To celebrate our recent graduation myself and my girlfriend spent a week in the holiday resort of Na’ama Bay during June to wind down and relax. Despite the less than ideal time of year I set out a few target species which I had previously not seen within the treated region including Sooty Falcon, White-eyed/Sooty Gull, Western Reef Heron, Brown Booby, White-cheeked Tern and Sinai Rosefinch.
Birding was not high on the agenda and all bar one trip to the Water Treatment works NW of Na’ama was spent with girlfriend present. The whole week was spent at the resort of Sharm-El Sheik with excursions to St Katherine’s Monastery/Dehab, Ras Mohammed NP and a single trip to the water treatment works NW of Na’ama. The temperature during the holiday was understandably unbearable during the majority of the daylight hours so early mornings and evenings were exploited where possible. Most of the areas visited have been well documented in other trip reports so little description has been included here. Trip reports included those documented by Rich Bonser, Tommy Pedersen, Graeme Wallace and Mick Wilson were of most value.
Taxis (haggle a price for departure) and organised trips were utilised throughout, as it far cheaper and less hassle than the alternative of hiring a car. The only other major point of note is that as mentioned elsewhere security in the area is very visible and although there for the protection of the tourist it can seem a little daunting especially at checkpoints, where passports are regularly checked. Do not be put off however as all people in the area are incredibly friendly whether they belong to the local Bedouins, Cairo-based workforce or officials/tourist police.
Do not hesitate to contact me at thomaschinnick@hotmail.com if I can offer any further useful information to anyone visiting the area.
Na’ama Bay
Laughing Dove (Common)
European Bee-eater (1 on 3rd Only over Hilton Faryhouz)
Cattle Egret (1 on 4th/ 3 on 5th)
Common Kestrel (Common)
Barn Swallow (4th and 5th)
Feral Pigeon (Common)
House Sparrow (Common)
Rock Martin (1, 5th)
House Crow (1 in restaurant gardens 5th)
Common Swift (2 over Hotel 5th)
Sharm-El Sheik
House Crow (3 on lawns from taxi 5th)
St Katherine’s Monastery- 4th June
Brown-necked Raven (7 on journey)
Collared Dove (Common)
Rock Martin (8+)
Tristram’s Grackle (3-4 very vocal in valley above Monastery)
Blackcap (1 fem in tamarisks)
Laughing Dove (Common)
Feral Pigeon (Common)
Poss Desert Lark (1 briefly near car park)
White-Crowned Black Wheatear (c8 Seen at both checkpoints and the Monastery)
Sinai Rosefinch (Pair 250yds from C’park on track to Monastery at
Midday)
Dehab
Poss Sooty Falcon (over Coralia Hotel from coach)
White-cheeked Tern (1 on beach of Coralia Hotel)
Steppe Buzzard (1 over Dehab, also perched on buildings)
Alpine Swift (1 over Dehab)
Squacco Heron (1 on beach)
White-eyed Gull (3 on beach)
Ras Mohammed National Park- 7th June
Brown-necked Raven (1 from taxi near Sharm)
Brown Booby (2 in bay near mangroves)
Osprey (c3 in area)
Steppe Buzzard (1)
Kentish Plover (c6 birds on saline lake, 3 adults with chicks)
White-eyed Gull (1 past new beach)
Water Treatment Works NW of Na’ama
Spotted Sandgrouse (3 Nr Water Treatment Works 5th c6:30am)
Sand Martins (c300 mixed flock of hirundines)
House Martins
Barn Swallow
Squacco Heron (c12, several flushed)
Cattle Egret (c6)
Western Reef Heron (2-3)
Sooty Falcon (1 over adjacent desert at dusk)
Spur-winged Plover (c10 birds very vocal)
Mallard (1 fem)
Ruff (1)
Species Total 32