Hula Valley Festival
Two Montana regions overlook the area; in the west, the Galilee Mountains,
and to the east, the Golan Heights dominated by the permanently
snow-capped Mount Hermon. Several freshwater rivers join on the slopes of
the latter to feed the Jordan River that is in turn the main water source
of the Hula Valley wetlands.
A nature reserve - the first such protected area to be created in Israel
and one of the world’s most important national parks, encompasses an
ancient area of marsh and papyrus beds, and the last vestiges of the Hula
Lake that once covered 1415 ha.
In 1994, in an attempt to restore additional natural habitat within the
valley, a relatively large area of poor agricultural land, just north of
the existing Hula Reserve, was re-flooded. Not much time elapsed, before
this newly created wetland had become the focus for tens of thousands of
waterfowl, raptors and waders.
Cranes Grus grus
The
ornithological year
The Hula Valley is governed by a typical
middle latitude four-season climate; summer, autumn, winter and spring. It
is difficult to select one of these periods as being the ornithological
highpoint. Autumn migration commences in July with waders returning from
their Arctic breeding grounds, but peaks during September - October when,
in addition, many species of passerines, raptors and storks occur.
Particularly impressive are the huge numbers of water birds that utilize
the area
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