The Last Week of March

The weather has not been good recently, high winds and lots of sand flying around makes looking for migrants challenging, to say the least! I am very anxious to get some of those scarce migrants under my belt but migration has come to a bit of a stop. Very frustrating!

Monday saw me meeting up with Robin to wander around Mushrif Palace Gardens and the Abu Dhabi Racecourse. It was grey, overcast and blowing a bit of a gale. However, slowly but surely, we added birds; 3 Masked Shrikes; Turkestan & Woodchat Shrikes; Black-eared, Pied and Isabelline Wheatears were all seen before we entered the wood.

Alexandrine Parakeet 

This species is getting more abundant 

each year in the city.

A pair of Eurasian Kestrels are in residence in the area

 & look as if they will breed.

Grey Francolin is both expanding its range

 & increasing its numbers,

 as it benefits from continued urbanisation

& the creation of green areas in cities.

A Grey Francolin's nest, containing five eggs.

A Grey Francolin exploded from beneath our feet, revealing a nest with five eggs inside. It is in quite an exposed position, so I am not too happy about the chances of breeding success.

A female Masked Shrike.

Isabelline Wheatear

 Despite the dark and gloomy conditions, at least 12 Menetries Warblers were present, together with a Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaffs and 4 Eastern Olivaceous Warblers. A bit of a surprise was a lone Plain Leaf Warbler in the back wood. 2 wintering Song Thrush have yet to migrate north.

Plain Leaf Warbler is a scarce

passage migrant on the island.

The very similar looking Chiffchaff.

A Wryneck played hide and seek with us and I think it won the contest!

Eurasian Wryneck, trying very hard not to be seen!

The racecourse was quiet: the best were a fine male Desert Wheatear and a Citrine Wagtail.

A few Desert Wheatears are still around.

 The pair of Little Grebes are now feeding two chicks, which is a very good local breeding record. Just as it was getting dark a Squacco Heron flew right down in front of us, giving excellent views.

0 species added (245 species total): 80kms travelled.

Tuesday afternoon saw Robin & I having a quick look at Sadiyat Island Golf Course. A few migrants around, including Black-eared Wheatear & 25 Pale Rockfinch.  3 Arabian (Mountain) Gazelle were also seen.

A young male Arabian Gazelle - still hanging on,

 now in developed habitat.

We then continued north to Ajban, to look for the resident Little Owls. They performed nicely!

Little Owls.

1 species added (246 total): 120 kms travelled.

Wednesday after work, saw me meeting up with Jan & her friends from the UK. We had a stroll around Mushrif Palace Gardens. It was a hot and sultry afternoon, with not a breath of wind, in marked contrast to the gales we experienced a few hours previously.

Very few migrants were around, the pick of the bunch being 4 Masked Shrikes; a Tree Pipit; 2 Black-eared Wheatears; an Ehrenerg's Redstart and an early Barred Warbler. I quick look at AD Racecourse produced a Common Quail feeding out in the open! Now that is a rarity!

It was nice to meet people from Yorkshire!

1 species added (247 total ): 80kms travelled.

Friday saw me guiding Dick Bianca from  Holland. Our first stop was the Fujairah National Dairy Farm at Dibba.

FNDF with the grand Hajar Mountains as a backdrop.



Justin joined us for the foot slog around the Goat Farm. Migrants were hard to find, but persistance paid off with 2 Common Quail; Pintail Snipe; 2 Blyth's Pipits; an incredible 9 Steppe Grey Shrikes and 2 Pale Rockfinch. A Common Whitethroat was the first of the year for me.The star bird was the Eastern Cattle Egret, which once it gains summer plumage becomes visible again!

Eastern Cattle Egret

Recognised as a full species by the IOC. Surely, to be recognised as a full species soon by the Middle Eastern authorities?

A quick trip to Kalba Mangroves revealed 6 Arabian Kingfishers heard & seen by some! 4 Sykes's Warblers were singing and one was eventually seen by all.

Arabian Kingfisher

All too soon, it was time to board the boat, for our pelagic off Kalba. It was nice to see Abdulla & be back on the boat again. Eight of us assembled & we set off in high spirits.

Judging by Jacky's face,

this was one of those quiet moments!



We didn't go far before seeing our first Persian Shearwaters. We had great views of several large groups totalling over 250 individuals.

Persian Shearwater

Groups of Red necked Phalaropes were an attractive feature, dotted across the open ocean. They will be gathering now, ready for their long migration north next month.

Red necked Phalaropes

Still in winter plumage, these birds are going

to be around for a while!

 Sooty Gull

Lesser crested Tern

Large groups of both Sooty Gulls & Lesser crested Terns are gathering, before moving to the Arabian Gulf for breeding. 7 Arctic Skuas were preying on the terns, they proved boat shy though.

Arctic Skua

Arctic Skua just before...

The more usual view of a skua from a boat!

The highlight of the trip was in the last hour (as usual)! A very early Sooty Shearwater. A great bird to get on the year list as one has only a small window of opportunity to see this southern hemisphere breeder.

Sooty Shearwater 

Sooty Shearwater is now recorded regularly in spring

 off the east coast of the UAE.

2 species added (249 total): 725 kms travelled by car & c60kms by boat!

Saturday was supposed to be a day off birding. But, the best laid plans often go astray & so it proved today! Khalifa was back at work in Jebel Dhanna & reported both the Kurdistan Wheatear & Spotted Crake still present. The crake had been found by Neil a few days previously and I had resisted the urge to travel all that way yet again! Not much resistance today though! I was off!

Me on my day off from birding!

I arrived at JD & started working the habitats around the Danat Hotel.  Migrants were everywhere: I managed to flush a lone European Nightjar; 4 species of Wheatear; 3 Common Redstart; 7 Lesser Whitethroat; a Menetries Warbler; Willow Warbler; a late Eastern Orphean Warbler; 4 Tree & 6 Red throated Pipits; 3 Pale Rockfinch and excellent views of a young Southern Grey Shrike, which had just recently fledged.

An early migrant - European Nightjar

Desert Wheatear

Pale Rockfinch

I visited the nearby marsh, which was after all, the main purpose of my visit. Khalifa gave me excellent directions, but after two fruitless hours I still hadn't connected with it. I began to wander further afield. 19 Greater Short-toed Larks; 20 Pale Rockfinch; another Willow Warbler among ten Chiffchaffs; Siberian Stonechat; Steppe Grey & Woodchat Shrikes;a fine male Black crowned Sparrow-lark. 3 male Ortolan Buntings flew in, giving prolonged views. I went back to the favoured crake spot. I played the tape. Nothing! Khalifa arrived & we got a response to the tape. We went in! After what seemed like an eternity we both saw it run across a gap in the reeds, agitated at the tape. Spotted Crake in the bag!

Siberian Stonechat

One of three male Ortolan Buntings

We went into the plantation at the foot of the mountain. The Kurdistan Wheatear proved elusive at first. But we eventually saw it well, if a little distantly. The first time I had viewed it in good light. And what a star bird!

The star -showing well!

A Red rumped swallow flew over. We went up the hill to check the fodder fields: 4 Willow Warblers; 2 Rufous tailed Rock Thrush being the best. And then I picked up a European Crag Martin flying over. A tick for Khalifa!

European Crag Martin

It was now time to get back on the road. It is a long slog back to Abu Dhabi, but I was very happy! Two really good year birds on the list! A nice day out and thanks for your companionship, Khalifa.

4 species added (253 total): 420 kms travelled.

A recently fledged Southern Grey Shrike

The Weekend

Friday saw Robin & I hammering it up to the Fujairah National Dairy Farm. We arrive bang on time, at dawn. It is grey and overcast, not much stirs. A lone female Hen Harrier, sits hunched in the field. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk passes by. But not much else, just a scattering of the usual migrants. An early Blue-cheeked Bee-eater glides overhead. Along the roadside are 60+ Pale Rockfinch and Steppe Grey & Woodchat Shrikes.

The farm, a vagrant trap

between the mountains & the coast.

Pale Rockfinch.

We enter the farm proper and meet up with Andrew Tywman. We split up and the search for migrants begins. 3 Blyth's Pipits, 2 Richards Pipits and a Siberian Stonechat being the best. Then I spot a summer plumage Sociable Plover which livens up proceedings a little. We cross the road & enter the Goat Farm, 85 Greater Short-toed Larks circle us. A distant Wryneck perches on top of a bush. A fine White-spotted Bluethroat perches for all to see. But that is about it.

It is now time to leave and drive to Khor al Beidhae for the high tide. We arrive and the birds are close. 305 Bar-tailed Godwits and 5 Great Knots being the highlights. A summer plumage Little Tern is an early migrant & a Lesser Short-toed Lark flies by. We drive home, a little disappointed from the day.

2 species added (total 244 species): 540 kms travelled.

The next day I was guiding Manfred & Annamarie Gotz in Al Ain. It was a pleasant day out, with the usual suspects on view. Strangely, there were hardly any migrants to be seen.

Annamarie & Manfred enjoying the sunshine.

The imposing Jebel Hafeet.

The road to the top of the mountain.

Zakher Pools.

Blue Rock Thrush in the garden

 of the Mecure Hotel.

A very high Barbary Falcon flew overhead, the odd Egyptian Vulture flew by. Arabian Partridge and lots of Chukars were feeding on the grass. The Environmental Agency has introduced these birds here and they are everywhere!

One of the many introduced Chukars.

1 species added (245 total): 340kms travelled. 

The Wheatear Bonanza!

It is Thursday morning and I am in Robin’s office. We are chatting about Khalifa’s great find, of a male Finch’s Wheatear at Jebel Dhanna, the first for many years. We had planned to go birding locally on the island, but what if we could get to JD this afternoon? It is a long way, but we decided to risk it.

It is 3.30 pm & I am all revved up & Robin arrives. The first bit of road is slow, but then we eat up the miles. Khalifa is there waiting for us. After a couple of anxious minutes, we spot the bird, sat atop the perimeter fence. For the next few minutes we enjoy good views of it flitting around. I stomp around the field looking for other migrants while Khalifa & Robin report the bird flew onto nearby rocks. It must have gone to roost early, as it was never seen again!

A fine male Finch's Wheatear

 Photos courtesy of Khalifa.

A fine male Lesser Kestrel surveys the grass from his lofty perch. 50+ Eurasian Skylarks + Pied, Red-tailed, Black-eared, Northern and Isabelline Wheatears are the other migrants present.

It is getting dark & I am anxious to return home, as Carol had just finished work & was now on holiday for the next two weeks. She has plans! Khalifa drives ahead, to attend to formalities at the gate. It is now quite dark; I put my binoculars away, in readiness for the long drive home. Then Robin asks innocently, what is that bird on the rock over there? I ask for his binoculars, I fumble with the focussing, and then I see it! A male Kurdistan Wheatear! I jump out of the car, wave frantically to Khalifa but he is now on the open highway! A rapid phone call & he turns around, but as all rare things do, it had vanished! The search begins & looked hopeless, as it is now really dark. Khalifa spots something in the trees & it is the bird. Camera’s click & we put out the news. We smile all the way home!

A male Kurdistan Wheatear. Nice!

Photo courtesy of Khalifa.

I really can’t believe our good fortune. We go for one rare bird and come away with two. I am now ready for the weekend!

3 species added (total 242 species): 490kms travelled.

The Ides of March

The Ides of March is strictly speaking, the middle of the month but here, I use it in a slighlty broader sense. The middle of March is typically a time, when new migrants are flooding in, on their way to get to their northern breeding grounds. Birds appear & disappear fast, few staying for longer than a day. It can prove a trying time for the year lister, as you often have to be in more than one place at once, with migrants being scattered over a wide area. There are some uncommon but key species to record, which are often easier to see in spring, than any other time of year. So, it is a busy time for all. This is how I got on.

The natural desert, south-west of Madinat Zayed.

Sunday saw me in the central desert, looking into a sandstorm! A retreat into the green areas of Madinat Zayed produced a few migrants: Hoopoes; Woodchat & Turkestan Shrikes, 2 Tree Pipits, various species of wheatears etc.

Hoopoe, with an ant!

Woodchat Shrike

Turkestan Shrikes are pouring north,

in good numbers at the moment.

After work, I visited Sadiyat Island Golf Course looking for the Cinereous Bunting but without success. By now it was a roaring gale and both myself and the migrants were struggling against the strong wind. A good selction of species were again recorded, best being 60 Pale Rockfinch.

As a side show, I saw two new birds for my garden list here in Mohammed Bin Zayed City. When I arrived home, both Black-eared & Northern Wheatear were sat, side by side on my wall.

0 species added (238 total): 520 kms travelled.

I managed to get a couple of hours birding around Mushrif Palace Gardens on Monday afternoon.  It was excellent, with a wide variety of migrants recorded:
Crested Honey Buzzard; Wryneck; Masked Shrike; Caspian Stonechat; 2 Orphean Warblers; Lesser Whitethroat; 9 Menetries Warblers and new for the year, Blackcap.

1 species added (239 total): 340 kms travelled.

Tuesday afternoon after work, was a quick trip to the Emirates Palace Hotel. Searching for migrants in the company of Oscar & Robin. It was still very windy, with a lot of dust in the air, which made visibilty quite poor at first. But then the wind stopped blowing & it was suddenly quite hot & very pleasant, walking around the grounds. Good numbers of migrants included 5 Steppe Grey Shrikes; 5 Woodchat Shrikes; 12 Turkestan & 4 Daurian Shrikes; a Rufous-tailed Rockthrush; amazingly 5 Back-eared Wheatears; 2 Pale Rockfinches and pride of place, went to an adult Rose-coloured Starling cavourting on the lawn.

A female Rufous-tailed Rockthrush.

Pale Rockfinch, a nomadic species,
 which visits us in varying numbers
 every spring and sometimes in the fall.

Rose-coloured Starling was a welcome surprise.

0 species added (239 total): 80 kms travelled.

Saturday saw me travelling to Lulu Island in search of Grey Hypocolius. We were not to be disappointed, with several flocks totalling at least 85+ birds. The flocks were flighty, but eventually everyone got good views down the telescope. 4 Blue Rock Thrush & a Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush were the other highlights.

A fine male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.



In the afternoon a quick trip to the Emirates Palace Hotel revealed 3 Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush; a Blue Rock Thrush; 4 Black-eared Wheatears & 6 Woodchat Shrike. Nice birding but nothing new for my year list.

0 species added (239 total): 80 kms travelled.

Monday saw me birding Mushrif Palace Gardens, the AD Racecourse & the Officer's Club. Migrants were much fewer in number, than in the previous week, but several quality species were seen well: 2 Crested Honey Buzzards; 2 Masked Shrikes and a superb adult male Peregrine were the highlights.

0 species added (239 total): 80 kms travelled.

The soothsayer speaking to Caesar, beware the Ides of March. Is equally applicable to the year lister!

Fluctuating fortunes!

It is now March, and migrants are flooding in. But before I can to grips with all these new arrivals, there is some old business to be completed. While I was away, two absolute mega-rarities were found: Black-naped Oriole & Ashy Drongo. The former species is a new record for the UAE!

Friday, saw myself, Robin & Hazim driving north at dawn, first to scabland & then on to Safa Park. The small pool unfortunately, held no Red-crested Pochards this morning. We arrived at Safa Park & it was packed with people, already. We scoured the wood for the oriole, but with no success. So we walked across to try for the Hume's leaf-warbler. I briefly saw it & also heard it, but the others dipped. Mark, then joined us & we saw it briefly, to everyone's satisfaction. It was time to move on.

A quick inspection of the Dubai Pivot Fields produced a Pale Martin, Turkestan Shrike & the calcarata race of Citrine Wagtail (another first for the UAE)!

The day heated up & a stop in the desert produced nothing of interest. Ain al Faydah appeared on the surface to be very quiet indeed. Two adult Crested Honey Buzzards were flushed from thier mid-day slumber and then Robin pulled the bird out of his hat! Slight movement turned into cold hard certainty & we all obtained great views of the Ashy Drongo fly-catching. Nice one Robin!

Ashy Drongo.

Arabian Partridge has been introduced into this area,

 & seems to be thriving.

A quick look over Zakker Pools produced the 4 Greater Whitefronted Geese, but nothing new. We returned home happy, with a nice day out.

4 species added (227 total) 500 kms travelled.

Saturday dawned, with Carol talking to Graham of ticker fame. I was in bed, but before Carol could finish the sentence containing Greater Stone Plover, I was on my feet, running around in circles! Clothes, bins & scope & I was gone, only just remembering to open the garage doors! Twenty five minutes later, I was smiling, looking at the bird standing quite close. A first for the UAE in the bag!
Graham & Mark had arrived at dawn, played a tape & it materialised out of the fog! Congratulations boys!

The heroes- Mr & Mr Smug!

Oscar (who never twitches of course) arrived, as did Mr Lulu and eventually Simon. Mr Lulu decided on a last minute sprint, which was quite entertaining, if not graceful!

Greater Stone Plover- honest!

My digi-scoping effort!

The best I could do!

The Happy Gang, this is their best side!

A fine male, Pied Wheatear, was a year tick. A big thank you to Mr & Mr Smug!

2 species added (229 total): 60kms travelled.

A Saturday afternoon jaunt to the Emirates Palace Hotel, with Andrew and Oscar, was slightly marred, by the rising storm: strong winds & blowing dust, didn't help the birding. However, I spotted 2 Buff-bellied Pipits among the Water Pipit crowd; strangely, both in full winter plumage, where as all the Water Pipits were coming strongly into summer plumage. Perhaps, this is indicative, of the varying distance these birds have to migrate?

A Hume's Leaf-warbler called and we eventually obtained fleeting views, among the strongly swaying trees. A nice male Caspian Stonechat provided great views, despite the increasingly bad weather. The best of the rest, was a fine Steppe Grey Shrike.

With ever increasing darkening skies, I high-tailed it home.

0 species added (229 total): 80kms travelled.

A Tuesday afternoon walk around Abu Dhabi Island, with Oscar & Robin was very productive. Combined total of migrants for MPG's; Racecourse & the Officier's Club was quite impressive in both species & numbers:

1 Gr. White-fronted Goose; 1 Crested Honey Buzzard; 9 Daurian Shrike; 3 Steppe Grey Shrike; 1 Masked Shrike; 5 Woodchat Shrike; 1 Red-rumped Swallow; 1 Common House Martin; 1 samamiscus Common Redstart; 3 Eastern Black Redstart; 2 Caspian Stonechat + 1 female variegatus/armenicus; 9 Northern Wheatear; 16 Pied Wheatear; 1 Eastern Black-eared Wheatear; 11 Isabelline Wheatear; 1 Song Thrush; 8 Tawny Pipit & 4 Water Pipit (new year birds,in bold).

4 species added (233 total): 75 kms travelled.

The British Embassy has issued its high risk of terrorism threat here in Abu Dhabi. The next level of notification is evacuation. But have no fear good people. In their wisdom, the authorities have ordered a fleet of ships to be on standby (just in case). The good news is that they will be captained by Italian Captains, who in the true tradition of Italian naval tradition, have none of this women & children first nonsense! This is very good news for us birders, as we can just push the women & children into the sea, if necessary. Thereby, having the opportunity of increasing our lists in the future.

A view across a small part of Al Wathba Lake.

Wednesday afternoon saw me birding around Al Wathba Lake. The flock of Greater Flamingoes was as impressive as ever; c1,600 birds and around seventy active nests. 7 Marsh Harriers, a Pallid Harrier and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk cruised over head, causing a bit of anxiety in the flamingo flocks, who honked their disapproval, everytime a bird of prey circled overhead. The Eurasian Golden Plover was still on its favourite bit of sand, in the middle of the lake. A cracking full summer plumage Rose-coloured Starling flew by and that was about it! Not one hirundine came in to roost - nothing!

0 species added (233 total): 70 kms travelled.

On Thursday evening Carol & I drove up to Dubai to attend Simon's 40th birthday bash. A very nice time was had by all. Good to meet his Mum & Dad, see the video his brother made (he!he!he!) and well done to Grace for organising things so well.

Friday morning was shopping hell in the mall. I sat with other men, outside of the ladies fitting room (how inappropriate is that? Because those expensive things they all try on, never really fit, do they)? These men all had various things in common, sad, defeated eyes, looking at nothing in particular, until a lady appears & approaches them. Briefly their eyes shine and they nod and smile, in the vain hope that she will pick one and then escape becomes a possibility. However, they normally go back in to this void, before re-emerging again about 20 minutes later and the same scenario unfolds. One strange aspect of this ritual, is that all the men clutch handbags, mine was a very nice dove grey colour. You don't see this too often in life, at least not in the cirlces I mix in! A more pleasant aspect was meeting Nora for lunch. Great to see her again & on good form too! Khalifa called with the news of a Cinereous Bunting, so a detour to the Saadiyat Island Beach Golf Course was made.

4 Grey Wagtails were seen

Plenty of White Wagtails were on their way north.

A fine male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.

Isabelline Wheatears were numerous.

Some beautiful male

 Northern Wheatears were seen

Tawny Pipits were numerous.

No bunting, but a good variety & number of migrants. Nothing rare, or uncommon but both Pale Rockfinch & Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush were new for my year list.

2 species added (235 total): 350kms travelled over two days.

It is Saturday and it is The Road to Hell, which means Sila of course. I have teamed up with Mark & Oscar, which is great, because this means I am not driving! We arrive at our destination just after dawn and it is cold! It is always cold at Sila!

I walk around the large plantation, the others drive. We meet & explore the two small garden areas. Migrants are quite prolific, nothing rare, but lots of variety. The marsh area was slighly quieter but still prolific and the park was nothing short of manic!

Over 125+ Hoopoes; 20+ Steppe Grey Shrikes; 25 + Turkestan Shrikes; 4 Daurian; 15+ Woodchat & a Masked Shrike. Pied & Isabelline Wheatears were common, with a few Desert Wheatears. A highlight were at least 6 Caspian Stonechats + a further four others of siberian origin.

Hoopoes were everywhere!

Turkestan Shrikes had arrived in large numbers.

A confiding Isabelline Wheatear. 

The highlight of birding the park was a superb Grasshopper Warbler.

You don't often get views like this!

Bird of the day.

A quick stop at the various locations in Mirfa were equally productive, lots of migrants, wheatears & shrikes with a Common Quail & 4 Pale Rockfinch being the highlights.

A big thanks to Mark, who did all the driving! Sometimes, it is just so nice to sit back and be driven around!

3species added (238 total): 750kms travelled.