When we made aliyah, our friends asked us whether we observe the holidays like real Israelis: Do we go on tiyulim during chol hamoed? The intermediate days of Sukkot and Passover are a chance for those of us who don’t drive on Shabbat to see a bit of the country.

Today we learned about some local birds at the national park Afek near Rosh Haayin. This falcon had been injured by a car and treated in a clinic run by the National Parks Authority. Today it was released into the wild, fully cured.

The bird now sports a ring marked “ISRAEL” on its foot, should someone in another country spot it.

We also saw a kingfisher up close. We learned that the Yarkon river, the second largest in Israel, is fed by 2000 streams. We climbed around the massive ancient castle known as Antipatris. My kids played on the equipment and rode the omega. We learned about bird “invaders,” unsuited to Israel’s ecology, who cause damage to wildlife and crops. (An example are those squawking green parrots we’ve seen flying around town known as darara.) We learned why all those birds visit Israel: they need to stay near land to rest and feed, and Israel serves as a natural bridge between the continents. And we learned about the difference between passive and active bird migration.

Toward the end of our visit we spotted this owl:

Enjoy the rest of the holiday.

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