Dubai 2013 - 12th March 2013

Today we heading to Fujairah to visit Kor Kalba, a prime mangrove habitat home to White-collared Kingfishers'. Since last years visit the area has been completely fenced off with the only viewing from the entrance bridge. A fragile habitat, which hopefully will be looked after for few generations. As we scanned the mangroves, several Green Turtles appeared in the water below.

No White-collared Kingfisher were seen, but we did record Curlew, Sooty Gull, Gull-billed Tern and Striated Heron.

After leaving, Kor Kalba we stopped further along to shore opposite a large sand bank. Before scanning with the telescope we could see a large flock of gulls roosting, but again once we looked carefully the hidden gems appeared.

Steppe Gull
Slender-billed Gull
Little Tern
Bridled Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
Swift Tern
Common Tern
Sandwich Tern
Armenian Gull

The Swift Tern and Armenian Gull were lifer species for me.

We closed the day on 80 species and headed to our hotel called Nour Arjaan. As I watched the light drop from the hotel window I noticed a city roost of approximately 500 Common Myna birds in the trees and on the window ledges around a mobile communications building down the road. Birds flew in from across the city rooftops heading for a favoured tree or branch. After a few moments of jostling when accepting a new arrival, the birds settled again and calm was restored. Local people walked past the building possibly unaware of sleeping Myna's as the street lights shone brighter and the night time started.