The second day with car.
We decided, having perused the map, that we were correctly at Pivot Fields yesterday, so, as we knew the way, we went for another look.
Good job we did !!
This time we braved the guards, who couldn't have been nicer and ushered us through the gate with a smile.
We should have known, a grass nursery was what it was !!!
The 'pivots' are used to water the grass before it's harvested. There were tractors and diggers about harvesting and pruning the palm trees.
On the grass near the entrance were White and Yellow Wagtails, one Yellow had a Black head, which I thought was a different species, but apparently not.
Crested Lark were plentiful, and a mixture of pipits. I picked out the very pale Tawny Pipits, and then 'longer, darker' pipit with fawn coloured sides, eventually I narrowed it down to a Richard's Pipit.
A couple of large puddles a bit further down the track, had 2 waders, which I just identified as Green Sandpiper before a tractor flushed them, never to return.
Walking further down the track of the central ditch, I could see plovers, yes, just what we were after, our target bird, 10 White Tailed Lapwing, what a gorgeous little plover.
But just for a bonus there were 2 Sociable Plovers as well, they were a bit smaller, dark legs and most noticeably a dark cap coming to a point on the back of the head. Brilliant.
Marsh Harrier was drifting over the longer grass as we returned to the gate.
Next stop Ras-Al-Khor again. It was now blowing a dust storm, so visibility was poor.
The centre was closed, as it was Friday, so I had to be content with views through the fence. As I approached a large, light coloured raptor was floating towards me, it was too small and pale for an Eagle, I thought Osprey, but it could have been Crested Honey Buzzard when I'd looked at Collins. Not good enough views with the dust to confirm it though, so that was one missed. Still plenty of plovers and sandpipers about, I picked up Greenshank and Woodsandpiper, Black Wing Stilt mixed around the feet of the Flamingos.
Too dusty to stay too long, so off shopping again !!
We didn't get time to do the coastal sites, or the oasis of Al Ain, so hopefully, we can go again one day and do a bit more, I hope so.
As in the best places, always leaves something to go back for, and Dubai did just that, lots to see and do.
We decided, having perused the map, that we were correctly at Pivot Fields yesterday, so, as we knew the way, we went for another look.
Good job we did !!
This time we braved the guards, who couldn't have been nicer and ushered us through the gate with a smile.
We should have known, a grass nursery was what it was !!!
The 'pivots' are used to water the grass before it's harvested. There were tractors and diggers about harvesting and pruning the palm trees.
On the grass near the entrance were White and Yellow Wagtails, one Yellow had a Black head, which I thought was a different species, but apparently not.
Crested Lark were plentiful, and a mixture of pipits. I picked out the very pale Tawny Pipits, and then 'longer, darker' pipit with fawn coloured sides, eventually I narrowed it down to a Richard's Pipit.
A couple of large puddles a bit further down the track, had 2 waders, which I just identified as Green Sandpiper before a tractor flushed them, never to return.
Walking further down the track of the central ditch, I could see plovers, yes, just what we were after, our target bird, 10 White Tailed Lapwing, what a gorgeous little plover.
But just for a bonus there were 2 Sociable Plovers as well, they were a bit smaller, dark legs and most noticeably a dark cap coming to a point on the back of the head. Brilliant.
Marsh Harrier was drifting over the longer grass as we returned to the gate.
Next stop Ras-Al-Khor again. It was now blowing a dust storm, so visibility was poor.
Spotted Eagle
The centre was closed, as it was Friday, so I had to be content with views through the fence. As I approached a large, light coloured raptor was floating towards me, it was too small and pale for an Eagle, I thought Osprey, but it could have been Crested Honey Buzzard when I'd looked at Collins. Not good enough views with the dust to confirm it though, so that was one missed. Still plenty of plovers and sandpipers about, I picked up Greenshank and Woodsandpiper, Black Wing Stilt mixed around the feet of the Flamingos.Too dusty to stay too long, so off shopping again !!
We didn't get time to do the coastal sites, or the oasis of Al Ain, so hopefully, we can go again one day and do a bit more, I hope so.
As in the best places, always leaves something to go back for, and Dubai did just that, lots to see and do.
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