The Agamon Hula Ornithology and Nature Park in the Hula Valley is bordered by the Golan Heights to the east and the Naphtali Range to the west. This seemingly quiet and innocuous swampy landscape is one of the premiere bird migration spots in the world.
The lake was formed when volcanic actions plugged the Jordan River, stopping it from flowing into the Sea of Galilee. This "plug" caused marshlands to form, and the fresh water attracted migrating birds in an otherwise dry landscape.
Birds you'll see depend on the season in which you visit, but the park is known for large flocks of gray cranes and storks, as well as gray herons, egrets, cormorants, and pelicans that travel to and from Russia, Asia, Scandinavia, Lake Victoria, and South Africa.
Visiting the Hula
Guests leave their cars at the visitor's center and opt for one of the transportation options offered by the park: bikes (some of them suitable for multiple riders), golf-carts, and a safari van. Guided tours are available, and well worth the time: You'll learn about the habits of migrating birds, the history of the region, and the environmental issues.
As with much wildlife viewing, early morning and late afternoon are the best times. At sunset, thousands of birds swoop down from the skies to settle in for the night.
Environmental History in the Hula Valley
The peaceful sunset set belies the work, negotiation and environmental issues that have affected this wetland after it was drained in the 1950s to create farmland. A series of environmental imbalances unfolded, including peat sediment degradation, uncontrollable underground fires, infestations of field mice, and the release of nitrates and sulfates. One of the Middle East's richest aquatic environments lost 119 animal species; some plants became extinct.
A small swampland that had originally been set aside to counter environmental concerns; became, in 1963, Israel’s first nature reserve, but it wasn't enough to reverse the damage. Finally, from 1980 to 1994, the Jewish National Fund inaugurated a program to reverse the damage of the original reclamation project and rehabilitate the Hula. Work began, and in 1994, part of the southern Hula Valley was reflooded to create Agamon HaHula -- "Little Hula Lake," which now serves as a protected nesting and resting site.
Unfortunately, the birds that were now attracted to the area ate the farmers crops and saw no reason to leave.
Imbar Rubin, a guide at the park, explains that the solution to getting rid of the birds, ironically, rested in feeding them. A 700-dunem field was give by the farmers for raising corn, which was then fed to the cranes. Cranes are fed during the migration, and the feeding ceases when the birds would naturally resume their journey. With the "bird buffet" ended, the birds leave and the farmers can plant and harvest the land without having the birds eat everything."
The lake is preserved as a tourist attraction which brings in birdwatchers and families and tourist shekels. Everyone wins. Which, in this conflicted land, is a sign of hope.
Karen Berger - Karen Berger is the author of 15 books. Please click on her name to read her full bio.
