Israel Sustainable Eco Tours.

ISRAEL FARM STAYS, SUSTAINABLE LIVING TOURS AND BIRD WATCHING.

Israel is a must for bird watchers as well as for individuals or groups who want to see how communities can successfully live in harmony with nature. Over time, we aim to foster a culture of environmental justice and sustainability in the wider Israeli social arena, in a common struggle for a sustainable future.

Visits can be arranged to sustainable communities in Negev. Sustainable Community Action for Land and People, visit numerous NGO's that working in the Bedouin and Jewish communities of the Negev. Through analysis, education, and action, they work for fair resource allocation and environmental and social justice for all peoples in the region. Our Center for bird watching is proud to share with you the wonders of birds, bird watching, and birding tours in Israel. Below are links to various pages depicting birding experiences in Israel all around. We could exhaust you with an never-ending list of superlatives, but we prefer that you make your own judgment. Our kibbutz offers a green apprenticeship, alternative building, organic gardens, creative recycling, a bird reserve, wetland preservation. Moreover we can organise eco courses for groups and youths. Alternative building. israel eco tours and farms stays.

Environmental conditions of desert life have throughout the ages necessitated a nomadic life style for those who chose to settle the desert. Attempts to force the desert to yield to human will have not always been successful over the long term. Experiments that try to integrate the natural logic of desert surroundings in architectural and environmental planning have had more success in building sustainable settlement in the desert. Organic gardens are a means to demonstrate how to grow vegetables and herbs, save energy and water consumption, create soil, nurture a cooperative spirit and excite people so much they actually go home and start doing it.

Bird watching in Israel.

Spring is by far the most interesting season for Birdwatching southern Israel. Migration is evident everywhere and just about any green space in the valley is teeming with migrants. The skies fill with awesome flocks of soaring birds and there is a constant trickle of Hirundines and passerines.

The variety of birds is outstanding with many wintering species still around and wave after wave of migrants arrives at our shores as the season progresses. Come enjoy a fully guided spring tour and visit all of southern Israel's birding hotspots at a comfortable pace. Early spring is an excellent time to enjoy Birdwatching southern Israel. The days are sunny but cool and many wintering species are still easy to come by. The lawns on Lotan are full of Bluethroats and other passerines and a large variety of soaring birds use the rift valley as a corridor on their way north. Mid spring promises an excellent variety Suggested spring itineraries

Day 1 - welcome to Lotan , check into rooms, afternoon tour of the kibbutz and ecological projects. After dinner , meet with guide and discuss the next days programs, news from the field etc

Day 2- we will start the day with a leisurely walk around Lotan. In this introductory walk we will get familiar with some of the residents and migrants and also learn about the important birding sites on the premises. Excellent birds await you within minutes of your door. Breakfast will then be taken at the kibbutz dining room. After breakfast we will head south to Eilat, we will visit the Eilat mountains for raptor migration and some hard to come by residents (Sinai Rose finch, Desert Lark, Sand Partridge, Wheatears and more ). We will then head down to the valley and visit such hotspots as the K19 and K20 pools and the Birdwatching Park. Back to Lotan for Lunch and a short break. In the Afternoon we will visit some sites around Yotvata. The sewage pools and Acacia scrub hold a great variety of migrants and some typical desert species. We will bird our way till dusk.

Day 3 - Today is our Negev day. An early start (04:30) is required as we will head up to the remote wilderness of Nizzana. We will spend the morning searching for the enigmatic Macqueen's Bustard and Cream colored Courser. We will then visit an excellent drinking pool for up to 4 species of Sandgrouse and a variety of waders. After thoroughly birding the areas around Nizzana we will head back to the higher reaches of the Negev, to the Sdeh Boker and Mitzpe Ramon areas. These remote desert areas are the last strongholds for Eurasian Griffon and Egyptian Vultures in southern Israel. There is also a real chance of finding the local Bonelli's Eagle pair. We will spend some time round Mitzpe Ramon and the Ramon Crater and marvel at this amazing geological phenomenon. . After a full day of desert birding and a rich species list we will head back to Lotan.

Day 4 - This morning we will head out to explore some areas of open desert in search for Sandgrouse and Larks. Lark migration peaks during March/ April and there is a real chance to easily find 5-6 Lark species in the right habitats, including some rare and sporadic species like Hoopoe, Temminck's and Thick-billed Lark. A generous packed Breakfast will be taken in the field. We will then head up to the southern Negev Plateau to bird the excellent Neot Smadar area (AKA Shizzafon). Back to Lotan for lunch and a short break. In the afternoon we will head back to Eilat and visit the famous North beach for some seabirds and finish the day at a traditional drinking spot for Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse. At the end of the tour we will sit down to compile a full species list. A few more pointers about the spring tours. It is of course recommended to join a full tour but for those interested it is possible to join only the days of your choice. At the beginning of every tour you will have a chance to discuss the program with the leader and work out a program to your liking.

The programs are flexible and the possibilities endless, we are happy when you are. Special night tours for the rare Nubian Nightjar and Hume's Owl are also a possibility but require pre-booking at an additional fee. Contact us for details. The itineraries will vary slightly during early May with the focus being raptor migration over the Mountains and the valley.

Eurasian Honey Buzzards peak at this time and with them pass small numbers of the rare Oriental Honey Buzzard. Most days will start at the Eilat Mountains and once we get our fill of Raptors we will bird the hotspots in the area. May is also an excellent month for passerines and waders with many late sub-Saharan migrants showing up only now.

For the first time visitors among you we recommend coming anywhere between mid March and mid April. This will ensure a wide variety of species in the beautiful setting of the desert spring. For the Real raptor enthusiasts an Early may tour to witness the spectacle of Honey Buzzard migration is a must. Hope to see you in the field. Jonathan Meyrav and the birdingisrael team