05/16/09
Tail end of Migration? -
Categories: Week 20 - 16 May 2009, Pivot Fields, JEO and Jahra Farm
It was good to get out again today despite the unstable weather conditions that still persist. I drove through a rain shower on the way to Pivot Fields and had mixed sunshine and cloud throughout the morning. Images by Mike Pope
I was hoping to relocate the Red footed Falcon found by Rashed earlier this week, but during migration if you dont drop everything to twitch a rarity the moment is generally gone, as it was with the Falcon. I did however enjoy a host of good birds at this location. There were some newly planted fields that were being irrigated and this Wood Sandpiper took advantage of the spray to cool itself and catch insects
It was accompanied by good numbers of Yellow Wagtails which are still present, this is thunbergi
and a flavissama
I found the large flock of Lesser Kestrels that the Red footed Falcon was part of, but to no avail despite a lot of scrutiny. The flock was perched on the structure of the irrigation and swooping down on crickets and insects in the crops below - not much exertion required to get their fill of protein
I spotted a female Cuckoo (rufous form) perched amongst the Kestrel flock and quite unperterbed. She was almost the same size as the Kestrels
Female Cuckoo in rufous form
The few Blue cheeked Bee-eaters also used the structure to hunt from
The Kestrels were competing for food with Egrets and Herons that were patrolling the fields below the moving irrigation - this Cattle Egret about to swallow another cricket
Squacco Herons took a far more cautious and deliberate approach to the Cattle Egrets
There were a fair number of Raptors present including both Long legged Buzzard and Black Kite seen in this image
A couple of Marsh Harriers put the passerines up everytime they did a fly over, the tactics of the hunt
I was fortunate to photograph both colour forms of Greater Spotted Eagle together. In this image, the dark form juvenile was feeding on something and the pale form just stood by watching; eventually it lost interest and flew off to perch on the irrigation.
The darker form is a juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle.
The paler form Greater Spotted Eagle is var. fulvescens and according to Collins Bird Guide is very rare.
I stopped at a small depression with water and vegetation and found a host of feeding waders, this Redshank was resplendent in breeding plumage.
A Purple Heron dropped in for a quick drink.
As did two Wood Sandpipers.
I came across a small flock of Collared Pratincoles on the way back to the main gate.
I headed off to JEO where I was delighted to find myself alone and also see a police car patrolling the area to deter hunters and grazers as part of collaboration with local authorities to try and protect this key and important wetland. A female Winchat was seen near the outfall
With disturbances and shooting under control, Basra Reed Warblers are still present and we are hopeful that they will in fact breed at JEO this summer.
Sedge Warblers are also potential breeders for this summer.
A few Little Bitterns were seen along the outfall.
Isabelline, Lesser Grey and Red backed Shrike are still present at most sites.
As are Spotted Flycatchers.
Last stop today was Jahra Farms and amazingly the Indian Roller is still present, but still skittish. Bank Mynas did breed this year and I caught this one after just having had a bath to cool down in the 40 degrees that we experienced by noon today.
