Israel Restores Wetlands; Birds Make It Their Winter Home
Like many countries, Israel tried to drain many of its swamplands, then realized it was destroying wildlife habitat. So the country reversed course, and has been restoring the wetlands of the Hula Valley in northern Israel.
The effort has had a huge and rather noisy payoff. Unlike many birding sites, where the creatures take off when you approach them, you can practically touch the cranes that inhabit the Hula Valley.
The thousands upon thousands of the common cranes are about as tall as a toddler and have a 6-foot wing span. They seem totally unperturbed by the sudden arrival of hundreds of gawking tourists, riding in what amounts to a grandstand on wheels.
The grandstand is pulled by a noisy tractor. The driver is a young tour guide. She's explaining that these birds fly thousands of miles from Europe and Asia, stopping here in the Hula Valley for rest and fuel before they head to Africa.
http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172709727/israel-restores-wetlands-birds-make-it-their-winter-home