We have nearly half a dozen species of gulls in the UAE. Of this, only one – the Sooty Gull – is found in large numbers all year round. This is a coastal bird. However, the gull that occupies almost every part of the city during winter is the Black-headed Gull.

The gull that we see while crossing Dubai Creek is the Black-headed Gull. It supersedes all the species of migratory birds that visit Dubai and its suburbs by its overwhelming presence.

All gulls are migratory to the UAE. Most of them come from northern Iran, from the Caspian Sea area, Central Asia and Asian parts of Russia.

Desert countries are generally devoid of freshwater fish simply because no free-flowing water is available. The UAE’s only source of naturally-flowing freshwater is in the Hajar Mountains and a few oases like Liwa, Al Wagan, etc.

While desert oases are devoid of any water-related vertebrates, the Hajar Mountains are quite rich in fish and toads. There are at least five species of freshwater fish.

The commonest species is the wadi fish, zoologically known as Garra barreimaie. Found only in the hill streams of the UAE and Oman, it is a small carp or barb and lives in crystal-clear water and feeds on the algae that forms on the stones and other hard material found in the wadi systems.

The pleasant weather often tempts residents to go out camping, wadi bashing, on desert safaris, fishing and boating trips. But beware, as this is also the time many of the creepy crawlies become active.

While the sea snakes here are highly venomous they do not strike people. Among the land snakes, the most dangerous one is the Saw Scaled Viper that lives in the desert, near farming areas and in the mountains. Second is the sand or horned viper that lives only in sandy areas. The carpet viper and false horned viper are found in the hills.

A simple way to recognise a venomous viper is that its head is larger, diamond-shaped and heavier than the narrow neck separating the bulky body from the head. Most non-venomous land snakes have cylindrical, slender bodies and a small head.

One evening when I was coming out of the British Council Library, at the end of Oud Mehta Road, I suddenly heard the chattering of parakeets. I saw them cross Maktoum Bridge and the Zabeel Flyover but did not know where they went after that.

The next evening, I took two of my colleagues and positioned one on the road leading towards the British Embassy and the other on the slope of Maktoum Bridge on the Deira side.

I climbed up the stairs in front of the British Council and stood on the side of the flyover where streams of cars were passing by.