Cranes Arrive in Northern Israel, Signaling Start of Migration Season

The first group of cranes has arrived at Lake Hula in northern Israel, marking the beginning of the autumn migration season. Specialists explained on the morning of October 5 that while this year's migration is slightly delayed, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds are expected in the coming days. Inbar Shlomit-Rubin, an employee at the Agamon Hula Nature Reserve, stated that the cranes stopping at the lake primarily come from northern Russia, with smaller flocks also arriving from Finland and Estonia. She noted that the Russian cranes are the most numerous. Some of the birds will continue their journey to Africa, while others will overwinter in Israel due to the abundant food and fresh water available. Shlomit-Rubin could not definitively explain the delay in the migration, suggesting it might be due to shifted biological clocks, as the first groups typically arrive in the last ten days of September. Experts speculate that hot weather in Europe could be a contributing factor, though this remains a hypothesis. The annual bird migration attracts many Israelis, with special observation areas set up at the lake for visitors to view the birds over the next few weeks.