As I’ve written about often before, Tell es-Safi/Gath and its surroundings are not only chock-full of fascinating cultural aspects, but are also very rich from a natural point of view, including a wide variety of flora and fauna. Particularly impressive is the rich range of wild birds that can be seen in and around the site.
Here are several pictures that I took on two different occasions of Stone Curlews (or Eurasian Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus – in Hebrew it is called the כרוון) that like to hang out in and around the trees in the small valley to the south of the tell (next to the dirt road leading towards the parking area for Area F).
Notice how the bird’s camouflage so perfectly blends in with the surroundings, both when it is in the sunlight, or in the shade. Beautiful!
And here is a pair of the curlews – eyeing my quite suspiciously from the shade:
You do have to admit that these birds do look a little funny – a bug-eyed version of the “Road Runner”…
Aren
The Bird is the Word
If you say so…
We sing it….