In the West Bank and Gaza, a growing number of birdwatchers are pursuing their hobby despite the dangers of the conflict
itting in the shade of an olive tree in the valley of Ein Qiniya, north-west of Ramallah, the wildlife photographer and birdwatcherstarts to enumerate the birds he can spot. Swifts and swallows flit and swoop, a short-toed eagle hovers in the distance, a jay perches on an olive branch and a kestrel returns to its nest in the limestone cliffs.
“The migration hasn’t stopped,” says Shuaibi. “These birds, despite the war, they are still coming. And it gives us hope.”Shuaibi, who works as a shop assistant in Ramallah, took up birdwatching about a decade ago. Over the years he has struggled with the lack of funds, the difficulty of getting equipment, and restrictions of movement imposed on Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank. But recent months have been the most difficult and dangerous he can remember.
Positioned between Africa, Europe and Asia, this region is a bottleneck and an important stopover for hundreds of migratory species travelling between their wintering grounds and breeding sites.Birds continue soaring over Gaza, even as Israeli bombardment of the strip continues.
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