birding around dubai 5 november 2011

[drrezakhan]

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Today around Dubai</SPAN>
7 am to 12.30pm Pivot Field, STP, Al Warsun and RAKWS</SPAN>
Pvt fld</SPAN>
2 Southern Grey Shrike</SPAN>
1 Steppe Shrike</SPAN>
1 Daurian Shrike</SPAN>
1 Turkestan Shrike</SPAN>
2 Western Marsh Harrier</SPAN>
9 Common Snipe</SPAN>
3 Wood Sandpiper</SPAN>
2 Green Sandpiper</SPAN>
2 Common Sandpiper</SPAN>
36 WT Lapwing</SPAN>
43 RW Lapwing</SPAN>
6 Water Pipit</SPAN>
2 Richard’s Pipit</SPAN>
2 Tawny Pipit</SPAN>
2 Desert Wheatear</SPAN>
24 G Francolin</SPAN>
24 Bank Myna</SPAN>
3 Cattle Egret</SPAN>
15 Yellow Wagtail</SPAN>
30+ White Wagtail</SPAN>
16 Indian Silverbill</SPAN>
6 Little G bee-eater</SPAN>
Caspian Reed Warbler (?) heard in the reed bed</SPAN>
3 Cattle Egret</SPAN>


STP</SPAN>
1st batch of c.200 Black-headed Gull that pushed away 5 White-winged Terns seen during last week.</SPAN>
128 Cattle Egret</SPAN>
22 BW Stilt</SPAN>
35 Green Sandpiper</SPAN>
12 Common Sandpiper</SPAN>
4 L Grebe</SPAN>
27 White Wagtail</SPAN>
6 Yellow Wagtail</SPAN>
2 Ruff</SPAN>


Al Warsun (No Gull in the whole lake 9.45 to 10.30am)</SPAN>
20+ (some overhead) Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse</SPAN>
12 Little Stint</SPAN>
4 Temminck’s Stint</SPAN>
4 Wood Sandpiper</SPAN>
2 Green Sandpiper</SPAN>
7 Common Snipe</SPAN>
1 Bluethroat</SPAN>
3 Indian Moorhen</SPAN>
2 Marsh Harrier</SPAN>
1 Squacco Heron</SPAN>
2 Purple Heron</SPAN>
6 Grey heron</SPAN>


RAKWS 10.45 to 12.30 hours</SPAN>
Most species not Counted, observed</SPAN>
Many- Shoveler, Common teal, Garganey, Shoveler, Caspian tern (60+), 2 Gull-billed, 1 Sandwich; Black-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilt, Pacific plover, c. 200 slender-billed gull resting close to Mangrove Hide; White Heron, Grey heron, Reef Heron, Common and Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Redshank</SPAN>
Possibly c.1000- a mixture of Dunlin and Curlew Sandpiper</SPAN>
54 Spoonbill</SPAN>
6 Oystercatcher</SPAN>
19 Curlew</SPAN>
12 Turnstone</SPAN>
15 Grenshank</SPAN>
5 Whimbrel</SPAN>
6 Avocet</SPAN>
50+ larger, Caspian-Lesser-Heuglin etc., unidentified Gulls</SPAN>
14 L Grebe</SPAN>
1 Yellow-bille Stork</SPAN>
4 Western M Harrier</SPAN>
2 Osprey</SPAN>
100+ Great Cormorant</SPAN>
18 RW Lapwing</SPAN>
saw no Striated Heron,</SPAN>

[Viper]

Hi Dr. Reza Khan.

I am coming to Dubai tomorrow and i am interested to make some bird watching / photography. Your tour seems very interesting. I managed to identify from google the pivot fields , but i could not understand STP , Al warsun and Rawks.

Can you help me to identify the location of these places please so that this week I will make the same tour.
thanks in advance

[drrezakhan]

would you please identify properly who you are?
Best wishes,
Reza Khan

[Viper]

I am Patrick Sammut , member of the Birdlife Malta. I am a bird photographer and i am arriving in Dubai tomorrow. I will spend few days in Dubai and after drive to visit areas closer to Al Ain and Oman.
I appreciate anyone's help in indicating me best sites for bird photography / watching in this period of the year in Dubai / Al Ain.
Anyone interested to join me is welcome :)
Thanks in advance,

Patrick

[MarkS]

Patrick,

Most of what you need to know can be found here: http://www.uaebirding.com/birdingsites.html - scroll down to the boxes halfway down and click on any of the site names for maps and info.

Best areas in Dubai in winter are Pivots, Warsan Lakes, Ras Al Khor and Safa Park.

[Sandman]

Patrick

STP is the non-accessible Al Warsan Water Treatment Plant
Al warsun is Al Warsan Lakes
Rawks is Ra's al-Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

All coordinates on the website in the downloadable Excel sheet. Full annotated checklist also downloadable. As is the amazing Google Earth file

but i could not understand STP , Al warsun and Rawks.

[Viper]

Thanks very much Mark, very helpful site .

Anyone want to join me and my friend, feel free to ask. We will be more than happy.

[Viper]

Txs Sandman,

The full names helped me alot to identify the locations better. That's exactly what I needed. The website is excellent with the excel sheet with coordinates , but there are sooo many and i dont have time to visit them all, thats why i am trying to figure out best places :)

Thanks again all, and anyone who want to join me and my friend, feel free to ask. We will be more than happy.

Patrick - Malta

[drrezakhan]

Dear Mr Patrick
Enclosed is the location of map of 3 locations I have mentioned in my report. STP is the SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT of Dubai Municipality. This is a restricted site as we need to pass through sewage under treatment liquid tanks. But you can sometimes see some birds from the boundary. It is very close to the Pvt Fld or Pivot Field which is actually a fodder and lawn grass field with plant nurseries. As it is irrigated all year round it is quite a good birding spot in Dubai.
Al Warsun Lake is next to STP and located within the International City. Its access is restricted but with a telescope you can see most of the birds from some parts.
In this forum if you check the contact section you will get addresses of a few great UAE birders who might guide you.
Wish you safe journey and good birding in Dubai.
Best wishes
Reza khan
11770

[Viper]

Hi Dr.Reza Khan,

Thanks very much for the detailed useful information. I really appreciate. Hope to see some birds soon. I am soon off to airport to get the plane and will be in Dubai soon.
I will visit some of these sites in the next coming days.
Regards,
Patrick - Malta