birding...

Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor ©Nigel Blake http://www.nigelblake.co.uk

With much attention focused on neighbouring Israel, information for birders about Jordan has been sadly lacking. The publication of Ian Andrew`s excellent book in 1995 The Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and his Birding in Jordan website (see link below) helped put Jordan on the birding map. Ian worked in Jordan for a number of years and collected together records from the small number of birdwatchers and tour companies who had previously visited this fabulous and underwatched country.

Ornithologically, the main difference between birding in Jordan and in Israel, is that you have to find the birds yourself. In contrast with Aqaba (Jordan`s main Red Sea port); very few birds must pass unseen in Eilat (especially during peak migration seasons). With less than a mile between them, the same birds must occur. Any birder in Jordan therefore has a greater chance of ornithological glory when the first Jordanian record of Black Bush Robin hops out in front of them! The few Jordanian birdwatchers can often expect to discover new birds for their country or at least major rarities.

The difference in the level of coverage is reflected in the bird lists of these countries - over 500 recorded for Israel and around 415 for Jordan. Another tempting feature for would-be visitors is the habitat. Eilat regulars are often dismayed by the continued development in the resort, whereas the habitat in Aqaba is fantastic with irrigated allotments running for about one kilometre along the coast and an increasingly famous sewage works (not least because it can almost be viewed from Eilat – but not quite!)

Ornithological understanding has increased substantially since the 1994 when the first of many expeditions took place to establish baseline criteria for Jordan`s wildlife organised by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Jordan. These were the first expeditions since Guy Mountford et al visited the country in the 1960s. (Try getting hold of the excellent account of this expedition - Portrait of a Desert). Much of these baseline data were collected by Jordanian/European survey teams including many bird specific surveys. An RSCN arrangement with the RSPB staff sabbatical system has led to a useful stream of more than willing volunteers to spend upwards of a month birdwatching in this fascinating country. These surveys are on-going so anyone wishing to help should contact the RSCN research@rscn.org.jo or look at their website http://www.rscn.org.jo

Although there are plenty of new places to explore in Jordan, there are a number of sites definitely on the birding trail. More details can be found in Ian Andrew`s excellent book available through his website, and the website itself. The country`s position at the top of the rift valley means that migrant birds can be found almost anywhere at the right time of year.

Starting in Amman, most birding itineraries explore the country in two stages. Firstly, heading from the city into the eastern desert, one can expect to start seeing typical desert species but there are several specific sites well worth exploring. The first important stop is Wadi Al Butm – a tree lined wadi worth checking for migrants. Among the more common migrant species, birds such as White-throated Robin and Striated Scops Owl have been reported.

The next stop is Azraq. Now a shadow of its former glories due to water extraction, this desert oasis has enjoyed substantial habitat restoration in the last few years and is now a must for passing birders. With a visitor centre, boardwalk through the reeds and hides, visitors can view the pools easily and can expect to find a good range of wetland birds and passage migrants. The lack of cover in the surrounding stony desert means Azraq pulls in the birds and is responsible for some excellent records in recent years. Highlights have included Menetries Warbler, Egyptian Nightjar and Red-wattled Lapwing. When flooded, the low-lying desert (Qa) to the east of the reserve can hold massive numbers of waterfowl and waders.

Eleven kilometres from Azraq is another RSCN reserve – Shaumari. This is another site able to pull in migrant birds since it again offers substantial cover (scrub and woodland) amid the surrounded desert. The road leading to this oasis allows birders good access to the desert too with Larks and Cream-coloured Coursers regularly seen.

Heading further east, the road passes through the town of As Safawi. From here eastwards, you enter the basalt boulder desert. About 9k east of the town, among the more typical larks and wheatears it is worth looking out for the so-called Basalt Wheatear probably a dark form of Mourning Wheatear. The dark morph Desert Lark (subspecies annae) can also be found here. The boulder desert means this area is hard to explore and too far from the road without a four-wheel drive. However, finding these birds near to the road isn`t usually too much trouble. The desert near As Safawi also contains a recently discovered (1999) Ammoperdix partridge that could be an undescribed race of See-see rather than the Sand Partridge - but more research is needed.

After exploring the eastern desert, birders usually venture south of the capital into the Jordan Valley. The first stop is usually the Dead Sea where one can find, hardly surprisingly, nesting Dead Sea Sparrows. However the whole valley area down to As Safi near the southern tip of the Dead Sea is irrigated and provides extensive unexplored habitat. Heading further south, the wadis extending down from the rift margin can be explored using the roads near Fidan. Until recently, access along this road required military permission. Now things are much more straightforward to the east of the road. Caution should be taken around military camps and to the west of the road (the border side). You may be questioned if you wander too close to camps but usually out of curiosity. Best to ask first. This area provides the bird with the usually desert species: Temminck`s, Horned, Hoopoe and Desert Larks. Dunn`s Larks have also been found here [in 1994].

Heading down to the port of Aqaba, you`re in migrant heaven! At the right times of year you can expect Collared Flycatchers to be perching on postcard stands, Thrush Nightingales contact calling from under parked cars and explosions of Levant`s Sparrowhawks from bushes and trees as you pass them. No different to Eilat in this respect but in Aqaba, you will probably be the birder finding these birds. As previously mentioned, the coastal strip is a series of irrigated allotments full of warblers, chats and pipits. Aqaba also has a fantastic sewage works! A sewage works at the top of the Red Sea has to be worth a visit! It is true to say that many of Jordan`s rarest sightings come from this site. Birds are welcome but its situation close to the border makes this a sensitive military area. One has to seek permission to gain access but it is well worth the hassle. Recent highlights include Painted Snipe, Cotton Teal, Pink-backed Pelican, Grey-headed Gull and Pacific Golden Plover.

North of Aqaba is Wadi Rum. This is a spectacular area of vast sandstone mesas up to 800m tall. This site has great ornithological significance in Western Palaearctic terms being the only reliable breeding site for Verreaux`s Eagle. Recent birdwatching records suggest that there may be another pair or two in Jordan but your best bet to see this magnificent eagle is to scan the cliffs behind Wadi Rum resthouse. In recent years, seeing a Verreaux`s Eagle has been less than certain after an adult bird was found dead. Fortunately at least two birds have been seen in the last year or two raising hopes that this species maintains it status in Jordan.

Moving further north on the Kings Highway which runs along the rift valley margins, one can visit The RSCN reserve at Dana. This site offers the visitor some of the most spectacular views in the country, looking out over Wadi Araba. Wadi Dana itself leads down into Fidan mentioned earlier but here, at an altitude of 1500m, the habitat is very different. The Barra forest is made up of oak and juniper and holds species such as Tristram`s Serin, Cretzschmar`s Bunting and Sinai Rosefinch. The rocky wadis contain Hume`s, Eagle and Scops Owl. The campsite at Dana is also an excellent place to watch raptor migration. Two Verreaux`s Eagles have been seen here annually since 1999 and with earlier sightings of both adult and juvenile birds, one would think that this area could well hold another pair. It is a wonderful place to stay and most birders spend at least a night here. This is why there are so many excellent bird records from the site. Most recent additions to the Dana list have been Crested Honey Buzzard and Black Bushchat.

There are many other sites not mentioned here as this is a small sample of some of the key areas. Jordan is one of the most welcoming and safe countries in the Middle East and also very easy to explore. There are several RSCN reserves encompassing a wide range of habitats. Information about visiting and travelling in Jordan can be found in the websites mentioned below. Whilst in Jordan, it is worth putting aside time to visit some cultural sites. Even the most bird focussed visitor would be hard pressed not to find Petra and Jerash breathtaking. Of course, these sites are not without their birding attractions too!