As Jahra Pools is still closed for maintenance, there are not many other options to consider at this time of year. So, at 6am sharp, Paul Scott and I were again at the gates to the Pivot Fields to see what may still be lingering.
This time, we headed straight to the two pools, as this was the most productive area last week. No stray dog's today, so patience was needed as we stood at the edge of the pool where it was already very warm. Like before, Black-winged Stilts were noisy and abundant
 |
| Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) |
This morning Graceful Prinia's were very active around us - I could show frame filling images, but prefer to show them with some habitat around them to give context
 |
| Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis) |
Overhead Pallid Swifts were feeding as they were last week
 |
| Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) |
The resident Crested Lark's were seen coming to the pools to drink, feet dangling in the air as a cooling mechanism
 |
| Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) |
Two Collared Pratincole's were also seen roosting on the edge of the pool and every now and then would take off, fly a circuit and come back to roost
 |
| Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) |
A surprise was a single Purple Heron coming in to land in the reeds - not sure if it's a late leaver or early arrival
 |
| Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) |
While waiting, I was also checking for invertebrates and found this Wasp species
 |
| Wasp sp. |
As well as a number of Darter species, which are always good photographic subjects.
 |
| Darter sp. |
By now we were wilting and sweating, so it was back in the car with some ac for a last circuit around the farm
This was worth it, as we found a 1st year Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark courtesy of post breeding dispersion.
 |
| Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps) |
I will be away next week on a solo 5-day birding break to Ethiopia which I am really looking forward to.
No comments:
Post a Comment