Jordan Day 1 Qasr Amra

Qasr Amra is apparently a World Heritage site. The 8th Century building contains some slightly saucy frescoes. But we didn't get to see them. We wandered around on the flint coated desert and up a small 'valley' lined with Palestine Pistachio trees. Highlights were a few Cyprus (Pied) Wheatears (and one dead one). Also here were Black-eared Wheatears, Redstarts, Redstart and plentiful Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, which were the main migrants on the move everywhere

How do camels survive out in this parched land?

How do people survive out there? Those are bedouin style tents

The land was covered in flints

Goats eating acacias or whatever they can eat

Palestine Pistachios are the big dry looking trees The remnants of the Qasr Amra site

Wryneck, presumably on passage

This beetle may be the Pitted Darkling Beetle Adesmia cancellata. They ere easily the commonest beetle type we saw in Jordan. You had to be careful not to tread on them in some areas

Just about all the 'Pied' Wheatears through Jordan, so current opinion has it, are Cyprus Wheatears. This one didn't make it.