Lockdown - Day 29

Week 15; 09 April 2020 - Pivot Fields

Another early morning dash to the Pivots for some quick birding.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were heard before I saw them hawking and catching insects from the overhead lines..

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)

A little further down the road, a small flock of Lesser Kestrel's were also roosting on the same line. The males were a little more obliging than the fewer females

Male Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

Female Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

In amongst the Palm plantation, I found Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides)

and a female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, same place as I had seen her previously

Female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis)

In the uncultivated area, both Isabelline 

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

and the 'peachy' Northern Wheatear were seen - quite like the 'Greenland' form, but not sure of this forms distribution

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

as well as another Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides)

Along with Red-throated Pipit's in the adjacent field enjoying a bath in the pools left by the Pivot irrigation

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

Leaky pipes and taps are always good places to check with the temperatures starting to soar; here a House Sparrow stretching for a drink from the 'leak'

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

In the same area, a White-throated Robin made an appearance and a splash of colour

Male White-throated Robin (Irania gutturalis)

And a Common Redstart who was photo bombed by a Sparrow

Male Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

On the way to the marsh, a Common Chiffchaff slapped a caterpillar to death before eating it. Heat haze is starting to become a real challenge now.

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

At the marsh, most of the usual suspects; Red-wattled Lapwings are still present and I suspect will breed on the farm

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

A single female Garganey was unexpected

Female Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Overhead, an Eastern Imperial Eagle passed by, giving me the eyeball as it did so

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

and much higher, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk with a bulging crop.

Female Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

A small flock of Western Cattle Egrets passed by, always a special bird for me..

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

There were quite a few Asian Grass Blue's present around the marsh

Male Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

That concluded my circuit and I headed back home past the Wheat field to start the day's work.

Wheat