A quick visit to the UAE

 Delana & I flew to Abu Dhabi on the evening of 15th January arriving late evening, where Clare picked us up. The flight was uneventful but packed!  It was wonderful to see Clare again after almost a year apart. 

Hi!

Dogs are important in Clare's house!

The next morning I visited the bank, then Delana & I walked around Mushrif Palace Gardens without seeing very much. Best birds were: Crested Honey Buzzard; Arabian Green Bee-eater & a scattering of both Chiffchaff & Lesser Whitethroats. 

At The Vista Restaurant.

We spent the rest of the day at The Club & met up with Ahmed, Clare & Maarten for drinks & dinner. We also organized the boat trip for the next morning. 

Delana & Clare with Clare's car. 

Our transport for the week.

We are off!

Clare & me!

We quickly left the city behind.

A lot of the islands are quite small,

 some have been planted with mangroves.

Our little boat for the day. 

It was really nice & very comfortable.

Western Reef Heron, white phase.

Dark phase.

Heuglin's Gull

Slender billed Gulls.

Caspian Tern, with three species of Gulls.

Gull-billed Tern

Hunting for Crabs.

And being very successful!

Bar tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Curlew

Greater Sand Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Ruddy Turnstone

Feral Pigeon, which are common

 on these offshore islands.

Desert Hyacinth.

Everyone enjoyed a lovely day out & a big thumbs up for Maarten! It was nice to be back in the groove!

Wood Sandpiper

Little Stints

Temminck's Stint

Crested Lark.

On the 18th January Delana & I made a morning trip to Al Wathba Camel Racetrack. It is an arid wasteland these days, but it did have a small flooded area with a few birds on it.

We then came home, got washed & changed & had drinks at David & Lorraine's apartment overlooking the sea on Saadiyat Island. It was a most enjoyable evening. 

We took the dogs out for the day 

& they had a great time!

No White-eyed Gull here!

That evening we all went out again.

The next day 19th January we all had a run out to the east coast, driving through some great & varied scenery. My secret agenda was to try & see the White-eyed Gull in Khor Kalba Harbour. But it was not to be!

Looking down from Jebel Hafeet.

It was a glorious winters day.

Arabian Partridge has been introduced here

 & is common.

Female Sand Partridge.

Egyptian Vulture

This Feral Cat, certainly has

 some Gordon's Wild Cat genes in it!

Indian Roller

Coughing up a pellet.

Blue Rock Thrush

Quite a common winter visitor to the mountains.

Hume's Wheatear

Eastern Black Redstart

White eared Bulbul

White Spectacled Bulbul

Desert Lark

Indian Silverbill

The 20th January was our last day in the UAE. We drove to Al Ain & explored around Jebel Hafeet. It was nice to be back in old haunts & after some casual birding we met up with Huw & Marion for a late lunch at the Al Ain Golf Course.

Then it was all about packing & our last night with Clare & Ahmed. Far too short a trip.

As an addendum to this trip we made a short stop over in Vanderbijl Park to catch up with Angie & Ryan who were over from Australia on a short holiday. Great to see them again & in such good form as well!