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JARIM ISLAND, BAHRAIN- JUNE 2009

by Adrian Drummond-Hill

Above: one of our 'rapid interception' boats nearing Jarim Island

On Friday 19th June, I embarked on another trip to Jarim Island in Bahrain. It had been two years since my last visit to the island but unfortunately the day was very dusty and when we got to sea, the visibility was down to 1,000 metres. This time the trip was organised by the Bahrain Natural History Society and the Bahrain Government. Instead of using Ali's small craft (see the July 2007 trip report) we got the use of two Coastguard rapid intervention boats and were they rapid indeed. We were leaping from crest to crest of the waves! I had to stand up most of the trip and let my legs absorb the pounding of the hull, otherwise I think I would have ended up two inches shorter.

The trip organisers, Howard King (the Bahrain Recorder) and Dr. Brendan Kavanagh, a BTO trainer A ringer and chairman of the Bahrain Natural History Society. Both were delighted with the number of Lesser Crested Terns ringed, which stood at 450 in total. The Lesser Crested colony was much bigger this year with an estimated 5,000 pairs. The island also has Bridled Terns nesting but very few had hatched and most birds were still on the eggs. In a few weeks time a return trip will hopefully see more of them ringed. From the last batch of Bridled Terns to be ringed here, one was found in Mumbai injured, unfortunately it died.

We did a survey of the next island in the group and White-cheeked Terns could be seen nesting all around the island. This will also be the subject of another trip in the near future.

Our outing was recorded by a film crew who were on the second boat. They are making documentaries on the nature of Bahrain.

Below: Bahrain recorder, Howard King