Safa Park, UAE

I had a wander around the park at lunch time today hoping for some of the winter visitors to be in place but the woodland only held six chiffchaff and single desert lesser whitethroat, grey wagtail and black redstart. There were a few birds on the rear lakes and because of ongoing tree felling in the area seemed a bit more approachable than usual which was handy for photos.

The lakes held several shoveler, teal and pochard as well as a pair of Egyptian goose and a single grey heron.

Egyptian goose

Female teal

The park has become a bit of a dumping ground for unwanted pets. The lakes hold many turtles and terrapins and today there was a large iguana on the grass. The rose-ringed parakeets were also mobbing a green lizard sp. high in the branches of the date palms.

Iguana sp.

Lizard sp.

There were plenty of slender skimmer hawking around the edge of the boating lake.

Slender skimmer (Orthetrum sabina)

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FULL LIST _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4 Little grebe

1 Grey heron

8 Teal

2 Mallard

1 Mallard x Shoveler

8 Shoveler

1 Pochard

2 Whimbrel

6 Common sandpiper

25 Black-headed gull

6 Grey francolin

100 Collared dove

60 Laughing dove

2 Rose-ringed parakeet

4 Indian roller

6 Hoopoe

2 African rock martin

20 White wagtail

1 Grey wagtail

20 White-cheeked bulbul

20 Red-vented bulbul

1 Black redstart

2 Graceful prinia

6 Chiffchaff

1 Desert lesser whitethroat

5 Purple sunbird

50 Indian house crow

30 Common myna

Site Details - Safa Park, UAE

Safa Park is an established 70 ha. green space in Dubai (25°11'20.24"N, 55°14' 29.86"E) with three small lakes set in open grassland with scattered trees. In the centre of the park is a wooded area of particular interest for migrant and wintering passerines.

Safa Park, Dubai

The woodland is home to breeding shikra and is a regular wintering site for olive-backed pipit and forest wagtail. Arabia's first red-flanked bluetail was found here and it is where I found a European robin in 2011. The lakes often have little grebe, geese and ducks.

Pochard