Dubai 3rd to 11th March 2012

This was my first trip to the Middle East and Dubai/UAE was an amazing place. The city pushes the boundaries of engineering with every new building and the skyline captures the imagination.

The wealth of wildlife is there to be found whether that in in the city or out in the surrounding desert. The grass areas and water bodies are a mecca for birds, so the first place we visited was Ras-la-Khor Wildlife Sanctuary a Ramsar Site which is especially important for wintering birds on the East African - West Asian migration route.

From the two public hides we spotted the following birds:

Greater Flamingo

Black-winged Stilt

Avocet

Western Reef Heron (pale & dark phase)

Pintail

Red-wattled Plover

Spoonbill

Shelduck

Ringed Plover

Common Sandpiper

Black-headed Gull

Shoveler

Laughing Dove

Great-white Egret

Little Egret

Curlew

Little Stint

Marsh Sandpiper

Teal

White Wagtail

Egyptian Goose

Greater Sandplover

White-cheeked Bubul

Mallard

Grey Heron

Gull-billed Tern

Crested Lark

House Sparrow

Collared Dove

Kentish Plover

Species = 30