Autumn Arrives in Israel Despite Heat, Marked by Bird Migration and Blooming Crocuses

Despite unseasonably warm temperatures, signs of autumn are already appearing across Israel, signaling the transition to a new season. Nature's calendar is moving forward, with approximately half a billion birds migrating through Israel on their journey to Africa. Additionally, the first autumn crocuses are beginning to bloom, and experts from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority explain that the shortening daylight hours are triggering the biological clock for autumn.

While the official start of autumn is September 22nd, flora and fauna are not adhering to the human calendar. Birds are migrating from Europe and Central Asia towards Africa, with hundreds of thousands passing over Israel nightly, highlighting the country's position on a major global bird migration route. This migration is driven by dropping temperatures, insects entering dormancy, and small mammals seeking shelter as food sources become scarce due to cold and snow.

Dr. Rotem notes that the first autumn crocus blooms can be observed as early as July, serving as an early herald of the season. This blooming period extends until early November. The plant, like other harbingers of autumn, possesses internal biological clocks that dictate its flowering time. These bulbs, like the crocus's, store nutrients from the previous winter and time their blooms for a period with less competition from other plants, ensuring access to pollinators like bees, flies, and butterflies.

The autumn crocus blooms without leaves, with only a white flower emerging from the ground. Different flowers on the same plant bloom sequentially. Bees, seemingly aware of this, inspect the plants from below, seeking the most mature blossoms. After the crocus finishes blooming in November-December, leaves emerge to replenish the bulbs, which have diminished during the flowering season, preparing them for the following August.