Cracking birds at the Pivots

Week 43; 26 October 2019 - Pivot Fields

Following the success of eBird Big Day last week, I was back at the Pivots farm just after 6am where I spent an enjoyable morning.

I found a Mauryan Grey Shrike near the camel pens where the sun hadn't quite reached yet.

Mauryan Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora pallidirostris)

And a little further a female Armenian Stonechat trying to catch the first rays of sun

Armenian Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus)

In a small depression with some standing water, there was flock of 6 Common Wood Pigeon

Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Along with 3 Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing with the flock of Northern Lapwing

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)

It was a real treat to see all 3 large brown eagles in one morning, with Eastern Imperial Eagle giving awesome views

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

Greater Spotted

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga)

And Steppe Eagle were perched on the same Pivot, 6-feet apart from each other

Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis)

There were also 2 Long-legged

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

and a single Steppe Buzzard seen during the morning

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

On the way to the marsh, I had a 1st year Common Cuckoo on the overhead power-lines that dropped down into the fields to feed. There is always an outside possibility to check for Oriental this late in the autumn migration, but they are really tough to separate

Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

In the week I had bought myself a pair of Wellington's and these were really useful to walk around the marsh (as this area is not driveable anymore). They paid for themselves in the 1st 10m when I inadvertently flushed a Great Bittern (I guess this is how you generally find them) and managed to get a few images as it flew away from me and landed in one of the maize fields - an awesome bird!

Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)

Another addition to the list for this location was Jack Snipe and I managed to see at least 10

Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

A young Daurian Shrike was pretty vocal from the top of the Sabkha Bush

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

Driving around the field adjacent to the marsh, I re-found the cracking Black-throated Thrush that was first seen yesterday

Black-throated Thrush (Turdus atrogularis)

And not too long after that a Richard's Pipit in another field

Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi)

along with a Vittata Pied Wheater

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka vittata)

Later I found a 'regular' Pied Wheatear after which I called it a morning - a pretty successful one at that!

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)