Jordan Day 8 Aqaba Bird Observatory

9th March 2023

I had this crackin male Ruppell’s Warbler moving through with Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler at the obs

It’s now been a week, take away two days, that I’ve been keeping a close eye on the obs and every time, so far, it hasn’t let me down. On arrival at the sewage basins, already the swifts and swallows were feeding and in an hour after 08.00, there were at least 2000 swift and 1500 hirundines! To the south, the sky was covered in swift over the golf cause and that’s where they stayed for most of the day until early afternoon when more than half appeared to have moved on. This was the same with the hirundines and birds that remained were 500 Swallow, 200 Sand 250 House Martin and 150-200 Red-rumped Swallow. It was obvious that most of the White Wagtail had cleared out with just 80 birds. With the wagtails were 2 Water Pipit, 9 Black-headed and 2 Citrine Wagtail, including a stonking male, new in, of the latter species. Waders were also low in numbers, single Green and 2 Redshank, 2 Little Stint, single Wood and Marsh, 4 Green and 2 Common Sandpiper, but the Ruff had increased to 4. The only new duck in was a male Wigeon and the Pygmy Cormorant was still on the east pool.

Most of the White Wagtail have moved but this beauty, male Citrine Wagtail was new in

This was also new in but what is it? Black-headed ‘type’Wagtail?

There were at least 150-200 Red-rumped Swallow

200 Sand Martin

Some 2000 Swift were feeding to the south over the golf couse

This male Wigeon was the only new duck but no sign of the female

The raptors were just trickling through mid-morning but early afternoon they were streaming in from the SW straight through NNE and in forty minutes, some 80 Steppe Eagle and 100 Steppe Buzzard, 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Black Kite, single Sparrowhawk and the highlight, 2 Egyptian Vultures together, passed through. The vultures I would never have spotted if it wasn’t for the dark shapes of 8 Steppe Eagle drifting NE with them. After this, except for the odd eagle and buzzard, the movement had dried up. With that, I birded the scrub and it was while I was on my fifth Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler in the hour looking, that a corking male Ruppell’s Warbler came through and showed superbly. Also 30 Chiffchaff, 15 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Palestine Sunbird. In with the 100’s of House Sparrow were 2 male Spanish Sparrow and the last bird at the obs was a single Hoopoe.

Totals of raptors included 140 steppe Buzzard, 100 Steppe Eagle, 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Black Kite, 2 Egyption Vulture and a single Sparrowhawk.

New species on the patch included, Ruppell’s, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Palestine Sunbird and Egyptian Vulture.

Went snorkelling for the third time later on and it turned out to be the most rewarding snorkel I’ve done so far, Pufferfish and Stingray. Last time I saw a tank! A quick look at the Masked Shrike in the city on returning back to my digs. Also single Red-throated Pipit and Hoopoe.

Only 2 Black Kite moved through and I guess that will increase in the next week

Steppe Eagles and Buzzards

And the highlight of the raptors, 2 Egyptian Vulture

Went in search of Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler and came across five birds.

The last time I saw Ruppell’s warbler wasd three year ago at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where I had a fall of eight birds together during a storm along with some 60 Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler.

Out of the 30 Chiffchaff I also had this Interesting individual with a bar at the end of it’s tail like it was dipped in ink.

Record shot of a distant Male Spanish Sparrow

Another new species for the patch was this Short-winged Lemmon Bird. Although you can clearly see tha it’s not a Long-winged Lemmon Bird, it’s such a poor record shot it will never get accepted.

Suella Braverman Is FUMING At Gary Lineker

Lineker just saying what it is and what the Tory’s are afraid of, is that it is the truth.

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