In the late afternoon on 1st November, I had a walk along my local beach at Abu Hassania to chill and enjoy the sunset. There are quite a few large and mature trees where suburbia meets the beach and I was really surprised to find a large flock (25+) Hypocolius foraging and later roosting in the same tree for the night.
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| Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus) |
A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet's were also feeding in the same tree.
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| Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) |
The next morning, I was through the gates of the Pivot Field farm just after 6am, driving alongside a large maize crop, I found large numbers of White Wagtail that had roosted overnight on the ground
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| White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) |
As the sun hit the top of the maize plants, I picked up a female Eastern Stonechat that did its best to stay far enough away from me. Not enough features seen to ID it to race
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| Eastern Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) |
While following the Stonechat, I saw a single Eurasian Penduline Tit some distance away feeding on the seeds of the maize. As the maize was higher than me, it took much stealth and maneuvering to try and get a clear view of the bird
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| Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus) |
Moving on, I headed toward the marsh but in a recently cut field had 2 really good birds, the first was an Indian Roller on the pivots, the first of this winter
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| Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) |
and the 2nd were two Rose-coloured Starlings - a 1st year bird that was more obliging than the cracking adult that just didn't allow me to get close
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| Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) |
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| Adult Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) |
The marsh is one of the more productive areas of the farm - often a strategy of just standing quietly and waiting pays off which it did this morning. In and on the reeds I had European Stonechat
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| European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) |
Another Armenian Stonechat
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| Armenian Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus) |
Spanish Sparrow
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| Female Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) |
Citrine Wagtail
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| Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) |
My first Caucasian Water Pipits of the winter
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| Caucasian Water Pipit (Anthus s. coutelli) |
White-cheeked Bulbul's were pretty vocal
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| White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis) |
The Cat E Yellow-crowned Bishop, resplendent in it's breeding plumage. Unfortunately I couldn't get a pic as it buzzed around like a bumble bee on steroids
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| Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer) |
Over the pan, a couple of Whiskered Terns were actively feeding
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| Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) |
Whilst walking a flushed both Jack Snipe
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| Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) |
and Common Snipe (I'm still holding out for a Pin-tailed)
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| Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) |
Soon after, a flock of 7 Spur-winged Lapwing's passed by overhead on their way to one of the fields
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| Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) |
Followed by two Glossy Ibis
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| Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) |
After a productive hour at the marsh, I drove the farm finding a more obliging Long-legged Buzzard (100m seems to be the tolerant range)
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| Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) |
The female Pied Wheatear was still present
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| Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) |
An oiled or very dark Common Kestrel from a distance got the adrenaline going for a short while
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| Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) |
Later in the afternoon, I spent an hour at Sharq Harbour trying to sort out the moulting Gulls, we suspect this one is Steppe (thanks Yoav - late moult suggests northern origin; no white mirror on P9, bluish upperparts and overall solid black wingtip, robust bill and black band)
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| Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) |
Whilst this is Heuglin's
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| Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini) |
Common Black-headed Gulls have arrived in numbers
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| Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) |
It was a pleasant afternoon to end an enjoyable day
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