I took visiting birder Eric Heijs from Holland out to the farm to show him around. Whilst the main migration season seems to have come and gone, there is as always something of interest to be seen. A Steppe Buzard in early morning light. A red-backed Shrike. One of three or four seen. Also seen were a few Arabian and a Woodchat Shrike On the dams below the farm there were signs of several successful breeding attempts. We observed an Eurasian Coot with chicks, Little Grebe sitting on nests, several Black-winged Stilts with sub adult young as well as plenty of Kentish Plover chicks out and about. Black-winged Stilts chicks in various stages of development A younger Black-winged Stilt chick Here a Kentish Plover adult feigns injury to lead us away from the chicks Eric also picked up a sub-adult Avocet while scanning the shoreline through his scope. If they had bred on the ponds it would be a very encouraging. Other species included: European Bee-eater, Red Wattled Lapwing, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Moorhen, Spanish Sparrow, Namaqua Dove, Corn Bunting, Grey Heron, Lilith Owl and the rest.
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I drove past where I had last seen the European Rollers to check out if they were still on site. To my delight one bird was still present. As I arrived it flew up onto the overhead cable with this rather large item of prey held firmly in its beak. I then sat and watched as it tried to deal with it. On the overhead cable with rodent in beak It slams it against the cable, I presume to ensure it is dead It flicks it into the air so as to reposition it head first for ingesting It commences to ingest the catch After several minutes of trying to ingest the rodent it realises it is just too large and regurgitates it out of its beak It gives it one last glance, having let it fall to the ground Then flies off in search of other prey
It was cloudy and overcast when I was out and there were even a few drops of rain. Whilst the light proved to be a bit challenging, there were still birds to be seen and photographed A male Black-crowned Sparrow Lark. I came across a pair of these larks but the female was not so confiding and so I was unable to get an image of her. I last captured images of these birds in September 2015 so it was a good to see them again Female Red-backed Shrike Arabian Grey Shrike Male Spannish Sparrow feeding a fledgling Lilith Owl on look-out duty
A warm morning. It was a bit quiet but as always good to be out and about. Highlights were three Black-crowned Night Herons, two adults and a juvenile. They did not hang around and all I managed was a B.I.F. image of one of the adult birds as it flew off. Also seen was a male Little Bittern skulking in the reeds Adult Black-crowned Night Heron Juvenile Little Bittern Cattle Egret White-eared Bulbul fledgling The Common Pochard is still in the house
I came across three Rollers at the farm today. I spent some time watching one bird in particular that was actively hunting locusts from its vantage point on the overhead power line. It would scan the area below and then swoop down onto the ground to catch a locust before flying back up onto the wire to despatch it On the look-out Launching into flight Returning to base About to ingest the catch
There are hundreds of Dragonflies about at the moment. In this sequence an Indian Pond Heron stalks and spears one for a meal It has the unfortunate Draganfly in its sights It hops up the rock to spear its prey It struggles a bit to keep its balance on the rock face With its balance regained it has the Dragonfly firmly in its beak, ready to ingest it With that one despatched it is on the look-out for the next victim to come within range
I was fortunate enough to capture this set of images whilst one of the owls carried out some early morning preening
Greater Short-toed Lark. I last photographed one here in October last year Spotted Flycatcher. At least a dozen birds seen today Little Bittern. I last photographed one here in May 2014 Turkestan Shrike with a bee for breakfast Turkestan Shrike Daurian Shrike
Highlight of the visit was a female Whinchat, the first female bird of this species that I have seen in Qatar. There was also signs of some of the successful breeding attempts of the resident birds. A female Whinchat A Grey Francolin chick The three surviving Mallard ducklings An Indian Pea-hen with a single chick This White-eared Bulbul came right up to me to investigate
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April 2024
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