Spring Migration at Sila

The 20th April saw me rising at 2.45 am to meet up with Oscar; Simon & Desmond for the long drive to Sila, the westernmost extremity of the UAE. 

Desmond, Oscar & Simon.

This area has good coastal vegetation 

& natural bushes.

Sila is surrounded by desert, so any vegetation 

proves very attractive for migrant birds.

European Hobby

Pallid Harrier

Lesser Grey Shrike

Remnants of a Palm plantation.

Rufous tailed Scrub Robin

A common migrant & this species is increasing
 as a summer breeder.

Even small roundabouts are a haven 

for migrant birds

Whinchat

Ortolan Bunting

Red throated Pipit

Sila Park.

European Cuckoo

Red tailed Rock Thrush
Photo courtesy of Desmond Lobo.

European Bee-eater

The UAE is getting very developed these days & the Sila area is one of the very few which has a range of habitats that attract migrants. It is a long drive from Abu Dhabi though, & a day birding this area is always a super long day.

Common Redstart

Masked Shrike

A scarce, but regular migrant.

Barred Warbler
Photo courtesy of Desmond Lobo.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Where there is water, there are birds!


Black crowned Night Heron

Purple Heron

Oscar

Hen Harrier

This species is a rare winter visitor. 
This individual is very late.

Bird list: 

Purple Heron 1; Grey Heron 1; Black crowned Night Heron 1; Squacco Heron 3; Oriental Honey Buzzard 1; Pallid Harrier 1; Hen Harrier 1; Eurasian Hobby 2; Black winged Stilt 10; Red wattled Lapwing 10; Little Ringed Plover 2; Kentish Plover 1; Curlew Sandpiper 1; Little Stint 2; Common Snipe 1; Marsh Sandpiper 2; Wood Sandpiper 1; Rose ringed Parakeet 3; Feral Pigeon 10+; European Turtle Dove 4; Namaqua Dove 10; Laughing Dove 30+; Eurasian Collared Dove 300+; Pallid Swift 15; Grey  Hypocolius 1; European Hoopoe 2; European Bee-eater 70+; Eurasian Cuckoo 1; Red backed Shrike 2; Red tailed Shrike 65+; Lesser Grey Shrike 4; Masked Shrike 1; Greater Short toed Lark 4; Crested Lark 8; Barn Swallow 50+; Sand Martin 12; Willow Warbler 35; Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 25+; Upcher's Warbler 4; Clamorous Reed Warbler 3; Graceful Prinia 1; Eurasian Blackcap 3; Barred Warbler 25; Lesser Whitethroat 28; Common Whitethroat 7; Spotted Flycatcher 7; Rufous tailed Scrub Robin 15; Common Nightingale 2; Common Redstart 15; Rufous tailed Rock Thrush 8; Whinchat 12; Northern Wheatear 3; Desert Wheatear 1; Isabelline Wheatear 3; Yellow Wagtail 3; Tawny Pipit 2; Red throated Pipit 5; Ortolan Bunting 6. 

This was an excellent days birding & thank you guys for being great companions. Till the next time!

Back in the UAE!

I arrived back in Abu Dhabi just before midnight on 6th March. Elated but a little tired! Didn't do much for the next few days, apart from going to The Club & watching rugby. It was nice to catch up with friends though.

The front wood

Enjoyed a morning visit to Mushrif Palace Gardens on 15th March. It was great to be walking around one of my major old birding haunts again. The weather was perfect, but the birding a little slow:

Oriental Honey Buzzard

Shikra

Male.

There are now several pairs breeding in the city.

Alexandrine Parakeet

Oriental Honey Buzzard 1; Shikra, (a nice adult male); Hoopoe 3; European Tree Pipit 1; 2 Pied Wheatear; 4 Common Redstart; 8 Eastern Olivaceous Warbler; 7 Desert Lesser Whitethroat; 8 Chiffchaff; Menetries Warbler 1 & Daurian Shrike. Perhaps the best record was a Pale Crag Martin over the helipad.

Abu Dhabi Racecourse: a green oasis,

 amid the desert

European Tree Pipit

Pied Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

The nearby Abu Dhabi Racecourse held 1 Great Cormorant ; 1 Little Grebe; Eurasian Curlew 1; 2 Common Sandpiper; 2 Indian Roller; 7 Pied Wheatear; 3 Isabelline Wheatear; 3 Northern Wheatear & a lone Desert Wheatear; 3 European Tree Pipit; 1 Flava Wagtail & 3 Daurian Shrike.

Angie & me

Spent the evening with Angela at The Club. She is emigrating to Australia very soon & so the evening was tinged with sadness as I might not see her for a while. But she has a whole new life to look forward to with her husband. Exciting times!

At The Westin Hotel.

Terry, Gary & me!

The boys were a bit worse

 for wear!

Karen started organizing her shifts in Doha, so that she could have a break with me here in Abu Dhabi. And the clever girl managed to pull it off! She arrived late afternoon on 16th March & hit the ground running, as we went straight to The Westin Hotel, to spend the evening with friends.

Marie, Raha & Karen.

We are just weird people!

The kids were there, 
so we had some fun!

Very cute!

Reem & Mariam with Trevor, 
the tortoise.

Trevor, is now over 20 years old!
The family inherited her 
(Trevor is a girl)
 when I retired & left the UAE.

A workman found another 
tortoise & gave it to the girls.
So we now have two!

The next morning was spent chatting to Raha & Marie upstairs in the villa. Reem & Mariam were there as well & we all had a good time.

At The Vista

That evening we had a lovely meal at The Vista. Nice to be on familiar territory again! It is a lovely place to catch up on things & we had a wonderful time together.

The adult's beach, at The Club.

At The Wharfe Bar

Part of the outdoor
Wharfe Bar.

The view from the adult's beach.

Spent most of our days here in & around The Club! It was nice to continue where we left off in The Maldives!

Looking towards the marina

 from Galleria Mall.

I had not been there before.

Me thinks I have been

 here before!

However, one day we went shopping for a pair of men's sandals. This is what we bought & no sandals in sight!

Clare at one day old in Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Our final day together,

 well for this holiday at least!

Ahmed & Clare on their hols!

On 21st March it was Clare's birthday, she was 29 years old! Hard to believe really. But Toni sent this photo which I thought had been lost! Clare & Ahmed had just returned from a holiday in Spain & Portugal, so they both got to meet Karen just before she left for Doha.

Before we knew it, I was driving Karen to the airport at 3 am on 22nd March: our little holiday was over! As ever, far too short. See you soon girl!