23 May 2020

Lockdown - Day 37

Week 16; 17 April 2020 - Pivot Fields

With the weekend, no need to rush like a mad man around the Pivots, although it is already getting pretty warm by 9am - nevertheless, still better than being house-bound.

I had my first European Roller of the spring, but very skittish

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

In the nearby field, quite a few Whinchat's

Female Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

Male Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

And Red-backed Shrikes which have arrived

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Also a smart looking Woodchat Shrike

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Amongst the young palms, more Red-backed Shrikes

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)



and a Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)

Still good numbers of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters hawking from the overhead lines

Calling Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)


A single Black Kite passed by; this has 6 primaries with white bases - good feature for Black-eared.. 

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

On the way to the marsh, a single Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

And a fairly large Spiny-tailed Lizard (Dhub)

Arabian Spiny-tailed Lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis)


Near the marsh, I found a pool created by the Pivots which had Little Stint

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)


Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)


and a Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

whilst a Red-throated Pipit also dropped in for a quick drink and bath

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)



The number of Yellow Wagtails has reduced considerably

Sykes's Wagtail (Motacilla f. beema)

By now it had warmed up considerably, so check the marsh, only to be harassed by the White-tailed Lapwings

White-tailed Lapwing (Motacilla f. beema)

Which also put up a Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)

I had brought my macro lens along, so spent quite some time lying in the dirt photographing a few Moths and Butterflies; this one is called The Vestal

The Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)


whilst this Moth doesn't have an English name

Euchromius cambridgei sp

Asian Grass Blue's is common at the Pivots, this one feeding on Portulaca

Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)




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