The east coast, with the Hajar Mountains
in the background.
The view from Jacky's apartment.
The man himself!
I drove over to Bidiyah on the east coast to stay with Jacky Judas for the weekend of 22nd -24th November. We hadn't seen each other for a while & had a lot of catching up to do! The next morning we drove south to Fujairah Port Beach & explored the small wetland there as well as the nearby sea & beach.
There are small pools of freshwater hidden here.
Common Moorhen, were plentiful
in this small wetland.
Common Tern
Red wattled Lapwing
Black winged Stilt
Common Redshank
This individual had a yellowish tint
to its legs & feet.
Common Sandpiper
Best birds:
1 Grey Heron; 1 Striated Heron; 25+ Common Moorhen; 4 Black winged Stilt; 1 Red wattled Lapwing; 1 Common Snipe; 4 Common Sandpiper; 1 Green Sandpiper; 3 Common Redshank; 1 Common Tern; 1 Clamorous Reed Warbler; 1 Citrine Wagtail.
How things have changed!
European Black headed Gulls.
All the dead animals & birds along this beach are a by product of fishing. They use fine mesh nets where everything is caught & many unintended species drown.
Best birds:
62 Persian Shearwater; 1 Western Reef Heron; 2 Great Cormorant; 14 Socotra Cormorant; 71 Slender billed Gull; 30 Black headed Gull; 10 Bridled Tern; 12 Lesser crested Tern; 69 Common Tern; 7 White cheeked Tern; 3 Kentish Plover.
The dramatic entrance to the wadi.
Fujairah Tennis Club Dam
This dam had just filled in response to recent rains.
This dam had just filled in response to recent rains.
It is normally dry.
Short toed Eagle
A rare resident in the UAE,
as well as an uncommon passage migrant.
The changing light makes a huge difference
to the plumage of the bird.
Potential prey for the Eagle!
Sparse vegetation in the bottom of the wadi.
Species diversity here is low.
Jacky birding the wadi.
Red tailed Wheatear
A common winter visitor in this habitat.
Hume's Wheatear
Wadi Ham
Osprey
Me, checking out the waders
in the harbour.
Striated Heron
Lesser crested Tern
Common Greenshank
Sanderling
Wamm Farms.
Brown necked Ravens
Little Green Bee-eater
Variable Wheatear
Striolated Bunting
Purple Sunbird
Daurian Shrike
White Wagtail
to the plumage of the bird.
Best birds:
10 Mallard; 2 Northern Shoveler; 1 Northern Pintail; 1 Eurasian Wigeon; 5 Black winged Stilt; 1 Short toed Eagle; 2 Humes Wheatear; 1 Red tailed Wheatear; 1 Eastern Black Redstart; 3 Desert Lark; 27 Striolated Bunting.
Great Egret
Common Redshank
Best birds:
2 Little Grebe; 2 Great Egret; 2 Grey Heron; 1 Osprey; 17 Mallard; 4 Northern Pintail; 11 Common Teal; 1 Common Pochard; 31 Black winged Stilt; 3 Red wattled Lapwing; 1 Common Snipe; 1 Green Sandpiper; 8 Common Redshank.
Kalba Harbour, at low tide.
in the harbour.
Best birds:
1 Striated Heron; 2 Great Cormorant; 74 Slender billed Gull; 23 Black headed Gull; 7 Sooty Gull; 4 Steppe Gull; 70 Lesser crested Tern; 2 Greater crested Tern; 76 Common Tern; 3 Sandwich Tern; 2 Whimbrel; 16 Eurasian Oystercatcher; 4 Grey Plover; 3 Common Ringed Plover; 49 Lesser sand Plover; 16 Greater sand Plover; 65 Kentish Plover; 4 Common Redshank; 1 Common Greenshank; 3 Common Sandpiper; 1 Dunlin; 4 Sanderling.
A quick look at Kalba Corniche in the evening produced 6 Persian Shearwater; 1 Arctic Skua; 1 Great Black headed Gull & 12 Saunder's Little Tern.
Arctic Skua
A quick look at Kalba Corniche in the evening produced 6 Persian Shearwater; 1 Arctic Skua; 1 Great Black headed Gull & 12 Saunder's Little Tern.
Best birds:
1 Amur Falcon; 1 Black eared Kite; 1 Quail; 1 Ruff; 1 Common Snipe; 14 Brown necked Raven; 3 Eurasian Skylark; 1 Richard's Pipit; 8 Tawny Pipit; 6 Water Pipit; 2 Red throated Pipit; 1 Variable Wheatear; 1 Isabelline Wheatear; 4 Desert Wheatear; 1 Bluethroat; 4 Daurian Shrike; 1 Corn Bunting.
