Jordan Day 7 Aqaba Bird Observatory

8th March 2032

From 09.00 onwards until 14.00, some 120 Steppe Buzzard passed through on migration from the south continuing their journey north.

Still coming from a northly direction, the wind had dropped and I knew that it wasn’t goin to be as good day as yesterday. Above the obs, there were over 100 House Martin and Red-rumped Swallow with the odd swift and out on the ponds, some 500 Swallow and 200 Sand Martin were feeding over the water with the lone White-winged Black Tern. by 09.00, 100 Black-headed and 40 Slender-billed Gull flew through and this was the time that the first big arrival of swift were pouring in with raptors starting to come in off from the south. A new Northern Wheatear was on the bank where there were also 11 Black-headed and single Citrine and 2 Blue-headed Wagtail with only 150 White Wagtail. The Pygmy Cormorant was hanging out with the 4 Coot and now 41 Little Grebe on the far east pool where there were also 2 Water Pipit. New waders included 2 different Ruff from yesterday, with 2 Little Stint was my first Dunlin and there were now 2 Wood Sandpiper. There were also up to 7 Green and 2 Common Sandpiper.

There were 2 Blue-headed Wagtail hanging out with the Black-headed and White Wagtail

Now here are 2 Wood Sandpiper

This Dunlin, here next to a Little Stint, Greenshank and 2 Ruff, was a patch tick

A taste of the some of the species together observed on the ponds with 2 Ruff, Green and Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, Dunlin, White and Black-headed Wagtail

Some 80 or more Red-rumped Swallow were present

And out of the 700 Swallow, there was this tailless individual

Just before I returned to the ponds, after havin an hours break from the sun, I checked out the scrubby area where there were very small numbers of Chiffchaff and Lesser Whitethroat and above I could still see buzzard moving through and just got on to a spec with my naked eye that didn’t look right. With the bins I identified it as the first Black Stork so far of the trip. Both the Pied and White-throated Kingfisher were very vocal out on the ponds and to the west, 22 Spoonbill flew out high, north. At about 12.30, another birder was birding the ponds. Rafael, from Berlin joined me and left nearly two hours later. Kinking our necks, we observed the raptors coming in still, small numbers of Steppe Eagle and Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harrier and a single Black Kite. If it wasn’t for Rafael, I would of never have spotted it myself, High up in the blue skies, a Black-winged Kite didn’t hang around. A vocal Red-throated Pipit was heard otherwise, it was basically all the same species I saw earlier. Rafael was here to hopefully connect with the Oriental Honey Buzzard. I had already seen two this morning and it wasn’t long until Rafeal had seen 3 Oriental Honey Buzzard. Now on my own and the only bird of note before I left at 15.00, was a Black-bellied Sandgrouse that peltered through east at great speed! I really wasn’t expecting to see one of them today.

The first of hopefully many Black Stork to migrant north in the next week was this dot in the sky

22 Spoonbill moving on high north

Crackin job done by Rafael to spot this very brief Black-winged Kite

Altogether up to 7 Marsh Harrier passed through with two males including this individual above

So pleased Rafael caught up with 3 of the 4 Oriental Honey Buzzard with two of the wintering birds above

Just managed to get this record shot of a Black-bellied Sandgrouse flying off out of sight east and turned out to be the rarest species of the day.

the sky was almost black with Hirundines and swifts mainly to the south where they were feeding over the golf course.

Altogether totals included for raptors, 12o Steppe Buzzard and 80 Steppe Eagle, 6 Marsh Harrier, single Sparrowhawk, Black and Black-shouldered Kite and the 3 Oriental Honey Buzzard

Again so difficult to give totals for hirundines and swift but a minimum included. 700 Swallow, 250 House and 100 House Martin, 80 Red-rumped swallow, 250 Common and 800 Pallid Swift.

Only 4 patch ticks today, Red-throated Pipit, Black-shouldered Kite, Dunlin and Black-bellied Sandgrouse.

I returned home and got stuck into left overs from yesterdays dinner that was made by the owners mom. I was still lickin my chops when I observed the Masked Shrike at very close range, I could of touched it, at the sea front allotments. No sign of the yesterdays wheatear or a single Hoopoe but 2 Red-throated Pipit and on the front, Western Reef Heron.

I could of almost of touched the Masked Shrike as it was arms length’s away from me looking down on it from the main high street in the evening light Here it was in the shade

The Governments Illegal Migration Bill does BREAK THE LAW and they know it

Peter Stefanovic 37.4K subscribers

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