January/February 2013 round up.

A new year, but not much birding, as our lives are increasingly dominated by Carol & her chemotherapy treatment. She is coping well, but it is very hard & difficult for her.

The 5^th saw me kick off the year at Al Wathba Lake. Plenty going on, 1100 Greater Flamingos is quite a sight and at least 50 nests were active! Great stuff! 22 Black-necked Grebes were on one small pool.

Black-necked Grebe

Common Shelduck

 73 Common Shelduck (this is one of the best wintering sites in the country for this species). Raptors included 2 Great Spotted Eagles and a Peregrine. 

Pied Avocet

47 Pied Avocet graced the shallows. I then went to Yas Island in late afternoon. The Black-winged Kite was perched in its favourite tree & 2 Blyth’s Pipits were on the golf course.

 Blyth's Pipit. 
Photos courtesy of Nick Moran.

I didn't do much birding for the rest of the month – a quick trip to Al Ain on 31^st produced a fine Spotted Redshank at the Water Treatment Plant.

Great Knot

The 1^st February saw me checking the waders at Khor Al Beidae. Among the commoner throng were 13 Great Knot and surprisingly in winter, a flock of 27 Terek Sandpipers.

The next weekend on 8^th I was working the main Al Ain sites again. 

Sand Partridge

Hooded Wheatear

Blue Rock Thrush

 All the usual species were seen: Sand Partridge; Hooded; Hume’s & Red-tailed Wheatears; Blue Rock Thrush & Plain Leaf Warbler. 2 Red crested Pochards were still sleeping on Zakher Pools, presumably feeding at night. A run down to Al Qua Fodder Fields produced the wintering Steppe Buzzard – a rare find in the UAE. And that was it for the month, as we then flew out for a family holiday to our home in South Africa.