Mushrif Palace Gardens,
a shadow of its former self.
The Front Wood; not much habitat left for skulkers!
The villa has now been demolished!
I always wanted to live here but never did!
The habitat has steadily been degraded though, with lots of water erosion eroding the park grass. The wood had been cleaned out again, so little undergrowth for passerines.
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Two individuals were present.
European Kestrel
Common Sandpiper
They often feed in the shade that the wood provides.
Female Purple Sunbird
Eastern Black Redstart
White Wagtail
Best birds:
2 Oriental Honey Buzzard; Booted Eagle ( a very good record for the island & an unusual date); 3 Eurasian Kestrel; European Sparrowhawk; Indian Roller; Eastern Black Redstart; 2 Song Thrush; 8 Desert Lesser Whitethroat; 2 Eastern Olivaceous Warbler; 12 Chiffchaff; 18 White Wagtail & 2 Water Pipit.
Western Lagoon
on the shoreline
Caspian Tern
I then continued down the Western Lagoon area & saw that there had been a mass stranding of fish with lots of gulls around.
Common Sandpiper
Best birds:
14 Great White Egret; 38 Western Reef Heron; 29 Grey Heron; 85 Great Cormorant; 3,000+ European Black headed Gull; 4 Caspian Tern; Oriental Honey Buzzard; European Kestrel; Turkestan Shrike; 2 Clamorous Reed Warbler.
On 20th November Maarten & I paid a visit to Al Wathba Camel Racetrack. This is yet another locality which is a shadow of its former self. Birds were very scarce:
Great Spotted Eagle; 5 European Marsh Harrier; 25 Ruff; 10 Eurasian Skylark; Tawny Pipit; 65 Water Pipit; 35 White Wagtail; 2 Steppe Grey Shrike; 2 Southern Grey Shrike; 11 Desert Wheatear; 7 Isabelline Wheatear & 3 Desert Warbler. It was an enjoyable afternoon out, but birding was disappointing.
Maarten
The present day dry, barren desert scrub.
A far cry from its former glory!
Training for camel racing.
Great spotted Eagle
Male Desert Wheatear
Female
On 20th November Maarten & I paid a visit to Al Wathba Camel Racetrack. This is yet another locality which is a shadow of its former self. Birds were very scarce:
Great Spotted Eagle; 5 European Marsh Harrier; 25 Ruff; 10 Eurasian Skylark; Tawny Pipit; 65 Water Pipit; 35 White Wagtail; 2 Steppe Grey Shrike; 2 Southern Grey Shrike; 11 Desert Wheatear; 7 Isabelline Wheatear & 3 Desert Warbler. It was an enjoyable afternoon out, but birding was disappointing.
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