Winter passerines at the Pivots

Week 48; 30 November 2019 - Pivot Fields

I spent a quiet morning at the Pivot Fields which was pretty cool as the sunrise rose, but warmed a little later in the morning.

I started with a drive around the farm, but there was not much birding activity at all, a lone Steppe Buzzard on one of the Pivots

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

Two Long-legged Buzzards, a young bird with a pale eye (1st image) and an adult bird

1st year Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

 Adult Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

I then spent most of the morning at the marsh which was quite busy, Marsh Harrier scarying the marsh birds every time they passed low overhead

Female Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

There were many Red-spotted Bluethroat's about

Red-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)

A few Caucasian Water Pipits around the fringes of the marsh. This one keeping a look-out for the Marsh Harrier

Caucasian Water Pipit (Anthus s. coutelli)

A few smart looking Daurian Shrikes up on the Sabkha Bushes

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

Along with a single Whiskered Tern feeding occasionally from the pools 

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)

There were quite a few Stonechat's, the Caspian with the diagnostic tail in flight, was quite obliging

Caspian Stonechat (Saxicola m. hemprichii)

This male and female will remain as Eastern, but Armenian cant be excluded either

Eastern Stonechat (Saxicola maurus)

Driving out of the marsh, I came across a large mixed flock of White-tailed Lapwing and around 7 Spur-winged Lapwing and for once they didn't flush. I think the White-tailed are more tolerant than the skittish Northern Lapwing

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)