Where to bird Sunday 8th Nov

[sognet]

Hi all
I'm in Dubai on business for a couple of days from the UK and have a free day this Sunday 8th Nov. A chance to fit some birding in!
I've done a fair bit of birding around Europe but never in your part of the world, so there should be a few lifers on offer for me ;-)
I'm based at The Palace The Old Town and looking at the site guide on the website it looks like I am not too far away from Ra's al-Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and Safa Park.
I guess the morning at one, avoid the heat of midday and later in the afternoon for the other and wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to which way round to visit them?
Obviously if either site is currently not worth visiting (time of year/lack of water/building work etc.) or there is somewhere else I should consider I'd like to hear about that too.
I'm not going to have my own transport so will have to catch a taxi to anywhere not in walking distance. Is it easy to get a taxi back from Ra's al-Khor for example? I understand that the taxi drivers will know where these places are to drop off but getting a taxi back might be a different matter?
Dubai Pivot Fields is another good looking site that caught my eye but looked a bit farther away.
I saw there were some warnings about cameras at Safa Park, any issues elsewhere I should be aware of with optics etc? Presumably Ra's al-Khor is ok to visit with bins + dslr?

Look forward to your comments and hopefully some good birding

Martin

[MarkS]

Hi Martin,

As a recent newcomer to Dubai, I understand the dilemma you face. There are some great places to bird here, but very little of it is simple to access without a car, it seems to me. (I have absolutely no idea about public transport, but taxis seem to be everywhere!)

Ras Al Khor is starting to get good, with Greater Spotted Eagles now in and wader numbers building up,but access is severely restricted to a couple of viewing hides which are miles away from the birds!

If I had only half a day to bird, in your position I'd go to the Pivots - good variety, easy to work, but it is very open and, after 10am, will be getting a bit too hot to be walking around without water/cover. However, if you've not been outside Europe then species like White-cheeked & Red-vented bulbuls, Palm Dove, Graceful Prinia, Grey Francolin, Common & Bank Myna, Little Green Bee Eater, White-tailed & Red-wattled Lapwing are easy here, even in a half-hour visit. Add to that, the variety of pipits & wagtails, other waders and the odd raptor, and you'll see why the Pivots is the most-birded place near Dubai. Make sure you know where the Pivots are on a map, if you're getting a taxi. It's near the Dubai Textile Mart, just off the E44 (Al Khail Road). Make arrangements to get picked up or be prepared to walk about 1km back to the E44 to flag another one down

Safa Park is a good place, but the species list is limited, although you'll find things like Temminck's and some other waders and Citrine Wag on the drained boating lake and OBPs have recently been around in the wooded area in the centre. Cameras are not a problem so long as you remember not to point them at, or in the direction of, people - especially women. Both bulbuls, RW Lapwing, Palm Dove, Prinia, Indian Silverbill, Common Myna are all common, with a good chance of Shikra.

To be honest, if you want a really good, full days birding get in touch with the guys offering guiding and hope they're available at short notice. (Sunday is a workday over here, so could be difficult. If I wasn't working, you could have tagged along with me). Not only will you see some great birds, you'll get to places no taxi will find (or go!) and optimise your available time. They're top birders - and really nice guys.

All the best, whatever you decide to do.

Mark

[sognet]

Mark
Thank you for your very useful note.
Dubai Pivot Fields sounds like it would give me the best chance of a varied list, I think a taxi out there and hope my lift returns looks favourite.
Martin

[Clive]

You can rent a taxi from Dubai Taxis for a day or half a day, forgotten the rates but it's not too bad and you can do lots of sites inc. Qarn Nazwa for poss eastern pied and Humes wheatears and plain leaf warbler. The pivots is on the way and Ras al Khor on the way back, finish at one of the parks.