The Sanaa Ornithological Club, run by David Stanton, organizes talks and walks once a month. The presentations (ranging from movies to illustrated lectures) are held second Tuesdays at 7:30 PM at the YSPW Hall (Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife, on Algeria Street). The walks are held the following Thursday morning, often leaving as early as 7 AM. David takes us to various interesting places around Sanaa, usually within the security perimeter.
This past Thursday, April 15, we explored Wadi Hadoor, a 45 minute drive north west of Sanaa. Majestic! A lovely walk along a flat wadi floor bounded by sheer rock cliffs sprouting green clumps of varied vegetation. It had rained heavily the day before, leaving muddy ponds, an unusual sight in Yemen.
David’s getting better at selecting places where birders can bird and hikers hike. Although officially a birding club, these monthly walks draw people with varied interests. Kathy brought her sketchbook and was thrilled to find an interesting tree growing sideways from a muddy bank to sketch. Ingo, armed with bottles and a rake and suction devises, discovered a new species of beetle. Mats and Rosanna brought their dogs Olga and Amy and all were quite pleased to have a low-key, flat walk (most weeks they scramble up and over steep wadi walls).
Sarah, talking to one of the young Yemeni YSPW employees, recorded in a small notebook the Arabic names of things she saw. Roberto, prevented by his employer from driving through security checkpoints, was simply pleased get out of the city (Wadi Hadoor is accessible without a tasreya). I found a complete dog skull and the upper part of a cat skull.
Wadi Hadoor is a 45 minute drive from Sanaa, to the right when heading northwest on the Kawkaban / Shibam / Thula road. Contact David Stanton at david@yemenileopard.org for more information about the Sanaa Ornithological Club or to learn about his efforts to protect the endangered Arabian Leopard.
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