Day Out: 3rd Dec, 2010
Two lifers and a much wanted photo of a Eurasian Skylark. That was the summary of the trip. Was a very long drive and had a number of issues during the
trip. Met some awesome guys and really understood the meaning of Arabic Hospitality.
It all started when Khalifa found the Black-throated Thrush in Sila about 5 days back. Ever since I wanted to visit Sila and photograph the bird. Was kind of lazy when thought about driving 350km one way. So just waited for the right time to start. Well, it was today at 2:45AM when I started my trip. Was feeling really sleepy so two breaks in between. Reached Sila abo
ut 8:00AM after a long five hour drive (with two small nap breaks). Normally it only takes three hours to reach Sila.
The first place to visit is the dry fields. As usual they didnt let me go in saying its a public holiday. The Pakistani guard agreed to let me go in after a few minutes of buttering and pleaing. Saw around 40 Namaqua Doves and 6 Black-crowned Finchlarks. There were a couple of Tawny Pipits.
After coming out from the fields, thanked the Guard and then headed to the Plantation. Khalifa's Black-throated Thrush was present in the Small plantations nick named as Worker's Plantation. It took hardly 5 minutes to locate the cutie. It was unbelievable and I was over joyed. When I reversed the car to get a better shot, I went and hit the tree behind. My back door got jammed and there is big dent on it. But I didnt stop continued photographing the bird and end of the day, I was very happy to get some awesome photos. I just wished the bird came out to the sun. But you can not expect everything. The worke
rs (Pakistani) on the plantation came to me asking for details. They said they saw a couple of europeans visiting the same area in the early morning. Since they can not speak English they dared to ask them. When they understood that I am Indian, they were happy to come and speak to me in Hindi. I explained them to my level best the importance of birds and nature and so on. (Are they laughing at me? My Hindi is so poor). End of the day they offered me Tea. Thanked them and went to the second plantation.
trip. Met some awesome guys and really understood the meaning of Arabic Hospitality.It all started when Khalifa found the Black-throated Thrush in Sila about 5 days back. Ever since I wanted to visit Sila and photograph the bird. Was kind of lazy when thought about driving 350km one way. So just waited for the right time to start. Well, it was today at 2:45AM when I started my trip. Was feeling really sleepy so two breaks in between. Reached Sila abo
ut 8:00AM after a long five hour drive (with two small nap breaks). Normally it only takes three hours to reach Sila.The first place to visit is the dry fields. As usual they didnt let me go in saying its a public holiday. The Pakistani guard agreed to let me go in after a few minutes of buttering and pleaing. Saw around 40 Namaqua Doves and 6 Black-crowned Finchlarks. There were a couple of Tawny Pipits.
After coming out from the fields, thanked the Guard and then headed to the Plantation. Khalifa's Black-throated Thrush was present in the Small plantations nick named as Worker's Plantation. It took hardly 5 minutes to locate the cutie. It was unbelievable and I was over joyed. When I reversed the car to get a better shot, I went and hit the tree behind. My back door got jammed and there is big dent on it. But I didnt stop continued photographing the bird and end of the day, I was very happy to get some awesome photos. I just wished the bird came out to the sun. But you can not expect everything. The worke
rs (Pakistani) on the plantation came to me asking for details. They said they saw a couple of europeans visiting the same area in the early morning. Since they can not speak English they dared to ask them. When they understood that I am Indian, they were happy to come and speak to me in Hindi. I explained them to my level best the importance of birds and nature and so on. (Are they laughing at me? My Hindi is so poor). End of the day they offered me Tea. Thanked them and went to the second plantation. The place looked so empty. Suddenly there was a Crested Honey Buzzard just flying over me. I could not get any shots but I cleary saw it. There were t
hree European Nightjars were also present in the second plantaion. One other bird was a Warbler and a unique looking flycatcher. It was very difficult to photograph it and ID it. And after a minute or so it just vanished to some bushes and never came back. The flycather just showed for a couple of seconds and left. There was nothing else present in the second plantation.
Left the place and went to the pools to find whether there is something inte
resting. Found the Eurasian Skylark and took sometime for me get a decent photo of it. The I saw some ducks. As I was trying to photograph some ducks, I got stuck on the sands. It took a long hour for me to pull the car out. Later went to the Mosque for Juma prayers and when I came back, I saw there were two cars parked behind my car. Waited almost 10 min before the local guy named Mohammed who came and said sorry to me. He was praying in the mosque. He saw my big camera on the seat and start
ed asking more information about it. I explanined him what I am doing. Once he came to know that I am a birder, he asked me whether I can help me him ID one of the photos he took of a bird. He invited me to his house for lunch. I tried to skip the guy but he insisted. Ended at his house which is around 5 km from the mosque, had a great lunch (Fish Biriyani and a lot of fruits). In 
fact I dont eat fish, so I ended up having only rice. It was a unique experience. My self, Mohammed, his father and two his brothers all ate from the same plate. This is what they call the arabic hospitality. He then showed me the photo of the bird. It was a Water Pipit. Not a bad shot with a normal camera. I spent around 1 and half hour with them. They asked me to visit their house anytime. Mohammed and his family is based in Sila but they currently live in Abu Dhabi. They comes to Sila only on holidays. They called their watchman and asked him to let me come in whenever I come to Sila. What a treatment? I really enjoyed every bit of it
.
Thanks Mohammed and his family for a great lunch and the greatest hospitality.
Left from Mohammed's house, I headed to the Park to locate the much awaited Eurasian Wryneck. As I entered the park, the guard stopped me and said its family day and you can not go inside. Phew!!! thats another set back. But this time the buttering did not work. So called Khalifa to see what is his plans. He said he is going to go the beack in Jebel Dhana which around 110 kms from Sila. Told him I will be there in one hour. Drove in around 160kms per hour to reach Jebel Dhana in 50 min or so. Speeding is something that I avoid these days. I loved speeding and even now I like to drive fast. But I think I am reaching maturity. Speeding thrills but it kills. May be thats what I am thinking. Anyway reached Jebel Dhanna around 4:15 and joined Khalifa. We had a long walk in the beach looking for waders. We found the Eurasian Wigeon and was able to photograph it. That was another tick for me.
Around 5:30 I left Khalifa and started home.
Reached home around 8:30 safe and sound and sleepy. It was a 750 kms driven in around nearly 18 hours. What a day? Two lifers and some great people.
hree European Nightjars were also present in the second plantaion. One other bird was a Warbler and a unique looking flycatcher. It was very difficult to photograph it and ID it. And after a minute or so it just vanished to some bushes and never came back. The flycather just showed for a couple of seconds and left. There was nothing else present in the second plantation.Left the place and went to the pools to find whether there is something inte
resting. Found the Eurasian Skylark and took sometime for me get a decent photo of it. The I saw some ducks. As I was trying to photograph some ducks, I got stuck on the sands. It took a long hour for me to pull the car out. Later went to the Mosque for Juma prayers and when I came back, I saw there were two cars parked behind my car. Waited almost 10 min before the local guy named Mohammed who came and said sorry to me. He was praying in the mosque. He saw my big camera on the seat and start
ed asking more information about it. I explanined him what I am doing. Once he came to know that I am a birder, he asked me whether I can help me him ID one of the photos he took of a bird. He invited me to his house for lunch. I tried to skip the guy but he insisted. Ended at his house which is around 5 km from the mosque, had a great lunch (Fish Biriyani and a lot of fruits). In 
fact I dont eat fish, so I ended up having only rice. It was a unique experience. My self, Mohammed, his father and two his brothers all ate from the same plate. This is what they call the arabic hospitality. He then showed me the photo of the bird. It was a Water Pipit. Not a bad shot with a normal camera. I spent around 1 and half hour with them. They asked me to visit their house anytime. Mohammed and his family is based in Sila but they currently live in Abu Dhabi. They comes to Sila only on holidays. They called their watchman and asked him to let me come in whenever I come to Sila. What a treatment? I really enjoyed every bit of it
.Thanks Mohammed and his family for a great lunch and the greatest hospitality.
Left from Mohammed's house, I headed to the Park to locate the much awaited Eurasian Wryneck. As I entered the park, the guard stopped me and said its family day and you can not go inside. Phew!!! thats another set back. But this time the buttering did not work. So called Khalifa to see what is his plans. He said he is going to go the beack in Jebel Dhana which around 110 kms from Sila. Told him I will be there in one hour. Drove in around 160kms per hour to reach Jebel Dhana in 50 min or so. Speeding is something that I avoid these days. I loved speeding and even now I like to drive fast. But I think I am reaching maturity. Speeding thrills but it kills. May be thats what I am thinking. Anyway reached Jebel Dhanna around 4:15 and joined Khalifa. We had a long walk in the beach looking for waders. We found the Eurasian Wigeon and was able to photograph it. That was another tick for me.
Around 5:30 I left Khalifa and started home.
Reached home around 8:30 safe and sound and sleepy. It was a 750 kms driven in around nearly 18 hours. What a day? Two lifers and some great people.All photos in this blog is copyrighted to Shah Jahan. Please do not use it without written permission. For more information please contact sjahanmi@gmail.com.
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