A rewarding morning

Week 41; 10 October 2020 - Liyah and Pivots

I met up with Sajan just after sunrise to explore Liyah as there had been good raptor migration yesterday. Today's target was Short-toed Eagle of which 6 were seen yesterday. 

We had quite a large area to cover, but I did stop for Greater Hoopoe-Lark which is always a great bird to see. 

Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)

Birding is often quite like fishing - you should have been here yesterday or last week and so it was today - not a single raptor to be found! We were just about to give up when we finally found a distant perched Short-toed Eagle, but it took to the air long before we were even close - job done.

Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)

I stopped at McDonald's for a quick breakfast on the way to the Pivots for the rest of the morning, meeting up with Neil Tovey, Paul Scott and John Gurnett after I arrived. Whilst catching up at the marsh, two Lesser Kestrel passed by overhead

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

And a Pallid Swift amongst the Barn Swallows

Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)

The fulvescens Spotted Eagle was still present on the same Pivot

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga c. fulvescens)

We were thrilled to discover that the IUCN Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwings had returned to the farm again and a fair sized flock of 11 birds

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)

As usual, they were together with the Northern Lapwings which arrived in the last week

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

By mid-morning, it was pretty warm and a few raptors were up in the air; Black-eared Kites

Black-eared Kite (Milvus m. lineatus)

Steppe Buzzard

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

Spotted

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

And Imperial Eagle

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

After this, I soared off to get my weekly shopping done