Dubai Swifts

While walking in BurDubai earlier today by the Dubai Museum I saw hundreds of swifts above - I think they are Common Swifts (Apus apus) because of it overall colour and roundish whitish throat-patch (as compared to more triangular white throat-patch on the Pallid Swift)

Below is a snap of the birds as the swoop down between the minaret of the grand mosque and the roof of the fort.

And below is a small video clip showing the commotion above busy Bur Dubai caused by these tiny fellows.

Birding in Musandam, Oman

Just back after spending a beautiful day in the Musandam peninsula of Oman with family! While there I was able to sneak in a few bird moments!!

Spend last night and most of today in the main city of the region – Khasab (photo below). The hour long route from Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) offers one of the best sea-side drives in the region.

The region is famous for the amazing Hajjar Mountains, which is in geological terms quiet young and were ancient sea beds that have risen to their current heights due to volcanic activity.

While there we took an idyllic dhow cruise in the Khor Ash Sham – a lagoon like area surrounded by extremely impressive mountains.

And as expected we saw a lot of gulls...

with the most common being the Common Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

The next two photos are of the either of the 'Caspian Gull' (Larus (cachinnans) cachinnans) or the 'Steppe Gull' (Larus (cachinnans) barabensis) --- The difficulties of separating these two are well known..

The cliffs and small islands along these sheltered waters are suppose to have some good sea-bird nesting sites, however I will have to make another trip with a lot more time at hand to go to one of those!

The next few snaps are of a lifer for me - Slender-billed Gull (Larus geneii)

These are probably the most elegant of all the gulls I have seen.

The next few snaps of the Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigricollis)

This small rock outcrop with a lot of gulls and cormorants is as close as I got to a proper sea bird colony !!

I will end this post with a set of photos of this region’s most famed residents - its Dolphins.

In fact we saw lots of them including a school with a few calves.

And most of the photos indicate these to be of the species known as the Indo-pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis).

Here's a few close-up of its famous hump!

Superb bird!!

Went to the American University of Sharjah campus today and saw a Superb bird.... infact a few Superb birds!!

The Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) is a member of the starling family and is commonly be found in East Africa.
Surely one glimpse and you know why its called a Superb Starling..

Some internet research and I was sure that my first thought as I saw them was true - 'What are these guys doing here?'

There seems to be a breeding population of atleast 20 birds that have escaped from somewhere and have established a small colony here in the lawns of this campus in the middle of nowhere.

Macros

Here's some macros I took over the last week in my garden - in Dubai - using a new Nikkor Macro lens - 60 mm - F/2.8.

Above is a dragonfly of the Trithemis family. Most likely a female of Trithemis annulata - Purple-blushed Darter (Violet Dropwing).

Above an insect in the Order Diptera, family Calliphoridae, commonly called bluebottle flies, carrion flies or greenbottle flies.

Above a honey bee - which may be the Asian Dwarf Honey Bee (Apis florea).

Above the Common Lime or the Lemon Butterfly (Papilio demoleus) is which is a common and widespread Swallowtail butterfly here in Dubai, taking off after laying eggs on its larval foodplants - a Cultivated Lime plant

Above an unided wasp

The next two snaps are of the caterpillar of a Hawk-moth. Most likely an Oleander Hawk-moth (Daphnis nerii)

Chiffchaff

Saw this Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) in my garden - in Dubai - on the clothes line a few hours back!

Happy 2009!

May this New Year be full of simple pleasures – like watching a bird glide across a clear blue sky! – Wishing you all a happy 2009!

(Above a gliding Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto))

Birding in Al Khor, Qatar

Had a great day of birding with Mr. Thajudeen (who I found thru yahoo e-group Kerala birder and http://www.birdingpal.org/).

He was initially planning to show me some areas around Doha – in fact we started at the Doha sewage treatment plant, a site near Doha but unfortunately when we got there we found that a nice wetland habitat (based on a sewage treatment plant like most others in the region) was altered beyond recognition in a matter of a few days. The rapid development in Qatar and other neighbouring countries has been putting immense pressure on the local wildlife. We saw a few birds here the most significant was the below photographed - Streaked Weaver (Ploceus manyar)
Realising that the habitat wouldn’t yield much Thaju decided that we should go to check some other birding sites near the city of Al Khor Qatar. Al Khor is some 45 minutes North of Doha. Please refer to the following post of google map indicating the location of the two birding sites that we visited today.

The first location was the Al Khor Public Garden:
This is a public park just outside the city. Being a relatively secluded green patch in a desert landscape it attracts quiet a few species of birds. Here are a few snaps that I took in the park followed by a list of all the birds I saw there.

The first couple of snaps are of Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)

And an Isabelline or Rufous-tailed Shrike (Lanius isabellinus isabellinus)

And the Bulbuls - I understand these are White-cheeked Bulbuls (Pycnonotus leucogenys)

The following 4 snaps are of a Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis)

I am not 100% sure of the Pipit ID, any ID help will be appreciated.

--

And the last snap from the Garden is of the only butterfly species I was able to photograph and identify - Here's a Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya)

Here's a list of all the birds I saw at the Al Khor Gardens:

1. 
   
   Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)


2. 
   
   Isabelline or Rufous-tailed Shrike (Lanius isabellinus isabellinus)


3. 
   
   Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus mecranensis)


4. 
   
   Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)


5. 
   
   White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)


6. 
   
   Common or Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops epops)


7. 
   
   Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto decaocto)


8. 
   
   Laughing or Palm Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis senegalensis)


9. 
   
   White-cheeked Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)


10. 
    
    Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)


11. 
    
    Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis)

The next location was the Al Khor sewage treatment plant and its surrounding runoff area:

This is another sewage treatment plant based wetland. You need a 4WD vehicle to make the most of this vast wetland area. There were lots of interesting birds especially waders. This area has development into an excellent habitat and supports a large no. of species. Keep your eyes on the larger ponds in the centre of this area for some interesting larger birds. Caution: This site is very close to an existing airport and it is advisable not venture too close to that area and there also seems to be active hunting taking place in this area (We saw some empty cartridges lying around).

The first 3 snaps are from the sewage treatment plant -

The first photo below is a Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

The next snap is a distant snap of a lifer bird - Black-necked or Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis)

And the next snap is of the Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) which is has Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East. It is a migrant, wintering in Africa. It is quiet similar to the Indian Pond Heron but with a whiter-back. Yet another Lifer for me!

The rest of the photos in this post are from the runoff area of the sewage treatment plant. This is a large area that has developed in an excellent wetland habitat over the years. The below snap gives an idea of the edge condition of this habitat where the water meets the surrounding desert.

The next couple of photos are of a one of the huge flocks of Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) that we saw here.

In the centre of this area there are some larger water bodies that are mostly surrounded by reeds. But every now and then there are gaps in the reeds from where you can see these larger ponds. We saw quiet a few Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) over this area. Below is a photo of three Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus).

Below a Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes) yet another Lifer : ) !!

And the last snap is of wheatear. Most likely an Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Here is a list from this site :

1. 
   
   Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)


2. 
   
   Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)


3. 
   
   Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus)


4. 
   
   Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius curonicus)


5. 
   
   Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)common redshank


6. 
   
   Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus)


7. 
   
   Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus)


8. 
   
   Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus).


9. 
   
   Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)


10. 
    
    Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)


11. 
    
    Crested Lark (Galerida cristata brachyura)


12. 
    
    Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)


13. 
    
    Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis)


14. 
    
    Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)


15. 
    
    Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)


16. 
    
    White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)


17. 
    
    Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto decaocto)


18. 
    
    Laughing or Palm Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis senegalensis)


19. 
    
    White-cheeked Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)


20. 
    
    Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)


21. 
    
    Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus alboaxillaris) (?) Seen in flight


22. 
    
    Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) (?) Seen in flight
23. 
    Unided Tern
24. 
    Unided Duck (?) Seen in flight
    

It was getting late in the afternoon and we decided to call it a day but if we had patiently waited and gone thru the waders in more detail for sure we could have racked up a few more species of waders. But all in all a really great day of birding!

Thanks a lot Thaju for a great day!!!

(Check Thaju's amazing photos here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/keralabirder/)

Map showing birding sites in Al Khor, Qatar

View Larger Map
Google map showing two excellent bird watching sites near the city of Al Khor in Doha (as of Dec 2008):
1. Al Khor public garden
Great place to see garden species. If visiting on weekends and holidays it is advisable to reach early in the morning because this garden gets quiet crowded in the day and the birds move away.
2. Al Khor sewage treatment plant and its surrounding runoff area
A drive around the sewage treatment plant and its runoff area in a 4WD will yield lots of interesting birds especially waders. This area has development into an excellent habitat and supports a large no. of species. Keep your eyes on the larger ponds in the centre of this area, it can play hosts to larger bird species like the Glossy Ibis. Like most other sites in Qatar this area is constantly under threat from new developments and this habitat can be significantly altered overnight. Caution: There seems to be active hunting taking place in this area.