Autumn glow

Week 39; 26 September 2020 - Pivot Fields

I headed back to Pivots again today, meeting up with Paul Scott and John Gurnett just after 6am. This time, instead of walking the marsh, I opted to drive around the perimeter of the marsh to get images of birds against the brown Sabkha bushes in the warm morning glow.

It paid off, as I found Great Reed Warbler

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

Daurian Shrike

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

A female Armenian Stonechat

Armenian Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus)

and later a Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

I met up with Paul and John at the marsh where we enjoyed this Pallid Harrier hunting in the adjacent field

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

A tatty European Honey Buzzard flew by and we almost missed it, thinking it may have been one of the Black Kites

European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)

But there were also a few Black-eared Kites present

Black-eared Kite (Milvus m. lineatus)

I picked up an Indian Reed Warbler in the reeds, but still they are not as vocal since breeding season has passed

Indian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. brunnescens)

I looked for the Northern Lapwing, but didn't see it in the small flock of White-tailed

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

We then split up to explore the rest of the farm and I had a Steppe Buzzard in the Palm plantation

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

I then checked another field with Cattle Egrets foraging under the Pivot spray, but no other species with them today

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Driving along the boundary of the farm, I had a European Roller

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

and Ortolan Bunting (so few these days) on the overhead lines

Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana)

This Eastern Black-eared Wheatear had me going for awhile, as I could not get close or get a good view of it. It really does have peachy underparts..

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe h. melanoleuca)

Whilst walking back to the car, a Long-legged Buzzard took flight from a pylon outside the farm

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

Further along, I had quite a few Namaqua Doves

Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)

and in the same area Greater Short-toed Larks, but also in reduced numbers from previous weeks.

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

By now it had warmed up considerably and a few raptors were beginning to thermal. I had two pale phase Booted Eagles

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus)

Followed shortly after by a Greater Spotted Eagle

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

Unfortunately there were no other Raptors so I thermaled to Lulu's, for my weekly grocery shop, in my mandatory mask and gloves