Bulletin 30 - November 1986: The Birds of Das Island, UAE 9.11.85 to 2.11.86
The Birds of Das Island, UAE 9.11.85 to 2.11.86
by Len ReaneyDas Island is a small, rocky salt plug of some two square miles situated 165 kms north west of Abu Dhabi town and 135 kms east of Doha, in the Arabian Gulf. Das is heavily industrialised and very little of the original landscape or ground cover remains. However, amenity trees and small gardens are scattered around the island, particularly in the vicinity of living quarters and recreation buildings. The island is heavily populated at all times and man's influence is felt continually even in relatively isolated corners. Das is not on a well - defined bird migration route but being a well lit island with gas flares it attracts good numbers of wayward and broad front migrants including, it appears, disoriented vagrants. There is a large winter population of gulls and terns with nearby breeding seabird populations creating interest in summer.
The vast majority of the following records are the author's own over a one year period interrupted by five one - month leave periods, and supplemented by just a few other reliable observations. The status and abundance of individual species are not necessarily proved.
The list is arranged in the same order as that in The Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East, by Heinzel, Fitter and Parslow, published by Collins. This order was originally devised by A. Wetmore and is also followed in other standard works.
| Bird | Observations |
| Red - billed Tropicbird | Scarce; small flocks max. 6, Jan., Feb. Breeds nearby islands but present breeding status on Zirku unknown. |
| Cormorant | Scarce winter visitor; 2 birds Dec. - Feb. |
| Socotra Cormorant | Common. Small flocks throughout winter; Passage of c. 1000 1st. Feb. & c. 15,000 9th. Feb. c. 70 throughout summer, possibly breeding offshore flare platforms. |
| Grey Heron | Scarce winter visitor; fairly common Aug. - Oct. passage; max. 9 on 8th Sept. |
| Purple Heron | Scarce migrant Mar. - May, Aug., Sept; flock of 16 on 4th. Sept. |
| Reef Heron | Scarce winter visitor with some on passage Jun. - Sept. Mainly dark phase. |
| Night Heron | Scarce migrant; flock of 9 on 18th. Sept. |
| Greater Flamingo | Rare; 3 juveniles 30th. Oct. |
| Osprey | Resident; max. 3. Attempted breeding but failed; one theory is sterilisation from prolonged roosting on Telecomms. masts. |
| Black Kite | Single bird 10th. Jan. |
| Sparrowhawk | Single female 10th. Sept. |
| (Goshawk) | (large accipiter 2Sth. Apr. suspected as being female of this species). |
| Buzzard | Scarce migrant; max. 4 23rd. - 25th. Sept. |
| Booted Eagle | Single pale phase 4th. Sept. |
| Spotted Eagle | Rare winter visitor; one record 28th. Oct. |
| (Steppe Eagle) | (medium - sized eagle early Dec. suspected as being this species on call). |
| Pallid Harrier | Single female 4th. Sept. |
| Peregrine | Scarce; single birds 9 - 12th. Nov., 4th. May. |
| Hobby | Scarce migrant; 3 on 14th. Sept., one on 20th. Sept. Surprisingly not on UAE 1980 list (ENHG). |
| Lesser Kestrel | Single male 4th. Sept. |
| Kestrel | Scarce; single birds in Apr., Sept., Nov. |
| Quail | Scarce migrant; 2 records 12th. Apr., 19th. Sept. |
| Spotted Crake | Rare migrant; 1 record 20th. Sept. |
| Moorhen | Rare; dead juvenile on beach 18th. Sept. |
| Coot | Rare; exhausted juvenile washed up 21st. Nov. |
| Crab Plover | Rare; 2 juveniles 19th. Sept. |
| Oystercatcher | Scarce; Aug., Sept. 12 on ~3th. Sept. |
| Ringed Plover | Scarce winter visitor; scarce migrant Aug. - Oct. |
| Kentish plover | Common winter visitor; scarce migrant Aug. - Oct. |
| Greater Sandplover | Fairly common winter visitor; scarce on passage Aug. - Oct. |
| Lesser Sandplover | Fairly common Aug., Sept. passage, max. 17; scarce winter. |
| Lesser Golden Plover | Vagrant; single record 28th. Oct. |
| Grey Plover | Scarce; singles Nov., Dec. & Aug. - Sept. passage. |
| Turnstone | Scarce winter visitor; common on passage Aug. - Oct. |
| Curlew Sandpiper | Scarce migrant; 3 records Aug. |
| Dunlin | One only, 10th. Nov. |
| Little Stint | Scarce; 6 records Aug., Sept. |
| Sanderling | Scarce; 5 records Apr., Aug., Oct. |
| Terek Sandpiper | Scarce; 2 records Aug., Sept. |
| Redshank | Scarce, Aug., max. 5. |
| Greenshank | Scarce; 2 records Aug., Sept. |
| Common Sandpiper | Common winter visitor and migrant esp. Aug. |
| Green Sandpiper | Scarce; Aug., Sept. Max. 5 on 24th. Aug. |
| Ruff | Scarce; 2 records Aug., Sept. |
| Curlew | Scarce; 3 records July & Sept. |
| Whimbrel | Scarce migrant, Aug., Sept. passage. |
| Bar - tailed Godwit | Scarce; 5 records Aug., Sept. |
| Stone Curlew | Scarce migrant; 3 records in Mar., Apr. & Oct. Previously reported wintering in large numbers. |
| Collared pratincole | Scarce migrant; 3 records Aug., Sept. |
| Cream - coloured Courser | Rare; single juvenile 6 - 7th. Sept. |
| Skua sp. (Arctic?) | 1 record, 2nd. Nov. |
| Slender - billed Gull | Scarce; small numbers, max. 3, in Feb., Apr., May, Aug., Sept. |
| Sooty Gull | Common resident; up to 100 present though fewer Sept. - Nov. |
| Great Black - headed Gull | Fairly common winter visitor Jan. - Mar. and max. 12 on passage early Mar. |
| Black - headed Gull | Common winter visitor; numbers increasing Nov. /Dec. to +400 Jan. Gone by end Apr. |
| Herring Gull | Common winter visitor; returns from mid - Aug., leaves by end Apr. +1000 in Dec., Jan. |
| Lesser Black - backed Gull | Scarce winter visitor; max. 3. Not to be confused with dark backed Herring Gull heuglini. |
| Swift Tern | Common resident; c. 150 in winter but fewer in summer, esp. Aug. - Oct. |
| Lesser Crested Tern | Common, mainly Apr. - Jul. ; small numbers at other times; missing Oct. - Dec. |
| Sandwich Tern | Common winter visitor; c. 150 late Oct. - Feb. Small numbers on passage Aug., Sept. |
| Common Tern | Scarce migrant; up to 10 in Aug., Sept. |
| White - cheeked Tern | Common, breeding summer visitor; numbers building up from May to +500 in Aug. Gone by end Sept. Little Tern sp. - Rare; 1 record 3 - 4th. Sept. |
| Bridled Tern | Summer visitor; common just offshore but none seen on the island. |
| Collared Dove | 2 records, Apr., Aug. |
| Turtle Dove | Common migrant Apr., early May, late Aug., Sept. ; max. 30. 2 also 7th. July. |
| Rufous Turtle Dove | Vagrant; single bird 24th. Oct. First known UAE record. |
| Palm Dove | Scarce; singles in Oct., Dec. |
| Cuckoo | Rare migrant; single bird 14 - 15th. Sept. |
| Short - eared Owl | Rare winter visitor; single, 30th. Oct. |
| Nightjar | Scarce migrant; 5 records, all females, Apr., Sept., Oct. |
| Swift | Rare migrant; one on 26th. Apr. |
| Pallid Swift | Rare; single record 25th. Aug. |
| Bee-eater | Fairly common migrant Apr., Sept. |
| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater | Scarce migrant Apr., early May, Oct. |
| Roller | Scarce migrant; Apr., Aug., Sept. |
| Ring-necked Parakeet | Individuals or small numbers most of year; flock of 23 on 1Ith. Apr. |
| Hoopoe | Common migrant; regular Jan. - Apr. and Aug. - Nov. |
| Wryneck | Scarce migrant, Apr. |
| Black-crowned Finch-Lark | Two records only, Apr. /May and Sept. |
| Hoopoe Lark | One only, 8 - 10th. Aug. |
| Short-toed Lark | Scarce; small numbers on passage Feb. - Apr., Sept. /act. |
| Lesser Short - toed Lark | Scarce; small numbers of passage birds Nov., Feb., Apr. /May. Flock of 10 in Nov. |
| Desert Lark | One only, 2nd. May. |
| Upcher's Warbler | Scarce migrant; Apr., Aug., Sept |
| Whitethroat | Common migrant; late Apr. /early May, late Aug. - Oct. |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Common migrant; Apr., Sept., Oct. One bird wintered 24th. Nov. - 14th. Feb. (minula? ) |
| Garden Warbler | Scarce migrant; 6 records Apr., early May. |
| Barred Warbler | Scarce migrant; Apr., early May, Sept. |
| Blackcap | Fairly common migrant; mainly Apr;max. 7. |
| Menetries Warbler | Scarce migrant; Feb. - Apr., Sept. |
| Desert Warbler | Fairly common winter visitor; smallnumbers passage birds Sept. - Nov. |
| WiIlow Warbler | Common migrant esp. Apr., early May, Sept., Oct. |
| Chiffchaff | Common winter visitor; passage birds in Oct., Nov., Feb. |
| Wood Warbler | Vagrant? One bird 9 - 15th. Sept.; second bird 11 - 14th. Sept. First known UAE record. |
| Yellow - browed Warbler | Scarce; One wintered 2nd. Dec. - 4th. Mar. Passage birds on 7 - 9th. Feb., 24th. Apr., 8th. Sept., 28 - 29th. Oct. First known UAE records |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Common migrant; Apr., Sept. Also a late one on 29th. Oct. |
| Pied Flycatcher | Vagrant; one male 6th. Apr. (not a semi - collared). First known UAE record. |
| Red-breasted Flycatcher | Scarce migrant; 3 records Oct., Nov. |
| Stonechat | Fairly common winter visitor; passage birds in Feb. |
| Whinchat | Scarce migrant; Apr., early May, Aug., Sept. |
| Blue Rock Thrush | Scarce on passage; Feb., Sept. |
| Rock Thrush | Scarce migrant; Apr., Sept. |
| Wheatear | Fairly common migrant Feb. - early May, Sept |
| Desert Wheatear | Fairly common winter visitor; smallnumbers on passage Aug. - Nov. |
| Isabelline Wheatear | Common on passage Feb. - Apr., Aug. - Nov. |
| Red-tailed Wheatear | Scarce; Sept. - Dec. ; max. 5 in Nov. |
| Pied Wheatear | Common migrant Feb. - Apr., Sept. ~Nov. |
| Black Redstart | Scarce; one wintered Dec., Jan. ; singlepassage birds in Feb., Apr., Oct., Nov. |
| Redstart | Common migrant Apr., early May. |
| Robin | Scarce winter visitor. One wintered; 2 others on Nov. passage. |
| Bluethroat | Scarce; Oct., Nov. Max. 4 on 26th. Oct. |
| White - throated Robin | Rare migrant; one on Ist. May. |
| Rufous Bushchat | Scarce; passage birds in Apr., May, Aug., Sept. |
| Song Thrush | Scarce winter visitor Nov. - Feb. Max. 4. |
| Mistle Thrush | Rare winter visitor; single 22 - 24th. Nov. |
| House Bunting | Single male 26th. Jan. - lst. Feb. |
| Black - headed Bunting | Fairly common migrant; Apr., Aug, Sept. Mainly Aug. with max. of 7. |
| Ortolan | Fairly common migrant; Apr., early May, Sept., Oct. |
| Cinereous Bunting | Rare migrant; single female 8 - 18th. Apr. First known UAE record. |
| Little Bunting | Vagrant; single male 28th. Oct. First known UAE record. |
| Rustic Bunting | Vagrant; single winter female 9 - 15th Dec. First known UAE record. |
| Brambling | Rare winter visitor; 2 birds 22 - 24th. Nov. |
| Siskin | Rare winter visitor; 2 males 8th. Dec., prob. arrived 6th. Dec. |
| Common Rosefinch | Scarce migrant; late Aug., Sept. Max. of 5 on 21st. Sept. |
| Tree Sparrow | Rare; 2 separate(?) birds 8th. & 23rd. Sept. First known UAE record. |
| House Sparrow | Scarce; small numbers Sept., Nov., Dec.; single in May. |
| Yellow-throated Sparrow | Apparently fairly common; Apr., Sept. ; max. 12 in Apr. Also recorded Jun., Aug. |
| Pale Rock Sparrow | Scarce; one in Mar., 2 in Apr. |
| Starling | Scarce; Nov., Dec. ; max. 7. |
| Rose-coloured Starling | Fairly common migrant; Apr., July, Aug., Sept. Mainly autumn; max. 12 in Aug. |
| Golden Oriole | Scarce migrant; early May, Aug., Sept. Max. 4 in Sept. |
Other Das Island records of species not seen personally but likely to occur and probably reliably identified by others are as follows:
| Bird | Observations |
| Great White Egret | winter records. |
| Little Egret | winter records. |
| Squacco Heron | 1973. |
| Glossy Ibis | Mar. 1977 |
| White Stork | A large flock of several hundred was reported over-flying the island from the north west on 13th. Sept. 1984. The same day several hundred white storks (estimates vary from 700 to 3000) landed at Abu Dhabi new airport, and remained in decreasing numbers until mid-Jan. the following year. (RW) |
| Teal | singles, Apr. 1975 |
| Houbara Bustard | two in Nov. 1974. one late Jun. 1982. (RW) |
| Little Ringed Plover | . |
| Phalarope sp | (Red-necked?) |
| Wood Sandpiper | Mar. 1978. (IF) |
| Caspian Tern | Mar. 1978. (IF) |
| Barn Owl | Sept. 1985. (RW) Nov. 1985. |
| Scops Owl | Dead, May 1975. |
| Little Owl | one winter record. |
| Indian Roller | Jan. 1977. |
| Kingfisher | several records; sometimes present for a few days in the harbour or around the salt water intakes. (RW) |
| Bartailed Desert Lark | Mar. 1978; perhaps confused with Desert Lark. (IF) |
| Bimaculated Lark | Mar. 1978. (IF) |
| Graceful Warbler | singles in winter |
| (Semi?) Collared Flycatcher | Feb. 1977, Mar. 1978. (IF) |
| Black-eared Wheatear | Mar. 1978. (IF) |
(IF -Ian Fraser)
(RW -Rob Western)
