Phoenix Reflections

Photogrpah: Kodak DX7590
Area: Sharjah Corniche

“It looks like Sharjah is under attack!” And no, it wasn’t the famed sandstorm that hit UAE a week back that my friend who was visiting me, could be heard exclaiming about. In fact he was astonished at the number of winged inhabitants that spread on the greens like a blanket of snow on the highway. Perhaps the phrase ‘Smile you are in Sharjah’ is apt for these avian foreigners rather than the human population. After all traffic is always under control in the skies!

Over the past few years the number of migratory birds has increased by manifolds. The only birds that were present to my field of vision were the pigeons (they do reproduce at a phenomenal rate!) and any other bird in such large aggregates was confined to the local zoo. But now, UAE is a temporary haven to varied species which were just text-book names once upon a time.

The UAE lies in the Afro-Eurasian migratory flyway. These birds are in transit, basking in the warmth of the UAE sun before they embark on the final leg of their journey to reach their southern destinations. Migratory birds travel in a group that assures their protection and avoids digression from their route. A marvelous sight is the creation of exquisite formations, like that of the arrow or army formation, when in flight.

The Emirates Bird Records Committee recorded an increase in the number of birds that flock to UAE’s comparatively warmer climate. However, where there has been an increase in migratory birds here, an article in the journal Biological Conservation, prepared by BirdLife International and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds states that the migratory birds that journey between Africa and Europe have reduced over the last 30 years. While UAE has gone that extra mile to convert their deserts into green cosmopolitans, welcoming shoes and wings alike, desertification and pesticides have plagued the once common temporary dwelling of these migratory birds. Thus changing their ‘holiday’ destination, they now flock here in hoards where feed is bountiful.

The most prominent of the migratory birds (at least to me) is the seagull. Known for its existence in a human habitat, this seabird’s migratory pattern depends on the availability of food resources on their route. Being an ecologically conscious country, UAE has thus become the perfect lodging for our feathered visitors.

Coming back to my friend’s statement, these birds, in such large numbers can be hazardous to travelers. They keep swooping down, their wings flapping vigorously right in front of the windshield. At one point the distraction put me off track and I was greeted with, what seemed like a million honks by fellow commuters. And if you aren’t in the safety of your vehicle, and instead plan to enjoy a walk on the corniche, then be mindful of all the hovering above your head. You never know, if they are having a bad day or hold a grudge, you’ll end up sporting a funky new hairdo!