The report of Iranian Birding Club’s events on the occasion of the “World Migratory Bird Day” 2018

Event No. 1: Birding in Salehiyeh Wetlands for World Migratory Bird Day

Time and Date: Tuesday, May 8^th, 2018 from 8 AM to 1:45 PM.

Place: Alborz Province, Nazar Abad City, Salehiyeh Wetlands

Guide: Mr. Ali Haji Abadi

 

Event’s report:

As we had planned, we all gathered at entrance of the Salehiyeh Wetland at 8 AM. After having our breakfast in a green and beautiful site, we talked a little about migratory birds and headed to the wetlands. At the first barrage, some birds were feeding, so we began to observe and identify the one by one.  Then, next to the old bridge of wetland which is named Persepolis, we took a group photo and went to the main wetlands. The number and variety of the birds were eye-catching and joyful. Also, beside the main wetlands, we could record very beautiful and valuable species like Icterine Warbler, Red-crested Pochard, Greylag Goose, Northern Lapwing, Flamingo and some other species. At first, the event was scheduled to be finished at 11 AM. But the variety and good number of the birds extended the event to 1:45 PM. In this event, we observed the courtship display of a couple of Whinchats, as the male whinchat hunted an insect and gave it to the female whinchat to attract her. The female whinchat held the insect in her bill, and then ate it to show her interest in the male whinchat.

Finally, a beautiful and agile Eurasian Hobby came to the wetlands to hunt dragonflies. Its maneuver and successive dive and eating the dragonfly in the air, made a wonderful scene for us. We said goodbyes at 1:45 AM and another unforgettable memory with our friends engraved in our minds.

List of recorded species:

1. Greylag Goose Anser anser
2. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
3. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
4. Garganey Anas querquedula
5. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
6. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
7. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
8. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
9. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
10. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
11. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
12. Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
13. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
14. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
15. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
16. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
    
17. Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
18. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
19. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
20. Common Redshank Tringa totanus
21. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
22. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
23. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
24. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
25. Sanderling Calidris alba
26. Little Stint Calidris minuta
27. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
28. Dunlin Calidris alpina
29. Ruff Philomachus pugnax
30. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
31. Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus (Larus) genei
32. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus (Larus) ridibundus
33. Common Tern Sterna hirundo
34. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
35. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
36. Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis
37. Rock Dove Columba livia
38. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus
39. Laughing Dove Spilopelia (Streptopelia) senegalensis
40. Common Swift Apus apus
41. European Roller Coracias garrulus
42. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
43. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
44. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
45. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
46. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
47. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor
48. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica
49. Rook Corvus frugilegus
50. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
51. Crested Lark Galerida cristata
52. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra
53. Lesser Short-toed Lark Alaudala (Calandrella) rufescens
54. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
55. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
56. Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
57. Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
58. Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina
59. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
60. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
61. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
62. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
63. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
64. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
65. Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
    
66. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
67. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
68. Corn Bunting Emberiza (Miliaria) calandra
69. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala

 

Event No. 2: Birdwatching tour in Tehran City Park (Park-e-Shahr)

Time and Date: Thursday, May 10^th, 2018 from 8 AM to 10 AM.

Place: Tehran, City Park

Guide: Mrs. Sara Arab

Event No. 3: Theoretical and practical birding training in cooperation with Tabiat Institute

Time and Date: Theoretical class on May, 10^th from 8 AM to 13:30 AM and practical class on May, 11^th from 8:30 AM to 11 AM.

Place: Tabiat Institute and Tehran City Park

Instructor and guide: Mr. Seyyed Hamed Moosavi

 

Event No. 4: birdwatching in Karaj Fateh Garden in cooperation with International Environment Trust

Time and Date: Alborz Province, Karaj, Fateh Park from 8 AM to 10 AM

Guide: Mr. Ramin Mohammad Zereh Nasi

Event No. 5: Birdwatching at Qanbar Abad Wetland

Time and Date: Friday, May 11^th, 2018 from 6 AM to 11:30 AM

Place: Tehran Province, Varamin, Qanbar Abad Wetland

Guide: Ms. Shahrzad Fattahi

Event’s report:

The “World Migratory Bird Day” on May 10^th is an international event that has a great importance because of the scope of global activities. Observing birds is one of the pleasant hobbies which is more fun when it happens with a group of friends.

The presence of birdwatchers aiming to observe birds in their natural environment and enjoy the beauties of the birds can be relaxing and strengthening our relationship with environment that can cause more respect for environment and preserve the wildlife without damaging it.

As Friday is the weekend in Iran, this year the birdwatching event at Qanbar Abad Wetland was scheduled to be on Friday, May 11^th, so that more people could join us. With cooperation and public announcement of Iranian Birding Club, interested people honored this day and recorded 50 species including European Honey-buzzard, Little Owl, Flamingo, Phalarope, Curlew Sandpiper, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, and Great Crested Grebe. This event started at 6 AM and ended at 11:30 AM on Friday.

1. Garganey Anas querquedula
2. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
3. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
4. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
5. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
6. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
7. Great Egret Ardea (Casmerodius) alba
8. European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus
9. Eurasian Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
10. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
11. Eurasian Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
12. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
13. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
14. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus
15. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
16. Ruff Philomachus pugnax
17. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
18. Sanderling Calidris alba
19. Dunlin Calidris alpina
20. Little Stint Calidris minuta
21. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
22. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
23. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
24. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
25. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
26. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
27. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
28. Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis
29. Rock Dove Columba livia
30. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
31. Laughing Dove Spilopelia (Streptopelia) senegalensis
32. Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
33. Little Owl Athene noctua
34. Common Swift Apus apus
35. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
36. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
37. European Roller Coracias garrulus
38. Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
39. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica
40. Crested Lark Galerida cristata
41. Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
42. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
43. Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
44. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
45. Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas (Erythropygia) galactotes
46. Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
47. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
48. Corn Bunting Emberiza (Miliaria) calandra
49. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
50. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

 

Translated by: Mitra Daneshvar

Comments: