iran

QESHM ISLAND, IRAN

25 – 27 APRIL 2001

A BIRDWATCHING TRIP

PARTICIPANTS
Colin Richardson & David Diskin

ITINERARY
25 April 2001 19.30h YAK40 flight on Qeshm Air to Qeshm Island, Iran. 
26 April 2001 Up for 7.00h breakfast and set off at 7.45h in yellow taxi for tour of south coast road then Hara Sea Forest. Returned to hotel 18.30h.
27 April 2001 Checked out at 7.45h and took taxi to centre of island cultivated areas and plant nursery, before heading for far west of island. Slowly made our way back along north coast road and back to airport at 15.00h for 15.30h TU154 flight back to Dubai, 30 minutes.

LIST OF BIRD SPECIES
71 species 

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii
Two Hara reserve and two Bandar e Laft mudflats.

Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis
Six seen in Hara reserve, 25 on northern mudflats at Darbaghan, five on south coast and others scattered along coastline.

Great White Egret Egretta alba
Two or three off Darbaghan. 

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Two Hara reserve.

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Two Hara reserve.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
12 near south coast road, six near Suza, 146 off promontory west of Hara reserve, two Darbaghan, four Bandar-e-Laft

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
A total of 22 seen over the period throughout the island.

Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus
One female flying east along north coast on 26th.

Shikra Accipiter badius
One in plant nursery in centre of island on 27th.

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
One only, south coast.

See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis
Three south-west corner of island on 27th.

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
One Hara reserve on 26th.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
12 in lagoon near Suza, south coast 26th.

Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
Two on salt flats north coast on 27th.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Odd pairs breeding north and south coasts.

Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus
Two Bandar-e-Laft roost on 26th.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
35 Hara reserve, 10 Darbaghan, plus ones and twos other locations.

Red-wattled Lapwing Hoplopterus indicus
Common, with 15+ seen mostly coastal brackish lagoons.

Little Stint Calidris minuta
Two south coast pools and 13 west of Suza

Dunlin Calidris alpina
20+ seen total.

Ruff Philomachus pugnax
One in pool west of Suza 26th

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Four Hara reserve 26th

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
21 in Hara reserve and 15 Bandar-e-Laft on 26th; three near Direstan, South Coast 27th.

Curlew Numenius arquata
12 Hara reserve and 20 Bandar-e-Laft on 26th and two Direstan 27th.

Redshank Tringa totanus
Four Hara reserve and six Darbaghan on 26th

Greenshank Tringa nebularia
One south coast 26th and four Hara reserve 26th.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
27 Hara reserve and 50 Bandar-e-Laft on 26th, high numbers.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
One west of Suza and one Hara reserve 26th.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Four Darbaghan on 26th

Slender-billed Gull Larus geneii
550 on mudflats 10km. west of Qeshm town 26th.

Siberian/Caspian Gull Larus heuglin/cachinnans
A few immatures off north coast.

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Four Hara reserve 26th

Swift Tern Sterna bergii
One near Direstan, south coast 27th

Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
10 near Direstan, south coast, 50+ north coast 27th

Little Tern Sterna albifrons
35 Shah Shahad, south coast and four west of Suza 26th; six Hara reserve 26th; two not determined to sp. Darbaghan 26th.

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Up to five seen near south coast road 26th and several Ramkan plant nursery. One at nest north coast 27th.

Palm Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
Fairly common.

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
10 over Ramkan plantation 27th.

Alpine Swift Apus melba
10 over Ramkan nursery 27th.

Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
Fairly common. Sub-species baluchensis with green throat present.

European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
Eight south Xarbas 26th and 12 west of Qeshm town 27th.

European Roller Coracias garrulus
Very common, obviously just arrived c.5 on 26th and 16 on 27th, all on south coast.

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
c.10 seen various locations.

Black-crowned Finch Lark Eremopterix nigriceps
Single Xarbas and four Direstan, south coast. 

Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti
Two (very grey-looking) near hills east of Kani 27th.

Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes
One promontory 10km west of Qeshm 26th.

Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens
Two pairs, in song, promontory 10km west Qeshm 26th.

Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Very common.

Pale Crag Martin Hirundo obsoleta
Fairly common.

Swallow Hirundo rustica
Ones and twos at 5 locations only.

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
One thunbergi Bandar-e-Laft 26th.

White-cheeked Bulbul
Pycnonotus leucogenys Common.

Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha
One male in coastal hills east Kani 27th.

Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger
Two east of Kani 27th.

Rock Thrush Monticola saxatillis
Three males on promontory 10km west of Qeshm 26th.

Graceful Warbler Prinia gracilis
Fairly common.

Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
Several heard in mangroves at Hara.

Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida
Heard in bushes west of Suza 26th

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
One ‘nominate’ type 10km west of Suza 26th.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
One bushes 10km west of Qeshm 26th

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
Two individuals on south coast 26th & 27th.

Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus
Very common, always in parties of 5+..

Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica
Common

Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus
Two phoenicuroides south of Xarbas 26th, two phoenicuroides (plus one isabellinus) Direstan road 27th.

Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
Two only seen.

Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis
Common. 

House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Common.

Yellow-throated Sparrow Petronia xanthocollis
Six Ramkan plantation and heard at Airport roundabout 27th.

House Bunting Emberiza striolata
Two in hills east of Kani 27th.

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala
Two females in hills south of Xarbas 26th.

OTHER WILDLIFE
Mudskippers common on many mudflats and in Hara reserve
Mongoose, two seen
Wild Cat, dead on road on north coast being fed on by Egyptian Vultures

Colin Richardson P.O. Box 50394 Dubai UAE.