Tsor`a valley
Sorek stream (Nahal Sorek) starts at Jerusalem mountains and on its way to the Mediterranean sea passes through Tsor`a valley (near Beit Shemesh).
I saw an article that told about big variety of animals (mostly birds, but there was footage of foxes as well). Unfortunately, it’s very hard to find any info in the internet. So, basically I went without any preparation and know how.
Map of the area:
Tsor’a valley is used for agriculture:
There are many birds in this area, but without knowing specific points, you can spend hours till finding them. Also, big part of the Sorek stream was blocked and you couldn’t get close to it.
Deir Rafat monastery on top of the hill:
Spur-winged lapwing:
The bird got its name because of a spur (a small claw) hidden in each of its wings. They are also very loud and it’s hard to miss them.
Anemone coronaria, AKA poppy anemone is called Calanit metzouya in Hebrew. Which means common bride. The calanit earned its name because of its beauty and majesty, evoking a bride on her wedding day. It was also elected as the national flower of the State of Israel, in a poll arranged by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
After lunch I’ve photographed Beit Shemesh train passage (long exposure using ND filter):
I’ve just got ND filter and wanted to check it out. But, this photo doesn’t pass well the idea of traffic 🙁
Overall it’s a nice place for a trip, but if you want fully enjoy it you’ll need a guide. Israeli Nature and Parks Authority holds guided tours from time to time.
Also, there were talks about destroying this area (for modern construction, I think), so double check before heading there.
To find more about birds in Israel visit birds category.
That’s all for today. Hope you enjoyed this post and I’ll see you in future travels!
Stay Tuned!
Additional Resources
Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:
- Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
- What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
- Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
- Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.