door Rommert » 18 maart 2010 21:27
Hi guys,
Just letting you know that we had a thoroughly enjoyable trip to Syria; I arrived back home yesterday, March 16th. Tagging along were 12 (Dutch and Belgian) birders. Among the highlights were
- 43 SLs at Al Howl, 9 at Al Cholla (again spotted from the highway btw Der ez-Zor and Palmyra, as was the case in 2007) and 7 at Talila reserve, Palmyra (my first sighting there);
- apparently the second record of (live) Long-eared Owl: two at Der ez-Zor;
- apparently the second record of Steppe Grey Shrike: an adult at Talila reserve, Palmyra;
- a female Semicollared Flycatcher at Der ez-Zor (details of the latter three sightings, incl photographs, will be sent in to the rarities committee asap);
- 88 White Pelicans (flocks of 65 and 23) migrating low over Jabboul;
- single adult Greater Spotted Eagles at Shnan and Mheimideh (just like last year);
- 19 Marbled Duck at Mheimideh and 2000+ and 3 pairs of White-headed Duck at Jabboul and Mheimideh, respectively;
- fields full of larks, incl 1000's of Bimaculated (in at least 4 areas, most at Talila reserve) and Lesser Short-toed, and several Short-toed, with a single Bar-tailed Lark in the desert btw Der ez-Zor and Palmyra;
- good migration, incl a fall of 30+ Cyprus Wheatears, a Pied Wheatear, Orphean, Rueppell's and Menetries Warbler (both subspecies! - what is the status of 'mystacea' in Syria?) and Thrush Nightingale at Palmyra over two days (13-14 March);
- and an extraordinary 6 See-see Partridges scoped for over an hour, at Karakozak dam (4) and "Lower Khabur reservoir" dam (2) respectively.
The total tally numbered 167 species, few short of a similar trip to Eilat! Other highlights included Wolf Snake and Anax ephippiger and Sympetrum fonscolombii (dragonflies) in high numbers - and a lush vegetation in the desert south of the Euphrates river, with knee-high meadows full of quail, larks and other migrants.
Best regards,
Remco