18 October
RJ111 took us to Amman via Berlin. We arrived after dark to find that torrential rain had fallen in Jordan that day. We met Louis, our guide, and headed south along the Desert Highway. After the turn off, and as we approached high ground (1500 m), low cloud slowed us down. Luckily we found the guest house, and after a long day our warm welcome was much appreciated - as was the meal and fresh apricot juice. Night at the Dana Guest house.
19 October
A pre-breakfast walk to the Dana village orchards started well, but thick mist rolled up the wadi - photogenic for those with cameras at the ready - but it soon engulfed us and forced an early return for food. Luckily good visibility returned for most of the main walk of the day, through oak/juniper woods and back to the village, where a single Syrian Serin and a male Finsch’s Wheatear performed well. Pity the fog engulfed that large, unidentified eagle! From the comfort of the guest house balcony we later saw Sinai Rosefinch, chattering Alpine Swifts and close Rock Martins.
We transferred to the Dana campsite in the afternoon, and were met by Abu Bilal, the manager. A wander round the site produced four difficult-to-pick-up Nubian Ibex - extremely rare in Jordan, and only the second seen by the leader during nine years. Two of the group also managed to sneak in a Nightjar before dark. We had the site to ourselves and wasted no time, taking to our tents early with 2+ blankets each. Night at the Dana camp site.
20 October
An early walk around the camp site resulted in excellent views of Griffin Vultures and the unseasonal sound of a singing Woodlark. After sneaking in another Finsch’s Wheatear (a female), we headed south along the King’s Highway to Shawbak Castle. A tour of this recently renovated Crusader Castle also produced another Syrian Serin. We ate our picnic lunch overlooking this impressive archaeological site.
Next stop was a viewpoint overlooking the Petra Mountains, before descending the bumpy road to Bayda (Little Petra). We admired our first tombs, triclinia and water tanks - a foretaste of what we were to see at Petra next day. We also took in the bedouin atmosphere on our detour to the Stone Age village, where there was much activity ploughing the thin, dry soil. We saw our first Barbary Falcon (with prey) and had close views of Fan-tailed Ravens and White-crowned Black Wheatears. At sunset, our 5* hotel awaited us. Night in the Petra Plaza Hotel.
21 October
Our full day at Petra. With our local guide, we entered the siq and began our tour of Petra's high places (yes, two high places in one day!). After photographing the Treasury, the group climbed the steps to the High Place of Sacrifice and then down through Wadi Farasa, including a "minor" detour to a viewpoint overlooking the amphitheatre. We had discussions about the amazing rock patterns for which Petra is famous, and another geological distraction was the dendritic manganese oxide which looked more like a fossil leaf or branch. The round trip to the Monastery (808 steps up) was also completed, after which we returned up the siq – a total round trip of some 12 km (7-8 miles). Second night at the Petra Plaza Hotel.
22 October
Today we descended the 1500 m from the high Sharra Mountains to Aqaba, during which time the temperature increased by some 15 degrees Centigrade.
A walk in the awesome scenery of Wadi Rum allowed us to see the local specialities - Long-legged Buzzard and Mourning and White-crowned Black Wheatears. An out-of-place Reed Warbler was more of a problem to sort out. After lunch we expectantly scanned the white, domed mountain tops - and in less than 15 minutes, a superb pair of Verreaux’s Eagles glided effortlessly into view.
With time to spare, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the irrigated farms at Disi. Thanks go to Louis for talking his way in! Rollers and Hobbies hawked insects overhead, and a good variety of herons and egrets were logged in the fields - Glossy Ibis being the least expected. We arrived in Aqaba at dusk - still 26°C! Night at the Aquamarina II Hotel.
23 October
An early morning walk to the beach soon added several species to the trip list. Seabirds included White-eyed Gulls and a Caspian Tern and a number of passerines were also on the move - including Crested Larks, Red-throated Pipits and wagtails. An Osprey, with fish, landed on a ship’s mast just offshore.
Thanks to our military permission we then spent several, rather hot hours at the sewage works. These are now signposted, but still rarely visited by birdwatchers - and most of those are Naturetrek groups! Waders, ducks and birds of prey were too many to list here - but highlights were White-tailed Plover, Marsh Sandpipers, Steppe Eagles and Short-toed Eagle to name but a few.
After an ice cream break, our next stop was at the South Beaches. We had no difficulty finding some plovers, but it took longer to sort them out. A very small Ringed Plover, the size of a Kentish Plover, didn’t help things. In the end we were all convinced (weren’t we?) that we had seen Greater Sand, Kentish and Ringed Plovers. Second night at the Aquamarina II Hotel..
24 October
Our early walk produced much the same as yesterday, but surprisingly the sewage works had quite a lot of different birds to offer. Two Spoonbills, two Great White Egrets, three Purple Herons and superb views of Little Green Bee-eaters were added to most of yesterday’s selection that were still there.
The roof of our hotel provided a fine, shaded observation platform in the midday heat. Many Steppe Eagles and two groups of migrating Cranes were picked up to the west. A late afternoon walk also discovered a fall of Redstarts with a few Bluethroats and a Whinchat in an area of bushes and scattered palm trees. Third night in the Aquamarina II Hotel.
25 October
Our spectacular journey back to Amman took us through remote Wadi Araba and along the shores of the Dead Sea. Driving was interspersed with several stops. Firstly, at Wadi Fidan our "totally random" circuit of the apparently barren desert soon turned up Bar-tailed Desert Larks, and Isabelline and Desert Wheatears, plus several obliging Spectacles Warblers. Next stop was at Lot’s Cave, at As Safi, where we lunched. An overflying pelican was totally unexpected! We paused at Wadi al Mujib, before our dip in the Dead Sea, where even the non-swimmers found no difficulty floating! The finalé of the trip proved to be fine views of Dead Sea Sparrows in tamarisks near the bathing beach. A late Honey Buzzard also landed in a bush nearby. The last climb past the sea-level sign and back to Amman completed our day’s drive. Night in the Shepherd Hotel.
26 October
A relaxed group assembled at 09.30 to make the trip back to the airport. Our flight arrived in London in good time for those making onward journeys.
I hope you enjoyed the trip!
The final bird list of the tour totalled 136 species.
Ian Andrews (leader)