Two
visits were made in 2024 to the UAE, staying at the Jumeirah Golf
Estates, Dubai, both times and travelling to other parts of Dubai and
Abu Dhabi. One visit was in autumn, the other in winter.
The
summary of bird-types is 60 species from 226 records, 13 complete
lists, 15 places. If Heuglin’s Gull and Steppe Gull are considered
as separate species, the total is 61 bird-types. The full bird
records are available here.
Butterflies were of 2 types: Veined-tip
(fairly widespread) and Clouded Yellow (one seen). One Arabian Paper
Wasp was seen. Mammals comprised 3 types of deer: Oryx,
Arabian Gazelle, Arabian Sand Gazelle.
Diary
Winter
visit 24/12-30/12
December
30th: maximum 24C,
minimum 20C, light NE, sunny all day, dry.Lazy
day but good evening celebration at Clubhouse with yours truly
treating Catherine and family to meal, cost 780 AED, £170.We ate at
their Italian restaurant, complete with red wine and mocktails. Had a
White Wagtail on the lawn 1
and 24 House Crow at roost at the Clubhouse.
December
29th: maximum 24C,
minimum 19C, light SE, sunny all day, dry. Long day trip to Abu
Dhabi, another of the United Arab Emirates. At Jumeirah early-on at
08:50 had 3 Ring-necked Parakeet showing well 1.
Had a great day, visiting the Louvre, an art and civilisation museum,
the Corniche (beach), the grand mosque (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque).
At Al Rahba, Abu Dhabi, had 3 Black-crowned Sparrow-lark and a Black
Kite by the roadside at 09:50. At Al Jubail Island at 10:05 had 6adult
Slender-billed Gull. The Louvre 1
was very interesting, a museum designed in collaboration with the
Paris institute. It depicted human progress from the earliest
villages through towns and cities to the present time. Classical
themes were prominent, not surprising as the French had several
classical revivals. Birds here on Al Saadiyat Island in the port area
1234
totalled 12 types, including 5of
gulls: 1810 Black-headed, 260 Slender-billed, 4Heuglin’s
adult 123456,
2Steppe
adult 123456,
2Caspian
(adult 1
1w 123456);
a tern, 1 Sandwich 1;
3 doves: 6 Laughing, 3 Feral, 2 Collared; a wader, a CommonSandpiper
12;
a Grey Heron 1
and 5 White-eared Bulbul. Flocks of gulls, mainly Black-headed Gull,
in the port area are shown here: 123456
and with significant Slender-billed Gull are shown here 7891011.
Flocks of almost exclusively small gulls on the sea outside the port
were also photographed: 121314.
At the Corniche beach area 12345
from 13:50-16:15 had a good walk and lunch. Birds totalled 12 types:
4 gulls: 2Steppe
Gull (adult 1234567
and 1w 12345),
21 Slender-billed Gull, 69 Black-headedGull
(4 1w); 3 pigeons: 12 displaying Laughing Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 36
Feral Pigeon; 5 others: a Western Reef Heron 1,
a House Crow, a singing White-eared Bulbul, 12 Common Myna, 16 House
Sparrow. Flocks of gulls, mainly Black-headed Gull, in the Cornichearea
are shown here: 123456
and with significant Slender-billed Gull are shown here: 789.
The Grand Mosque is incredibly impressive 12345678910111213,
with many minarets and two large ones, gleaming a rosy colour in the
sunset. At 16:00-18:20 we made our visit, queuing for a while but
then had a full walk around the mosque as darkness fell. Had some
interesting birds here: 2 Cattle Egret, 1 Lesser Whistling Duck
(escape, surely 123),
1 female/1w Bluethroat 12,
10 Common Myna, 6 House Sparrow 1,
1 singing White-eared Bulbul.
December
28th: maximum 25C,
minimum 18C, light N.sunny
all day, dry, perfect winter’s day! Had 2 interesting insects
photographed in garden of daughter: a Veined-tip butterfly 12 and
an Arabian Paper Wasp 1,
latter looking a bit like hornet. Also in garden had a Purple Sunbird
1
feeding on flower-nectar and a Little Egret flying over. At 20:00 had
a Song Thrush singing. Went to Clubhouse for good lunch; I had salmon
croissant with some peroni lager to wash it down. Then off to seaside
to the Kite Beach 1234
for a walk along the edge, a few coffees at a bar 5,
piccie of the sunset 6,
the 7-star hotel 7,
the port across the water 89101112.
Parked near Al Kooteia Street, where had 4 Steppe Gull adults, 80
Black-headed Gull, 20 Slender-billed Gull, 8 House Crow. There was an
amazing roost of gulls building, including some Slender-billed Gull,
arriving from inland 123456789.
Birds of the Middle East gives the Black-headed Gull as the most
abundant small gull in the Arabian Peninsula but Birds of the UAE
does not say anything about relative abundance; think the
Slender-billed Gull is commoner than many people think. Today there
was a big gull roost at dusk out to sea to W: 6000 (20%
Slender-billed Gull, 80% Black-headed Gull) around shore 12345678
or coming from inland; 4000 out to sea (4% Slender-billed Gull, 96%
Black-headed Gull) 91011.
Rounded totals: 1400 Slender-billed, 8600 Black-headed. Also at Kite
Beach had 10 Steppe Gull (all appeared to be adult), 40 House Crow,
30 Feral Pigeon (displaying), 2 Laughing Dove (pair), 8 White-eared
Bulbul (singing), 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, so 8 bird-types in all.
Plenty of glamour around and lots of happy visitors. Interestingly
the many Russian children starting recently at daughter’s school
have sometimes found it difficult learning English (including a new
alphabet) as well as the usual subjects but along comes the school
pantomime and they fill most of the leading positions with panache.
Also tried to find out a bit more about the inhabitants of the Golf
Estates; evidently quite a few are in international finance, like my
son-in-law, but a number have shadier backgrounds, which will not
describe here! Whatever, Dubai is a far friendlier place for people
with money than the UK; income tax is zero but you do have to have
private health, private pension and private education. Not so long to
return now: Off to Abu Dhabi with son 2moro by bus!
December
27th: maximum 26C,
minimum 18C, light NE, sunny all day, dry, perfect winter’s day
here! Had good social morning chatting to family, then off to the
Clubhouse doing a bit of birdwatching from 14:15-17:30 with a good
break for a couple of g in the Sports Bar, costing just £26. Birds
are starting to breed, taking advantage of the relatively cool
conditions so lots of excitement and very easyto
see. Quite a complicated picture id-wise with the gulls and a few
small passerines so no full picture yet but certainly over 20
bird-types today with new ones of Brown-necked Raven and 2 Indian
Silverbill 12.
Final total was 22 bird-types including 4 Indian Roller 1,
an Arabian Green Bee-eater in flight 1,
2 Pallid Swift, 3 Streaked Scrub Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Spanish
Sparrow (in flock of 300 House Sparrow). Gulls comprised 25
Slender-billed Gull (24 ad 1,
1 1w), 4 Black-headed Gull (all 1w), 3 Steppe Gull (2 ad, 1 2w 123),
1 Heuglin’s Gull (adult). Hoopoe are regular visitor to daughter’s
new lawn, pecking up the ants with 4 seen today.
December
26th: maximum 24C,
minimum 17C, light NE, some high cloud early morning, sunny later,
dry. Relaxing day around Dubai
(25/10-2/11): Golf
Estates, going for lunch at the clubhouse and having meal at home in
the evening. Birds are a lot more active than in last visit in late
October; the residents are getting ready for breeding, probably in
January to March when relatively cool but with more insects around.
There’s also some signs of migrants appearing, perhaps from further
S, getting ready for journey N. Today had a heron sp (presumed 1 Grey
Heron) calling at dawn, 8 Slender-billed Gull (6 ad, 2 1w) 1,
2 Arabian Green Bee-eater (pair) 123,
2 Hoopoe 123,
12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 12 White-eared Bulbul 12,
10 Common Myna, 18 House Sparrow 1234,
23 Feral Pigeon, 4 Laughing Dove 12,
8 Collared Dove, 16 Indian House Crow, 2 Streaked Scrub Warbler 1234,
1 Indian Roller 12,
2 Purple Sunbird, 1 Delicate Pinion 1,
last 2 (new for me in Dubai), together with migrants 9 Pallid Swift
123456,
1 Swallow, 3 Eurasian Bee-eater, 2 White Wagtail, that’s 20types
with still a little to sort. On flowers 12
had one butterfly: Veined-tip 1.
Two more pictures of house 12.
December
25th: maximum 24C,
minimum 18C, light W, sunny all day but hazy midday, dry. Not much
sleep but up at 10:00 to exchange presents and have breakfast, before
late lunch, Turkey again, same as on flight out, think this year has
been record for Turkey dinners! A very good social day. Party
comprises 3 Iranians, 2 Anglo-Iranians, 3 English! Their place is
finished now 123456
with functioning swimming pool, heated at this time of year but
cooled in summer. Gardens have been landscaped, cactus to front and
trees such as bamboo, date palm, pomegranate, on golf course side,
all on automatic watering system, including area of natural grass.
Some areas have artificial grass. Good thing is now have much better
views of golf course from garden,. Today had 2 Grey Francolin, 7
Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 White-eared Bulbul, 2 Indian House Crow, 2
Hoopoe, 1 Indian Roller, 13 Feral Pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 10
Laughing Dove, a White Wagtail 1,
13 Common Myna 1,
plus new species for Dubai (for me!): 2 Arabian Green Bee-eater 1,
2 Black-headed Gull 1w, 3 Pallid Swift. At night had a Little Owl
calling. Butterflies comprised a Clouded Yellow and also had a
pyralid moth 1.
December
24th: maximum 11C,
minimum 10C, moderate SW, dull, very mild. Did NCL-DXB with Emirates
business class, all very smooth and comfortable, watched 3 films:
Anyone but you, Marvels and Life of Mozart in 3 parts.Left
at 13:15, arrived at 00:15 Dubai time. Well laden with presents and
duty free, all arrived safely. Taxi cost 140AED, about £28,
including tip. Dubai airport is super efficient with smart passport
gates for UK passengers, luggage on belt before I got there, transfer
to taxi very speedy. Took one hour from landing to arriving at
daughter’s place; business passengers get first coach away from
plane. Typing this at 03:30, waiting for son on a later flight from
Stansted to let him into the house.
Autumn
visit 24/10-1/11
November
1st: maximum 32C, minimum 27C, light N, sunny all day, dry. Getting a
bit more acclimatised, did a walk midday from 11:00-13:00 to Club
House, where had an Americano and croissant as a break. Had usual
species in abundance but also saw 3 Chiffchaff in the lush vegetation
of the Estates; these are probably of the menbieri subspecies,
breeding in Iran, with tristis not being established as the main form
in UAE British
Birds. Also had in 12 bird-types 17 White-eared Bulbul 1,
an Indian Roller 1,
a pair of Hoopoe 1,
plus 4 small butterflies: Veined Tip Colotis vesta. Here’s 2
piccies of daughter’s house 12.
Main event of day was the concert at Dubai Opera of Vivaldi’s
violin concerto and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in an arrangement by Max
Richter. Daughter and I went to that. Concert hall was packed and it
was very civilised and glamorous, obviously an event to be seen at!
The star was violinist Anastasiya Petryshak, from Ukraine, playing
solo in the violin concerto and lead in the Four Seasons. The
orchestra was the Kyiv Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, under Dmitry
Yablonsky. So an all-Ukraine performance. Dubai is full of Russians
and there were certainly quite a few in the audience tonight: they do
after all share the same musical heritage, including Prokofiev, who
was born in Donetsk. The enthusiastic audience clapped after
everything, even pauses, but the performers kept smiling, and did two
encores. It’s good to see Dubai encompassing European music in this
way. We had a quick meal before in an Indian restaurant close to the
theatre and afterwards we explored Dubai’s glamorous nearby
water-front, including the tallest building in the world, the Burj
Khalifa at 828m. Below this building is a lake full of fountains,
which all come on in a synchronised ‘dance’ on each hour! We got
taxis there and back; driving in the City Centre is not for the
faint-hearted. Dubai is hedonism personified!! To bed early at home
as up at 03:45 for 07:25 flight DXB-NCL tomorrow!!
October
31st: maximum 32C, minimum 26C, light NE, sunny all day, dry.
Halloween today, celebrated in style on Jumeirah Golf Estates, amazed
how many of the families here are English; I went out twice on the
golf buggy, with son-in-law and daughter driving, in turn. Very
friendly atmosphere! Granddaughters got massive haul of sweets. With
so many young families around here, what I read into this is how many
well-off people have already left high-tax UK for low-tax Dubai.
Cannot see any lessening of the flow after yesterday’s move in a
tax-and-spend budget towards a record 44% of GDP being taken in tax,
mostly from the top 10%. Earlier daughter and I had a good breakfast
at the Club House; I had Halloumi toast, very tasty. Carried on
processing 17/12 Masai. Not out in the field today. 2moro daughter
and I are going to concert in evening at Dubai Opera; straight to bed
after that as flight home DXB to NCL at 07:25 on 2/11.
October
30th: maximum 32C, minimum 28C, light SW, sunny all day, dry. Went
with daughter to Museum of the Future, an amazing futuristic site,
near the Dubai Trade Center. It has several levels, including space
travel, maintaining health of our biosphere (Heal Foundation of
India), maintaining human health, particularly avoiding depression,
transport evolution, all set in 2071. Thought provoking with solar
energy dominating the future that far ahead, even in an oil-rich
state. Cost a little to get in as only Pioneer tickets available –
£175 for the 2 of us: I paid! Had usual walk to Club House at ttime
from 17:00-18:50 where had a couple of g, seeing a male Spanish
Sparrow 1,
a Grey Heron, a Hoopoe 1
and picking up an extra Little Owl at dusk at 18:25; got close-ups of
Common Myna 1,
Laughing Dove 1,
Grey Francolin 12.
The World Golf tournament is 2 weeks away and preparations are now
intense.
October
29th: maximum 32C, minimum 27C, moderate NW, sunny all day, dry. Out
at 15:30 for leisurely walk to the club house of Jumeirah, seeing
masses of birds on the course as they’ve seeded some bald areas!
Saw three sparrow-types: 80 House Sparrow, 2 Spanish Sparrow, 1 male
Dead Sea Sparrow 12345,
last-named a rarity in Dubai. Star bird was a female Sparrowhawk
hunting along the end of the fairway: masses of prey available today!
Saw 3 Hoopoe including a pair displaying, 30 Common Myna, 4 Grey
Francolin 123,
8 Collared Dove 1,
8 White-eared Bulbul 1.
Total was 9 bird-types, not everything counted. Made club house at
17:30 where had a couple of draught Guinness: £27 for the two; they
were very friendly! Good social evening with family.
October
28th: maximum 32C, minimum 28C, moderate NW, sunny all day, dry.
After morning at the ranch, catching up on 17/12 records from Masai
Mara, doing some indexing, went out in afternoon to Ras al Khor a
wildlife reserve 1
in Dubai on the main creek. Went to Flamingo hide no 2 (there are 3
hides) at 16:00-17:30, from which could see around 1,500 Greater
Flamingo 1234567891011121314,
against a backdrop of skyscrapers. Went on own using Uber both ways,
costing £55 for the two journeys from the Golf Estates; it was 45
min in each direction. Also here had 5 types of bird of prey,
including 2 Bonelli's Eagle (both adult 1234,
one pale head, 1 dark head), 1 Steppe Buzzard (in heavy moult, seen
twice, adult 12),
1 Black Kite (very uniform dark plumage, not in moult, juvenile 12),
a Western Marsh Harrier and a Shikra 1.
Other birds included 3 Red-wattled Lapwing (an agitated pair 1),
2 White Stork, 4 Cattle Egret, a Great White Egret 1,
2 Grey Heron 123,
2 Gull-billed Tern 1,
1 Slender-billed Gull, 2 White Wagtail 1,
in total of 21 bird-types. At Dubai Trade Center, on way, at 15:15
had 2 Pale Crag Martin, flying high-up around the tops of
skyscrapers. So good trip out. Back in time for supper and good chat
with family. Earlier in Jumeirah Golf Estates had 3 Grey Francolin on
an old piece of desert.
October
27th: maximum 33C, minimum 29C, light NW, sunny all day, dry. Dubai
is now 4 hours ahead of UK, after UK comes off summer time. Stayed on
the estates today at Jumeirah Golf Estates 1,
walking up to the Club House from 12:00-13:00 for coffee and again in
evening from 17:30-18:30 for drink (yes, a g) and supper at an
Italian restaurant there. All the residents think this weather is
marvellous: I’d agree except in midday when the sun is really
scorching.
Had
10 bird-types at noon, including some good photo studies: 16 Rock
Dove 1,
2 Collared Dove 1,
7 Laughing Dove, 2 Hoopoe 1,
4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 5 House Crow, 4 White-eared Bulbul 1,
4 Common Myna 1,
8 House Sparrow 1,
plus an Asian Desert Warbler (subsong from acacia, somewhat like a
Willow Warbler). Added 3 more types in evening: 1 Grey Francolin, 2
Little Owl (a pair), a singing Song Thrush.
October
26th: maximum 33C, minimum 28C, light NW, sunny all day,dry.
Some major surprises today on the Honey-buzzard front! We had a
UAE-style lunch at Meridien Hotel, near the marina; I had a tuna-dish
(real fish) with seaweed and swede – very tasty. Cost was 700 AED
for 6 of us (£130), not that bad really, my turn next at an Italian
close to our villa. Back to the ranch at ttime and daughter and I
took dog Dexter for a walk from 17:00-18:00, still warm but not so
searing with the sun going down at 17:42 (rising 06:23). There’s a
big golf tournament at Jumeirah in mid-November, part of the World DP
tour, and marquees and other buildings are being rapidly assembled.
Swimming pool almost completed, outside lights installed and
landscapers arrive on Monday. Son left this evening, back to London,
good to see him again. Music rehearsals later, with younger
granddaughter on piano grade 1 and older one on violin grade 2.
Had
a detour towards airport at 14:00 seeing 4 Little Egret, 12 Rock
Dove, 3 Laughing Dove. At the Meridien near the marina from
14:30-16:30 had 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Indian House Crow; on drive
back at Al Thanyah had an adult Socotra Cormorant and a Crested
Honey-buzzard (eastern type) over the waterways there; the raptor at
16:35 was climbing when first seen, before coming back quickly again,
so presumably disturbed; it was large and long-winged so presumably
orientalis race breeding in Siberia. Have some more to add, including
another Crested Honey-buzzard at Jumeirah which may well have been
the one seen earlier again. Here’s some background to an amazing
increase in records for the eastern Honey-buzzard in Arabia:
Oriental
Honey-buzzard: The species appears to be regularly wintering in small
numbers (perhaps 75–100 birds) (35) in Arabian Peninsula, with
records available from: Iran (36, 37), Jordan, Kuwait (38), Lebanon
(39), Oman (by 2013, 124 records in Sept–May, with perhaps up to 30
wintering per year, since first in May 1996) (40, 41), Qatar (42),
Saudi Arabia (now regular in winter, with three summer records) (43,
44, 45), NE Turkey (46), Yemen (including Socotra) (35) and United
Arab Emirates (minimum of c. 20 each winter, occasional in summer)
(35). There are also records of apparent hybrids with P. apivorus
available from several Middle Eastern countries (35). Numbers 35-46
are references. Birds
of the World (2020, last updated 2016).
CrestedHoney
Buzzard: Uncommon passage migrant & winter visitor, but
apparently increasing and sometimes recorded in mid-summer. Best
sites are on Abu Dhabi Island where several birds are wintering every
year, particularly Mushrif Palace Gardens and the surrounding
gardens. Another reliable site in Dubai during winter is Mushrif
National Park. Watch for raptors at the large car-park located at
25.214628N, 55.450181E; it is best to visit mid-morning. This species
has also proven to be semi-regular at Hamraniyah Fields in the far
north and in the greater Dubai area, in Al Ain it seems Ain al-Fayda
has a few wintering birds; it also winters in some years in the
plantations on Sila'a Peninsula in the far west. UAE
birding Key sites.
Recent
status and occurrence of Crested Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhynchus
in the Arabian peninsula, with emphasis on Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates An attempt to correct for this overall increase
in observer effort, Figure 3 illustrates the total number of
bird-days recorded for the species annually from 2005 (data for all
species for previous years has not yet been fully computerised) to
2013, expressed as percentage of all records in the UAE bird
database. Figure 3 confirms that the marked increase in records of
CHB in the UAE since 2005 appears genuine and is not an artefact of
observer activity. As well as increasing markedly in numbers, CHB is
now widely recorded across the UAE. ResearchGate
Here’s
report of late afternoon walk: 5 Grey Francolin, 12 Rock Dove, 7
Collared Dove, 10 Laughing Dove, 1 Western Reef Heron, 1 Grey Heron,
1 Song Thrush singing at dusk, 1 Crested Honey Buzzard (orientalis,
Pernis ptilorhynchus orientalis), not far from where one seen
earlier. At 17:00 a long- and broad-winged, large, Honey-buzzard of
eastern type, was flying to E at moderate height in smooth glide with
occasional flaps, mobbed by some House Crow. Presumed the same bird).
50 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 House Crow, 6 White-eared Bulbul, 1
White-spectacled Bulbul, 26 Common Myna, 1 Graceful Prinia. Up to 21
species now.
October
25th: maximum 34C, minimum 29C, light NW, sunny all day,dry.
Did some pottering around in morning, looking at daughter’s mansion
in the Jumeirah Golf Estates, in final stages of makeover with
swimming pool opening next week; it’s worth some $5m. Dubai is the
opposite of the UK: the former is in massive expansion in all
respects, while the latter is in steady decline, driven by a net-zero
death-wish, a subject which has never been debated properly in the
House of Commons. We went on a formal desert trip in the evening, to
the desert reserve 123
in the SE of the county, approaching Oman. Our guide Duncan, from
South Africa, was very good with the chat, the driving and the
culture. We saw the three deer types: Oryx (back from brink of
extinction) 1,
Arabian Gazelle 1,
Arabian Sand Gazelle 1.
Also included was falconry (with a Lanner 12,
not counted! And granddaughters 12.
And sunset 12),
a 4-course meal in a Bedouin-style tent, star gazing directed by
Duncan. A brilliant trip, which we all enjoyed from 15:00-22:20,
driving some 70km in each direction. No wind-mills in the UAE as they
do not want them to kill their revered falcons and other raptors. But
they are building large solar farms. Abu Dhabi, part of UAE, is a
massive oil and gas producer, leaving Dubai to do the tourist and
business side.
Birds
in the desert included a Great Grey Shrike, perched on a bush, 4
Slender-billed Gull 1w 12,
at a watering hole, a Hoopoe, 70 Laughing Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 1
Rock Dove, 10 White-eared Bulbul, 90 House Sparrow, 1 Striolated
Bunting, 2 Streaked Scrub Warbler, 1 Northern Wheatear male, 11 types
in all. On the way at a world-class camel racing centre near Le
Hemaira, we had 5 Common Myna, 3 Laughing Dove, 1 Indian Roller.
Earlier in Jumeirah Golf Estates we had in the midday heat 2 Collared
Dove, 6 Common Myna, 1 Hoopoe, 1 Laughing Dove, 8 White-eared Bulbul,
1 Barn Swallow, 22 Rock Dove, 1 Indian Roller (carrying a large
flying insect) 1,
1 Indian House Crow. So 15 species on day.
October
24th: maximum 15C, minimum 10C, light S, sunny spells, dry. Now in
DXB at 02:30 (25/10) after flight of 7 hours 15 min; met by daughter
who lives here so settling in now. In terms of UK time it’s 3 hours
ahead! Flight here was interesting route in that went just to S of
Gaza and Aqaba, avoiding Israel and Palestine, moving over Jordan and
Saudi in the home straight. We should have gone over north of
Lebanon, Syria and Iraq but presumably worries persist over this
area.
