Notes about trip and planning:

Transcription

1 Notes about trip and planning: The destination of this trip was chosen by my girlfriend and me to combine great birdwatching, amazing snorkelling and some relax. The southern Red Sea is not a destination frequented by mass tourism and has valuable natural areas such as mangroves and coral reefs very well preserved. Moreover, considering the historical period, this area is probably one of the safest in Egypt and in the Middle East. This was my second trip on the Red sea as I already visited it in April 2013 when I stayed around Wadi el Gemal National Park. This time i wanted to visit the mangroves around Hamata in September because i wanted to see some new species as crab plover, sooty falcon, bridled and white cheeked tern. I read some bird report but the best source of information has undoubtedly been Where to Watch Birds in Wadi el-gemal National Park and Neighboring Areas by Dr. Sherif Baha El Din, a pdf downloadable here: pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnado517.pdf So we chose to stay at Wadi Lahmi that is in the southernmost part of Egyptian Red Sea. It's about 400 km south of Hurgada, 120 km south of Marsa Alam (190 km from Marsa Alam airport) and it's 130 km far from El Shalatin and the Sudanese border. The temperature we found was very hot, about 38/40 C of max temp. but it reached 35 C already in the early morning (8-9:00 am). We had to leave the 12th of September but we had some unpleasant problem with the tour operator which caused the loss of the flight. So we had to leave the day after. In this way I lost not only a day of vacation but even the rental car I had reserved (returned to Hurgada). My plans were to make some trips by car, in particular I wanted to visit Marsa Hemira mangroves, Bir Gahelya, Shalatin and Sheikh Shazeli but unfortunely it was not possible. To make some excursions I asked for help to a local guy who worked at the diving. He agreed to organize me some trips with drivers from Hamata. In those days (September 14), however, a terrible accident happened in the western desert near the border with Libya. A convoy of Mexican tourists was mistaken by the Egyptian army for terrorists and 12 people died. After the incident it became obligatory a permit to go into the desert and my contact did not want me to go far away from the hotel area so he told me that it was not possible to visit places like Sheikh Shazeli and Bir Gahelya. So we organized with difficulty, two trips. With the first trip I visited the Hamata mangroves and the Qulaan beach. With the second he listened my desire to visit the desert (and see desert species) and told the driver to bring me a few kilometres into the desert. Here I saw only a few birds until speaking with the driver (who spoke very little English) I realized that there was little far a well. Immediately I had an idea in mind and asked him to bring me there and the choice was right because I saw a very charming place, I met a Bedouin man very friendly and saw three new bird species. A fantastic adventure that left me the best memory just a few hours before leaving. Almost all the target species of the trip were reached except yellow bittern, mangrove reed warbler (probably was too late for this two species) and goliath heron. The lifers seen were 12. Undoubtedly the biggest lifer for me was white-tailed plovers that was quite unexpected. Crab plover and lesser crested tern were WP lifers as I already saw them in Kenya. Other lifers were sand partridge, bridled and white-cheeked tern, sooty falcon, desert lark, desert and White-crowned wheatear, Mangrove olivaceous warbler and Cretzshmar's bunting. 1-21

2 Maps Egypt Southern Red Sea area Hamata mangroves, hamata islands and Qulaan lagoon Wadi Lahmi mangrove 2-21

3 Visited locations Wadi Lahmi Resort: R I chose this resort because it's quite near the Wadi Lahmi mangrove, about 4 km walking (8 km round trip). Hamata kite village was at only 100 mt. but it has no garden to attract migrants. I visited the gardens (trying all different habitat) and exterior of the resort mainly at early morning and or at evening. Wadi Lahmi mangroves: WLM One of the best mangroves in the area. Here you can find crab plover. Yellow bittern should breed here but most likely it was too late. Goliath heron moves between here and other mangroves in the area (Hamata, Qulaan and southernmost Marsa Hemira) but wasn't found. This mangrove area also holds 2 new species: mangrove olivaceous and mangrove reed warbler (not found). I visited this area 2 times (14 and 17 sept) from dawn till 11:00 am and it's been very physically demanding because of the great heat. Whadi Lahmi mangroves 3-21

4 Hamata mangroves: HM The biggest mangrove area (7 km long), the best to find crab plover. I visited this area only once (16 sept) unfortunately. I had to move by car because the area is very large. I made some stop as i saw some very interesting species. But probably i didn't see many birds because of the tide. Low tide was obviously the best moment but it was in the early afternoon and it was too hot. Camels eating mangroves Hamata mangroves Hamata port: P Little harbour where boat trips starts to Hamata islands. Hamata islands: I These beautiful atolls are a breeding site for bridled and white cheeked tern and sooty falcon. Visited on 17 sept. Atoll Bridled tern colony Qulaan beach & mangroves: QM Small lagoon with beach and mangroves just north of Hamata mangroves. Visited on 16 sept. after Hamata mangroves. Qulaan mangroves 4-21

5 Wadi Lahmi desert: D I wanted to search for desert species but only few birds were found in few small bushes and acacia trees. But arriving near water, a bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi, 24 07'03.9"N 35 16'29.5"E) lot of birds were present included desert lark, white crowned wheatear and sand partridge. Visited at morning (7:00-10:00 am) on 19 sept. Bedouin well ( Bir in arabic) Water for camel, goats and... birds. Acacia trees Rocky slopes, sand partridge found in a similar habitat. 5-21

6 Annotated check list 1 Garganey Anas querquedula Marzaiola Good passage of migrants in these days. Medium/small groups (20/100 ind.) passing on the sea and sometimes stopping at HM and WLM. > 50 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 110 (90 mornig + 20 evening) ind. seen at R, 14 sept. > 75 ind. (passage) seen at HM, 16 sept. > 140 ind. (2 groups on passage) seen at QM, 16 sept. > 40 ind. seen at P, 17 sept. 30 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 2 Sand partridge Ammoperdix heyi Pernice delle sabbie About 10 ind. on a rocky slope near Bir Wadi Lahmi, D (24 06'56.6"N 35 16'09.0"E), 21 sept. 3 Common quail Coturnix coturnix Quaglia Plegadis falcinellus Mignattaio Platalea leucorodia Spatola 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 4 Glossy ibis 1 or 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 5 Spoonbill 1 ind. (flying south, maybe to WLM) seen at R, 17 sept. 6 Night heron Nycticorax nycticorax Nitticora comune 4 ind. (passed flying 3 time on the hotel) seen at R, 17 sept. 4 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. 6-21

7 7 Striated heron Butorides striata Airone striato Ardeola ralloides Sgarza ciuffetto Bubulcus ibis Airone guardabuoi Ardea cinerea Airone cenerino Ardea purpurea Airone rosso > 7 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 3 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 8 Squacco heron 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 7 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 7 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 9 Cattle egret 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 10 Grey heron > 10 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 20 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. >25 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. > 7 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. > 45 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 11 Purple heron > 50 ind. (flying south on the sea) seen at R, 14 sept. > 10 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 12 Little egret Egretta garzetta Garzetta 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 13 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 6 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 20 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. 7-21

8 13 Reef egret Egretta gularis Airone schistaceo some ind. seen during transfer airport R, 13 sept. 3 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 3 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 3 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. > 8 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. 14 Osprey Pandion haliaetus Falco pescatore 2 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 3 ind. seen (around a nest 2 adults with begging young) at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at P, 17 sept. > 6 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. 4 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. Osprey eating a still alive Sohal surgeonfish 15 Marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus Falco di palude 1 ind. seen during transfer airport R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen (flying south on the sea) at R, 15 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. > 5 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 1 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 1 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 16 Montagu's harrier Circus pygargus Albanella minore Buteo buteo vulpinus Poiana Crex crex Re di quaglie 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 17 Steppe buzzard 18 Corncrake 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 8-21

9 19 Crab plover Dromas ardeola Droma 3 ind. (2 adults with begging young) seen at WLM, 14 sept. 3 ind. (2 adults with young) seen at QM, 16 sept. 20 Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus Cavaliere d' Italia Vanellus leucurus Pavoncella codabianca Charadrius hiaticula Corriere grosso Charadrius dubius Corriere piccolo 11 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 21 White-tailed plover 3 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 22 Ringed plover 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 3 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. > 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 23 Little ringed plover 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 2 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 18 sept. 9-21

10 24 Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus Fratino Charadrius leschenaultii Corriere di leschenault Gallinago gallinago Beccaccino Numenius phaeopus Chiurlo piccolo Numenius arquata Chiurlo maggiore Tringa totanus Pettegola Tringa ochropus Piro piro culbianco 3 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 3 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 25 Greater sand plover > 30 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 6 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 5 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. > 10 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 26 Snipe 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 4 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 27 Whimbrel > 4 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 4 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 4 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 28 Curlew 2 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 29 Redshank > 5 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 5 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 30 Green sandpiper 20 ind. (flight passage) seen at WLM, 18 sept. 31 Turnstone Arenaria interpres Voltapietre 1 ind. seen at P, 17 sept

11 32 Broad-billed sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Gambecchio frullino Philomachus pugnax Combattente Chroicocephalus genei Gabbiano roseo Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus Gabbiano occhibianchi Ichthyaetus hemprichii Gabbiano dal collare 33 Ruff 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 34 Slender-billed gull 2 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. > 18 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 35 White-eyed gull > 10 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. > 20 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. > 5 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. Some ind. seen at R, 17 sept. Many ind. seen at I, 17 sept. 36 Sooty gull The most common gull in R and in general in this area. Some ind. seen at WLM, 15 sept. Some ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. Some ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. Some ind. seen at P, 17 sept. Many ind. seen at I, 17 sept

12 37 Gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica Sterna zampenere Hydroprogne caspia Sterna maggiore Thalasseus bengalensis Sterna di rüppell 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. > 4 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 38 Caspian Tern 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. > 3 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 39 Lesser crested tern 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at P, 17 sept

13 40 Bridled tern Onychoprion anaethetus Sterna dalle redini Seen only on and around Sayal island. > 300 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. (adults and youngs both dark than light morph) Juvenile light morph Juvenile dark morph 41 Common tern Sterna hirundo Sterna comune > 5 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. > 7 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept

14 42 White-cheeked tern Sterna repressa Sterna guancebianche 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. > 5 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 5 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 15 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. Many ind. seen (during all the boat trip) at I, 17 sept. 43 Rock dove Columba livia Piccione selvatico > 10 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 44 Turtle dove Streptopelia turtur Tortora selvatica Streptopelia roseogrisea Tortora dal collare africana > 5 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 2 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 3 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. > 10 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 2 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 45 African collared dove At WLM should be present both euorpean and african collared dove but i think to have seen/heard only roseogrisea. 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 15 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 46 Laughing dove Spilopelia senegalensis Tortora delle palme Quite common at R Some ind. seen at QM, 16 sept

15 47 Namaqua dove Oena capensis Tortora maschera di ferro 1 ind. (flight passage) seen at WLM, 18 sept. 48 Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus Succiacapre eurasiatico 1 ind. seen near desert edge, 16 sept. 1 ind. (h 21 hunting near the hotel pool) seen at R, 18 sept. 49 Roller Coracias garrulus Ghiandaia marina eurasiatica > 7 (prob. about 10) ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 50 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Martin pescatore eurasiatico Merops apiaster Gruccione comune Upupa epops Upupa Falco tinnunculus Gheppio 3 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 51 Bee-eater > 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 52 Hoopoe 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. > 7 ind. seen at R, 14 sept 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 7 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 7 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 7 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. 1 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 1 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 53 Kestrel 15-21

16 54 Sooty falcon Falco concolor Falco unicolore Lanius collurio Averla piccola 1, maybe 2 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 3 ind. seen at I, 17 sept. 55 Red-backed shrike 2 ind. (m+f) seen at WLM, 14 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 3 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 4 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 4 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 56 Lesser grey shrike Lanius minor Averla cenerina Lanius senator Averla capirossa Lanius nubicus Averla mascherata Oriolus oriolus Rigogolo 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 57 Woodchat shrike 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 58 Masked shrike 2 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. 59 Golden oriole 5 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 4 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept

17 60 Brown-necked raven Corvus ruficollis Corvo collobruno Alaemon alaudipes Allodola beccocurvo Some ind. seen daily around R. Some ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 cp. seen at QM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. some ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 61 Hoopoe lark 1 ind. seen along the road from R to Marsa Alam airport, 19 sept. 62 Desert lark Ammomanes d. deserti Allodola del deserto > 10 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 63 Short-toed lark Calandrella brachydactyla Calandrella Riparia riparia Topino Hirundo rustica Rondine comune > 4 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. > 10 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. some ind. seen at R, 15 sept. some ind. seen at R, 16 sept. some ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. > 5 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 64 Sand martin > 5 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. > 5 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. > 30 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. some ind. seen at R, 16 sept. > 50 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 65 Barn swallow Some ind. seen at R, sept. Some ind. seen at R, 17 sept. Some ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept

18 66 Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Luì grosso 4 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 4 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 5 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 1 ind. seen near desert edge, 16 sept. > 6 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 67 Sedge warbler Acrocephalus shoenobaenus Forapaglie castagnolo Acrocephalus scirpaceus Cannaiola 3 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. > 2 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 68 Reed warbler 1 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 69 Mangrove olivaceous warbler Iduna pallida alulensis Canapino (pallido) delle mangrovie Sylvia borin Beccafico Sylvia curruca Bigiarella 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept 70 Garden warbler 2 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 71 Lesser whitethroat 2 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. some ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 5 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. > 2 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. > 3 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 72 Whitethroat Sylvia communis Sterpazzola 1 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept

19 73 Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata Pigliamosche comune Ficedula albicollis Balia dal collare Phoenicurus phoenicurus Codirosso Saxicola rubetra Stiaccino Oenanthe oenanthe Culbianco boreale Oenanthe isabellina Culbianco isabellino 2 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. 3 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 74 Collared flycatcher 75 Redstart 1 ind. (m) seen at D, 19 sept. 76 Whinchat 2 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 2 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 77 Wheatear 2 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. 3 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 4 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. > 5 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. 1 ind. seen at QM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at D, 19 sept. 78 Isabelline wheatear 2 ind. seen at R, 13 sept. 1 ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 19-21

20 79 Desert wheatear Oenanthe deserti Monachella del deserto Oenanthe hispanica Monachella 1 ind. (f) seen at D, 19 sept. 80 Black-heared wheatear 1 ind. (f) seen at R, 15 sept. > 3 ind. (1m hispanica + 1m & 1f melanoleuca) seen at HM, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 81 White-crowned wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga Monachella nera testabianca > 6 ind. seen at bedouin well (Bir Wadi Lahmi) D, 19 sept. 82 Yellow wagtail Motacilla flava Cutrettola The most common bird at R. I identified 2 subspecies: Sykes's wagtail (motacilla f. beema) and black-headed wagtail (motacilla f. feldegg). Some ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. Some ind. seen at HM, 16 sept. > 10 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. motacilla f. beema 20-21

21 83 Tawny pipit Anthus campestris Calandro Anthus trivialis Prispolone Emberiza hortulana Ortolano Emberiza caesia Ortolano grigio 2 ind. seen at WLM, 14 sept. > 3 ind. seen at WLM, 18 sept. 84 Tree pipit 1 ind. seen at R, 14 sept. > 5 ind. seen at R, 15 sept. 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. 2 ind. seen at R, 17 sept. 85 Ortolan bunting 86 Cretzshmar's Bunting 1 ind. seen at R, 16 sept. Author: Marco Crivellari marcocrivellari.mc@gmail.com Italy 21-21