Friday 2 December 2011

Site details - Dubai Pivot Fields, UAE

The Dubai pivot fields is 18 kms east of downtown Dubai just off the Hatta Road at 25°09'52.58"N 55°25'51.80"E. It is an irrigated turf and camel fodder field of approximately 90 ha. and for the 12 years I have lived in Dubai it has been my 'local patch'. The current bird list is 232 and my list is 182.

Dubai pivot fields

In the summer it is a good site for blue-cheeked bee-eaters but in the cooler months it really comes into its own with egrets, waders such as white-tailed plover, pintail snipe and sociable plover, purple sunbird, oriental skylark, several species of pipit including buff-bellied and Blyth's, bank myna, shrikes and many more common birds. Raptors include lesser and common kestrel, marsh, pallid and Montagu's harriers. Fly over eagles such as booted, Bonelli's and greater spotted are not uncommon. The fields proximity to Al-Warsen lake also means that geese, ducks, gulls and terns can be attracted to the site during wet periods in the winter.

In recent years I have found black kite, corncrake, bimaculated lark, cream coloured courser, grey hypocolius and black-throated thrush. Other rarities found include moustached warbler, black-winged pratincole, brown shrike and little swift.

Anyone who visits the site should remember to be polite at all occasions and not to drive on the grass (preferably leave your car outside and walk in).

White-tailed plover

Black-throated thrush





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