Family :PAPAVERACEAE.
Chorotype :Atlantic to Mediterranean, Black Sea and North America.
Life form Raunkiaer :Bi-annual or perennial chamaephyte.
Summer shedding :Leaves and flowers during summer time.
Succulence :Leaves thick.
Salt resistance :Yes.
Habitat or affinity to Vegetation formation :Sandy seashore.
Synanthropy :Listed from Palm Islands in the NCSR Report (1999).
Usage :The juice of this species is used as eye-drops for the treatment of conjunctivitis and other diseases of eyelids. Also it makes part of eyeliner components.
Status :Common along the coast.
Identification :Yellow petals 2.5 – 3.5 cm.
Sand lily Pancratimum maritimum Zanbak el Bahr
Family :AMARYLLIDACEAE .
Common name, English :Sea daffodil, Sea pancratium lily.
Chorotype :Mediterranean.
Life form Raunkiaer :Geophyte.
Summer shedding :Ephemeral.
Succulence :Non-succulent.
Salt resistance :Glycophyte.
Habitat or affinity to Vegetation formation : Mediterranean strand vegetation,in sandy soils.
Synanthropy :Grows only in natural habitats. Planted in house-garden away from the sea at about 300 m altitude above Naqoura (Tohmé).
Chronology :The Sand lily was first documented in 1999 (NCSR report) on the beach of the PINR and by Tohmé & Tohmé (2002).
Usage :Picked for its beautiful flower. It may be managed commercially in the reserve; especially that it is expected to disappear on the mainland coastal area where it suffers from urbanization.
Status :Found along the coast. Not uncommon. Flowering time is one month earlier (August) on Islands than on continent (Tohmé 2002).
Identification :The aromatic white flower reaches 12 cm (see
Sea-squil Urginea maritime Ansal Bahri
Family :LILIACEAE.
Chorotype :Mediterranean.
Life form Raunkiaer :Geophyte.
Summer shedding :Ephemeral.
Succulence :Non-succulent.
Salt resistance :Glycophyte.
Habitat or affinity to Vegetation formation :Rocks or sandy areas from the seashore to 1000 m.
Synanthropy :Grows only in natural habitats.
Chronology :Cited in the NCSR report (1999). Mouterde (1966) mentioned the sites in which the species was seen on the Lebanese coast and in low hills of Akkar. Tohmé & Tohmé (personnel comm.) found this plant in high mountains (c.1200 m) in Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon.
Usage :Also called “Basal-al-far” since its bulb is uprooted to be used as rat or mouse poison.
Status :Not uncommon.
Identification :Bulb up to 18 cm leaf up to 100 cm long and 10 cm large.
Glasswort Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Al Shou’e
Family :CHENOPODIACEAE.
Common name, English :Long-spiked glasswort.
Chorotype :Mediterranean.
Life form Raunkiaer :Phanerophyte perennial.
Summer shedding :Flowering time April-October.
Succulence :Succulent.
Salt resistance :Glycophyte.
Habitat or affinity to Vegetation formation :Seashore.
Synanthropy :Grows in salty places.
Chronology :First mentioned on Palm Islands by Tohmé et al. (1973) under a synonymous name A. glaucum. Also it was cited by the NCSR report (1999) and Sattout (2001). It is worthy to note that Mouterde (1966) stated the disappearance of the sites in which the species was seen on the Lebanese coast.
Usage :Found on rocks and collected to be used as chutney food. Appreciated for being a source of natural iodine.
Status :Rare because of Urban development.
Identification :Articulated stem up to 1 m.
Rock samphire Crithmum maritimum Shummar Bahri
Family : Apiacae.
Chorotype :From Atlantic seashores to Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Life form Raunkiaer :Perennial phanerophyte .
Summer shedding :Leaves all summer.
Succulence :Succulent .
Salt resistance :yes.
Habitat or affinity to Vegetation formation :Rocks near seashore.
Synanthropy :Grows in Natural habitats .
Chronology:Cited in the NCSR report (1999) and Sattout (2001).
Usage:Conserved in vinegar or eaten directly as salad. Highly searched by people for its iodine richness and considered a threatened species.
Status :Threatened because it is edible used as salad .
Identification :Flowers white-greenish .
BIRDS
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Middle East: Resident to widespread migrant and winter visitor.
Lebanon: Passage migrant and winter visitor. Sighted at Aaichyeh, Aammiq, Azour, Beirut, Nahr Beirut, Qaraoun, Tanayel and Tripoli.
Chronology: First recorded on Palm Islands by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (1999 and 2001). They also reported the first national wintering records of the species from the same islands. Whilst the number of passing birds doesn’t show any significant variation, the number of winterers increased progressively from 4 to 21 individuals during the last 5 years.
Identification
Its huge size, pale grey plumage and distinctive shape distinguish it from all other birds. The adult is whiter on the neck than the juvenile and has longer black tufts hanging down its nape.
Habitat
Broad passage across Lebanon’s habitats. Winters along rivers, estuaries, lakes, marshes and islands.
Quail Coturnix coturnix
Chronology: First mentioned on Nakhl Island by Hollom (1959) who saw quail-wings in the colony of the nesting gulls. The second record was by NCSR (1999) and the third record which is also the first breeding record on the Nakhl Island is given by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (1999, 2001). At present, the Common Quail is known as common passage migrant and scarce summer breeder.
Identification
The Quail is a tiny gamebird most likely to be mistaken for a half-grown young Partridge, but the male has a black and white head pattern which is mimicked in a duller brown version by the female. If you are lucky enough to flush one you'll see a dumpy, hump-backed, narrow-winged gamebird skimming low over the vegetation with quick, shallow wing-beats. More usually though, you'll hear its diagnostic call.
Habitat
Breeds in arable fields and long grass.
Corncrake Crex crex
Chronology: First noted at Palm Islands by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (1999) in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998; NCSR (1999) and by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (2001) as migrant with regular appearance in May and with peaks up to six individuals.
Identification
If you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse it will probably be of a bird flying weakly away, with its rufous wings standing out and with its legs dangling behind it. Birds seen on the ground are quite distinctive, particularly the yellow bill and legs, grey facial stripes, dark back and rufous wings. They could almost be a cross between a Partridge and a Water Rail. (The distinctive call of the Corncrake is usually the only contact you will have in the European breeding ground with this elusive and declining species.)
Habitat
Found in cultivated lands, meadows and other open grassy lands.
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Chronology: First recorded on Palm Islands by NCSR (1999) and then by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (2001). Data is not sufficient to track species evolution or dynamism on the site.
Identification
Ruffs are taller and leggier than Dunlins, the males being about the size of a Redshank, the females, known as Reeves, being Wood Sandpiper-sized. In all plumages they look rather fat-bodied but small-headed and short-billed, and their upperparts are usually well-patterned with brown and buff. The juveniles show an immaculate scaly pattern above. Ruff leg colours vary, so don't be surprised to find one with legs as red as a Redshank. And look out for birds showing signs of summer plumage, especially white-headed, white-chested males looking quite unlike anything in most bird books. In flight they look relatively long-winged with a narrow pale wing bar but striking white oval patches in the sides of the sides of the tail.
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Chronology: First record of the species was obtained by Stenhouse (1904) who noted it breeding on Nakhl Island. Furthermore, it was recorded by NCSR (1999) and Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (1999). Its breeding was reconfirmed by Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (2001).
Identification
Unmistakable with its bold black, grey and white plumage and long, frequently wagged tail. Male has black back, while female is slate grey. Some races are much greyer.
Habitat
Occurs in a wide variety of open places including fields, farmyards, parks, meadows, and shows a preference to the vicinity of water.
Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii
Chronology: First recorded on Palm Islands as breeder with 15 pairs in 1895 by Stenhouse (1904). Hollom (1959) saw no birds there in May 1956. In October 1958, three were there in October (Flach 1959). In April 1973, 17 were seen on Palm Island by Tohmé & Neuschwander (1974) and 10 on Palm, Sanani and Ramkine Islands in August 1997 Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi (1999). There is increase in numbers in recent years, probably due to conservation effort (Pers. obs.).
Identification
Audouin's Gulls are most similar to Yellow-legged Gulls but are smaller and neater looking with a long, sloping forehead and a longer,The adults always look neater than Yellow-legged Gulls perhaps because of the way the dark eye and deep red bill contrast more vividly with the white head. As these birds pass into first winter plumage they develop grey mantles with distinctive dark scalloping.
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Green Turtle Chelonia mydas Sulhafat Khdra’a
Chronology: This turtle was reported from the reserve in NCSR report (1999) as non breeding species due to absence of some nesting requirements. Also cited in the management plan of the reserve as winterer off islands shore.
They are called green turtles because of the color of the flesh. Chelonia mydas are one of the largest turtles ranging from 71 to 153 centimeters. They can weigh up to 205 kilograms. They have limbs that are paddle-like, which are used to swim. Their heads seem small compared to their body size. Males are larger than females and the tail is longer, extending well beyond the shell. Green turtles cannot pull their heads inside of their shells. Plates of carapace are juxtaposed. Forelimbs are modified as oar-like flippers. Four pairs of pleurals.One pair of prefrontal scales. First vertebral is in contact with first marginal. Greenish or olive brown above, sometimes melanistic, becoming slate gray to black.
Logger-head Turtle Caretta caretta Sulhafat kabirat al ra’as
Chronology: First mentioned as breeder on the Palm island in the July report of the management team to the Ministry of the Environment (1997). Its nests were also observed on the tiny sandy beach of Ramkine island by the same team in 1998. Persecuted by man and globally threatened species. S. Hraoui-Bloquet (1998) described it as nesting on Palm island only. Subsequently it was reported by S. Hraoui-Bloquet (1999), R. Sadek (2000) and Demirayak et al (2001).
Identification
Loggerheads have a characteristic large head, with more massive jaws and muscles than other sea turtles. First vertebral plate is not in contact with marginals. Forelimbs modified as oar-like flippers. Five pairs of pleurals, first pleural in contact with cervical scute. Bridge with 3 inframarginals. Elongated carapace with medial vertebral ridge.
Wall Lizard Lacerta laevis laevis Shouhliat al Hait
Chronology: Very common in Lebanon as well as on the islands of the reserve. It was mentioned on the islands in 1998 by S.Hraoui-Bloquet et al., in 1999 by S. Hraoui-Bloquet, in 2000 by R. Sadek and in 2002 by S. Hraoui-bloquet et al.
Identification :
The Wall Lizard has fingers without lateral fringes, collar well marked, femoral pores present, tail long. The color is very changing and variable. The ground color will be dark or light brown, brown olive with tow large dark cross bars pattern on each side, ventral scales are white or blue or light yellow. The color of the population of palm island is homogeneous. It always has a mediodorsal pattern of dark crossbars. This species presents big similarity with Lacerta muralis of Europe.
Large whipe snake Hierophis jugularis Hannash asswad
Chronology: First reported from the reserve by S. Hraoui-Bloquet et al. (1998), S. Hraoui-Bloquet (1999), R. Sadek (2000) as Coluber jugularis asianus, and S. Hraoui-Bloquet et al (2002) as Hierophis jugularis.
Identification :
It is a non venomous colubridae. Adult size can reach 300 cm, pupil of eye rounded, tail long, adults uniformly black, sub-adult brownish black, throat and belly sometimes salmon red. It is diurnal and its diet is mainly small mammals, lizards, birds,…
