The Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Observatory of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel was brimming with excitement as a tiny bird called the Lesser Whitethroat was caught in one of the nets, complete with a ring on its leg.
Upon inspection, the inscription on the ring - ZOOL. MUS. LITHUANIA - was recorded, and measurements and weight were taken before releasing it back into the wild. The specific bird was branded in Western Lithuania two years ago, and has flown all the way to Israel since, venturing over Eastern European skies on its path.
"We can discover the spectacular migration routes of small songbirds through Israel this season, thanks to the branding," remarked Dr. Yosef Khayat, the director of the Israel Branding Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature.
"It's a rare and thrilling sight, with only one in every 2,000 birds that we check and brand at the station presenting such an opportunity."
The lesser whitethroat (Curruca curruca) is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds in temperate Europe, except the southwest, and in the western and central Palearctic. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, wintering in Africa just south of the Sahara, Arabia and India.
The Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Research Observatory is a unique urban nature site in Israel, where visitors can observe hundreds of thousands of colorful birds all year round.
Located near the Knesset, the research station preserves one of Jerusalem's special natural sites and offers a simple yet touching way for all ages to experience one of the most fascinating natural phenomena.