EGYPT, RED SEA
Bird Trip Report
11 - 25 March 2002

Bird Observations from Wadi Gimal, southern Red Sea coast, Egypt, 11 to 25 Match 2002

Sites:
H - hotel area, Shams Alam Resort, roughly 45 km south of Marsa Alam (small gardens)
W - wadi, stretch south of hotel, between road and coastline (200-500 m wide), for about 3 km (little vegetation, mainly scattered Tamarisks and other scrub)
P - pool - small brackish pool, about 3 km south of hotel (little reed, some palmtrees)
WW - wadi, west of road, starting about 3 km south of hotel (scattered Tamarisks)
D - desert, west of hotel, for about 3 km (gravel to sand, occasionally loam; very few Acacia trees)
Is - Wadi Gimal Island, mainly 'picnic site' at south-east coast of island
S - sea in front of hotel or Wadi
M - Mangroves about 46 km south of hotel
W/S - coastline of wadi
D/H, D/W - edge between desert and hotel or wadi

Note:
1. Bird counts/estimates in hotel area carried out almost daily.
2. Because of the small gardens in the hotel area birds are easily disturbed by passing persons and move to the next area of bushes. Due to the many movements of birds the numbers given are estimates rather than exact counts. In early morning and late evening heavy disturbance by a gardener with a big 'smoke gun' spraying some pesticides against flies and mosquitoes.
3. Sunny weather with northerly winds and temperature around 25-30C (day) to 16-20C (night) most of the time. One exception: On 19/03 strong southerly wind (morning temperature already 23 C) turned to southwest in late morning and brought dust of the desert and rose temperature to about 38C. This tailwind stimulated heavy bird migration, and in the night - moon and stars were still completely covered by dust - the migrants were attracted by the hotel lights, a situation similar to a lighthouse in slightly foggy weather at northern coasts.
4. Birds not positively identified at species level are mentioned in a few cases (marked with a question mark instead of a number).

Bird Records:

1. Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
21/03 1 flying north - S

2. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
22/03 1 - Is

3. Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus
22/03 1 - Is

4. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
19/03 1 migrating 11.50 pm - H

5. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
16/03 1 - H
20-23/03 4 - H

6. Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis
up to 3 (2 white, 1 dark) - W/S
15/03 2+2 - M
19/03 1 migrating 10-11 pm (see Purple Heron) - H

7. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
20/03 2 migrating north - H

8. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
15/03 1 migrating north - S

9 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
19/03 2 migrating (together with 1 Reef Heron) 10-11pm , irritated by dust and light, passing the hotel 6 times in different directions - H

10. Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
18/03 1 - W/S
22/03 1 - Is

11. Black Kite Milvus migrans
20/03 1 migrating north 7.45am - H

12. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
12/03 1 male migrating north - H

13. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
20/03 1 male migrating north - H

? Pallid / Montagu's Harrier Circus macrourus/Circus pygargus
14/03 1 female migrating north 7am - H

14. Osprey Pandion haliaetus
daily 1-2 - W
15/03 1 + 1 - M
22/03 3 active nests + 2 + 4 ind. - Is

15. Lanner Falco biarmicus
12/03 1 - W

16. Quail Coturnix coturnix
15/03 1 - M
17/03 1 - H
18/03 1 - W
20/03 3+2 - H
21/03 2 - H

17. Coot Fulica atra
18/03 1 pool

18. Crane Grus grus
15/03 4 migrating north 20 km north of H

19. Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
19/03 1 landing, 1min. later disappearing northwards 10pm H

20. Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor
14/03 2 W
17/03 1 D/W

21. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
18/03 1 pool
21/03 1 - D/H
24/03 1 pool

22. Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
15/03 4 - M

23. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
15/03 2 - M
22/03 1 - Is

24. Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
18/03 1 - W/S
22/03 1 - Is

? Greater/Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii/mongolus
15/03 2 - M

25 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
22/03 1 Is

26. Spur-winged Plover Hoplopterus spinosus
19/03 1 pool
24/03 1 - H

27 Little Stint Calidris minuta
18/03 1 pool
19/03 2 pool
19/03 8 migrating 11.30pm - H

28. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
15/03 1 - M

29. Curlew Numenius arquata
15/03 3 - M
19/03 1 - W/S
24/03 1 - W/S

30. Redshank Tringa tetanus
15/03 1+2 - M
18/03 1 pool

31. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
18/03 1 pool

32. Greenshank Tringa nebularia
14/03 1+1 - W/S
18/03 1 pool
19/03 3 pool

33. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
18/03 1 pool

34. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
18/03 1 - H (at swimming pool)
24/03 1 pool

35 Turnstone Arenaria interpres
22/03 3 - Is

36. Sooty Gull Larus hemprichi
14/03 1+3 migrating north S
15/03 4 - M
18/03 1 - S
20/03 1 migrating north S
22/03 2+2+1+15 - Is

37. Slender-billed Gull Larus genei
15/03 1 flying west 7am - H

? Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini
(far offshore; large gulls with mainly middle-grey mantle)
20/03 20 migrating north - S

38. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
daily 1-2 - S
22/03 10 mainly in pairs - Is

39. Crested Tern Sterna bergii
15/03 5 - M

40. Rock Dove Columba livia
daily 7 - H

? Collared Dove/African Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto/Streptopelia roseogrisea
19/03 1 - D
(too far for identification)

41. Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
19/03 1 landing 11pm - H
20/03 1 - H
24/03 1 - H

42. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
15/03 1 >20 km south of - H

43. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
15/03 1+1 - M

44. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
20/03 8 migr. north 12am - H
22/03 1 - Is

45. Hoopoe Upupa epops
daily 1-2 - H
15/03 2+4 - M
18/03 2 - W

46. Wryneck Jynx torquilla
daily 1 - H
15,18,24/03 1 - W
21/03 3 - H

47. Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cincturus
17/03 1 singing + 2 - D

48. Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes
19/03 1 - WW
24/03 1 - W (southeast of pool)

49. Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
daily small groups resting and flying/migrating, e.g.:
17/03 15+2+10+50+20 migrating north - H/D (often near road)
19/03 >1000 migrating 9pm to midnight - H (heavily attracted by hotel lights)

50. Sand Martin Riparia riparia
up to 3 - W, H

51. Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula
up to 2 - H

52. Swallow Hirundo rustica
up to 20 - H, up to 50 - W

53. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
up to 10 - H, up to 10 - W

54. House Martin Delichon urbica
12/03 5 - H
14/03 2 - W

55. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
14/03 1 adult - W

56. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
14/03 1 + 2 migrating - H
15/03 1 - H
20/03 1 + 1 - H
24/03 5 migrating - H

57. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus
16/03 1 - H
17/03 3 - H
19/03 1 - H
22/03 1 - H

58. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
15/03 1 + 1 - H
16-25/03 1 - H

59. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Subspecies feldegg
daily 5-20 (10-20% females) - H, exceptionally:
19/03 >50 migrating, landing 9pm to midnight - H
20/03 50 - H
Subspecies flava
18/03 1 - W
19/03 2 migrating, landing 9pm to midnight - H
20/03 1male + 1female - H
Hybrid flava/feldegg (superciliaris)
20,22,25/03 1 male - H
Subspecies thunbergi
20/03 1 male - H

60. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
daily >50 (also sleeping) - H
18/03 >10 pool

61. Rufous Bush Robin Cercotrichas galactotes
20/03 1 - H

62. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
daily 3 - 5 - H, one exception:
15/03 15 - H, Subspecies cyanecula : 6, Subspecies svecica : 2

63. Stonechat Saxicola torquata
daily 2 - 5 - H (mainly maura, also torquata)

64. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
up to 5 - W (mainly in pairs)
19/03 6 - WW

65. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
13/03 1 male + 1 female - W
14/03 1 male - W
21/03 1 male - H
24/03 1 male - H

66. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
13/03 1 male - H

67. Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica
17/03 1 male (black-throated) - H
19/03 1 male - WW
20/03 1 male - H

68. Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides
17, 19, 22, 24/03 1 - H
20/03 2 - H
21/03 4 - H

69. Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
12/03 1 - H
18/03 2 pool
20/03 1 - H
24/03 1 pool
24/03 1 - H
25/03 2 - H

?. Reed/Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus/Acrocephalus palustris
(probable mostly Reed Warbler)
18/03 3 pool
19/03 1 landing 10pm - H
20/03 >80 - H
21/03 40 - H
22/03 20 - H
22/03 1 - Is
24/03 10 - H
15/03 7 - H

70. Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida
20/03 7 - H
21/03 3 - H
22/03 1 - Is

71. Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata
23-25/03 1 1st winter - H

72. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans
22/03 1 male - Is

73. Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
12/03 1 male - H
15/03 1 female - H
17/03 1 female - H
19/03 3 heard - WW
20/03 1 male - H

74. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
daily 3 - 6 - H, exceptionally
20/03 60 - H
25/03 8 - H
Desert Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca minula
(maybe underrecorded) 13/03 1 - H and 10/03 2 - H

75. Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
12-15/03 20 - 30 - H
16-25/03 3 - 10 - H
(contrary to other migrants 20/03, 3 only - H)

76 Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
13/03 1 singing - W/D
14/03 1 - W

77. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
19/03 1 - WW
23/03 2 - H (at morning only)

78. Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
daily 1 - 2 - H, but:
20/03 7 - 8 - H (morning; migrants from the night),
20/03 3 - 4 - H (evening; due to small habitat half of the birds driven away)

79. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis
up to 30 - H and surroundings

80. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
up to 50 - H, after 20/03 just around 5

Other Wildlife

Dugong Dugong dugon
18/03 1 seen from shore pool

Dorcas Gazelle Gazella dorcas
19/03 2 - WW

Klemens Steiof & Gisela Lctkenhaus
Seestraddse 60
D-13347 Berlin
GERMANY