ORNITHOLIDAYS' TOUR TO JORDAN Birds & History March Leader: Mitko Petrakiev

Transcription

1 ORNITHOLIDAYS' TOUR TO JORDAN Birds & History March 2015 Leader: Mitko Petrakiev

2 ORNITHOLIDAYS' TOUR TO JORDAN Birds & History March 2015 A Personal Diary Jordan is a country with surprisingly varied terrain and stunningly beautiful landscapes. From the deserts of Rum and the red rocks of Petra to the Mediterranean climate of the north and the tropical climate of the south, it has it all. The end of March is the time of the massive migration of birds moving from Africa to their breeding grounds in the north and coincides with the breeding season of the resident species. Hundreds of Steppe Buzzards and Black Kites make spectacular kettles in the sky, while swallows, wagtails, pipits and warblers are taking shelter in every bush. This year s late winter slowed down the raptor passage and we had very low numbers of eagles and storks (only three Steppe Eagles and small flock of White Storks), but the sight of dozens of wagtails, pipits and warblers (sometimes in every bush and tree) in the Eastern Desert and Aqaba were a fantastic proof of spring migration taking place. Other highlights included some of the resident species displaying Hoopoe Larks, Desert Wheatears, Temminck s and Bar-tailed Larks in the Eastern Desert; a fantastic pair of Hooded Wheatears and Striolated Buntings in Wadi Mujib, Whitecrowned and Mourning Wheatears, Blackstarts and Green Bar-tailed Lark Bee-eaters in the Dead Sea area; Syrian Serins at Dana; Sinai Rosefinches and Sand Partridges in Petra and Wadi Rum these all make this trip an unforgettable experience. Thursday, 19 March The group arrives on schedule at Queen Alia International Airport, where we meet our guide Ahmad and our driver Mahmud and we head straight to our hotel in Amman for our first night in Jordan. Friday, 20 March In the morning we drive to the Zarqa River to the north of Amman a lavish green valley with olive groves and a Mediterranean climate. Here we encounter White Spectacled Bulbul, Laughing Doves, Great Tit and the East Mediterranean race of Jay, atricapillus. In the river we see European Kingfisher and White-breasted Kingfisher. Cetti s Warbler calling in the shrubs and a few minutes later the first Palestine Sunbird come into view along with a Graceful Prinia. We see our first Steppe Buzzards overhead, have a brief view of a Longlegged Buzzard and see two Black Storks fly north. Next we head towards Dibbin Forest which is the last stronghold of the native Alepo pines. On the way we stop by a small limestone hill with scattered vegetation to look for Long-billed Pipits, but they prove to be elusive this time. Jerash, the ancient Roman city in the north is our next stop and Ahmad gives us a very interesting and informative tour on the culture and history of this well preserved archeological site. Amongst the numerous temples and churches from different periods we see Black-eared and Isabelline Wheatears, Blue Rock Thrush, Graceful Prinia, Crested Lark and a lovely Masked Shrike. Lunch is in a nearby Lebanese restaurant where we Jerash have a taste of the delicious local cuisine. Short-toed Eagle and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk remind us that migration is on. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 1

3 After lunch we head further north to the medieval Ajlun Castle, built on a hill overlooking the surrounding green valleys. This is usually a good raptor watch point, however we only see a couple of Lesser Kestrels flying and European Greenfinch and Great Tit in the surrounding shrubs. Just when we are about to leave we hear a Syrian Woodpecker calling. In the afternoon we have a spectacular drive down into the Jordan Valley, where we make a quick stop at Karamah Dam, which has been taken over by locals picnicking on the weekend. Despite the crowds we manage to see Great, Cattle and Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Common Black-headed Gull, Green Sandpiper, Northern Shoveler and a single Common Shelduck. The shores are dotted with Spur-winged Plovers and a small flock of Red-throated Pipits swiftly fly overhead. In the agricultural fields around we see Southern Grey Shrike. We catch the last sunlight at Shuna Reservoir where even more local folks are picnicking, but a single Common Snipe gets our attention. It is already dark when we head back to Amman for dinner in the hotel. Saturday, 21 March We leave the capital and head to the flint desert in the east of Jordan. Soon the dry and stony terrain of the Eastern Desert replaces the extensive agricultural landscape around Amman. Our first leg-stretching stop is at Qasr Qarana, where we see a couple of Lesser Kestrels and a Black Kite. Our next stop is a quick ride to Qasr Amra which proves to be more attractive for birds with the two bushlined Wadis surrounding it. In the scattered vegetation we see Common Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, Tree and Water Pipits, Crested Lark, Eurasian Hoopoe and a Common Nightingale. Masked Shrike are catching flies from the low branches of a wild pistachio tree. A short venture into the flat desert rewards us with a good view of Red-rumped Wheatear. Ahmad shows us around Qasr Amra, which is recorded in UNESCO s World Heritage list for its 7th century frescoes and unique architecture. On the way out, another wheatear catches our attention. Closer observation reveals a Cyprus Wheatear. Our next stop is Azraq Wetland Reserve. This was once the biggest oasis in the Arabian Desert, a magnet for birds both in winter and during the spring and autumn migrations. Now just a shade of its former glory, it is a designated reserve, maintained by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSCN), the Jordanian nature conservation organization that takes care of the important reserves in the country. While having our packed lunch by a small reedy pool we see a nice Moustached Warbler and several White-cheeked Bulbuls, these are two of the commonest birds on the reserve. Later on we walk around the man-made pools and see a Siberian Stonechat and its European cousin giving us the opportunity to compare both species. Feeding on the ground we have Bluethroats (both red and white spotted varieties), Wrynecks, Crested Larks and Spanish Sparrows. From the small hide at the eastern end we have a fantastic view of Water Rail, both male and female, a Little Crake and more Moustached Warblers. In the late afternoon we head to Shaumari a small desert reserve, home of Arabian Oryx and Arabian Wild Ass, but the reserve is unfortunately closed for maintenance. We bird watch the edges of the reserve, where we see a variety of Siberian Stonechat wheatears, including Desert, Eastern Black-eared, Northern and Isabelline. Also two Temminck s Larks appear. The wind starts to pick up and we decide to move round the other side of the reserve, where we find dozens of White and Yellow Wagtails, including Blue-headed and Black-headed. The wind keeps the birds low in the desert shrubs making it difficult to birdwatch. However, at the end of the small field along with the wagtails we find another Cyprus Wheatear. We then check in at the cozy lodge which is a converted ex-british military hospital. We have a buffet dinner with delicious local specialties. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 2

4 Sunday, 22 March We wake up at 5.30 am to find that the wind has become seriously strong. Despite this we go for a pre-breakfast walk around the Shaumari Reserve. Soon we stop and find a pair of Greater Hoopoe-Larks. We have excellent views watching them displaying and chasing each other. More Temminck s Larks are found in the same area, as well as Desert Wheatears. On the way back to the bus we see a single Bar-tailed Lark. Round the other side we find Cyprus Wheatear again - it seems to be the peak of their migration. Refreshed with a good breakfast, we head to Al Uwainid Reservoir south of Azraq. The open desert is very windy, but we bravely stand up in the gale and manage to see one of our target species - Greater Sand Cyprus Wheatear Plover in excellent summer plumage. Other birds in the area include Kentish Plover, Green Sandpiper, Temminck and Little Stints, Common Greenshank, Common Ringed Plover, Common Redshank, Ruff and a flock of Northern Shoveler in the water. As make our way to the far end of the lake we see a male Desert Wheatear and a couple of Greater Short-toed Larks and more Greater Sand Plovers. The wind makes birdwatching almost impossible and we return to the lodge for a siesta and lunch. In the afternoon we drive north towards the basalt desert to look for an enigmatic bird the black morph of Mourning Wheatear. It hasn t been seen recently, which brings into question the status of its population, but it is still worth looking for it, as the landscape is stunning. Once off the bus, we see another interesting bird of the desert, the black morph of the Desert Lark. We have good views of four birds in total. Other interesting local residents are Bar-tailed Larks of which we see good numbers. At the end of our walk, we see a couple of Trumpeter Finches, but there is no sign of Basalt Wheatear. The unusually cold and strong winds cause us to shorten our trip and soon we head back towards Azraq. Just before we reach the town we notice a large area, which looks like a huge body of water so we take a detour to check it out. It appears to be big area of green houses, surrounded by trees. Once there, we decide to explore. With the help of Ahmad we are allowed to enter one of the private enclosures of olive trees and allotments. The birding is quiet, but in the poplars near the end house dozens of Black Kites and Steppe Desert Lark Buzzards are preparing to roost for the night. It is time to go back to our lodge for another excellent buffet dinner of local specialties. Monday, 23 March The wind has dropped during the night and at 5.30 am we meet up to make another visit to the desert area around Shaumari, primarily to check out the field in front of the entrance of the reserve for any new migrants. The weather is completely different today, warm and sunny with just a light breeze. When we arrive the migration is in full swing. There are birds everywhere, most numerous are White and Yellow Wagtails, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart and European Stonechat and Northern, Isabelline and Black-eared Wheatears. We all feel that we could spend the whole day here, watching the migrants, but we have to leave. Before departing a pair of Desert Finches fly into the fenced area of the reserve, but unfortunately the group do not manage to see them and they quickly disapear. We drive for 1½ hours to Wadi Hidan, south of Amman, where we have our picnic lunches near a small rocky gorge. A short stroll, produces Sand Partridge, a pair is peeking in and out of their nest site. Further down a Little Owl is roosting on a cliff ledge. At the end of the gorge down by the river, the shrubs hide Laughing Doves, bulbuls, Common and Black Redstarts, Palestine Sunbird and a Blackstart. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 3

5 Blackstart We then take a spectacular road through the Moab Mountains towards the Dead Sea. The views are dramatic and we enter a new avifaunal region. Soon we see our first Tristram Starling, White-crowned Wheatear and more Blackstarts. One particular Blackstart sits on the road sign beside the bus. Fan-tailed Ravens fly overhead. We stop to take photos from the viewpoint looking over the Dead Sea. The bridges past the Dead Sea Panoramic complex are quiet and we head towards our five star hotel on the Dead Sea coast for a dip and a fantastic dinner, with plenty of items to choose from. Tuesday, 24 March An early morning walk around the hotel produces five wandering Black-crowned Night-Herons, Whitebreasted Kingfisher and several Eastern Olivaceous Warblers. The former Tamarisk wood is now cleared for the development of new hotels and produces very few birds. Breakfast is very good and after picking up our packed lunches, we set off to Wadi Mujib a reserve managed by RSCN and home of the last Nubian Ibex. This is also one of the best places to see Hooded Wheatear. The reserve appears to be under renovation with a new visitors centre being built. However, we decide to try to get the most out of the surroundings. From the bridge we watch Pale Crag Martins and Fan-tailed Ravens patrolling the sky overhead. Tristram Starlings can be heard in the area with their bizarre whistling calls. Suddenly, our attention is drawn by a bunting type call. From the rocks above we see a Striolated Bunting, well camouflaged amongst the rocks. Soon a second one appears Tristram s Starlings and everybody has really good view in the telescopes. The small woody area in front of the army check point is packed with migrants, Eastern Bonelli s Warbler being the most numerous, as well as Common Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats. On the other side of the road there is a Masked Shrike and a Little Green Bee-eater makes a brief appearance. A short stroll in the reserve proves to be an excellent idea. As soon as we gain some height we see a fantastic male Hooded Wheatear. Soon the female joins him and they both display beautifully. A Striolated Bunting call is heard and seen by some members of the group. There is not much else to be seen in the area and scanning for Ibex is in vain, but the two star birds keep us happy for the rest of the morning. At noon we drive to the recently designated Fifa reserve south of the Dead Sea. Here two Little Green Bee-eaters are nesting by the roadside, and Southern Grey Shrikes hunt from the Little Green Bee-eater electric wires. In the Tamarisks we search for Dead Sea Sparrows, but instead we come across Namaqua Doves, Indian Silverbills, Bluethroats and a skulking Rufous Bush Robin. Later we see a noisy family of Arabian Babblers. We find some shade for lunch and some of us scatter in the small wood behind where we discover dozens of Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Little Green Bee-eaters and a family of Stone Curlews. Fan-tailed Raven Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 4

6 After lunch we take the scenic road to Dana through the Southern Rift margins, stopping at a dramatic viewpoint to enjoy dozens of Black Kites and Fan-tailed Ravens flying a few metres above us. We arrive at Dana in the late afternoon and head straight to the Bara Forest to look for the local specialty, Syrian Serin. European Greenfinches, Common Chaffinches and European Goldfinches are the first birds we encounter. Then we hear the trilling calls of Syrian Serin and head towards the sound. It Black Kite takes us some time to locate the first one, although they seem to be everywhere. Whilst trying to get better views of this flighty bird, a sub-adult Golden Eagle appears in the sky. Most of the birds seen are flying or calling up in the canopy. Soon we find the reason, they are foraging on the ground in a small rocky valley. Here we enjoy the spectacle and have excellent views of more than 20 birds. Concluding that this has been the best day so far, we head for Petra, where we spend the next two nights. Wednesday, 25 March Today is the cultural highlight of the trip. We meet up at 8 am and follow Ahmad on a journey through history. It s beyond words to describe the magnificence of the ancient city carved in the rock by the Nabataeans in the 1st century BC. We follow the shady Siq to the entrance of the canyon and feel like we are in the set of an Indiana Jones movie when we reach the iconic Treasury. Here Ahmad gives us a ten minute break, which we use to find two female Sinai Rosefinches, one of the iconic birds of Jordan and Petra being one the best places to see it. Our cultural tour continues, among the tombs and temples we find Mourning Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Blackstarts, Black-eared Wheatears, Desert Larks and the star of the day our first male Sinai Rosefinch. Before lunch Ahmad takes us off the beaten track to a local Bedouin living in a cave inside Petra. He is the only person granted a permit from the King to live in the historic Nabataean site. From the natural terrace of his home we drink Bedouin tea and watch Steppe Buzzards migrating over the mountains of Petra. Sand Partridges nest in the surrounding cliffs and we hear them calling before they come into view. Lunch is a buffet in a restaurant in the so-called Basin, which is the lowest point of Petra. The afternoon is free, but everyone decides to tackle the 800 steps to the Monastery, the highest point of Petra and not only the best raptor watch point in the area, but also the best place to see Sinai Rosefinch. Later we meet for dinner at our hotel and share our experiences of the day. Most have seen Sinai Rosefinch either at the Monastery or on the way to or from the Monastery. Unfortunately not many birds of prey were seen, The Monastery, Petra apart from a couple of Short-toed Eagles and the usual Black Kites and Steppe Buzzards. Perhaps the birds have flown higher because of the hot day. It s been a long day, but it is not finished yet. After dinner and completing the checklist we assemble again in order to go to Little Petra to look for Hume s Owl. I have some local knowledge of potential locations for this enigmatic owl and they are worth trying. Almost everyone is up for it and off we go. We arrive at Little Petra in the dark and try several potential spots but to no avail. Play-back does not help. However at one of the spots my torch captures glittering eyes and after further investigation reveals a Wildcat a small compensation for Hume s Owl. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 5

7 Thursday, 26 March We set off at 7.30 am and after a brief photography stop from the hills above Petra, we join the King s Way that takes us up to 1600 metres in Shara Highlands. A short stop at some wheat fields produces Isabelline Wheatears and Crested Larks. Mahmud our driver does well to spot two Chukars, but alas no Calandra Lark. The road takes us down to the stunning landscapes of the Rum Desert, here we meet our driver and guide Ali, who is going to take us deep into the desert. On the way we stop at Wadi Rum Visitors Centre to admire The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, an impressive group of rock towers, that mark the Common Redstart entrance to the desert. By a leaking pipe, there are a few Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroats, a Redstart, Tristram s Starlings, Desert Larks and a couple of White-crowned Wheatears. Ali takes us to some cliffs in the desert, where a small natural well in the rock can be seen. There isn t much water in the desert and naturally the birds are attracted to places like this. Soon we see a couple of Brown-necked Ravens, a Scrub Warbler is calling from the small shrubs nearby and Sinai Rosefinches are everywhere. A short walk reveals more Sinai Rosefinches, four Striolated Buntings, and two Cretzschmar s Buntings, we also flush four Sand Partridges. White-crowned Wheatear We have lunch in a Bedouin camp in the desert. It is much cooler in the huge camel wool tent, where we eat hummus, salads and barbeque chicken, accompanied by excellent Bedouin tea. After lunch we head deeper into the desert to look for Pharaoh Eagle Owl. We enter a cave where it has regularly been seen roosting, but we are out of luck this time. However, we do see a nice Scrub Warbler, Sinai Rosefinch and some migrants in the surrounding scrub including a Common Nightingale, Lesser Whitethroats and Cretzschmar s Bunting. In the afternoon we leave the desert and drive to Aqaba, Jordan s only access to the sea. The drive takes us longer than usual because of traffic. It is the beginning of the weekend and Jordanians flee from the cities to hit the beaches of the Red Sea. It is almost dark when we stop at the South Beach, where we see Common Black-headed Gulls but there is no sign of the local White-eyed Gull. House Crows and Rose-ringed Parakeets are a sign that we have now entered a new climatic zone. It is time to go to the hotel to check-in and have dinner. Friday, 27 March We meet at 5.15 am for a pre-breakfast walk to the beachfront gardens. This early hour doesn t seem to be a problem for the local holidaymakers. The public beach is crowded with people who chat, drink coffee, smoke hookahs, listen to loud Oriental music and all seem to look very interested in six foreigners with telescopes and cameras. Everyone is very friendly and despite the loud music we do pretty well for birds. At the harbour we have good views of two White-eyed Gulls. A big group of Slender-billed Gulls are feeding in the water near us and a nice Gull-billed Tern makes a quick appearance. The gardens behind are packed with migrants, wagtails of all sorts and races being the most numerous, with a single Citrine amongst them. Eastern Bonelli s Warblers, Common Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroats are present in every bush and tree. Common Redstarts, Tree Pipits, two Wrynecks, Eurasian Hoopoes, Masked Shrikes and Common Nightingales, are accompanied by the local House Crows and Rose-ringed Parakeets. Reluctantly we leave for breakfast. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 6

8 After breakfast we check-out and head for the Aqaba Bird Observatory with Steppe Buzzards constantly streaming from the south-east. We enter to find the sewage pools are fenced, but luckily we find a way to enter. A group of gulls on the far side draws our attention and closer inspection reveals Heuglin s, Baltic, Lesser Black-backed, Caspian and four Armenian amongst the Slender and Common Black-headed Gulls. A walk reveals Common Greenshanks, Wood Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gulls Temminck s and Little Stints, two Collared Pratincoles and a few Common Ringed Plovers. From the small hide in the south corner we observe intensive Steppe Buzzard migration with several Black Kites among them and two early European Honey Buzzards. On the west side a group of egrets causes a bit of excitement, the suspiciously looking smaller one turns out to be immature Cattle Egret. At lunch time the temperature hits 39 o C and we decide to retreat to the air-conditioned bus. For lunch we stop at a small Acacia grove to look for Arabian Warblers, but the only birds of interest in the increasing heat are Green Bee-eaters, Masked Shrike, Common Redstarts, Desert Larks, Lesser Whitethroats and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers. Further north in Wadi Fidan we stop at another suitable place for the elusive Sylvia, but we only find Southern Grey Shrike, three Arabian Babblers and lots of Lesser Whitethroats. A larger Sylvia turns out to be a Rüppell s Warbler, a small consolation for the lack of Arabian Warblers. The rest of the day is spent driving to Amman for our final night in Jordan, passing familiar places on the shores of the Dead Sea. Desert Lark Saturday 28 March We meet in the early morning and Mahmud drives us to the airport where we say our goodbyes. Acknowledgements I want to thank Maurice, Lyndsey, Arthur, Mary and Beth for their good company, patience, and birding skills. We went through pretty tough birding conditions, especially in the Eastern Desert, but no one gave up and everyone is was very enthusiastic at all the time. Special thanks go to Ahmad, who gave us all the special insights of Jordan s cultural life and historic sites and to Mahmud for his excellent driving. Mitko Petrakiev Ornitholidays 29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire SO51 9BB info@ornitholidays.co.uk May 2015 Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 7

9 Itinerary and Weather Weather is dry, as one would expect in this part of the world. We did not have any rain, despite the late and wet winter the country experienced this year. Most of the days it is sunny and warm with temperatures averaging between18 o 28 o C during the day and cooler (9 o C in the mornings and the evenings in the desert environments). In the Eastern desert we had two days with strong winds, which felt colder and make birding a bit challenging. 19 March Flight from London to Amman, transfer to the hotel in Amman. 20 March Birding around Zarqa River, visit Jerash and Ajlub Castle, drive through Jordan valley and stop at Karamah Dam and Shuna Dam. Overnight in Amman. Overcast with sunny spells. 22 o C 21 March Depart Amman and stop at Qasr Karana, Qasr Amra, lunch at Azraq wetlands, afternoon visit to the Shaumari reserve. Overnight in Azrac Eco Lodge. Sunny but windy. 16 o C 22 March Early visit to Shaumari, morning visit to Al Uwainid Reservoir, lunch at Azraq Eco Lodge, afternoon drive to As Safawi in the Basalt Desert, Azraq agricultural fields in the late afternoon. Overnight in Azraq Eco Lodge. Very strong wind, partially sunny. 17 o C 23 March Early visit to Shaumari, Wadi Hidan before lunch, drive to Dead Sea in the afternoon. Overnight at Holiday Inn Dead Rea resort. Warm and sunny with light breeze. 26 o C 24 March Mujib reserve in the morning, Fifa reserve at lunch, Dana in the afternoon. Overnight at Petra. Hot and sunny. 27 o C 25 March Full day in Petra. Evening visit to Little Petra for Hume s Owl. Overnight in Petra. Sunny in the morning with some cloud in the afternoon. 24 o C 26 March Brief stop at Shara Highlands at 1650 metres, late morning visit to Wadi Rum, lunch in the desert, afternoon drive to Aqaba for overnight. Hot and sunny. 30 o C 27 March Early morning visit to the beachside gardens, late morning in Aqaba bird observatory, lunch stop in Wadi Araba and afternoon visit to Wadi Fidan. Overnight in Amman. Hot and sunny. 22 o- 39 o C 28 March Transfer to Amman airport flight to London. Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 8

10 No of days recorded Abundance scale 1 2h means seen on 1 day, 1 = <5 heard on 2 other days 2 = = = 100+ CHECKLIST OF SPECIES SEEN DURING TOUR SPECIES No of days recorded Abundance Scale SCIENTIFIC NAME Chukar Partridge 1 1h 1 Alectoris chukar Sand Partridge 3 2 Ammoperdix heyi Common Quail - 1h 1 Coturnix coturnix Egyptian Goose 1 1 Alopochen aegyptiaca Common Shelduck 1 1 Tadorna tadorna Eurasian Wigeon 1 1 Anas penelope Northern Shoveler 3 3 Anas clypeata Mallard 2 3 Anas platyrhynchos Eurasian Teal 1 1 Anas crecca Black Stork 1 1 Ciconia nigra Western White Stork 1 3 Ciconia ciconia Glossy Ibis 1 1 Plegadis falcinellus Black-crowned Night Heron 1 3 Nycticorax nycticorax Western Cattle Egret 2 1 Bubulcus ibis Grey Heron 3 3 Ardea cinerea Western Great Egret 2 1 Egretta alba Little Egret 3 3 Egretta garzetta European Honey Buzzard 1 1 Pernis apivorus Black Kite 6 3 Milvus migrans Short-toed Snake Eagle 2 1 Circaetus gallicus Western Marsh Harrier 2 2 Circus aeruginosus Levant Sparrowhawk 1 1 Accipiter brevipes Eurasian Sparrowhawk 3 1 Accipiter nisus Steppe Buzzard 8 4 Buteo buteo vulpinus Long-legged Buzzard 2 1 Buteo rufinus Golden Eagle 1 1 Aquila pomarina Steppe Eagle 2 1 Aquila nipalensis Lesser Kestrel 6 2 Falco naumanni Common Kestrel 2 1 Falco tinnunculus Eurasian Hobby 1 1 Falco subbuteo Water Rail 1 1 Rallus aquaticus Little Crake 1 1 Porzana parva Common Moorhen 2 1 Gallinula chloropus Eurasian Coot 2 3 Fulica atra Eurasian Stone Curlew 2 1 Burhinus oedicnemus Black-winged Stilt 3 3 Himantopus himantopus Pied Avocet 1 1 Recurvirostra avosetta Spur-winged Lapwing 3 3 Vanellus spinosus Common Ringed Plover 3 1 Charadrius hiaticula Kentish Plover 1 3 Charadrius alexandrinus Greater Sand Plover 1 1 Charadrius leschenaultii Common Snipe 3 1 Gallinago gallinago Common Redshank 1 1 Tringa totanus Marsh Sandpiper 2 1 Tringa stagnatilis Common Greenshank 2 1 Tringa nebularia Green Sandpiper 4 1 Tringa ochropus Wood Sandpiper 1 1 Tringa glareola Little Stint 2 3 Calidris minuta Temminck's Stint 2 2 Calidris temminckii Dunlin 1 1 Calidris alpina Ruff 2 3 Philomachus pugnax Collared Pratincole 1 1 Glareola pratincola White-eyed Gull 1 1 Larus leucophthalmus Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 9

11 Common Black-headed Gull 3 3 Chroicocephalus ridibundus Slender-billed Gull 1 3 Chroicocephalus genei Armenian Gull 1 1 Larus armenicus Caspian Gull 1 1 Larus cachinnans Heuglin's Gull 1 1 Larus heuglini Baltic Gull 2 2 Larus fuscus fuscus Gull-billed Tern 1 1 Gelochelidon nilotica Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) 9 4 Columba livia European Turtle Dove 0 1h 1 Streptopelia turtur Eurasian Collared Dove 8 3 Streptopelia decaocto Laughing Dove 8 3 Streptopelia senegalensis Namaqua Dove 2 1 Oena capensis Rose-ringed Parakeet 2 2 Psittacula krameri Common Cuckoo 0 3h 1 Cuculus canorus Little Owl 1 1 Athene noctua Alpine Swift 2 1 Apus melba Common Swift 4 3 Apus apus Pallid Swift 5 3 Apus pallidus Eurasian Hoopoe 8 3 Upupa epops White-throated Kingfisher 3 1 Halcyon smyrnensis Common Kingfisher 2 1 Alcedo atthis Pied Kingfisher 1 1 Ceryle rudis Green Bee-eater 2 1 Merops orientalis Wryneck 3 2 Jynx torquilla Woodchat Shrike 5 1 Lanius senator Masked Shrike 4 1 Lanius nubicus Southern Grey Shrike 2 1 Lanius meridionalis Arabian Babbler 2 2 Turdoides squamiceps Eurasian Jay 1 3 Garrulus glandarius Western Jackdaw 1 3 Corvus monedula House Crow 2 3 Corvus splendens Hooded Crow 3 3 Corvus cornix Brown-necked Raven 2 3 Corvus ruficollis Northern Raven 1 1 Corvus corax Fan-tailed Raven 3 2 Corvus rhipidurus White-eared Bulbul i 1 3 Pycnonotus (leucogenys) leucotis White-spectacled Bulbul 6 3 Pycnonotus xanthopygos Great Tit 2 2 Parus major Greater Hoopoe-Lark 1 2h 1 Alaemon alaudipes Crested Lark 8 3 Galerida cristata Greater Short-toed Lark 1 1 Calandrella brachydactyla Desert Lark 6 3 Ammomanes deserti Bar-tailed Lark 1 2 Ammomanes cincturus Temminck's Lark 3 3 Eremophila bilopha Pale Crag Martin 4 3 Ptyonoprogne( fuligula) obsoleta Common House Martin 8 3 Delichon urbica Red-rumped Swallow 7 3 Cecropis daurica Barn Swallow 8 3 Hirundo rustica Scrub Warbler 2 1 Scotocerca inquieta Graceful Prinia 4 3 Prinia gracilis Eurasian Reed Warbler 1 1 Acrocephalus scirpaceus Moustached Warbler 1 2 Acrocephalus melanopogon Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 2 3 Iduna pallida Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2 2 Phylloscopus orientalis Willow Warbler 2 2 Phylloscopus trochilus Common Chiffchaff 6 3 Phylloscopus collybita Eurasian Blackcap 5 2 Sylvia atricapilla Lesser Whitethroat 8 3 Sylvia curruca Common Whitethroat 2 1 Sylvia communis Rüppell's Warbler 1 1 Sylvia rueppellii Tristram's Starling 4 3 Onychognathus tristramii Eurasian Blackbird 2 2 Turdus merula Bluethroat 2 1 Luscinia svecica Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 10

12 Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 1 1 Cercotrichas galactotes Common Nightingale 2 1 Luscinia megarhynchos Black Redstart 2 1 Phoenicurus ochruros Common Redstart 6 2 Phoenicurus phoenicurus European Stonechat 2 1 Saxicola rubicola Siberian Stonechat 1 1 Saxicola maurus Blackstart 5 3 Cercomela melanura Isabelline Wheatear 4 1 Oenanthe isabellina Northern Wheatear 5 3 Oenanthe oenanthe Cyprus Wheatear 3 1 Oenanthe cypriaca Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 4 1 Oenanthe (hispanica) melanoleuca Desert Wheatear 3 2 Oenanthe deserti Eastern Mourning Wheatear 3 2 Oenanthe lugens Red-rumped Wheatear 1 1 Oenanthe moesta White-crowned Wheatear 2 2 Oenanthe leucopyga Hooded Wheatear 1 1 Oenanthe monacha Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 1 1 Monticola saxatilis Blue Rock Thrush 4 2 Monticola solitarius Palestine Sunbird 5 2 Cinnyris osea House Sparrow 8 3 Passer domesticus Spanish Sparrow 5 3 Passer hispaniolensis Rock Sparrow 1 2 Petronia petronia Indian Silverbill 1 2 Lonchura malabarica White Wagtail 8 3 Motacilla alba Yellow Wagtail 4 3 Motacilla flava Citrine Wagtail 1 1 Motacilla citreola Water Pipit 2 1 Anthus spinoletta Tree Pipit 3 1 Anthus trivialis Red-throated Pipit 2 2 Anthus cervinus European Greenfinch 5 3 Carduelis chloris European Goldfinch 1 1 Carduelis carduelis Syrian Serin 1 3 Serinus syriacus Chaffinch 1 1 Fringilla coelebs Common Linnet 3 3 Carduelis cannabina Trumpeter Finch 1 1h 1 Bucanetes githagineus Sinai Rosefinch 2 3 Carpodacus synoicus Hawfinch 1 1 Coccothraustes coccothraustes Striolated Bunting 2 1 Emberiza striolata Cretzschmar's Bunting 3 1 Emberiza caesia Corn Bunting 2 2 Emberiza calandra MAMMALS Red Fox 2 1 Vulpes vulpes Wild cat 1 1 Felis silvestris This list represents those birds and other animals seen by party members of this tour. Front cover: Sinai Rosefinch All photographs M Petrakiev Ornitholidays Ornitholidays Tour to Jordan March 2015 Page 11