If you’re looking for cute and feathery, how about this one: the annual ceremony to welcome back the flocks of nesting swifts to the Western Wall (HaKotel)!
This year’s ceremony took place earlier this evening (24th April), at the Western Wall Plaza.
You might not know this, but the Western Wall is one of the oldest swift breeding sites in the world, with up to 80-90 nests found in the wall each year! And even when the Western Wall went through some strengthening, the unique nooks and crannies used by the swifts were kept in place.
The common swift is a pretty intense flying machine, and spends most of its life in the air, even when eating and sleeping. They are pretty amazing fliers too, known for their aerial acrobats. Most of the year they spend in South Africa, flying north in the Spring to their favorite breeding sites.
Israel is fast becoming a mecca for international birdwatchers, with popular birdwatching festivals in Eilat and the Hula Valley every migratory season.
Welcome back swifties!