entered their large nests from the top. He made all the arrangements including where to eat and where to stay overnight in the Golan Heights, all of which worked out beautifully for us. He was professional, friendly and patient, accommodating our needs as we went and still making sure that we saw as many different bird species as possible. In total, I saw 75 different species in a short two day summer tour, which was wonderful and exceeded my expectations.
Benita
Benita
Purple Heron. Pic: carmel zitronblat
Morning Birding in The Negev-june 2023
Half day Negev tour, June 2023
I visited Jerusalem on a business trip in June 2023 and had only a few hours in the morning to spare before catching a flight in Tel Aviv, and I hoped to take this opportunity to connect with some of the breeding desert birds in Israel in this short time window.
Carmel is the perfect guide for this adventure. I am really impressed with his hospitality, flexibility and spot-on time management to pick me up at 3:45am from Jerusalem to the Negev in time to catch the perfect timing for birding in the desert, in particular for the Sandgrouse parade at the water hole. His enthusiasm for birding, keen senses and intimate knowledge of the birds helped me a lot in getting the best possible views of my target birds.
Despite the limited time, It was a really enjoyable and memorable morning. I would heartily recommend Carmel to anyone contemplating a birding trip in Israel - I definitely hope to return and join him in a longer tour during migration season myself!
Koel, Hong Kong
I visited Jerusalem on a business trip in June 2023 and had only a few hours in the morning to spare before catching a flight in Tel Aviv, and I hoped to take this opportunity to connect with some of the breeding desert birds in Israel in this short time window.
Carmel is the perfect guide for this adventure. I am really impressed with his hospitality, flexibility and spot-on time management to pick me up at 3:45am from Jerusalem to the Negev in time to catch the perfect timing for birding in the desert, in particular for the Sandgrouse parade at the water hole. His enthusiasm for birding, keen senses and intimate knowledge of the birds helped me a lot in getting the best possible views of my target birds.
Despite the limited time, It was a really enjoyable and memorable morning. I would heartily recommend Carmel to anyone contemplating a birding trip in Israel - I definitely hope to return and join him in a longer tour during migration season myself!
Koel, Hong Kong
crouned sandgrouses: pic- carmel zitronblat
5 Day tour- spring birding-April 2023
We had the pleasure of traveling with Carmel during our recent birding trip to Israel. His keen eye for detail, coupled with extensive knowledge of birdwatching locations, gave us an unforgettable experience.
Carmel has an in-depth knowledge of the bird species that can be found in Israel and the best locations to spot them. He demonstrated impressive bird identification abilities and was able to spot even the most hidden birds, leading us to some remarkable sightings. With his guidance, we were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of some elusive bird species, which we would have certainly missed on our own.
One of the things that impressed me the most was Carmel’s attention to detail. He took great care to understand our preferences and made sure that our accommodations and meals were tailored to our liking. We were delighted with the selection of small guesthouses and local restaurants, which gave us a true taste of Israel and its culture.
In addition to being an exceptional guide, Carmel was also a fantastic travel companion. He was friendly, patient, and went out of his way to ensure that we saw as many bird species as possible during our trip. He was always willing to answer our questions and share his extensive knowledge of the area.
If you are planning a birding trip to Israel, we highly recommend Carmel. His expertise, professionalism, and warm personality make him an outstanding guide, who will provide you with an unforgettable experience.
Leora Balsam
William Hoffman
Massachusetts, USA
Carmel has an in-depth knowledge of the bird species that can be found in Israel and the best locations to spot them. He demonstrated impressive bird identification abilities and was able to spot even the most hidden birds, leading us to some remarkable sightings. With his guidance, we were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of some elusive bird species, which we would have certainly missed on our own.
One of the things that impressed me the most was Carmel’s attention to detail. He took great care to understand our preferences and made sure that our accommodations and meals were tailored to our liking. We were delighted with the selection of small guesthouses and local restaurants, which gave us a true taste of Israel and its culture.
In addition to being an exceptional guide, Carmel was also a fantastic travel companion. He was friendly, patient, and went out of his way to ensure that we saw as many bird species as possible during our trip. He was always willing to answer our questions and share his extensive knowledge of the area.
If you are planning a birding trip to Israel, we highly recommend Carmel. His expertise, professionalism, and warm personality make him an outstanding guide, who will provide you with an unforgettable experience.
Leora Balsam
William Hoffman
Massachusetts, USA
Crouned Sandgrouses- Ezuz. Picture by Carmel Zitronblat
3 Day southern Tour- March 2023
Hooded Wheatear. Pic: Christian
"My brother and I recently completed a very successful three-day birding tour in Southern Israel with Carmel. We covered a lot of ground, visited different ecosystems and saw many rare and some surprisingly beautiful birds given the desert environment.
Carmel knows the birds and where to find them. His enthusiasm, expertise, and flexibility to meet our interests and needs is exactly what we were looking for in a bird guide.
I would recommend him to fellow birders without hesitation."
Wishing you continued Good Birding!
Jeffrey
Carmel knows the birds and where to find them. His enthusiasm, expertise, and flexibility to meet our interests and needs is exactly what we were looking for in a bird guide.
I would recommend him to fellow birders without hesitation."
Wishing you continued Good Birding!
Jeffrey
2 Day Northern Tour- March 2023
My two-day birding trip with Carmel Birding Tours greatly exceeded my expectations in terms of both birding and an overall appreciation for nature in Northern Israel. We saw 100 bird species in a relatively short time including almost all of the target species that I was anticipating. Several species of migrating eagles, griffon vultures in Gamla National Park, and migrating White and Black Storks were just some of the target species we saw.
The pace of the trip was just right and included a wonderful hike in the Hula Valley. The fish ponds we visited on the Carmel Coast added many new species of birds to our list. I recommend this tour to any birders who have a couple of days to spare in Israel. I would love one day to to do a similar tour around Eliat and the Negev.
Alan Green
Maryland, USA
The pace of the trip was just right and included a wonderful hike in the Hula Valley. The fish ponds we visited on the Carmel Coast added many new species of birds to our list. I recommend this tour to any birders who have a couple of days to spare in Israel. I would love one day to to do a similar tour around Eliat and the Negev.
Alan Green
Maryland, USA
crested Lark. Pic by Ron Haran
1 Day Northern tour- March 2023
Pied kingfishers. Picture by Rachel
Amazing, Wonderful and Fantastic is how I would describe our tours with Carmel!. He showed us so many different birds and sites that it was lots of fun. He is a great tour guide and I would recommend him to anyone who loves birds and nature.
Robin, USA.
Robin, USA.
1 Day tour- Northern Israel- February 2023
Purple Heron. Pic: by Ron Haran
A Birding Day In Israel
The day was well planned to cover an extensive range of habitats starting at The Hula Nature reserve in the foot hills of Mount Hermon to three of Kibbutz fisheries where a variety of waterbirds including white headed ducks, egrets and flamingoes could be easily viewed. Carmel is a knowledgeable guide pointing out Armenian gulls, Pallas’s gull and a variety of raptors notably black winged kite , not to mention the overhead view of a white fronted goose that drew the attention of local bird enthusiasts; a sign of the approaching migration season along with a surprise visit from a yellow wagtail in the midst of the largest group of white wagtail that I have ever seen. Carmel is a friendly knowledgeable bird guide driving us safely along the larger and smaller highways of Israel. A truly memorable day giving us many insights into the land and its wildlife.
The day was well planned to cover an extensive range of habitats starting at The Hula Nature reserve in the foot hills of Mount Hermon to three of Kibbutz fisheries where a variety of waterbirds including white headed ducks, egrets and flamingoes could be easily viewed. Carmel is a knowledgeable guide pointing out Armenian gulls, Pallas’s gull and a variety of raptors notably black winged kite , not to mention the overhead view of a white fronted goose that drew the attention of local bird enthusiasts; a sign of the approaching migration season along with a surprise visit from a yellow wagtail in the midst of the largest group of white wagtail that I have ever seen. Carmel is a friendly knowledgeable bird guide driving us safely along the larger and smaller highways of Israel. A truly memorable day giving us many insights into the land and its wildlife.
1 day tour- Northern Israel- February 2023
I recently (February 14-21, 2023) was on a church based tour to Israel (Gary Bowlin Ministries) to see the Holy Land with my wife and other pilgrims.
Because we were in Israel last year for the same purpose I decided to take advantage of verifying what I saw last year and add new birds to my Israel list. As such I took advantage of Dr. Carmel Zironblat’s availability to personally show me birds for one day.
Results exceeded my expectations - in one day I added 34 lifers to my previous list of 30 from 2022 for a now total of 64 life bird from Israel.
Dr. Carmel identified every bird we/he saw or heard and explained why each was such.
I can unequivocally recommend carmelbirdingtours.com.
Dr. Carmel was a pleasure to bird with.
Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D.
Certified Wildlife Biologist/Botanist
Sidon, Mississippi
Because we were in Israel last year for the same purpose I decided to take advantage of verifying what I saw last year and add new birds to my Israel list. As such I took advantage of Dr. Carmel Zironblat’s availability to personally show me birds for one day.
Results exceeded my expectations - in one day I added 34 lifers to my previous list of 30 from 2022 for a now total of 64 life bird from Israel.
Dr. Carmel identified every bird we/he saw or heard and explained why each was such.
I can unequivocally recommend carmelbirdingtours.com.
Dr. Carmel was a pleasure to bird with.
Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D.
Certified Wildlife Biologist/Botanist
Sidon, Mississippi
gracefull prinia- By Ron Haran
1 day tour - the Negev - January 2023
Little owl (pictured by Ron Haran)
1 day birding trip – Southern Israel, The Negev – January 29. 2023
On our one “free day” of a two-week Holy Land tour, we wanted to go birding. After trying various possibilities for recommendations of a good birding guide, I ran across a positive review Carmel Birding Tours on Trip Advisor so e-mailed Carmel to check availability. I was impressed with his quick response, the ease of scheduling and e-mail communication about our preferences, the ease of paying with PayPal. Carmel was at our hotel bright and early to catch sunrise, he is a very good driver, he answered a lot of our questions about places we’d see along our drive. We spent our time in the desert, The Negev, which was great because we’d been mostly in northern Israel and Jerusalem until then. We started out at Hubara Hide where Carmel got two individual Macqueen’s Bustards in his scope; had a lovely hike in the wadi of En Avdat National Park, where we saw 5 individual Eurasian Griffons; had good viewing of some colorful birds at Yeruham Park including a Bluethroat and a rare Red-Breasted Flycatcher; we saw 31 Lifers on this day. We were very impressed with Carmel’s knowledge of birds and birding hotspots--it was a terrific day for us!
Sandi Morey, Portland, Oregon
On our one “free day” of a two-week Holy Land tour, we wanted to go birding. After trying various possibilities for recommendations of a good birding guide, I ran across a positive review Carmel Birding Tours on Trip Advisor so e-mailed Carmel to check availability. I was impressed with his quick response, the ease of scheduling and e-mail communication about our preferences, the ease of paying with PayPal. Carmel was at our hotel bright and early to catch sunrise, he is a very good driver, he answered a lot of our questions about places we’d see along our drive. We spent our time in the desert, The Negev, which was great because we’d been mostly in northern Israel and Jerusalem until then. We started out at Hubara Hide where Carmel got two individual Macqueen’s Bustards in his scope; had a lovely hike in the wadi of En Avdat National Park, where we saw 5 individual Eurasian Griffons; had good viewing of some colorful birds at Yeruham Park including a Bluethroat and a rare Red-Breasted Flycatcher; we saw 31 Lifers on this day. We were very impressed with Carmel’s knowledge of birds and birding hotspots--it was a terrific day for us!
Sandi Morey, Portland, Oregon
5 Days Tour- November 2022
I had 5 days to see as many birds of Israel as possible, and Carmel helped me to maximize my options. I sent a target list at his request, and he planned an itinerary to see about as many as could be expected given that my seasonal timing was very bad. I missed the bulk of the migration, so many of the species I wanted to see were not possible to see, but the ones that were around were hunted down efficiently one by one. I've been birding in quite a few countries with the help of guides, who can see and hear much better than I can nowadays, and know their areas, and I can say that Carmel efficiently found most of the species I most wanted to see. These include what I consider to be challenging species, including Macqueen's Bustard (3 males seen well!), 3 species of sandgrouse (more than doubling my global total thus far), and loads of different and beautiful wheatears. Some birds were almost too easy, like the Eastern Imperial Eagle (awesome!), which means Carmel knew where to look and how to find them rather than actually being easy. Skill often does make things look easy. We also stayed at interesting places, and Carmel was open about some of the cultural aspects that I had questions about. Overall, a good trip especially considering that it was not the most abundant season to see birds. We saw 128 species, of which 32 were lifers for me.
Sandra. USA.
Sandra. USA.
Eastern Imperial Eagle.pic:Ron Haran
7 Days Tour- September 2022
My friend and I booked a week’s birding with Carmel in September. The planning was meticulous with a detailed schedule that ensured we covered all the varying habitats within Israel. Booked accommodation was affordable and of good quality too. We ended the week with over 160 species seen and care was taken to get the best views possible. Lots of other Israeli wildlife seen too. We have no doubt we’d have struggled to achieve such results without Carmel’s local knowledge of both habitats and bird behaviour and I would not hesitate to recommend his services to anyone who wants to bird Israel without the stress or hassle of going it alone!
Kind regards,
John
Kind regards,
John
Desert Lark. Pic: By Ron Haran.
2 Days tour- September 2022
Great Grey Shrike. Pic by shahar zitronblat
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I had a couple of great days with Carmel covering the Beit She'an, Jerusalem and Dead Sea areas. He's very knowledgeable on the local birds and the best locations to go for them (for example, probably half the places we visited are not on ebird). He sets good expectations, organized everything thoroughly and was good company throughout. I'll definitely get in contact again for future trips, thanks Carmel!
Miles.
Miles.
3 Day tour- May 2022
While planning a visit to our daughter in Tel Aviv, I was lucky to find Carmel’s website. My husband and I arranged three days of birding with him, joined by our daughter for the first day, and we are very happy with the way they turned out. Booking and payment were easy, and Carmel was very quick to respond to my questions about birds and logistics. I sent him a list of the birds I wanted to see he put together an itinerary designed to find as many of them as possible. After spending the night at a lovely desert camp he recommended, we began our adventure. Carmel knows the birds and the country well, he is good company and an excellent guide, and he worked hard to find the birds for us. We covered a lot of ground on long days in the field, visited a lot of beautiful places and varied habitats, and were quite successful, finding over 120 of the resident and migrant bird species of Israel. My only regret is that we had only three days to spend with him. I recommend Carmel highly to anyone who has an opportunity to go birding in Israel!
Rachel, Seattle, USA
Rachel, Seattle, USA
Arabian Babler. Pic by Ron Haran.
1 Day Negev tour- May 2022
We had a great experience with Carmel from start (arranging from the U.S) to finish. He set an itinerary to suit our needs and the time of the year, gave good instructions on what to bring and picked us up promptly at 4:00AM to get to the Negev in time to see the target birds drinking. He was kind and gracious throughout and very knowledgeable about where to find birds and how to answer our questions. He even spotted a nest that we would not have otherwise seen. He was helpful and patient throughout. We would certainly enjoy going with him on a subsequent trip and recommend his services to other birders.
Best,
Barbara and Zale
Best,
Barbara and Zale
Stepe Buzzard. Pic by Adiv Gal
6 day birding tour- March 2020
Of the many birding tour guides I had over the last 10 years and 3 continents- Africa, Asia and South America. Carmel was by far the best. Had a 6+ day tour starting in the North and working our way to the Negev and Eilat.
He knows the birds, all the best locations and the best time for each location to visit. You can trust him to optimize your viewing results.He is attentive to his clients' needs without being overbearing. I feel I got more than 100% of what I expected. Carmel is highly recommended for short or longer bird watching outings.
Juliana, California, USA
He knows the birds, all the best locations and the best time for each location to visit. You can trust him to optimize your viewing results.He is attentive to his clients' needs without being overbearing. I feel I got more than 100% of what I expected. Carmel is highly recommended for short or longer bird watching outings.
Juliana, California, USA
Tristram's starling. Pic by Christian.Judean desert.
1 day northern tour- November 2019
I found the Carmel Birding website on line while planning a more traditional first time trip to Israel. Our timing only allowed for one day of birding. Carmel arranged a long day of winter birding in Northern Israel, in the Hula Valley and Beit She'an area south of the Sea of Galilee, picking us up at our hotel at 6 a.m. and dropping us off again at 7:30 p.m. He found a nice restaurant for lunch and coffee to our taste between sites.
We saw more than 60 species of birds in one day, many that were new to us. Amazing numbers of cranes, raptors, and shore birds, etc Carmel was very good at locating and identifying birds. He was also able to help us clarify some of the birds we described having seen in Israel and neighbouring countries.
A very enjoyable day. Carmel is an excellent host. Hope to return for migration and to check out some alternate habitats.
Ginny and Steve, Canada
We saw more than 60 species of birds in one day, many that were new to us. Amazing numbers of cranes, raptors, and shore birds, etc Carmel was very good at locating and identifying birds. He was also able to help us clarify some of the birds we described having seen in Israel and neighbouring countries.
A very enjoyable day. Carmel is an excellent host. Hope to return for migration and to check out some alternate habitats.
Ginny and Steve, Canada
common Kingfisher. Pictured: christian
September 2019- 2 days south and 2 day Northern Tour
September 2019.
My wife and I had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Israel in September. I browsed the internet for possibilities of being led 4 days by a local guide and found Carmel Zitronblat's website. I contacted him and he suggested various possibilities to us, from tailoring a tour that we could do on our own to organizing a more classical tour where he would accompany us. We opted for the second possibility and asked him to organize two 2-day trips. The first tour was devoted to the southern part of Israel while the second one was meant to bird the northern part of the country (in between these tours, we spent some time in Jerusalem). Based on our wishes (e.g. target birds, types of habitats, opportunities to take pictures of birds, etc.), Carmel organized these two tours (including accommodation) and made us reviewed them. We asked for a few modifications/clarifications and then accepted his proposal.
Concretely, Carmel fetched us early in the morning at our hotels and brought us back wherever we would be staying next at the end of a given tour. We traveled in his car and he brought a scope with him. Carmel has been a very active birder for the last 20 years or so. He has ringed thousands of birds. So he is very knowledgeable when it comes to birds and readily provides information on identification and behavior of specific species. Carmel is also a great person to interact with. He was always trying to fulfill our expectations, without being intrusive.
The four days we spent with Carmel were thrilling. We saw more than a hundred species of birds, some mammals and I had ample opportunities to photograph most of these species.
We strongly recommend Carmel to anyone wishing to be accompanied when birding in Israel.
Christian, Switzerland
My wife and I had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Israel in September. I browsed the internet for possibilities of being led 4 days by a local guide and found Carmel Zitronblat's website. I contacted him and he suggested various possibilities to us, from tailoring a tour that we could do on our own to organizing a more classical tour where he would accompany us. We opted for the second possibility and asked him to organize two 2-day trips. The first tour was devoted to the southern part of Israel while the second one was meant to bird the northern part of the country (in between these tours, we spent some time in Jerusalem). Based on our wishes (e.g. target birds, types of habitats, opportunities to take pictures of birds, etc.), Carmel organized these two tours (including accommodation) and made us reviewed them. We asked for a few modifications/clarifications and then accepted his proposal.
Concretely, Carmel fetched us early in the morning at our hotels and brought us back wherever we would be staying next at the end of a given tour. We traveled in his car and he brought a scope with him. Carmel has been a very active birder for the last 20 years or so. He has ringed thousands of birds. So he is very knowledgeable when it comes to birds and readily provides information on identification and behavior of specific species. Carmel is also a great person to interact with. He was always trying to fulfill our expectations, without being intrusive.
The four days we spent with Carmel were thrilling. We saw more than a hundred species of birds, some mammals and I had ample opportunities to photograph most of these species.
We strongly recommend Carmel to anyone wishing to be accompanied when birding in Israel.
Christian, Switzerland
Blackstart
May 2019-one day to judean desert and jerusalem
We could fit only one day of serious birding in our trip to Israel, and our timing was not great, having largely missed the migration, but Carmel enabled us to make the most of our day. We visited several sites along the Dead Sea seeing Dead Sea Sparrow (my main target species), as well as a few dozen other species. He then took us to sites in and around Jerusalem. In all thanks to Carmel's breath of knowledge of the birds and good locations we had an excellent day, with a handful of lifers, some really superb sightings and overall a great experience.
Mark
Mark
Rufos bush robin
April 2019- Northern Tour
Northern tour April 2019
A long but very productive day with Carmel picking me up at the airport at 04.30 am
We visited Hula Valley, Gamla Nature Reserve and the Fish ponds near Bet Shean.
Carmel new the sites well and had a good idea where to look for specific birds.
Weather was not ideal for migration but we still got to see plenty of pelicans, Storks and raptors.
The total for the day was just over 70 species including 18 lifers for me.
I can highly recommend birding with Carmel
Michael, Denmark
A long but very productive day with Carmel picking me up at the airport at 04.30 am
We visited Hula Valley, Gamla Nature Reserve and the Fish ponds near Bet Shean.
Carmel new the sites well and had a good idea where to look for specific birds.
Weather was not ideal for migration but we still got to see plenty of pelicans, Storks and raptors.
The total for the day was just over 70 species including 18 lifers for me.
I can highly recommend birding with Carmel
Michael, Denmark
squacco heron
April 2019- southern tour
I want to thank you once again for a really great tirp. Becky and I both loved it and liked being with you. You were very helpful and most considerate of what we were interested in doing. We are grateful that you do something other birding leaders don't seem to do. Most leaders quickly point out just what we are seeing which is fine, but you first tell us what points on the bird we are looking for before you give us the identity. This was a big learning help to both Becky and me and we were thankful for it.
I don't know when we will be back to Israel, but when we come we hope to be able to do another birding trip with you, either back to Eilat or maybe up to Galilee.
Thanks again for a nice trip.
I don't know when we will be back to Israel, but when we come we hope to be able to do another birding trip with you, either back to Eilat or maybe up to Galilee.
Thanks again for a nice trip.
Isabeline wheatear
April 2019- southern tour
I was in Israel for business but arranged with Carmel to bird for a half day before the meeting and a day afterwards. He planned very thoughtful excursions aimed at maximizing our chances of seeing interesting birds. We spent the half day in the Negev in the south where a highlight was a displaying male Macqueen’s Bustard. The full day explored sites between the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. We enjoyed seeing a couple each of Sand Partridges, Namaqua Doves, and Short-Tailed Snake-Eagles, plus a White-Throated Kingfisher. We discussed birds as well as other topics of interest for a most enjoyable experience. If you desire a guided bird tour in Israel, I doubt you could do better than with Carmel. - Scott Young, Maryland, USA.
Best wishes,
Scott
Best wishes,
Scott
Brown necked raven
1 Day Northern tour- December 2018
Carmel took our family on a wonderful one day tour of the Hula and Bet She'an Valleys in December. Carmel was extremely knowledgeable and knew exactly where to take us. We saw almost 50 species in a few hours. Carmel was calm and flexible as our needs changed over the course of the day. It was such a pleasure to spend the day birding with Carmel and we would love to do it again on another trip to Israel! We highly recommend Carmel to anyone interested in Israel's beautiful birds.
We hope to come back during the migration season and will be in touch!
Danielle and family
We hope to come back during the migration season and will be in touch!
Danielle and family
White throated Kingfisher
1 Day tour- November 2018
My wife and I very much enjoyed a one-day birding tour that we took with Carmel in mid-November to the Hula Valley Nature Reserve and to Beit She’an. This was at the height of the autumn migration, allowing us to see large flocks of common cranes, as well as black storks, a black francolin, kingfishers, and pelicans. As novice birders, we appreciated Carmel’s detailed descriptions of the different species as well as his ability to spot small birds perched on bushes in the distance that we then viewed through a spotting scope. We also enjoyed seeing Lake Kinneret and the Galilee countryside as well as Carmel’s informative commentary on the points of interest we were passing. We highly recommend touring with Carmel, especially to those visitors who, like us, are on a brief trip to Israel and want to make he most of a day devoted to nature.
Warren and Joan, USA
Warren and Joan, USA
Grey Heron. Pictured by Jon
3 days tour- November 2018
Thank you again for a very good three days! Agnes and I enjoyed both the birding and our time with you, chatting not just about the birds but also about Israel. We feel fortunate to have seen so much of the country from north to south. Thank you also for providing us with binoculars given we were unable to bring ours along. That was much appreciated! If we are ever back that way we will contact you for another outing. I will certainly recommend your birding services to any Canadian friends coming your way!
All the best,
Ray and Agnes Woods
Calgary, AB
All the best,
Ray and Agnes Woods
Calgary, AB
Black Kite. Beit shean valley.Picture by : Andy
1 day birding tour- northern Israel- october 2018
thanks for a great days birding with a very pleasant, friendly and informative guide. The amount of birds we saw was amazing, especially raptors, and I saw several new species including Black Stork. I got 20 new species altogether in Israel. Thanks again for a brilliant day out.
Regards Cait.
Regards Cait.
Purple Heron. picture:Ron Haran
1 day tour- southern israel-september 2018
I was recently in Israel for a short visit and I was fortunate to get the opportunity to go birding with Carmel.
I did the one day tour in the southern Negev desert and some areas in Jerusalem. It was a truly amazing experience.
Carmel is incredibly knowledgeable and took me to some spots I would never have found on my own. I encountered dozens of species I have never seen, some that I had never even heard of!!
Carmel is not only a top notch birding guide, but a great companion and conversationalist. We talked about many things that interested me and I truly enjoyed his company.
I found the experience to be well beyond my expectations and I hope that I will have the chance to to explore more birding areas in future visits to Israel.
Thank you for everything, Carmel!
Margie
I did the one day tour in the southern Negev desert and some areas in Jerusalem. It was a truly amazing experience.
Carmel is incredibly knowledgeable and took me to some spots I would never have found on my own. I encountered dozens of species I have never seen, some that I had never even heard of!!
Carmel is not only a top notch birding guide, but a great companion and conversationalist. We talked about many things that interested me and I truly enjoyed his company.
I found the experience to be well beyond my expectations and I hope that I will have the chance to to explore more birding areas in future visits to Israel.
Thank you for everything, Carmel!
Margie
Pin tail sandgrouse- photo:by Carmel Zitronblat
1 day tour- Beit shean and the Carmel coast- August 2018
Desert Finchs. Pictured by: Ron Haran
“I had an excellent day of birding with Carmel. He knew where to go, what to look for and which birds we were seeing. Even though it was during the off season, we saw lots of birds. The trip exceeded my expectations.”
A birder from Ithaca, NY.
A birder from Ithaca, NY.
May 2018- 3 day Northern Tour
Thank you Carmel for three wonderful days of birding in Israel! We increased our Lifelist by over 30 species while seeing the beauty of Northern Israel. We could never have done this without your expert knowledge of the habitats, behavior and songs of the various species. It was comforting to know that as you lead this tour, we could trust that you knew where to take us to see what we needed to see.
We were so appreciative of how you made sure we had places to eat that would accommodate our vegan dietary needs and the overnight accommodations were beautiful and relaxing. Seeing a hyrex resting on our patio was a bonus that none of us anticipated.
I would recommend your services to anyone who wants to enjoy the birds of Israel with a competent, conscientious and friendly guide.
Shalom Alechiem,
Stephanie East
We were so appreciative of how you made sure we had places to eat that would accommodate our vegan dietary needs and the overnight accommodations were beautiful and relaxing. Seeing a hyrex resting on our patio was a bonus that none of us anticipated.
I would recommend your services to anyone who wants to enjoy the birds of Israel with a competent, conscientious and friendly guide.
Shalom Alechiem,
Stephanie East
Southern Grey Shrike. Pic by Ron Haran
April 2018- 2 days birding
Carmel guided me on a two-day birding blitz through Southern Israel at the end of April. Despite local flooding that kept us out of several sights, we saw 86 species including a displaying male Macqueen’s Bustard, Cream-colored Coursers, and both the Pin-tailed and Crowned Sandgrouse. Carmel’s recommended accommodations and restaurants were excellent. Overall, a pleasure to travel with!
Taunya
Taunya
March 2018- 2 days birding
Thank you Carmel for two great days of birding, one in the Negev, one the Galilee. Your expertise in where to bird and what we would likely find was exactly what I was hoping for and in keeping with the expert guides I have been lucky enough to travel with over many years of birding in North, Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
Of the many wonderful sightings, two remain especially in my mind’s eye: The Eurasian Griffin Vultures soaring, some with nesting material, above the beautiful canyon at Ein Ovdat, and the Crowned Sandgrouse coming to drink as if on cue at the remarkable Ezuz oasis.
I look forward to the chance to bird with you again.
Best regards,
Howard Clyman
Of the many wonderful sightings, two remain especially in my mind’s eye: The Eurasian Griffin Vultures soaring, some with nesting material, above the beautiful canyon at Ein Ovdat, and the Crowned Sandgrouse coming to drink as if on cue at the remarkable Ezuz oasis.
I look forward to the chance to bird with you again.
Best regards,
Howard Clyman
Little Green Bee Eater. Picture: by Ron Haran
March 2018- 3 day tour- southern Israel (written in German)
Nachdem wir im vergangenen Herbst 2017 mit Carmel auf einer excellenten Orni-Tour im Norden Israels waren,
was lag näher, als Carmel für unsere Frühjahrstour in den Süden zu engagieren.
Auch diesmal war es eine hochinteressante Zeit mit vielen eindrücklichen und ganz unterschiedlichen Landschaften, ca. 80 verschiedenen
Vogelarten- z.B. Rennvogel, Steppenkragentrappe, Kronenflughuhn, Smaragdspint, Wüstenrabe, Isabellsteinschmätzer,
Habichtsadler, Steppenweihe, arabisches Wüstenhuhn- um nur die für uns interssantesten zu nennen, die er alle sofort nach Gehör oder auf Sicht
ansprechen konnte. Carmel fand zielsicher die Plätze, an denen sich die "versprochenen " Vögel aufhielten. Die von ihm ausgesuchte Unterkunft in einem blumenprächtigen Kibbuz nahe Eilat war bestens. Er war auch diesmal ein ruhiger, sicherer und besonnener Fahrer, im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen
Einheimischen. Das einzige, was nicht klappte, wofür Carmel jedoch nichts kann, weil wir in der Zeit Mitte März buchen mussten:
Der Greifvogelzug bei Eilat fing gerade erst an, wir waren vom 13. bis 15. 3. unterwegs. Deshalb der Tip: Wer diesen Zug miterleben will, sollte seine Reise dorthin nicht früher als in die 3. Märzdekade legen.
was lag näher, als Carmel für unsere Frühjahrstour in den Süden zu engagieren.
Auch diesmal war es eine hochinteressante Zeit mit vielen eindrücklichen und ganz unterschiedlichen Landschaften, ca. 80 verschiedenen
Vogelarten- z.B. Rennvogel, Steppenkragentrappe, Kronenflughuhn, Smaragdspint, Wüstenrabe, Isabellsteinschmätzer,
Habichtsadler, Steppenweihe, arabisches Wüstenhuhn- um nur die für uns interssantesten zu nennen, die er alle sofort nach Gehör oder auf Sicht
ansprechen konnte. Carmel fand zielsicher die Plätze, an denen sich die "versprochenen " Vögel aufhielten. Die von ihm ausgesuchte Unterkunft in einem blumenprächtigen Kibbuz nahe Eilat war bestens. Er war auch diesmal ein ruhiger, sicherer und besonnener Fahrer, im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen
Einheimischen. Das einzige, was nicht klappte, wofür Carmel jedoch nichts kann, weil wir in der Zeit Mitte März buchen mussten:
Der Greifvogelzug bei Eilat fing gerade erst an, wir waren vom 13. bis 15. 3. unterwegs. Deshalb der Tip: Wer diesen Zug miterleben will, sollte seine Reise dorthin nicht früher als in die 3. Märzdekade legen.
Brown necked Raven. Pictured by Ron Haran
March 2018- 4 day tour-Southern Israel
Dear carmel,
Harvey and I had a marvellous time on the birding trip that you so carefully organized. We were pleased with the itinerary, the accommodation that you chose for us, the restaurants that you recommended, and the areas that we visited. You proved to be punctual, kind, knowledgeable, and hard working. We greatly appreciated the extra effort that you made to double-check our accommodation arrangements, and to help us settle in to our apartment in Jerusalem.
We were thrilled to add many new birds to our list such as the Macqueen’s Bustard; Lichtenstein’s, Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse; Chukar; a variety of larks such as the Temminck's (Horned), and a great many other target species.
We were also blown away by the cocoa and cinnamon coloured spice-box mountains, the dramatic canyons and the impressive erosion cirques. Both the birds and the beautiful desert topography were marvellous. We will always remember our birding trip with you with great fondness, and we will look forward to returning to Israel again to enjoy more magical adventures.
We wish you our very best,
Laura and Harvey Schwartz
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Harvey and I had a marvellous time on the birding trip that you so carefully organized. We were pleased with the itinerary, the accommodation that you chose for us, the restaurants that you recommended, and the areas that we visited. You proved to be punctual, kind, knowledgeable, and hard working. We greatly appreciated the extra effort that you made to double-check our accommodation arrangements, and to help us settle in to our apartment in Jerusalem.
We were thrilled to add many new birds to our list such as the Macqueen’s Bustard; Lichtenstein’s, Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse; Chukar; a variety of larks such as the Temminck's (Horned), and a great many other target species.
We were also blown away by the cocoa and cinnamon coloured spice-box mountains, the dramatic canyons and the impressive erosion cirques. Both the birds and the beautiful desert topography were marvellous. We will always remember our birding trip with you with great fondness, and we will look forward to returning to Israel again to enjoy more magical adventures.
We wish you our very best,
Laura and Harvey Schwartz
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Southern Grey Shrike.
Picture: Ron Haran
March 2018- 1 day tour-Eilat
My family and I went birding in Eilat with Dr. Carmel Zitronblat. Carmel is an excellent birder. He has a calm demeanor and an engaging personality helping to make the day fun. He knew all the areas to take us and I was able to see many different species. I would enthusiastically recommend him for any anyone whether the person is a beginner or an experienced birder.
Ellen
Ellen
Little Green bee eater. Picture:Ron Haran
October 2017- 3 day tour
Unsere 3-Tages-Tour mit Carmel war ein Höhepunkt unserer Israelreise.
Wir beobachteten ca. 85 Vogelarten, und da Zugzeit war, z.T. in riesigen
Schwärmen ( z.B. Kraniche, Schwarzmilane, Pelikane)
Carmel ist ein exzellenter Kenner der Vogelwelt, kann jeden Vogel sofort ansprechen,
kennt auch Details wie Bruthabitat, Zugverhalten usw.
Er weiß zudem, wo welche Vögel sich gerade aufhalten und zu beobachten sind.
Dank toller Ortskenntnis findet er zielsicher die entsprechenden Biotope.
Auch die Reise selbst(Abholung, Übernachtung usw) war gut organisiert.
Ein Trip mit Carmel wird für jeden ein unvergessliches Erlebnis sein.
Erika und Gerfried Früh, Lörrach/BRD
Wir beobachteten ca. 85 Vogelarten, und da Zugzeit war, z.T. in riesigen
Schwärmen ( z.B. Kraniche, Schwarzmilane, Pelikane)
Carmel ist ein exzellenter Kenner der Vogelwelt, kann jeden Vogel sofort ansprechen,
kennt auch Details wie Bruthabitat, Zugverhalten usw.
Er weiß zudem, wo welche Vögel sich gerade aufhalten und zu beobachten sind.
Dank toller Ortskenntnis findet er zielsicher die entsprechenden Biotope.
Auch die Reise selbst(Abholung, Übernachtung usw) war gut organisiert.
Ein Trip mit Carmel wird für jeden ein unvergessliches Erlebnis sein.
Erika und Gerfried Früh, Lörrach/BRD
Black kite- picture by Andy
October 2017- 3 day tour- Northern Israel+ Negev
common kingfisher- picture by Jon
Thank you for a wonderful birding trip! We saw 101 species in our 3 days together in the North and the Negev. We enjoyed the sites you chose and found the trip to be well organized. Accommodations were nice as well. We highly recommend your trips!
Candace and Phil
September 2017- Hula valley+Gamla nature reserve
Pied kingfisher- by Andy de champlain
Thanks Carmel
for the well-organized bird safari during the 28th of September. We got about 45 different species during the day. In the Hula valley, many were new for. At the Golan heights, the Griffon vultures were magnificent! Our traveling back to Sweden were ok, no problems.
Bye
Stig
for the well-organized bird safari during the 28th of September. We got about 45 different species during the day. In the Hula valley, many were new for. At the Golan heights, the Griffon vultures were magnificent! Our traveling back to Sweden were ok, no problems.
Bye
Stig
September 2017- Beit shean and Hulla valley's
Glossy Ibis-by Andy de Champlain
Beit She’an and Hula Valley – Sept 7th, 2017
In a single day with Carmel, I got to see and photograph 36 ‘life birds’:
In Beit She’an, I got several of what I imagine to be the area’s ‘‘usual suspects”, like Gray Heron, Spur-winged Lapwing, storks, pelicans, and various shorebirds. I was very pleased to catch the Pied Kingfisher, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Spanish Sparrow, and Squacco Heron, to name just a few.
Then, after a quick packed lunch, we were off to the Hula Valley. Out there, through his scope, Carmel located Eurasian Spoonbills and Avocets out on the shallow water. I myself found a Black-shouldered Kite (Carmel IDed it for me, though) and, as we headed back toward the car, I caught sight of my first Hoopoe, a very important moment for me.
It’s worth noting that birding is at least as much about the people you go with as the birds you see, and Carmel was impressive in a number of ways. Of course he’s an expert in finding and IDing the birds. But, I brought my non-birding wife and two kids (4 and 9 – also non-birders) and Carmel was able to keep the 12-hour birdathon interesting and fun for all of us.
Thanks, again, Carmel! I will certainly be recommending you to all my Canadian friends when I get home!
—Andy de Champlain,
Nova Scotia Bird Society
In a single day with Carmel, I got to see and photograph 36 ‘life birds’:
In Beit She’an, I got several of what I imagine to be the area’s ‘‘usual suspects”, like Gray Heron, Spur-winged Lapwing, storks, pelicans, and various shorebirds. I was very pleased to catch the Pied Kingfisher, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Spanish Sparrow, and Squacco Heron, to name just a few.
Then, after a quick packed lunch, we were off to the Hula Valley. Out there, through his scope, Carmel located Eurasian Spoonbills and Avocets out on the shallow water. I myself found a Black-shouldered Kite (Carmel IDed it for me, though) and, as we headed back toward the car, I caught sight of my first Hoopoe, a very important moment for me.
It’s worth noting that birding is at least as much about the people you go with as the birds you see, and Carmel was impressive in a number of ways. Of course he’s an expert in finding and IDing the birds. But, I brought my non-birding wife and two kids (4 and 9 – also non-birders) and Carmel was able to keep the 12-hour birdathon interesting and fun for all of us.
Thanks, again, Carmel! I will certainly be recommending you to all my Canadian friends when I get home!
—Andy de Champlain,
Nova Scotia Bird Society
Mid April 2017- southern tour
cream colored courser- pic by Gerhard
We greatly enjoyed our eight day birding tour of Israel with Carmel Zitronblat in April 2017. The planning, execution, accommodation and meals were all excellent. This was not easy to accomplish during the exuberance of Passover!
We saw a good variety of Spring migrants and Carmel produced the 'Israeli' birds that we were most anxious to find such as Macqueen's Bustard, Cream-colored Courser, Sand Partridge, Stone-Curlew, Dead Sea Sparrow, Spotted, Crowned and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Additionally, we greatly improved our previous looks at difficult species such as Water Rail, Little Crake, Barbary Falcon and Hooded Wheatear.
Carmel patiently answered our questions on life in Israel and he proved to be a safe driver. He worked hard to provide an enjoyable and productive tour. We would strongly recommend Carmel to serious birders and to those who enjoy nature and pleasant places.
Gordon & Maxine McLean
Thunder Bay. Canada
We saw a good variety of Spring migrants and Carmel produced the 'Israeli' birds that we were most anxious to find such as Macqueen's Bustard, Cream-colored Courser, Sand Partridge, Stone-Curlew, Dead Sea Sparrow, Spotted, Crowned and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Additionally, we greatly improved our previous looks at difficult species such as Water Rail, Little Crake, Barbary Falcon and Hooded Wheatear.
Carmel patiently answered our questions on life in Israel and he proved to be a safe driver. He worked hard to provide an enjoyable and productive tour. We would strongly recommend Carmel to serious birders and to those who enjoy nature and pleasant places.
Gordon & Maxine McLean
Thunder Bay. Canada
April 2017- 9 days tour
Hawwfinch- pic by Gerhard
Ich war mit Carmel vom 27.03. - 04.04.2017 unterwegs. Er holte mich frühmorgens vom Flughafen ab, von da ging es direkt zur ornithologischen Station in Jerusalem, die auch zur Beringung genutzt wird. Dort und in der Umgebung sahen wir eine Reihe von Zugvögeln sowie heimischen Vögeln. Von Jerusalem zum Toten Meer, wo u.a. an einem kleinen Teich Striolated und Cretschmar´s Bunting sehr schön zu bewundern waren. Dann durch die wüste nach Eilat. 3 Tage besuchten wir Wadis, Teichanlagen, den Holland Parc und Berge in der Umgebung Eilats. es gab eine Reihe von sehr schönen Beobachtungen, vom Vogelzug hatte ich aber doch andere Vorstellungen. Insbesondere Raubvögel waren kaum zu sehen. Dafür entschädigte mich die Fahrt durch die wunderschöne Negev und die Wanderung in En Avdat, wo wir Griffon Vultures zu sehen bekamen. Höhepunkt der Reise war für mich Nitzana und Azuz. Wir sahen u.a. Macqueens Bustard, Cream-coloured Courier und besonders eindrucksvoll viele Crowned Sandgrosses in Aziz. Der Norden dagegen enttäuschte, was das Vogelangebot betraf, allerdings mit Ausnahme vom Hula Valley, wo ich erstmals den eigentlich erwarteten Eindruck vom Vogelzug bekam mit ziehenden Sschwarz- und Weißstörchen, Kranichen, Löfflern und Pelikanen.
Insgesamt bin ich aber mit der „Ausbeute“ der Reise doch sehr zufrieden. Wer sich meine Vogelfotos ansehen mag, kann dies auf meiner Website „magical-birds.smugmug.com“ in der Abteilung Asien tun. Carmel war ein außerordentlich umsichtiger, sehr sachkundiger Guide, den ich gerne weiterempfehle. Er hat mir nicht nur Vögel nahegebracht, sondern auch seine Heimat Israel.
Insgesamt bin ich aber mit der „Ausbeute“ der Reise doch sehr zufrieden. Wer sich meine Vogelfotos ansehen mag, kann dies auf meiner Website „magical-birds.smugmug.com“ in der Abteilung Asien tun. Carmel war ein außerordentlich umsichtiger, sehr sachkundiger Guide, den ich gerne weiterempfehle. Er hat mir nicht nur Vögel nahegebracht, sondern auch seine Heimat Israel.
March 2017- 5 day southern tour
Stone curlew-picture by Erwin Lenting
In March 2017, Carmel took us on a 6 days birding tour trough the south of Israel. On the first day we were picked up at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. After having a very good lunch we did stop In Jerusalem to vist the Sacher Park. We did continue driving towards the daed see to spend our first night over there. Before closing the first day we did even hear the very rare hume’s tawny owl! The next morning we started with visiting an interesting drinking pool to see the cretzschmar's bunting and striolated bunting coming to drink. We continued our tour and spend 2 days in and around Eilat. What a great place and what a beautiful bird species. Also the birding migration was on it’s top peak which is a fantastic spectacle. Special species like green bee-eater, rüppels warbler, sand partridge, steppe eagle, citrine wagtail, striated heron, streaked scrub warbler, masked shrike, hooded wheatear and lichtenstein sandgrouse were seen during these days in Eilat. On our way to the Nizzana area, we did stop in a lark area to look for the rare greater hoopoe-lark. We did found a beautiful couple and this was even for Carmel a lifer! The last 2 days, we spend in the Nizzana area were we did visit several habitats. This resulted in estonishing species like macqueen’s bustard, cream-colored courser, barbary falcon, crowned sandgrouse and spotted sandgrouse.
Thanks Carmel for the fantastic tour and the beautiful birds!!!
Bart Janssen and Erwin Lenting
Thanks Carmel for the fantastic tour and the beautiful birds!!!
Bart Janssen and Erwin Lenting
Early March- 3 day tours, 2017
I had come to Israel in mid-March to run the Jerusalem Marathon but I had a few days before the race to do some birding. Carmel lead me on three day trips out of Jerusalem, first going north to Beit She'an to the fishing ponds. The second day was spent in the Negev Desert and the third day was in the desert along the edge of the Dead Sea. It was the beginning of migration and we had some really great looks at both resident and migrating birds.
If you are going to be spending some time in Israel I would highly recommend that you contact Carmel. He will find you great birds in places that you would never think to look!
Take care,
Joe
If you are going to be spending some time in Israel I would highly recommend that you contact Carmel. He will find you great birds in places that you would never think to look!
Take care,
Joe
December 2016- 3 day tour (northern israel + the negev)
common kingfisher
Birding in Israel
For those who have never been birding in Israel I have just one word: go!
I am certainly not a fanatical birder but in my over 50 years of bird watching in many countries I have never experienced anything quite like it. Where else can you get out of the car and already see a few hundred - in the right spot even a few thousand - birds?
And of course Carmel is the perfect guide to take you to the right spot. Our three day trip took us the length and breadth of this fascinating country: from Jerusalem to the Golan Heights in the North via the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee - then back down to the Negev Desert in the South.
And everywhere there were birds.
Not just that but they are much less shy than in Europe. They get on with their lives as they please, regardless of any people that might be around. You almost get the feeling that if you do not pay them enough attention they will soon come over and start watching you.
The trip was perfectly planned down to the last detail and Carmel was always there to help find the birds, identify them, quote interesting details , point out their salient discriminating features compared with their closest of kin and provide excellent views through the powerful telescope.
He could also answer all my numerous questions on the birdlife of Israel. Sadly the answer was usually: "Yes, we do have them - but not at this time of the year." It was December and not the best season for birding.
But for me it was perfect. I was there and everywhere there were birds, and birds, and birds.
A few details and highlights of the trip
Day 1
Carmel picked me up just outside Jerusalem and we drove to the kibbutz fish ponds of the Beit Shean Valley. Water birds were of course very much in evidence. Ducks, waders, black storks, egrets, herons, ibises, spoonbills, kingfishers (3 species) and pelicans were omnipresent. We even saw avocets and a couple of flamingos. Nor did we miss out on raptors. Black kites were everywhere - one field in particular I would guess contained hundreds - but we also saw booted & spotted eagles, marsh harriers, ospreys and the lovely black winged kites.
My personal highlights (certainly not the rarest birds we saw):
I renewed my acquaintance (from my first visit to Israel) with the spur-winged plover - in Israel quite a common bird but also a very beautiful one with its fresh, confident air and call.
But – amazingly - the Oscar goes to: the starlings. They were truly everywhere filling the air in murmurations, filling the reed beds, even at times filling the road. I had not seen flocks of this size since my youth in the West Midlands when at dusk the skies around Birmingham were darkened by the birds flocking to roost on the facades in the city centre. Those birds were blackened by the grime of heavy industry - but not the ones in Israel. Their markings were quite clear, their plumage spick and span.
Day 2
The Hula Valley Reserve and the Golan Heights
Even the noise of thousands of cranes is an experience never to be forgotten. Combine that with views of them circling and flapping through the valley in glorious sunshine with snow-capped Mt. Hermon as a backdrop and the words fail me.
My personal favourite at Hula: a water rail foraging in a ditch beside the path, at most 5 meters from our feet.
The Golan Heights were much less populated by birds – not really populated at all, actually. But what they lacked in (bird)life, they more than made up for in spectacular scenery. We visited what was to all intents and purposes a series of miniature Grand Canyons - where miniature is very relative. The culmination of these was the vulture nesting site at the Gamla Reserve. And yes: the breathtaking views across the wadi, up the valleys and over the ancient settlement were crowned with a perfunctory appearance by a resident griffon vulture.
Day 3
A very early start was required to drive all the way south to the Negev and be at Celia's Sandgrouse Sanctuary punctually at 7am to get the best chance to see the birds come in to drink. Despite glorious sunshine and wearing more or less all the clothing I had with me, it was decidedly chilly. But the wonderful desert landscapes and a small group of crowned sandgrouse finally putting in an appearance at Celia’s water hole made it more than worthwhile.
We then finished off the day with some raptor chasing - culminating in the day's highlight: a fine view of a Spanish Imperial Eagle.
To close I can only return to my advice at the beginning: go!
David Garratt
For those who have never been birding in Israel I have just one word: go!
I am certainly not a fanatical birder but in my over 50 years of bird watching in many countries I have never experienced anything quite like it. Where else can you get out of the car and already see a few hundred - in the right spot even a few thousand - birds?
And of course Carmel is the perfect guide to take you to the right spot. Our three day trip took us the length and breadth of this fascinating country: from Jerusalem to the Golan Heights in the North via the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee - then back down to the Negev Desert in the South.
And everywhere there were birds.
Not just that but they are much less shy than in Europe. They get on with their lives as they please, regardless of any people that might be around. You almost get the feeling that if you do not pay them enough attention they will soon come over and start watching you.
The trip was perfectly planned down to the last detail and Carmel was always there to help find the birds, identify them, quote interesting details , point out their salient discriminating features compared with their closest of kin and provide excellent views through the powerful telescope.
He could also answer all my numerous questions on the birdlife of Israel. Sadly the answer was usually: "Yes, we do have them - but not at this time of the year." It was December and not the best season for birding.
But for me it was perfect. I was there and everywhere there were birds, and birds, and birds.
A few details and highlights of the trip
Day 1
Carmel picked me up just outside Jerusalem and we drove to the kibbutz fish ponds of the Beit Shean Valley. Water birds were of course very much in evidence. Ducks, waders, black storks, egrets, herons, ibises, spoonbills, kingfishers (3 species) and pelicans were omnipresent. We even saw avocets and a couple of flamingos. Nor did we miss out on raptors. Black kites were everywhere - one field in particular I would guess contained hundreds - but we also saw booted & spotted eagles, marsh harriers, ospreys and the lovely black winged kites.
My personal highlights (certainly not the rarest birds we saw):
I renewed my acquaintance (from my first visit to Israel) with the spur-winged plover - in Israel quite a common bird but also a very beautiful one with its fresh, confident air and call.
But – amazingly - the Oscar goes to: the starlings. They were truly everywhere filling the air in murmurations, filling the reed beds, even at times filling the road. I had not seen flocks of this size since my youth in the West Midlands when at dusk the skies around Birmingham were darkened by the birds flocking to roost on the facades in the city centre. Those birds were blackened by the grime of heavy industry - but not the ones in Israel. Their markings were quite clear, their plumage spick and span.
Day 2
The Hula Valley Reserve and the Golan Heights
Even the noise of thousands of cranes is an experience never to be forgotten. Combine that with views of them circling and flapping through the valley in glorious sunshine with snow-capped Mt. Hermon as a backdrop and the words fail me.
My personal favourite at Hula: a water rail foraging in a ditch beside the path, at most 5 meters from our feet.
The Golan Heights were much less populated by birds – not really populated at all, actually. But what they lacked in (bird)life, they more than made up for in spectacular scenery. We visited what was to all intents and purposes a series of miniature Grand Canyons - where miniature is very relative. The culmination of these was the vulture nesting site at the Gamla Reserve. And yes: the breathtaking views across the wadi, up the valleys and over the ancient settlement were crowned with a perfunctory appearance by a resident griffon vulture.
Day 3
A very early start was required to drive all the way south to the Negev and be at Celia's Sandgrouse Sanctuary punctually at 7am to get the best chance to see the birds come in to drink. Despite glorious sunshine and wearing more or less all the clothing I had with me, it was decidedly chilly. But the wonderful desert landscapes and a small group of crowned sandgrouse finally putting in an appearance at Celia’s water hole made it more than worthwhile.
We then finished off the day with some raptor chasing - culminating in the day's highlight: a fine view of a Spanish Imperial Eagle.
To close I can only return to my advice at the beginning: go!
David Garratt
November 2016- one day tour to the Hula valley and the Golan Heights
Great cormorant
I truly enjoyed the day trip with you to the Hula lakes and the Golan Heights and will definitely recommend you to anybody interested in discovering the wonderful nature there: whether passionate ornithologist or, as in my case, more generally interested in wildlife – this is great experience!
Kind regards,
Michael Voegele, Jerusalem
Kind regards,
Michael Voegele, Jerusalem
November 2016- 3 day Northern tour
Water rail- pictured by Bob Gerwin
We have gone on two birding trips with Carmel Zitronblat. He knows the birds well, knows where to find them, and knows bird lore. I highly recommend him as a birding guide for those interested in birding in Israel.
All the best,
Bob
All the best,
Bob
February 2016- 6 days southern tour
white storks
My wife and I had the pleasure of being guided through the South of Israel on a birding expedition February, 2016. We were very pleased with Carmel’s knowledge of birds, and with the arrangements that he made for the 6 day trip. He arranged our lodging and meals were appropriate. He knew the places to go that would never have been obvious to us. He had the birding scope that we could not easily have brought with us to Israel. All in all, we were very satisfied. I would be glad to have him guide us on another birding adventure.
Bob Gerwin
Bob Gerwin
February 2016- Bet Shean valley
white storks
"My February 2016 trip to Israel only allowed for one day of serious birding, so I knew I had to find the best guide in the country. Fortunately, Carmel was available! He collaborated with me to design a day that would optimize the quantity and quality of species we might see, arrived on time, and worked indefatigably to visit all the hotspots we could in the Beit She'an region and beyond. I had a blast and saw many birds with him that I didn't see anywhere else during the trip. I recommend Carmel highly as an engaging, energetic, and knowledgeable guide."
Mike Bergin
10,000 Birds
Mike Bergin
10,000 Birds
Mid June 2015- The carmel coast area
Grifon vulture (Erwin Lenting)
My 14-year-old daughter and I spent a fantastic day with Dr. Carmel Zitronblat recently. We had never been on a birding tour before, and he planned a very comprehensive tour across 5 very diverse areas for a full day of birding. We saw numerous Griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures and cattle egrets (and heard Sardinian warblers) at a raptor sanctuary site. Then we visited a very unique salt flat where we saw huge numbers of terns nesting, as well as black winged stilts. We then went to a fish farm at a famous Kibbutz (we learned later that this was the kibbutz where many members of the famous Ayalon Institute settled) and saw night herons, white egrets, glossy ibis, crested marks, hoopoe, the famous Bul-Bul, invasive minas, and kingfishers (both the colored and black and white! ), as well as other birds along the gorgeous beach. We had lunch in an adorable scenic village (with ice-cream for my daughter!), and Carmel took us to a very un-traveled spot to see bee eaters nesting. Finally, to round out the day, we went to a moshav and saw ducks, kestrels and even a wild jackal running through a field! As others mentioned, Carmel is a wonderful guide, extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic, personable and well prepared. Thanks so much Carmel!! We definitely will be contacting you when we are back in Israel!
Alexa, USA
Alexa, USA
Mid June 2015- Beit shean & Jezreal valley
Eagle owl - pictured by Erwin lenting
|
From June 15th until June 19th , I did visit The Haifa region in the North of Israel. Since the purpose of my visit was business related, I didn’t have much time to spend on birding. Despite of that, I was able to plan one day for birding. Before my visit, I did some internet research to find out what the best hotspots are and to see what kind of birds I could expect. While sifting the internet, I did find Carmel’s site and I was immediately fascinated by the travel reports and the beautiful species that could be seen. So, I did contact Carmel and created a “wish” list with species that I would like to see. Carmel did inform me that the time of the year was not really the best time for birding and it can be very hot. Anyway, we did decide to do a one day tour to the Beit Shean valley, Mount Gilboa and the Jazreal Valley. As expected, it was very hot but the tour was terrific. Carmel did pick me up at 4:30 in my hotel in Haifa. One hour later, we were climbing Mount Gilboa to see the long-billed pipit as one of our target species. Already at the start, we heard and saw 3 pipits. Other highlights at and near Mount Gilboa were blackstart, eagle owl, short-eared owl and 14 chukars!
Our next stop was the Beit Shean valley with its fishing ponds. Again we saw several target species like namagua dove, Indian silverbill, dead-sea sparrow, spur-winged lapwing, clamorous reed warbler and pied and white-throated kingfisher. What a magnificent place for birders and what a beautiful birds!!! We drove along the Jordan border to look for green bee-eaters but unfortunately without luck (you can’t have everything!). Other interesting species that we did see here are roller, common bee-eater, stone curlew, hoopoe and collared pratincole……and many more. Also the delicious field lunch prepared by Carmel was a highlight. On our way back to Haifa, we did visit the Jezreal valley. Several fresh water ponds are interesting places for all kind of birds. We were especially looking for marbled ducks that should be breeding somewhere here. After checking all the lakes, and no marbled ducks, we did one final attempt for this specie. This was a wise decision, since we saw 19 of them all at one lake! Last but not least, we did visit Mount Carmel to look for the very rare lappet-faced vulture that was seen some days ago. No lappet-faced here, but still some other interesting birds like griffon vultures, long-legged buzzard and short-toed eagle. It was great birding with you Carmel and I really enjoyed having good conversations! Thanks for being prepared so well and sorry for being so demanding to see the lifers from my list. For just a very hot day in June, I was really happy with everything we saw. Still several birds on my “wish list” so if I will return next year or so, I know where to find you! See you around!! Erwin Lenting The Netherlands I hope this will do. Regards, Erwin |
April 2015- southern Israel
Crowned sandgrouse
I recently spent two days birding with Dr. Carmel Zitronblat, and would highly recommend him a guide to all regardless of prior birding experience. Having had a fairly wide variety of birding trips in the Americas I can say that Carmel has all the qualities that make for a great guide. He had warned me ahead of time that I was arriving past peak migration and it would be hit or miss. However, as I had never birded anywhere near Israel before, everything was interesting to me, and he made an enthusiastic effort to make sure that I had good looks at common birds. However, he also went to places where unusual species had been reported in an effort to relocate them, adjusting our plans to maximize number of species seen. He ensured that I got good looks at everything, while pointing out the key features and then with every species making sure that I got a look at it in the guide - an excellent educator! From a personal standpoint I was really appreciative of his sensitivity to the fact that I was traveling alone and didn't speak Hebrew, guiding me through some problem areas I hadn't even anticipated - like filling my gas tank! This was above and beyond the call of duty. Summary: great birding guide, a true naturalist, and awfully nice guy.
Laurie
Laurie
March 2015- Beit Shean Valley
Grey heron, little egret and great egret
We left Jerusalem at 3:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning (March 14, 2015) to get to the Beit She’an Valley before sunrise. It was a spectacular day. Overall, we saw 75 species in six hours of active birding, 32 of which were new for me. There were high numbers of many species, including more than 100 Black Kites, 100 Black Storks, 100 Glossy Ibises, 100 Armenian Gulls, 100 Spur-winged Lapwings, 75 Common Teals, 50 Pygmy Cormorants, 50 Great White Pelicans, and 5 Bluethroats.
I have no idea how Carmel ever found these places. We spent the morning winding an unpredictable path through fields, orchards of date palms, and fish ponds on a kibbutz near the Jordan River. Although it was a working landscape, we saw almost nobody, aside from a couple cyclists, thanks to the Shabbat and the
remoteness of the area.
Carmel seemed to know exactly where to find Dead Sea Sparrows and Common Snipe. We had fantastic looks, as well, at a few Great Spotted Eagles, a Black Francolin, and a small group of Common Cranes. I really appreciated Carmel’s help in identifying four species of pipits (Meadow, Tree, Water and Red-throated), four species of warblers (Great Reed, Cetti’s, Chiffchaff and Lesser Whitethroat), and several sandpipers (Common, Green, Marsh, Wood, and Reeve). Around noon, Carmel made a picnic in the shade, underneath a tree where I saw my first Palestine Sunbird, and returned me to my hotel at 2 p.m. Highly recommended.
-Matt, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
I have no idea how Carmel ever found these places. We spent the morning winding an unpredictable path through fields, orchards of date palms, and fish ponds on a kibbutz near the Jordan River. Although it was a working landscape, we saw almost nobody, aside from a couple cyclists, thanks to the Shabbat and the
remoteness of the area.
Carmel seemed to know exactly where to find Dead Sea Sparrows and Common Snipe. We had fantastic looks, as well, at a few Great Spotted Eagles, a Black Francolin, and a small group of Common Cranes. I really appreciated Carmel’s help in identifying four species of pipits (Meadow, Tree, Water and Red-throated), four species of warblers (Great Reed, Cetti’s, Chiffchaff and Lesser Whitethroat), and several sandpipers (Common, Green, Marsh, Wood, and Reeve). Around noon, Carmel made a picnic in the shade, underneath a tree where I saw my first Palestine Sunbird, and returned me to my hotel at 2 p.m. Highly recommended.
-Matt, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
End of February- Begining of March, 2015- Beit Shean and carmel coast tours
Greater spotted Eagle (by Avner Rinot)
“Carmel, it was a pleasure being in the field birding with you for two days. Coming from the United States, not knowing the area or language, it was nice to have such knowledgeable bird guide. You selected great areas for us to bird and see a different range of species. I was impressed by your knowledge, professionalism, and always answering all my questions. You were willing to start so early in the day (5:30 AM) and go until dark to fulfill my desire to see as many bird species as I could in Israel. Really enjoyed the field lunch you provided, it was just want I was looking for and I am glad you were able to offer me a vegetarian meal. Most of all, I thank you for the time and concern you took when we found the injured black-crowned heron. You showed sympathy and willingness to help when there was not much we could do. Thank you for caring and wanting to help! I look forward to coming back to Israel and birding with you again.”
Sincerely,
Eliana, Miami Florida, USA.
November 15-20, 2014. Southern Birding Tour
November 15 - 20, 2014 - 6 Days tour in Southern Israel
Jerusalem >Ezzuz>Eilat> Dead See > Bet Shean> Tel Aviv
As we already knew the Northern part of Israël, we decided that this time we should go to the South. So, we looked on the net for a birding guide living in Jerusalem, or not far, as we were going to stay there a few days, and we found Carmel’s website. We got in touch, first by e-mail, then by phone, and we asked him to plan a 6-day trip in the South, which we discovered later was exactly what we hoped for.
He picked us up at our hotel in Jerusalem and we started the trip with his car along route 1 and 40. We stopped several times and were able to admire the very beautiful little bird called Graceful Prinia, the Arabian Babbler, the Merlin and many other birds.
The first night, we slept in Ezzuz (Be’erotayim) in the desert next to the Egyptian border, in the middle of nowhere. Actually, only a few families live around. This was a great experience, the light from the sunrise was one of the most magnificent ever seen. We saw our first Wheathers (Desert, Mourning, White-crownedWheaters). At a place not far, where the owner arranged a little pond, we saw a flock of Crowned Sandgrouses drinking for quite a long time, this was magical. We even saw a Greenfinch (quite common in Switzerland !)
On the next day, we headed towards Eilat. We were able to see several times the superb Imperial Eagle. We knew that due to some job’s obligations, the timing of our trip to Israël was not the best, that’s why it was a great joy as well as unexpected to see this magnificent raptor. After a stop at the Mitzpe Ramon Crater, we pursued the route until the very South of the country, Eilat. There, on the beach in the sunset, among other seabirds, we saw the Pied Kingfisher going back and forwards hunting above the water.
We slept 3 nights at Kibboutz Eilot, in a little apartment which was very nice. We visited lots and lots of spots around Eilat and saw many different species (raptors, herons, lapwings, plovers, sandpipers, wheaters, finches, sunbirds...). We went to fishings ponds, sewage ponds, fields, mountains... Not only next to Eilat, but also quite far in the Southern Arava Valley. One day, we went up to a mountain plateau where we were delighted to observe many kinds of larks and wheaters, and we also found the very delicate coloured Trumpeter Finch. It is not possible here to list all the birds we saw, and all the places we have been to, but for sure we wouldn’t have seen all these off the road places without a guide like Carmel.
Let us tell you just a little story. One night, little after the sunset, we were looking for the Pharaoh Eagle Owl. That day, we saw both the Marsh Harrier and the Hen Harrier, Ospreys, Spur-winged Lapwings and many others, etc. So we were excited and really wanted to see more and more. We went through 2-3 spots for the Pharaoh Eagle Owl, waited, but nothing. We decided to go back to the first spot, it was very dark, and just in front of the car, at only 2 meters or even less, in the lights of the car, we saw a Stone-curlew, standing still, as surprised as us. We had never seen a stone-curlew (one of the birds we like most) so well and forsuch a long time !
We left the South on the fifth day for the Judean Desert. We slept in Kibboutz Kalia not far from the Dead See.
On the way, we stopped on several places, and among others we saw a flock of Sand Partridges. A little further, we also had the great privilege to see the Black Francolin ! Last day, we stopped a few hours in the BeitShe’an Valley. We were able to see many Black Storks, which was the first time we ever saw them. Last but not least, like a gift from God, totally unexpected, a flock of 20-30 flying White Pelicans appeared and flew above us for at least 15 minutes. Absolutely magnificent ! A great show for the end of our trip !
Carmel was very nice to leave us in Tel-Aviv, where we spent a few more days, and we thank him very warmly. Carmel was a wonderful guide and we had a great time with him all along these 6 days. If we go back to Israël, we will surely contact him again for a another birding tour !
Naomi and Mass, Geneva, Switzerland
Jerusalem >Ezzuz>Eilat> Dead See > Bet Shean> Tel Aviv
As we already knew the Northern part of Israël, we decided that this time we should go to the South. So, we looked on the net for a birding guide living in Jerusalem, or not far, as we were going to stay there a few days, and we found Carmel’s website. We got in touch, first by e-mail, then by phone, and we asked him to plan a 6-day trip in the South, which we discovered later was exactly what we hoped for.
He picked us up at our hotel in Jerusalem and we started the trip with his car along route 1 and 40. We stopped several times and were able to admire the very beautiful little bird called Graceful Prinia, the Arabian Babbler, the Merlin and many other birds.
The first night, we slept in Ezzuz (Be’erotayim) in the desert next to the Egyptian border, in the middle of nowhere. Actually, only a few families live around. This was a great experience, the light from the sunrise was one of the most magnificent ever seen. We saw our first Wheathers (Desert, Mourning, White-crownedWheaters). At a place not far, where the owner arranged a little pond, we saw a flock of Crowned Sandgrouses drinking for quite a long time, this was magical. We even saw a Greenfinch (quite common in Switzerland !)
On the next day, we headed towards Eilat. We were able to see several times the superb Imperial Eagle. We knew that due to some job’s obligations, the timing of our trip to Israël was not the best, that’s why it was a great joy as well as unexpected to see this magnificent raptor. After a stop at the Mitzpe Ramon Crater, we pursued the route until the very South of the country, Eilat. There, on the beach in the sunset, among other seabirds, we saw the Pied Kingfisher going back and forwards hunting above the water.
We slept 3 nights at Kibboutz Eilot, in a little apartment which was very nice. We visited lots and lots of spots around Eilat and saw many different species (raptors, herons, lapwings, plovers, sandpipers, wheaters, finches, sunbirds...). We went to fishings ponds, sewage ponds, fields, mountains... Not only next to Eilat, but also quite far in the Southern Arava Valley. One day, we went up to a mountain plateau where we were delighted to observe many kinds of larks and wheaters, and we also found the very delicate coloured Trumpeter Finch. It is not possible here to list all the birds we saw, and all the places we have been to, but for sure we wouldn’t have seen all these off the road places without a guide like Carmel.
Let us tell you just a little story. One night, little after the sunset, we were looking for the Pharaoh Eagle Owl. That day, we saw both the Marsh Harrier and the Hen Harrier, Ospreys, Spur-winged Lapwings and many others, etc. So we were excited and really wanted to see more and more. We went through 2-3 spots for the Pharaoh Eagle Owl, waited, but nothing. We decided to go back to the first spot, it was very dark, and just in front of the car, at only 2 meters or even less, in the lights of the car, we saw a Stone-curlew, standing still, as surprised as us. We had never seen a stone-curlew (one of the birds we like most) so well and forsuch a long time !
We left the South on the fifth day for the Judean Desert. We slept in Kibboutz Kalia not far from the Dead See.
On the way, we stopped on several places, and among others we saw a flock of Sand Partridges. A little further, we also had the great privilege to see the Black Francolin ! Last day, we stopped a few hours in the BeitShe’an Valley. We were able to see many Black Storks, which was the first time we ever saw them. Last but not least, like a gift from God, totally unexpected, a flock of 20-30 flying White Pelicans appeared and flew above us for at least 15 minutes. Absolutely magnificent ! A great show for the end of our trip !
Carmel was very nice to leave us in Tel-Aviv, where we spent a few more days, and we thank him very warmly. Carmel was a wonderful guide and we had a great time with him all along these 6 days. If we go back to Israël, we will surely contact him again for a another birding tour !
Naomi and Mass, Geneva, Switzerland
November 2nd- 3rd, 2014. 2 Day Northern Tour
Photo taken by:Yosef Kiat
Dear Carmel,
Thank you so much for the lovely 2 days of birding around Beit She’an fish ponds, Agamon Hula and Gamla Nature Reserve. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and learnt so much from you. We wish there was more time to leisurely walk around to see the birds. Looks like we will have to come back again to do that!
We so appreciate you for driving us all over, for answering our questions and patiently letting us take the photos of the birds we saw. I now have hundreds of photos!
You are a wonderful bird guide and we hope we can come visit again and have you take us around some more.
Written by a group from Singapore.
End of October 2014. 2 day Northern tour
Photo taken by: Calum Dickinson.Purple heron
North Israel Birding, End of October 2014
I had two weeks of business in Israel and knowing that getting around with public transport with Shabbat would be difficult, I started looking at bird guides. I am glad I found Carmel, as based on my business itinerary, he was able to work out the best sites to visit. He was incredibly fast at getting back to emails which made the planning very smooth.
I was picked up at Jerusalem, where we headed towards the Fishponds at Beit Shean. Armed with his spotting scope, he quickly showed his skills at tracking a bird, knowing both the name in English and Hebrew. The air was full of Black Kites, and we must have seen up to 1000, if not more over the course of the day. Other birds of prey were Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier and a rather photogenic Osprey. I do like my smaller birds though too, with the Desert Finch, Dead Sea Sparrow, Juvenile Red-backed Shrike and a glimpse of a Bluethroat (Possibly my favourite of the day). Rounding it off was the waders, with a couple of Purple Herons, Plovers (including Kentish) and Marsh Sandpiper.
The second day was Hula and Gamla Valleys, with the forecast of rain. The showers were infrequent, and passed quickly, which meant we still got the target species that Carmel had hoped for us to see, plus a few additional. Where Bet Shean was full of Black Kites, Hula was full of Common Cranes and Great White Pelicans. Birds of Prey included the Great Spotted Eagle, The smaller birds included Namaqua Dove and another Bluethroat (which both stayed put long enough for photographs). Up at Gamla, on the drive up I got a glimpse of a Finsch's Wheatear (I described, and Carmel identified), before seeing Syrian Woodpecker (only species in Israel), Black Redstart, Common Redstart and a lone Griffon Vulture. The Weather came in at this point, which dropped visibility. Although after it cleared, on the way back, the warblers started. We also got to see Rock Hyrax on the cliffs.
I would definitely recommend Carmel for others to try, as he is great company in the car and at the meals. I got some fantastic pictures and over all, we got about 85 species over the two days.
Calum, Hertfordshire, UK
**
October 26-29/ 2014. Northern Tour
Osprey- by Avner Rinot
OCTOBER 2014 - 3 DAYS IN NORTHERN ISRAEL
We went to Israel on an escorted trip and decided to add a few extra days birding at the end of it as we had heard that the birds in Israel at this time of the year are well worth seeing. We are so glad that we found Carmel, who was able to take us to many sites where the birds were numerous. This included areas not normally accessible to the general public.
Before we left for Israel, he had told us that he had done a recce, and we were very impressed with this. He was therefore able to take us directly to the most productive areas. In our 3½ days with Carmel we saw 102 different species, including those local only to this region.
His planning is excellent – prior to our departure from home, he prepared a detailed itinerary, which included advice on clothing and other appropriate things to bring with us. He brought with a picnic lunch for our drive to the north after picking us up from our hotel in Jerusalem and he had picked excellent B&B accommodation in Yavna’El near Tiberias for our overnight stays.
He was first-rate company, and we enjoyed our evenings together in the nearby restaurant. All in all a very successful trip led by a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and personable individual.
Highly recommended.
David and Steph Bennett, Liverpool, UK
We went to Israel on an escorted trip and decided to add a few extra days birding at the end of it as we had heard that the birds in Israel at this time of the year are well worth seeing. We are so glad that we found Carmel, who was able to take us to many sites where the birds were numerous. This included areas not normally accessible to the general public.
Before we left for Israel, he had told us that he had done a recce, and we were very impressed with this. He was therefore able to take us directly to the most productive areas. In our 3½ days with Carmel we saw 102 different species, including those local only to this region.
His planning is excellent – prior to our departure from home, he prepared a detailed itinerary, which included advice on clothing and other appropriate things to bring with us. He brought with a picnic lunch for our drive to the north after picking us up from our hotel in Jerusalem and he had picked excellent B&B accommodation in Yavna’El near Tiberias for our overnight stays.
He was first-rate company, and we enjoyed our evenings together in the nearby restaurant. All in all a very successful trip led by a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and personable individual.
Highly recommended.
David and Steph Bennett, Liverpool, UK
June 2014- Summer ,1 day birding tour for the resident and nesting birds around.
Glossy Ibis
Business brought us to Israel in mid-June, and we spent an extra day to do some birding.Our “Birding in Israel” searches often yielded the name “Carmel,” so we contacted him by e-mail and quickly arranged a day long sampling of Israeli birds.Carmel warned us that June would not produce much, but we were still pleased by what we got to see. He picked us up at 6AM at our hotel in Tel Aviv and we headed toward Jerusalem.There we saw hoopoes and great-spotted cuckoos (as well as gazelles) and watched some banding at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory.Afterward, we headed to a Lesser Kestrel colony in the lovely village of Amikam. Along the way we got looks at a Western White Stork and a Short-toed Snake Eagle. After Amikam, Carmel dropped us for lunch in Zihron Ya’akov, where we enjoyed an iced coffee in the shade of banyan trees. From there it was a quick trip to the fish ponds of Ma’agan Michael, a kibbutz which yielded great looks at more cuckoos, pied and white-throated kingfishers, squacco herons, glossy ibises and more. There were lots of photo ops there.Carmel dropped us, birded-out, at our hotel 12 hours after we started.
Carmel’s English is excellent, and we spent most our time between birding stops plying him with questions about Israel. We felt his answers were thoughtful and candid, and they added a lot to what was already a pleasant – if rather warm – day.
Jeanne and David Sherry
Flagstaff, AZ
Carmel’s English is excellent, and we spent most our time between birding stops plying him with questions about Israel. We felt his answers were thoughtful and candid, and they added a lot to what was already a pleasant – if rather warm – day.
Jeanne and David Sherry
Flagstaff, AZ
May 2014- End of spring/early summer. 2 day birding tour to Beit shean valley, the carmel coast, Judean desert and Jerusalem.
We had a great two day birding trip with Carmel. I highly recommend him as a guide. In our two days we saw 68 species and had so much fun in the process! Carmel is very professional and his expert preparation for our trip was easily evident. He was quick and accommodating in planning our trip ahead of time by email. He then sent an itinerary including species of interest for each location, which helped me prepare ahead of time. A few days before we arrived he went to the planned locations so he was familiar with the species recently present and also ended up recommending some modifications in sites. I really appreciated this - it clearly showed his commitment to guiding the best possible tour for our dates. On two occasions we were granted access (once by car and another by foot) to areas not open to the public through Carmel's network of colleagues. I was impressed with this both times! Beyond birding, I enjoyed talking to Carmel about a number of different topics, and found him to be a very easy to get along with, trustworthy, caring, and patient person. It was really a pleasurable two days!
Sincerely,
Rachel Schwartz
Sincerely,
Rachel Schwartz
spring 2014-April. Half day birding tour to Nizanna area and Sde- Boker
Carmel Zitronblatt is a wonderful birding tour guide. He took us to the areas around Nitzana in the negev with a stop at Sde Boker. As he said, “in the negev you have to seek out the birds,” and he knew where they are! We highly recommend him.
Sherry, USA.
Sherry, USA.
spring 2014- April, 3 day birding tour to southern Israel
desert Eagle Owl
"I would highly recommend Carmel as a guide if you are considering birding Israel. His intimate knowledge of habitat allowed me to view some very difficult Target birds".
Best,
Tom
Best,
Tom
Winter, February 2014. Two days northern Birding tour.
On our recent trip to Israel, we enjoyed a two day birding tour of the Beit Shean and Hula Valleys with Carmel. It is obvious that Carmel knows and cares about his birds and certainly knows where to find them. As a result we saw 84 species in just two days, which far surpassed our expectations.
The meals, accommodations, transportation and conversation were all thoroughly enjoyable. We are already planning how we can return for more.
John & Isabel Lakeman
Vancouver, Canada
The meals, accommodations, transportation and conversation were all thoroughly enjoyable. We are already planning how we can return for more.
John & Isabel Lakeman
Vancouver, Canada
Winter, January 2014. One day tour to the Hula valley and Gamla Nature Reserve
We hired Carmel to take us to the Hula Valley wetlands and to the Gamla Preserve. It was an amazing trip. We were very, very pleased.
He adapted to our level of expertise and to our desires, dedicated to finding the birds with us, and patient in helping us remember what we were seeing when we faltered (we did spot upwards of 43 species). We enjoyed his mastery and his bird spotting capacity.
Carmel's love of the birding world was especially evident. His love of animals and nature came through, and it made a difference being with someone passionate, yet he made room for us to have our own experience and our own engagement. Again, his quiet respect for others and for the natural world, let us experience the places he took us to in our way rather than in the way, say, a guide sometimes might want you to have.
When I saw how much driving was involved, that is was a long day, and how expensive the gas was, I was amazed Carmel could hire himself out so reasonably. Carmel was also a careful driver, which is a tremendous asset in Israel. He really took having us as his responsibility seriously. We, a couple with a 13 year old avid birder, were all very much taken with him and had a great day.
Helene and family, Seattle USA.
He adapted to our level of expertise and to our desires, dedicated to finding the birds with us, and patient in helping us remember what we were seeing when we faltered (we did spot upwards of 43 species). We enjoyed his mastery and his bird spotting capacity.
Carmel's love of the birding world was especially evident. His love of animals and nature came through, and it made a difference being with someone passionate, yet he made room for us to have our own experience and our own engagement. Again, his quiet respect for others and for the natural world, let us experience the places he took us to in our way rather than in the way, say, a guide sometimes might want you to have.
When I saw how much driving was involved, that is was a long day, and how expensive the gas was, I was amazed Carmel could hire himself out so reasonably. Carmel was also a careful driver, which is a tremendous asset in Israel. He really took having us as his responsibility seriously. We, a couple with a 13 year old avid birder, were all very much taken with him and had a great day.
Helene and family, Seattle USA.
Spring, March 30-31, 2 day tour to Eilat and the Arava region
We just wanted to thank you for your professional guidance during our trip to Israel. Your love of birds is evident in your impressive knowledge base, and in the patient and informative manner you led us around the birding hotspots in and around Eilat.
Thank you also for the opportunity to see the wonderful banding program at the Jerusalem Birding Observatory. The boys really enjoyed being a part of that.
We’ve been birding in many places throughout the world, and Israel is certainly on our list of favorites!
In appreciation,
Keri and family
Switzerland
Thank you also for the opportunity to see the wonderful banding program at the Jerusalem Birding Observatory. The boys really enjoyed being a part of that.
We’ve been birding in many places throughout the world, and Israel is certainly on our list of favorites!
In appreciation,
Keri and family
Switzerland
Spring, March 2013, 1 day tour to Hula Valley and Gamla nature reserve
I had planned a few days near the Hula Valley and hired Carmel to take us around and get a lay of the land, based on recommendations of expert Israeli birders. He did not disappoint us, giving us a thorough tour of Hula followed by a nice visit to the beautiful Gamla preserve. He had a great ear, good eye, and knowledge of the areas. After the morning at Hula I was able to go back and identify a great many species on my own, knowing where to look, and what to look and listen for, which is what I like to do most. And he was particularly pleasant and personable, able to satisfy my more serious interests, while still making things enjoyable for the more casually interested members of my family I would certainly use him again.
Sincerely,
Peter Reisfeld, Long Island, New York
Sincerely,
Peter Reisfeld, Long Island, New York
Autumn, November 2012, 1 day tour to Hula valley and Gamla nature reserve
The photo is courtesy of Carole Glauber
We had a wonderful time on our birding trip to the Hula valley and Gamla! The pace of the trip was just right; some walking, a stop for lunch at a nice restaurant, and two different type of terrain.
Kathy and Mike, USA
Kathy and Mike, USA
Autumn, October 2012, 3 days tour to Northern Israel
Carmel, We wanted to send you our thanks and appreciation for our birding tour of Northern Israel- it was beyond any expectations that we had. In the 3 days we spent birding with you we went places where the birding was so fantastic we could barely believe our eyes! In addition to being a great birding trip, it was a great way to see northern Israel. We are mostly backyard birders, and you were completely patient with us as you introduced us to over 50 new bird species. I am still looking over the bird book and comparing them to the hundreds of pictures that we took. You were a knowledgeable guide who took great pains to ensure that our trip was enjoyable. We loved the bed and breakfast near Tiberisas, the Mediterranean restaurants we went to, the picnic lunch, the sights, sounds, and smells of Israel. We will remember this trip, and your companionship and guidance, for a very long time. Thank you for making this trip a trip of a lifetime.
You are the best!
Best Regards, Ronnie and Jim Bogard, USA.
You are the best!
Best Regards, Ronnie and Jim Bogard, USA.
Autumn- late september 2012: Beit shean and Hula Valleys
Before I met Carmel my only other experience of birding in Israel was when I saw 66 different species over 3 days during the Spring (March)migration. Then I was based in Eilat. With Carmel I went for the autumn migration (late September) and birded the North-east: Kefar Ruppin in the Bet Shean Valley where we saw 40 different species to those I had already seen and Agamon Hula Park in the hula Valley where we saw a further 11 different species. On both occasions we birded morning only until noon given the restaints on my time.
We made very good use of the short time available although I should have preferred to commence the Agamon Hula Park birding at 06.30 when the birds are more active: the Park opens at this time at weekends whereas it only opens at 09.00 at other times of the week.
Carmel is great company, very reliable (he picked me up at the precise time we arranged - there was no hanging around). He is very knowledgeable about birds and knows the sites well. When I next bird Israel I will not hesitate to call on Carmel again to be my guide.
Good luck Carmel and happy birding.
David, London UK
We made very good use of the short time available although I should have preferred to commence the Agamon Hula Park birding at 06.30 when the birds are more active: the Park opens at this time at weekends whereas it only opens at 09.00 at other times of the week.
Carmel is great company, very reliable (he picked me up at the precise time we arranged - there was no hanging around). He is very knowledgeable about birds and knows the sites well. When I next bird Israel I will not hesitate to call on Carmel again to be my guide.
Good luck Carmel and happy birding.
David, London UK
Beit Shean & Hula valleys: February 22-23, 2012
Cranes while in the back- Mt hermon. By Don Burgess
Several years ago, my wife and I realized that if we really wanted to
see a lot of birds in just a few days at a place with which we were
unfamiliar, we needed to be with a professional birder who knew the
area. So when we were recently planning a trip to Israel, we looked up
Birding Pal on the internet and came up with Carmel Birding Tours. We
were pleased with the quick email answers and arranged for a couple of
days of birding. We enjoyed getting to know Carmel. He was always on
time, the food was very good, and when we had to adjust the schedule
because of weather, he was very flexible. In two days, we saw more
than a hundred species, most of them new to us. We want to encourage
Carmel all we can. He is a definite bonus to the birding and
conservation movement of Israel. We did not get to go to the Negev
because of the weather, but if we ever return to Israel, birding with
Carmel in that area will be top on the list.
Don and Marie Burgess
see a lot of birds in just a few days at a place with which we were
unfamiliar, we needed to be with a professional birder who knew the
area. So when we were recently planning a trip to Israel, we looked up
Birding Pal on the internet and came up with Carmel Birding Tours. We
were pleased with the quick email answers and arranged for a couple of
days of birding. We enjoyed getting to know Carmel. He was always on
time, the food was very good, and when we had to adjust the schedule
because of weather, he was very flexible. In two days, we saw more
than a hundred species, most of them new to us. We want to encourage
Carmel all we can. He is a definite bonus to the birding and
conservation movement of Israel. We did not get to go to the Negev
because of the weather, but if we ever return to Israel, birding with
Carmel in that area will be top on the list.
Don and Marie Burgess
Autumn (Early winter) Bird watching tour in Northern Israel: October 2011
As I was planning a non-birding trip to Jerusalem in late October 2011 with my wife, who likes birds but is not a bird watcher, it occurred to us that we might be able to spend 2 days for birding if I can find a good bird-watching guide.
Searching internet I found Carmel Birding Tours web-page and send them an email asking propositions for a 2 days bird watching trip to Northern parts of Israel. The first positive surprise was that Carmel Zitronblat, the owner of Carmel Birding Tours, replied my email very quickly and soon we were able to agree an all-inclusive 2 day birding trip to Beit Shean Valley and Agamon Hula area.
The 2 day trip on 24 and 25 of October 2011 was great. Carmel picked us from our hotel in Jerusalem early in the morning and after that we could just relax and enjoy birds and the sceneries. All the arrangements were excellent. And all inclusive meant really all inclusive - Carmel even paid my beer at the dinner.
The schedule was perfect for us. As I have said to Carmel that I am more interested in low pace birding in new environments than maximizing the number of species he could very well adapt to this.
As a conclusion. Based on my experience I can highly recommend Carmel Birding Tours for anyone who wants to concentrate on bird watching and leave driving and finding places to an experienced local guide.
Juha T. Tanttu, Pensastaskuntie, Finland.
Searching internet I found Carmel Birding Tours web-page and send them an email asking propositions for a 2 days bird watching trip to Northern parts of Israel. The first positive surprise was that Carmel Zitronblat, the owner of Carmel Birding Tours, replied my email very quickly and soon we were able to agree an all-inclusive 2 day birding trip to Beit Shean Valley and Agamon Hula area.
The 2 day trip on 24 and 25 of October 2011 was great. Carmel picked us from our hotel in Jerusalem early in the morning and after that we could just relax and enjoy birds and the sceneries. All the arrangements were excellent. And all inclusive meant really all inclusive - Carmel even paid my beer at the dinner.
The schedule was perfect for us. As I have said to Carmel that I am more interested in low pace birding in new environments than maximizing the number of species he could very well adapt to this.
As a conclusion. Based on my experience I can highly recommend Carmel Birding Tours for anyone who wants to concentrate on bird watching and leave driving and finding places to an experienced local guide.
Juha T. Tanttu, Pensastaskuntie, Finland.
Beit Shean and Hula Valleys : 15-16 /4/2011
With only two days available for birding I decided to hire a guide to maximize my chances of seeing a decent variety of new bird species. Carmel suggested an itinerary that included the Beit Shean and Hula valleys, the Gilboa Mountains and the Golan heights. It was a good suggestion. We did not spend much time driving and enjoyed a quite good diversity of habitats and bird species, with stunning views of European Roller, a calling Black Francolin and his mate, close-up views of several Long-billed Pipts, a cooperative Ferruginous Duck, numerous raptors, dozens of Black and White Storks, a nicely spotted Namaqua Dove and all three reed warbler species. Carmel was an excellent guide – perceptive to my interests and very quick on the bird. A bonus to the trip was very good restaurant choices. I would look forward to birding with Carmel at a future visit and warmly recommend his guiding services.
Magnus Persmark, Oregon, USA
Magnus Persmark, Oregon, USA