As drums of war set a thunderous tune, our feathered friends are seeking refuge elsewhere, which is evidenced by the delayed arrival of the first crane flock — consisting of several families — which flew in to the Hula Lake Park in the early hours of Monday.
Late last month, the first family of these migrating grey-winged birds, numbering four, was spotted near the lake's pools. The following night, a pair arrived, yet their calls have since fallen silent, causing concern for Einbar Shlomit Rubin, the area manager at Hula Lake, who described this week's sighting as a “moment of grace.”
A few cranes arrive up north
(Video: Hula Valley)
“They arrived exceptionally late this year, and I have no idea why. There are many guesses,” Rubin noted. “Usually, by this time, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cranes, but this year, nothing. We don't even hear them passing overhead at night. Yesterday, there were 60 cranes, and I hope more arrive tonight and in the coming evenings.”
Last year, as the migration season began, cranes arrived amid the war that erupted in the sourth. This year, however, they face an even more “noisy” reality, with intensified fighting in Lebanon and Hezbollah terrorists firing into Israeli territory.
“War is not a safe or good environment for humans, and certainly not for nature, animals and birds,” Rubin expressed with sorrow. “Perhaps it's better that the cranes bypass us now, continuing without stopping to rest or winter here. Maybe I shouldn’t remain either, but this is my home, and I have nowhere else to go, so I choose to stay.”
Rubin's feelings are mixed. Annually, about 50,000 cranes winter at the lake, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors eager to witness the joyful calls of these grey-winged symbols of the Upper Galilee. Yet the visitor center has been desolate for over a year. “Last year, despite the booms and gunfire, the cranes stayed. But now we face a different reality. I want them to be wherever is safest for them and trust they will make the best decision for themselves,” she said.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone:
Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE
Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv