Qatar 2024
24 Jan & 12 Feb 2024
Isabelline wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) in Abu Sidrah, 24 Jan 2024.
Aina (from Otus Wildlife Tours) and I, as biology students from the University of Helsinki, visited Qatar during two conveniently long (+18 h) stopovers in the country, on the way between Europe and Kenya where a university course was held (see our trip report here). Wildlife reports in Qatar are rather limited, but we were eager to explore the potential of this country for birdwatching within the constrained timeframe of a day.
On our first day in Qatar, a rental car allowed us to visit the main birdwatching areas of the country, connecting with Persian Gulf specialties such as the Asian desert warbler, and two targets: the mighty Pallas’s gull and the sought-after hypocolius. A full day of driving was enough to visit the main habitats of the country, including desert, oases, freshwater wetlands, and mangroves.
On our second day in the country, we focused on the wildlife of Doha and its surroundings and used public transport. A 24-hour metro ticket helped us explore the main sights of the Qatari capital city, surrounded by birds: masked shrike, delicate prinia, and a third target, the western reef heron, were found in different spots of downtown Doha.
While the diversity of birds in the Persian Gulf peaks during the migration periods, pleasant temperatures and an attractive array of wintering birds made visiting Qatar in January and February quite interesting. The distances between different habitats and the road and public transport connections in the country helped us find our targets with ease and enjoy our visit.
Itinerary
Day 1 (24 Jan 2024) All-country adventure. Arrival to Hamad International Airport at 07:00. Drive to Irakhiya Farm: birds in an artificial freshwater wetland. Drive to Abu Sidrah area looking for desert birds. Visit to green shrubland in the area. Sunset in mangroves of Purple Island: shorebirds at roost. Departure to the airport at 19:00.
Day 5 (12 Feb 2024) Day in Doha via metro. Arrival to Hamad International Airport at 06:30. Visit to Lusail area. Midday in Al Bidda Park and International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha: wintering birds in urban green area. Lunch and market in Souq Wakif. Evening walk to Dhow Harbour: gulls and heron. Panoramic sunset and departure to the airport at 20:30.
Day 1 Wednesday 24th January 2024
Aina arrived at Hamad International Airport from Barcelona, while Adri arrived from Madrid after a one-hour delay. Meeting at the airport around 07:00 in the morning, we picked up our rental car from the terminal, where we already spotted some common mynas, laughing doves, Eurasian collared-doves, and house sparrows. Although the rental process for budget vehicles felt somewhat sketchy compared to Europe, we encountered no problems. The infrastructure is well developed, with diverse options to choose from.
Roads and reeds in Irakhiya Farm, 24 Jan 2024
Irakhiya Farm
Irrigated complex of farms in the central area of the country, about 50 km from Doha. The circular farm plots create a green oasis that attracts good numbers of waders and raptors, especially in winter, as the lagoons dry out in the summer. A group of lagoons in the center of the farms can be accessed by road. Reeds and shrubs in the area attract a long list of migrants during passage (see here).
On the road heading southwest between Doha and Abu Samra, we turned left at km 48 towards Baoudiyad Rd. We had read that Irakhiya Farms are private and only accessible through a gate which is usually surveilled by guards. However, we encountered an open gate with no staff and no one seemed bothered by our presence, although we did not visit the farms themselves. We drove to the point where the northern and southern sections of the farms are connected, and an open area next to the main lagoon served as a parking spot. Here, we saw our first white-eared bulbuls, isabelline shrikes, and delicate prinias.
The main lagoon was full of birds. In a shallow area in the center, a juvenile whiskered tern was resting alongside four northern lapwings and two red-wattled lapwings. Closer to the shore, a flock of 21 western cattle egrets rested on some branches. Among the reeds, we spotted flocks of Indian silverbills, a bluethroat, and a vocal clamorous reed warbler.
An open area in the reeds allowed a good view of a shore bordering shallow waters and mudflats in the same lagoon, where dozens of waders had gathered. This flock included around 40 little stints, four Temminck’s stints, two ruffs, two marsh sandpipers, two wood sandpipers, a common sandpiper, and a dunlin. As we scanned the flock, gull-billed terns, western marsh harriers, a pallid harrier, and a greater spotted eagle flew over the lagoon.
The road in and around these lagoons is quite interesting. The poles serve as sitting spots for kestrels, and the fencing around the farm fields had three obliging Namaqua doves on our way out of the farm.
Vegetation in the ‘oasis’ of Abu Sidrah, 24 Jan 2024
Abu Sidrah
Small village in the rocky desert of northwest Qatar. The road heading to the village holds different desert specialties. Perhaps most interestingly, a oasis-like shrubland east of the settlement held a wintering group of hypocolius, a scarce visitor in the country (see here).
The road to Abu Sidrah was quite interesting, not only due to the never-ending desert landscape, but also because we mostly drove past big 4×4 trucks with falconry birds inside, groups of dromedary camels, and several men — whom we understood were collecting tubers in the desert. Driving with the car windows down, we soon heard the song of the black-crowned sparrow-lark and enjoyed different males displaying nuptial flights. On the roadsides, we spotted several crested larks and Egyptian spiny-tailed lizards, which hid in their burrows as soon as we stopped the car to see them.
Abu Sidrah joined our itinerary because of several eBird reports some weeks prior to our visit, but we lacked any detailed information about the area. The village is connected to the main road system by a paved road, but getting closer to the target shrubland (25.713631, 51.088091) was only possible via dirt roads. Due to the midday heat (28 ºC) and the distance from the village, we drove along a path as far as our humble little rental car could manage — though any larger vehicle would handle it just fine. From that point, we walked towards the shrubs for about 15 minutes.
The shrubs, including jujubes and acacias, held good numbers of laughing doves and Eurasian collared-doves. Two Arabian gray shrikes look for preys from bushes in the periphery of the shrubby area, and several passerines sing from the vegetation. As we get close to the core of the shrubland, pairs and small groups of hypocolius fly over us, often calling. They show elusive behavior, and we only get a glimpse of some young birds sitting on an acacia, whereas most birds seen flew over us.
Satisfied and excited as we were, we slowly left the shrubs, noticing the birds of the surrounding desert area. As we took pictures of a smart desert wheatear, a tiny blob faded with the background moved among the bushes, only noticed from afar by the small shadow it casted. An Asian desert warbler was displaying the curious behavior displayed in the Collin’s Bird Guide, associated to the desert wheatear. Not too far, we connected with an isabelline warbler and a flock of a dozen gray francolins as we drove away from Abu Sidrah. Note that we had a late lunch of packed food, and the offer of restaurants seems rather limited in Abu Sidrah area.
Sun setting over the mangroves of Purple Island, 24 Jan 2024
Purple Island
Island off Al Khor city in a small gulf surrounded by mudflats and connected to the mainland via a boardwalk crossing a well-preserved patch of mangrove. Branded as a touristic place, this island attracts good numbers of gulls, terns, and waders (see here).
We reached the Al Khor area right before sunset, and the temperature became very pleasant. Walking along the duckboard, we saw flocks of hundreds of great cormorants flying over the city and the island, likely heading to a roosting site. At some distance, we managed to spot several lesser black-backed gulls, slender-billed gulls, and an exciting Pallas’s gull flying over the mangrove as the sun set.
The island features stunning geological formations, set against the backdrop of mangrove woods, the waters of the gulf, and the urban skyline illuminating as dusk falls. We found a sea lavender (Limonium axillare) growing abundantly on the island — a botanical group that has piqued my interest.
Purple Beach teemed with an array of shorebirds gathering to feed under the last lights of the day, and roosting. Among them were several little egrets and gray herons, black-bellied plovers, sand-plovers, ruddy turnstones, godwits, common terns, a flamingo, a whimbrel, a curlew, a Caspian tern, and a flock of over 40 little stints — as that observed earlier in the day.
By 18:30 everything became pitch black — we concluded our explorations and made our way back to Hamad International Airport after an immensely rewarding day. In total, we identified 58 different bird species, successfully ticking off our two primary targets: hypocolius and Pallas’s gull. Excited and tired, we sit back and enjoy some dinner in preparation for an overnight flight to Nairobi.
Our rental Suzuki Dzire parked on a roadside as we look for black-crowned sparrow-larks (Eremopterix nigriceps) in the desert, 24 Jan 2024.
Day 2 Friday 12th February 2024
We arrived at Hamad International Airport after an overnight flight from Nairobi at 06:30. After clearing customs, we took it easy and decided to explore Doha without specific information about recent bird sightings. We bought a full-day metro pass at the airport for QAR 6.00 (approximately € 1.50). As we exited the airport, we noticed that early morning rains had cooled temperatures to around 16°C, prompting many Qataris to stay home.
Morning in the Boulevard before Lusail Plaza Towers, 12 Feb 2024
Lusail Boulevard
Street in the second largest city of Qatar north of Doha, with views to the Lusail Plaza Towers — the tallest buildings of the country. It is adjacent to Lusail Stadium, which hosted several 2022 FIFA World Cup matches, including the final game (see here).
Our first destination took us to the farthest point we visited during the day. The metro ride to Lusail offered a captivating panoramic view of Doha’s urban development. Lusail Boulevard, while not a wildlife hotspot, surprised us with more than just the usual common mynas, house sparrows, laughing doves, and Eurasian collared-doves.
Among the bougainvilleas and trees along the street, groups of cooperative white-eared bulbuls flitted back and forth. We spotted the first red-vented bulbuls for our country list — this species likely hasn’t spread far beyond the metropolitan area, unlike other birds also introduced to Qatar. A secretive Eurasian blackcap skulked in the hedges, contrasting with a delicate prinia perched openly on a branch, emitting its distinctive rattle and offering us our best views of this species during our trip.
Panorama from Al Bidda Park, 12 Feb 2024
Al Bidda Park
Large green area in downtown Doha hosting the International Horticultural Expo 2023 at the time of our visit. Lawns and garden trees attract migrant birds, making it to the top of birdwatching destinations in Doha (see here).
The metro brought us to the Corniche area, where we strolled towards Al Bidda Park. Initially excited about the idea of visiting an International Expo, we found that most stands were closed due to the weather, which was only cloudy and not piping hot (22 ºC). We took advantage of the opportunity to relax on the lawn. Surrounded by laughing doves and white-eared bulbuls, I soon spotted an odd bird darting back and forth from a tree. It turned out to be a masked shrike, the first of four different birds we encountered wintering in the park.
Exploring the infrastructure set up for the Expo, we also spotted red-vented bulbuls again, along with groups of Indian silverbills foraging on the grass, and a dull crested lark between some colorful petunias. An Eurasian kestrel and a rose-ringed parakeet flew overhead, while an unexpected common sandpiper was probing for worms despite the lack of suitable water bodies in the park.
After reaching Al Bidda metro station, we left towards the Souq Wakif for a more touristic experience. We enjoyed a tasty, cheap lunch on the front terrace of a local restaurant, surrounded by elegant visitors and curious cats.
Wooden boats of Dhow Harbour in Doha, 12 Feb 2024
Dhow Harbour
A former fishing and pearling port, now this island is attached to downtown Doha. Today, tourists are attracted by traditional wooden boats remaining from old times, and by a privileged skyline of Doha skyscrapers (see here).
We continued our walk towards Dhow Harbour, where we observed various gull species soaring around the boats, including a lesser black-backed gull, several slender-billed gulls, and numerous black-headed gulls. As we explored the area further, we were delighted to spot a western reef heron at an incredibly close distance, gracefully navigating between the boat poles and harbor facilities — our third main target of the trip!
Amidst our stroll towards the skyline panoramic viewpoint at sunset, we shared stories and reflections on our experiences in Qatar and Kenya over the past weeks. Nearby, a busy family of Indian silverbills tended to their chicks, while small groups of white-eared bulbuls roosted in the palm leaves. A nice end to a positive experience.
Our day in Doha yielded sightings of 20 different bird species, some of which we had not encountered on our first day despite extensive travels across the country. This number is likely surpassed during migration periods, when Doha’s green spaces, particularly Al Bidda Park, attract transient passerines. Overall, Qatar proved to be a rewarding destination for birdwatchers making long stopovers at Hamad International Airport, whether exploring the country’s diverse landscapes by car with its well-developed road network and rental car options, or enjoying a more relaxed and tourist-oriented experience strolling through Doha.
Distant Pallas’s gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) flying over the pink sky in Purple Island, 24 Jan 2024
Systematic list of species
Birds
1. Gray francolin (Ortygornis pondicerianus)
Introduced. Two groups of about a dozen birds each in the shrubs around Abu Sidrah.
2. Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
A bird flying over the sea around Purple Island.
3. Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
At least eight individuals in Irakhiya Farm.
4. Feral pigeon (Columba livia domestica)
Several individuals seen in Irakhiya Farm and Abu Sidrah. Quite abundant in Doha, with flocks seen in Al Bidda Park and Dhow Harbor.
5. Eurasian collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Very abundant in all places visited, both in and out of Doha.
6. Laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Very abundant in all places visited, outside and perhaps especially inside Doha.
7. Namaqua dove (Oena capensis)
A pair and a lone male sitting in wires of the fields of Irakhiya Farm.
8. Pallid swift (Apus pallidus)
Seven birds flying over a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
9. Eurasian moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
One bird swims across a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
10. Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Three birds sitting in the shore of a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
11. Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
11 birds foraging in the tidal mudflats around Purple Island.
12. Common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Four birds foraging among stints in the shore of a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
13. Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Four birds foraging in the shore of a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm for some minutes, then flying away.
14. Red-wattled lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Two birds sitting in the shore of a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm for short time, flying away after.
15. Greater sand-plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)
A bird resting in the mangrove pools by the boardwalk to Purple Island. Two distant plovers in the tidal mudflats later in the day remain unidentified.
16. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
One bird probing for food in the tidal mudflats of Purple Island.
17. Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata)
One bird resting in the tidal mudflats of Purple Island.
18. Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)
At least two birds foraging in a flock of about a hundred godwits in the tidal mudflats of Purple Island.
19. Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)
The main species of a flock of about a hundred godwits mixed with bar-tailed godwits and other waders in the tidal mudflats of Purple Island.
20. Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
One bird seen at Irakhiya Farm. An unexpected bird probes for worms in the edge of a lawn in Al Bidda Park in Doha.
21. Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
One bird spotted with a wood sandpiper as the only waders of a small lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
22. Marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
Two birds in a waders mixed flock in a lagoon of Irakhiya Farm.
23. Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Two birds in a big mixed flock of waders and one bird in a small lagoon with a green sandpiper, all in Irakhiya Farm.
24. Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Two birds seen in the shore of Purple Island.
25. Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Two female-like birds seen in a numerous mixed flock of waders in Irakhiya Farm.
26. Temminck’s stint (Calidris temminckii)
At least four birds scoped out of a big flock of waders in Irakhiya Farm.
27. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
At least four birds scoped out of a big flock of waders in Irakhiya Farm.
28. Little stint (Calidris minuta)
The most abundant species in a large mixed flock of waders in a lagoon of Irakhiya Farm, with around 40 individuals. 43 birds in a flock at the tidal mudflats of Purple Island at sunset.
29. Slender-billed gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
One bird flying over Purple Island. Five birds in Dhow Harbor in Doha.
30. Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Eight birds in Dhow Harbor in Doha.
31. Pallas’s gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)
A distant bird in winter plumage flying over Purple Island.
32. Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus heuglini/barabensis)
Up to a dozen birds in different small flocks flying over Purple Island. One distant bird in Dhow Harbor in Doha.
33. Gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Two birds in Irakhiya Farm. Two birds in Purple Island tidal mudflats.
34. Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
One bird resting in Purple Island in a small flock of terns.
35. Whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida)
One bird resting in the shore of a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
36. Common tern (Sterna hirundo)
Four birds in a flock with other terns, including six smaller terns (genus Sternula) which remain unidentified due to poor light conditions and distance, in Purple Island tidal mudflats.
37. Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Big flocks of several hundreds individuals flying over Purple Island area at dusk.
38. Little egret (Egretta garzetta)
A birds foraging and three roosting in the mangroves around Purple Island.
39. Western reef-heron (Egretta gularis)
A bird walking along the poles at Dhow Harbor in Doha.
40. Western cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)
A flock of 21 birds roost in a lagoon in Irakhiya Farm.
41. Gray heron (Ardea cinerea)
Three birds foraging in the tidal mudflats and one bird resting in the mangroves of Purple Island.
42. Greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga)
One bird flying over Irakhiya Farm area.
43. Western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Four different birds patrolling the lagoons of Irakhiya Farm.
44. Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus)
A juvenile bird flying over the reeds at Irakhiya Farm.
45. Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
A male in Al Bidda Park in Doha. A distant kestrel sitting in a pole in Irakhiya Farm.
46. Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
A bird calling and flying over in Al Bidda Park in Doha.
47. Isabelline shrike (Lanius isabellinus)
Two confiding birds in Irakhiya Farm. One bird seen in the parking area of Purple Island.
48. Arabian great shrike (Lanius excubitor aucheri)
A smart bird in the shrubs surrounding the woods of Abu Sidrah.
49. Masked shrike (Lanius nubicus)
Four birds seen at different points of Al Bidda Park in Doha.
50. Black-crowned sparrow-lawk (Eremopterix nigriceps)
A relatively abundant bird in the desert. Several birds performing flight songs along the road to Abu Sidrah.
51. Crested lark (Galerida cristata)
Different birds seen in the desert on the way to Abu Sidrah shrublands. One bird foraging in the gardens of Al Bidda Park in Doha.
52. Delicate prinia (Prinia lepida)
Widespread across the country, usually heard from shrubs in different places. Great looks of one individual perched on an exposed twig in the Lusail boulevard near Doha.
53. Clamorous reed warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
One bird calling in Irakhiya Farm.
54. Red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
Introduced, small numbers seen in Lusail boulevard and Al Bidda Park in Doha.
55. White-eared bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis)
Introduced and widespread across the country, seen in a variety of places. Perhaps most abundant in Doha green areas.
56. Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
A female skulking in the hedges of Lusail Boulevard.
57. Asian desert warbler (Curruca nana)
One bird walks on the ground in an open xeric shrubland area in Abu Sidrah close to some wheatears.
58. Common myna (Acridotheres tristis)
Introduced and widespread in urban areas, where it is abundant.
59. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
A wintering bird seen in Irakhiya Farm.
60. Isabelline wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
One bird in the xeric shrublands of Abu Sidrah.
61. Desert warbler (Oenanthe deserti)
Two birds around Abu Sidrah in open land.
62. Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus)
A flock of this mega bird stayed over winter in a shrubland area next to Abu Sidrah (25.713938, 51.087352). We managed to spot 15 individuals.
63. Indian silverbill (Euodice malabarica)
A flock of six birds in the reeds of Irakhiya Farm. Relatively abundant in Doha, where small flocks are spotted in Lusail Boulevard,
64. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Very abundant in Doha. A flock of 15 birds in Irakhiya Farm.
65. White wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Four birds in the shore of different lagoons in Irakhiya Farm. One bird in Al Bidda Park in Doha.
Reptiles
1. Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia)
Different individuals in the shadow of bushes and quickly hiding in their burrows in a sandy area inhabited by dromedary camels in the Abu Sidrah area.
Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard, 24 Jan 2024