Abu Dhabi

[ijwilki]

I'm working on a large construction project building a new steelworks in the industrial area of Musaffah in Abu Dhabi. The site is adjacent to the sea and I get to see quite a few interesting birds. Not had much chance to explore other areas of the UAE but I hope to over the coming moths.

I regularly see cormorants, flamingoes, egrets, whimbrel, curlews and various plovers along the shoreline. I've attached a few pics of some of my sightings from last year. I hope you find them interesting.

Ian

[ijwilki]

Contractors have started some coastal works on site so that will scare off some of the birdlife. Lots of terns diving into the sea today just outside the booms that have been set up. I'm useless at ID-ing terns, but I think they were common terns.

I've attached more pics of some of the birds I've seen whilst I've been out here.

Ian

[ijwilki]

What am I doing wrong that the pics are coming up so large?

Ian

[astafjevs]

Originally Posted by ijwilki

What am I doing wrong that the pics are coming up so large?

Ian

No idea, but they're great pictures!

[Merlin]

Agreed great pics, have you tried resizing them to 620 along there longest side before uploading?

[ijwilki]

Thanks astafjevs and Merlin, glad you like the pics.

I'll try uploading some more pics resizing as you recommend.

Ian

[ijwilki]

Despite the site coastal works there were plenty of common terns, BH gulls, LBB gulls and cormorants around. Didn't see any plovers today but a few grey morph reef egrets were about.

I've uploaded a few more pics of birds I photograhed along the shoreline before the dredger and excavators moved in (resized as per Merlin's recommendation)

Ian

[Merlin]

I'm pretty sure your pictured terns are Sandwich Terns (winter plumage).

[ijwilki]

Originally Posted by Merlin

I'm pretty sure your pictured terns are Sandwich Terns (winter plumage).

Thanks Merlin - I struggle ID-ing terns. Although I mentioned seeing common terns today (red beaks), they could have been Caspian terns. It was interesting to watch them diving into the water to catch the fish - quite a 'floppy' sort of dive after a brief hover, and quite often they would pull out of the dive. Unfortunately I didn't manage a photo (lack of skill!)

Ian

[Merlin]

You got me thinking now, the head on your birds seems a bit delicate for Sandwich? did you get to see the leg colour of the Terns in your picture?
Caspians are big heavy looking Terns compare to Sandwich or Common did you manage to see these birds together ?