UMM AL QUWAIN // The Khor Al Beidah wetlands attracts thousands of birds, as well as flocks of birdwatchers.
“You have 25 different species of birds and you have thousands of them,” said Tommy Pedersen, a captain with Emirates Airline. “It is quite a sight.”
Among the rare birds is the Great Knot, a small wader that breeds in the Siberian tundra and winters mainly in Australia. Some populations also winter in Southern Asia, Oman and the UAE.
Khor Al Beidah is the only publicly accessible place where the birds can be seen from October to April.
“I take people out there on a regular basis to look for Great Knot,” said Mr Pedersen.
Tens of thousands of waders go to Khor Al Beidah to feed on small worms that live in the mudflats.
Another sought-after bird is the Crab Plover, a large, black-and-white wader that lives along the coastline of the Indian Ocean. The birds spend about nine months at the lagoon before retreating to offshore islands to breed.
“Khor Al Beidah is a great place to find them and the only place where I can reliably show them to people,” said Mr Pedersen. “When you have a wish list as a birdwatcher, that is very high on the list.”
The 51-year-old has been visiting the area regularly for the past 13 years and said it had so far escaped the effects of development.
“They [developer Emaar] built a villa project, which is very pretty and has not affected the area at all,” he said. “But rubble from that project has been dumped on the beach.”
However, things could change if a marina, initially planned to be part of the villa development, goes ahead, said Mr Pedersen.
“I know the plan was to dredge the area and make it into a very big marina. Dredging will take away the whole wintering grounds for the waders.”
Emaar was not available for comment.
Sharjah and Fujairah have created protected areas in Khor Kalba and Wadi Wurayah respectively, which are at present closed to the public but are to open for managed use soon. This could be an example for Umm Al Quwain, which could benefit from eco-tourism in Khor Al Beidah, said Mr Pedersen.
“The area has such a potential for birdwatching. Other countries have done it successfully, why not the UAE?”
vtodorova@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Five films to watch
Castle in the Sky (1986)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poki (1994)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
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UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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Company%20Profile
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Aahid Al Khalediah II, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Whistle, Harry Bentley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup - Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alsaied, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Mumayaza, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
8pm: President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Medahim, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
Company%20Profile
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
The%20Specs
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Company%20Profile
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UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
Spec%20sheet
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