Recce trip

Week 42; 16 October 2020 - Pivots

I decided to do a short recce trip to Pivots in advance of the Global eBird Big Day planned for tomorrow, arriving as the sun was rising. No sunrise pic this morning, but this Common Kestrel will do.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

On the way to the marsh, I picked up a few Common Ringed Plover

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

White Wagtail

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

and Daurian Shrike

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

John Gurnett was already at the marsh, as was the Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite (Elanus c. vociferus)

Warbler activity in the reeds has really diminished, but we did eek out an Indian Reed Warbler

Indian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. brunnescens)

Western Marsh Harriers over the marsh

Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

put up the small flock of Garganey

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Along with a number of Wood Sandpipers

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

A flock of 5 Glossy Ibis were present

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

I did a walk around the perimeter of the marsh, flushing my first Jack Snipe of this autumn

Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

Whilst a Pallid Harrier flew by

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

Once back in my car, I noticed some movement at the base of the reeds and slowly a Spotted Crake crept out of the reeds

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana)

And just to the left of it, a Water Rail deeper in the reeds. I have heard them at the marsh, but this is the first time I have seen one on the farm - excuse the crappy record shot!

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)

A cracking summer plumage White-winged Tern was foraging over the marsh

White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

Driving away from the marsh, I suddenly saw this Steppe Buzzard aggressively chase a Spotted Eagle and was surprised that the Eagle was so submissive

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) chased by a Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

There are still good numbers of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater present

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)

I went to check the area for the Sociables and was pleased to see they were still present, along with the Northern's

2 Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)

I encountered a few Pied Wheatear's

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)

Another distant Imperial Eagle

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

I stopped to enjoy a bit of interaction/piracy between to Black-eared Kites; one giving chase to steal food from another who was trying to eat his prey on the wing. In the 2nd last image, you can see half the bird drop out of its talons after which the 2nd bird gives chase to the falling prey

Black-eared Kite (Milvus m. lineatus)

A relatively obliging perched Spotted Eagle

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

Before I headed back home

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

A Stork amongst the Raptors

Week 41; 09 October 2020 - Pivot Fields

Going to the Pivots means an extra hour sleep (compared to Abraq) to still be at the gate by sunrise.

Pivot Sunrise

I had a quick drive around the farm, finding a single Greater Short-toed Lark in soft golden light

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

and Daurian Shrike, before heading in the direction of the marsh

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

I saw a large white bird some distance off in one of the fields - turns out it was just one White Stork that gave a graceful fly by, long before I even got close. It did stay on the farm for most of the morning though

Western White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

At the marsh I met up with John Gurnett and Jules whilst someone shooting outside the farm put up the small flock of Garganey along with one Shoveler

Garganey (Anas querquedula) and Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

The Great Reed Warbler snacking on a Dragonfly seem unperturbed

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

Whilst White-cheeked Bulbul's flew back and forth above the reeds, allowing for a bit of BIF practice with a smaller subject

White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis)

Both male and female Western Marsh Harriers made periodic sorties over the marsh without luck (at least while we were watching)

Female Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Male Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Whilst a Pallid Harrier just passed by

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

I saw a pale Eagle on a distant Pivot, so went to investigate - a fulvescens Spotted Eagle! Even at this farm the Eagles are skittish and 200m is about as close as you can get before they fly off to another perch

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga c. fulvescens)

Here, one of the 'standard' Spotted Eagle for comparison

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

A little later I also had a distant Imperial Eagle

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

As it warmed up, a few Buzzards took to the sky. Here a Steppe

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

And judging by the enlarged and dark carpal patch, a Long-legged - but a plumage I am not familiar with?

Long-legged (Buteo rufinus) and Steppe Buzzard (Buteo b. vulpinus)

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

As there was not much else about and it was still pretty warm, called it a morning