Usual October tour of Skua Nature to Sharm, lots of great observations and photographs
Sun Oct 10: flight to and arrival at Sharm el Sheik in the evening
Mon Oct 11: morning and afternoon visits to the “large sewage pools” of Sharm el Sheik
Tues Oct 12: morning to early afternoon at Ras Mohammed national park
Wed Oct 13: morning at Nabq national park and afternoon at the Sharm el Sheik botanical garden
Thu Oct 14: visits to El Tor, Sharm el Sheik botanical garden and Nabq Golf Club
Fri Oct 15: morning and afternoon visits to the “large sewage pools” of Sharm el Sheik
Sat Oct 16: day-trip to the middle of Sinai peninsula, visiting Feiran oasis and the desert
Sun Oct 17: morning visit at Dahab and around Nuweiba
Mon Oct 18: morning and afternoon visits to the “large sewage pools” of Sharm el Sheik
Tues Oct 19: morning to early afternoon at Ras Mohammed national park
Wed Oct 20: morning at Nabq national park and afternoon at the Sharm el Sheik botanical garden
Thu Oct 21: morning visit to “large sewage pools” and afternoon at the outskirts of Sharm el Sheik
Fri Oct 22: day-trip to the middle of Sinai peninsula, visiting Feiran oasis in the morning and the St. Catherine’s monastery in the afternoon
Sat Oct 23: morning to early afternoon at Ras Mohammed National Park
Sun Oct 24: morning at the "large sewage pools", afternoon at the “small sewage pools" and Nabq Golf Club / night flight to Italy
Many thanks to tour participant Igor Festari for compiling the report and the check-list
1.Fischione Anas penelope Eurasian Wigeon
2.Germano reale Anas platyrhynchos Mallard
3.Mestolone Anas clypeata Northern Shoveler
4.Codone Anas acuta Northern Pintail
5.Marzaiola Anas querquedula Garganey
6.Alzavola Anas crecca Eurasian Teal
7.Pernice delle sabbie Ammoperdix heyi Sand Partridge
5 + 3 es nel deserto tra Feiran e Dahab / 5 + 3 ex in the desert between Feiran and Dahab
8.Fenicottero Phoenicopterus roseus Greater Flamingo
9.Fetonte beccorosso Phaethon aethereus indicus (Arabian) Red-billed Tropicbird
1 juv a Ras Mohammed / 1 juv at Ras Mohammed
10.Cicogna nera Ciconia nigra Black Stork
stormo di circa 50 alle “vasche grandi” e numerosi singoli altrove / flock of about 50 ex at the “large sewage pools” and many singles elsewhere
11.Cicogna bianca Ciconia ciconia White Stork
migliaia in migrazione, soprattutto alle “vasche grandi” e all’osservatorio di Ras Mohammed / thousands of migrants, especially at the "large sewage pools" and at Ras Mohammed watchpoint
12.Spatola Platalea leucorodia Eurasian Spoonbill
13.Mignattaio Plegadis falcinellus Glossy Ibis
4 es alle vasche grandi di Sharm el Sheik / 4 ex at the "large sewage pools"
14.Nitticora Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night Heron
15.Airone striato Butorides striata brevipes Striated Heron
pochi es a Ras Mohammed e 10+ a Nabq / few ex at Ras Mohammed and 10+ at Nabq
16.Sgarza ciuffetto Ardeola ralloides Squacco Heron
17.Airone guardabuoi (occidentale) Bubulcus ibis Western Cattle Egret
18.Airone cenerino Ardea cinerea Grey Heron
19.Airone rosso Ardea purpurea Purple Heron
20.Airone bianco maggiore Ardea alba Western Great Egret
8 es alle “vasche piccole” / 8 ex at the “little sewage pools”
21.Garzetta Egretta garzetta Little Egret
22.Garzetta schistacea (orientale) Egretta gularis schistacea Western (Indian) Reef Heron
diffusa ma non comune lungo la costa / widespread but uncommon along the coast
23.Pellicano bianco Pelecanus onocrotalus Great White Pelican
1 imm alle “vasche grandi” / 1 imm at the “large sewage pools”
24.Cormorano Phalacrocorax carbo sinesnsis Great (Continental) Cormorant
25.Tuffetto Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe
circa 20 es a Dahab / about 20 ex at Dahab
26.Falco pescatore Pandion haliaetus Western Osprey
27.Falco pecchiaiolo Pernis apivorus European Honey Buzzard
28.Nibbio bruno Milvus migrans Black Kite
enorme variabilit individuale, alcuni juv osservati esibivano i caratteri della forma orientale lineatus / huge individual variation noted, some juvs showed the typical features of eastern form lineatus
29.Capovaccaio Neophron percnopterus Egyptian Vulture
30.Biancone Circaetus gallicus Short-toed Snake Eagle
31.Falco di palude Circus aeruginosus Western Marsh Harrier
32.Albanella pallida Circus macrourus Pallid Harrier
pochi es isolati, solo maschi adulti / few isolated ex, only adult males
33.Sparviere levantino Accipiter brevipes Levant Sparrowhawk
34.Sparviere Accipiter nisus Eurasian Sparrowhawk
diffuso ma meno numeroso dello S. levantino / widespread but less common than Levant S.
35.Poiana delle steppe Buteo buteo vulpinus Steppe Buzzard
enorme variabilit individuale; almeno 1 es in morfismo scuro / huge individual variation; at least 1 ex of the blackish morph
36.Poiana codabianca Buteo rufinus rufinus Long-legged Buzzard
pochi es in migrazione a Ras Mohammed e alle “vasche grandi” / few migrants at Ras Mohammed and at the “large sewage pools”
Poiana codabianca (di Levaillant) Buteo rufinus cirtensis (African) Long-legged Buzzard
la forma localmente dominante; numerosi es osservati alle “vasche grandi” / the locally dominant form; numerous ex observed at the "large sewage pools”
37.Aquila anatraia minore Aquila pomarina Lesser Spotted Eagle
la più comune delle grandi aquile, centinaia di es di ogni classe d’et / the most common of large eagles, with hundreds of different ages observed
38.Aquila anatraia maggiore Aquila clanga Greater Spotted Eagle
alcuni juv esibivano i caratteri della forma fulvescens / some juv exhibited the typical features of the form fulvescens
39.Aquila delle steppe Aquila nipalensis orientalis Steppe Eagle
comune e molto variabile / common and highly variable
40.Aquila imperiale Aquila heliaca Eastern Imperial Eagle
la più rara delle grandi aquile, pochi juv osservati alle “vasche grandi” / the rarest of large eagles, few juv observed at the "large sewage pools”
41.Aquila di Bonelli Aquila fasciata Bonelli's Eagle
2 juv alle “vasche grandi” e 1 ad a Feiran / 2 juv at “large sewage pools” and 1 ad at Feiran
42.Aquila minore Hieraaetus pennatus Booted Eagle
43.Grillaio Falco naumanni Lesser Kestrel
1 ad maschio alle “vasche grandi” e possibili juv/femm altrove / 1 ad male at the "large sewage pools" and possible juv / fem elsewhere
44.Gheppio Falco tinnunculus Common Kestrel
45.Falco unicolore Falco concolor Sooty Falcon
2 es a Dahab e 1 coppia territoriale a Ras Mohammed / 2 ex at Dahab and 1 pair at Ras Mohammed
46.Lodolaio Falco subbuteo Eurasian Hobby
47.Falco cuculo Falco vespertinus Red-footed Falcon
2 juv a Ras Mohammed / 2 juv at Ras Mohammed
48.Falcone di Barberia Falco pelegrinoides Barbary Falcon
fugaci osservazioni in volo a Nabq e a Ras Mohammed / brief flight observations at Nabq and Ras Mohammed
49.Re di quaglie Crex crex Corn Crake
1 es molto confidente tra le rocce a Ras Mohammed / 1 ex at Ras Mohammed
50.Gallinella d'acqua Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen
solo 1 es al giardino botanico di Sharm el Sheik / only 1 ex at the Sharm el Sheik botanical garden
51.Folaga Fulica atra Eurasian Coot
52.Porciglione Rallus aquaticus Water Rail
1 es nei dintorni di Sharm el Sheik / 1 ex at the outskirt of Sharm el Sheik
53.Gru Grus grus Common Crane
numerosi stormi in migrazione / many migrating flocks observed
54.Cavaliere d'Italia Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt
55.Pavoncella armata Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Lapwing
56.Pavoncella codabianca Vanellus leucurus White-tailed Lapwing
2 es presumibilmente diversi osservati a Nabq e alle “vasche piccole” / 2 supposedly different ex observed at Nabq and at the "small sewage pools"
57.Pivieressa Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover
58.Corriere grosso Charadrius hiaticula tundrae Common Ringed Plover
59.Fratino Charadrius alexandrinus Kentish Plover
60.Corriere di Leschenault Charadrius leschenaultii columbinus Greater Sand Plover
comune lungo la costa / common along the coast
61.Beccaccino Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe
62.Pittima minore Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit
63.Chiurlo maggiore Numenius arquata orientalis Eurasian Curlew
64.Pettegola Tringa totanus Common Redshank
65.Pantana Tringa nebularia Common Greenshank
66.Piro piro culbianco Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper
67.Piro piro boschereccio Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper
68.Piro piro piccolo Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper
69.Voltapietre Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone
70.Gambecchio Calidris minuta Little Stint
71.Gambecchio nano Calidris temminckii Temminck's Stint
72.Piovanello pancianera Calidris alpina Dunlin
73.Combattente Philomachus pugnax Ruff
74.Corrione biondo Cursorius cursor Cream-colored Courser
2 es a Dahab e 1 imm molto confidente a Nabq / 2 ex at Dahab and 1 imm at Nabq
75.Pernice di mare (specie non determ.) Glareola sp. Pratincole (species not det.)
1 es inseguito dalla coppia di Falco unicolore a Nabq / 1 ex chased by pair of Sooty Falcon at Nabq
76.Gabbiano roseo Chroicocephalus genei Slender-billed Gull
77.Gabbiano comune Chroicocephalus ridibundus Black-headed Gull
78.Gabbiano occhibianchi Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus White-eyed Gull
visto fugacemente in volo, a Ras Mohammed e dall’autobus al porto di Sharm el Sheik / briefly seen flying by, at Ras Mohammed and from the bus within Sharm el Sheik harbour
79.Gabbiano fuligginoso Ichthyaetus hemprichii Sooty Gull
abbastanza comune lungo la costa / quite common along the coast
80.Gabbiano reale pontico Larus cachinnans Caspian Gull
solo 1 ad e 2 - 3 juv a Ras Mohammed / only 1 ad and 2 - 3 juvs at Ras Mohammed
81.Sterna maggiore Hydroprogne caspia Caspian Tern
82.Sterna di Bergius Thalasseus bergii Swift Tern
1 imm (2°inv) inaspettatamente osservato a Ras Mohammed / 1 imm (2°w) at Ras Mohammed
83.Sterna di Rueppell Thalasseus bengalensis Lesser Crested Tern
84.Beccapesci Thalasseus sandvicensis Sandwich Tern
85.Sterna guancebianche Sterna repressa White-cheeked Tern
86.Mignattino piombato Chlidonias hybrida Whiskered Tern
87.Mignattino alibianche Chlidonias leucopterus
88.Grandule coronata Pterocles coronatus vastitas Crowned Sandgrouse
poco comune nelle aree desertiche / uncommon in desert areas
89.Grandule di Lichtenstein Pterocles lichtensteinii Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
10+ es all’imbrunire alle “vasche grandi” / 10+ ex at dusk by the "large sewage pools"
90.Piccione selvatico / torraiolo Columba livia Common Pigeon
91.Tortora Streptopelia turtur European Turtle Dove
92.Tortora dal collare Streptopelia decaocto Eurasian Collared Dove
93.Tortora delle palme Spilopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca Laughing Dove
94.Tortora mascherata Oena capensis Namaqua Dove
1 imm femmina al giardino botanico di Sharm el Sheik e 1 ad maschio a Ras Mohammed / 1 imm female at the Sharm el Sheik botanical garden and 1 ad male at Ras Mohammed
95.Martin pescatore Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher
96.Martin pescatore di Smirne Halcyon smyrnensis White-throated Kingfisher
1 es nei dintorni di Sharm el Sheik / 1 ex at the outskirt of Sharm el Sheik
97.Gruccione Merops apiaster European Bee-eater
98.Upupa Upupa epops Eurasian Hoopoe
99.Torcicollo Jynx torquilla Eurasian Wryneck
100.Averla piccola Lanius collurio Red-backed Shrike
101.Averla maggiore meridionale Lanius meridionalis aucheri Southern Grey Shrike
102.Averla cenerina Lanius minor Lesser Grey Shrike
solo 1 juv a Ras Mohammed / only 1 juv at Ras Mohammed
103.Averla mascherata Lanius nubicus Masked Shrike
104.Corvo delle case Corvus splendens House Crow
abbastanza commune a Sharm el Sheik / quite common in Sharm el Sheik
105.Cornacchia grigia Corvus cornix Hooded Crow
apparentemente in aumento nella periferia di Sharm el Sheik, ma ancora poco comune e localizzata / apparently increasing around Sharm el Sheik, but still uncommon and localized
106.Corvo collobruno Corvus ruficollisBrown-necked Raven
abbastanza comune ovunque / quite common everywhere
107.Calandra asiatica Melanocorypha bimaculata rufescens Bimaculated Lark
stormo di circa 40 es all’entrata del parco di Nabq / flock of about 40 ex at Nabq
108.Allodola del deserto Ammomanes deserti isabellina Desert Lark
109.Allodola beccocurvo Alaemon alaudipes Greater Hoopoe-Lark
2 es a Dahab e 1 a Nabq / 2 ex at Dahab and 1 at Nabq
110.Cappellaccia Galerida cristata brachyura Crested Lark
111.Bulbul ventregiallo Pycnonotus xanthopygos White-spectacled Bulbul
comune all’oasi di Feiran / common at the Feiran oasis
112.Topino Riparia riparia Sand Martin
113.Rondine Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow
114.Rondine montana Ptyonoprogne rupestris Eurasian Crag Martin
1 stormo di 7 - 8 es a Ras Mohammed / 7 - 8 ex at Ras Mohammed
115.Rondine montana pallida Ptyonoprogne obsoleta Pale Crag Martin
116.Balestruccio Delichon urbicum Common House Martin
117.Rondine rossiccia Cecropis daurica rufula Red-rumped Swallow
118.Luì grosso Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler
Comune in migrazione; 1 es a Ras Mohammed esibiva i caratteri della forma orientale yakutensis o di abietinus estremamente pallido / common migrant; at least 1 ex at Ras Mohammed exhibited the features of eastern form yakutensis or extreme abietinus
119.Luì piccolo Phylloscopus collybita Common Chiffchaff
120.Luì verde Phylloscopus sibilatrix
121.Forapaglie Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Sedge Warbler
122.Salciaiola Locustella luscinioides
2 es alle vasche grandi di Sharm el Sheik / 2 ex at the "large sewage pools"
123.Cannaiola Acrocephalus scirpaceus Eurasian Reed Warbler
124.Canapino pallido (orientale) Iduna pallida elaeica Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
125.Beccamoschino inquieto Scotocerca inquieta Scrub Warbler
inaspettatamente raro, solo 2 es lungo la strada per Feiran / unexpectedly rare, only 2 ex along the road to Feiran
126.Bigiarella Sylvia curruca Lesser Whitethroat
127.Sterpazzola nana Sylvia nana Asian Desert Warbler
1 es a Nabq / 1 ex at Nabq
128.Occhiocotto Sylvia melanocephala momus Sardinian Warbler
129.Storno di Tristram Onychognathus tristramii Tristram's Starling
fugacemente osservato a Feiran, molto comune invece al monastero di Santa Caterina / briefly seen at Feiran, otherwise very common at Saint Catherine’s Monastery
130.Pettazzurro Luscinia svecica Bluethroat
131.Codirosso Phoenicurus phoenicurus Common Redstart
132.Stiaccino Saxicola rubetra Whinchat
133.Monachella testagrigia Oenanthe moesta Red-rumped Wheatear
1 mas a Ras Mohammed / 1 male at Ras Mohammed
134.Culbianco isabellino Oenanthe isabellina Isabelline Wheatear
135.Culbianco Oenanthe oenanthe Northern Wheatear
136.Monachella Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca (Eastern) Black-eared Wheatear
1 imm femmina a Ras Mohammed, inizialmente identificata come M. dorsonero / 1 imm female at Ras Mohammed, initially identified as Pied W.
137.Monachella del deserto Oenanthe deserti Desert Wheatear
138.Monachella lamentosa Oenanthe lugens Mourning Wheatear
1 ad maschio visto due volte a Ras Mohammed / 1 ad male seen twice at Ras Mohammed
139.Monachella testabianca Oenanthe leucopyga ernesti White-crowned Wheatear
140.Monachella dal cappuccio Oenanthe monacha Hooded Wheatear
1 ad maschio a Ras Mohammed / 1 ad male at Ras Mohammed
141.Codinero Oenanthe melanura Blackstart
lungo la strada per Feiran e nell’oasi / along the road to and at the Feiran oasis
142.Passero solitario Monticola solitarius Blue Rock Thrush
143.Pigliamosche Muscicapa striata Spotted Flycatcher
144.Nettarinia della Palestina Cinnyris osea Palestine Sunbird
2 - 3 es all’oasi di Feiran / 2 - 3 ex at the Feiran oasis
145.Passera oltremontana (indiana) Passer domesticus rufodorsalis House (Indian) Sparrow
146.Cutrettola (comune) Motacilla flava flava Yellow (Blue-headed) Wagtail
Cutrettola (capinera) Motacilla flava feldegg Yellow (Black-headed) Wagtail
147.Cutrettola testagialla orientale Motacilla citreola Citrine Wagtail
2 - 3 es alle “vasche piccole” e 2 all’areoporto di Sharm el Sheik / 2 - 3 ex at “small sewage pools” and 2 at the Sharm el Sheik airport
148.Ballerina gialla Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail
149.Ballerina bianca Motacilla alba White Wagtail
150.Calandro Anthus campestris Tawny Pipit
151.Prispolone Anthus trivialis Tree Pipit
152.Pispola golarossa Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit
153.Ciuffolotto scarlatto del Sinai Carpodacus synoicus Sinai Rosefinch
4 - 5 es di entrambi i sessi al monastero di Santa Caterina / 4 - 5 ex of both sexes seen at Saint Catherine’s Monastery
154.Zigolo delle case Emberiza striolata Striolated Bunting
1 es a Feiran / 1 ex at Feiran
Nicola Scatassi
www.skuanature.com