Save The Harrier

How many times did you see a Raptor siting around 20 metres from you? Its hard. And I was fortunate today. I have seen once the Greater Spotted Eagle around 30 meters and when I was in Kenya I saw the Pygmy Falcon around 15 meters. The best one so far is the Long-legged Buzzard which was around 10 meters. And that was a tragedy too. I did not have enough battery to take the shot I want. I just took around 12 shots and the battery died and I didnt have a spare with me. I pulled my chair from the car and sat and looked at the bird. Almost after 15 minutes I guess he got bored of me and flew away.

I have seen a lot raptors flying just above me. Some of them just 15 meters high. But seeing one sitting on the ground is a different feeling. And I felt that feeling today. I took the risk of going into a Sabka (a mixture of water, salt and mud). You can really get stuck there. For me it was a oppertunity of a life time. So I was ready to take that risk. And the result is not at all bad.

After visiting the Mussafah today (See Over The Edge), directly went to Watbah Camel Racetrack. Found nothing much there. There were some wheatears, larks, Indian Silverbill, etc. So directly went to the Pool to see whether the Goose that I saw a couple of days back is still present. Found a couple of Western Marsh Harriers flying. There were a lot of Mallards with waders like Little Stint, Kentish Plover, Dunlin, Pied Avocet and Black-winged Stilt present in the pool. There were also a lot of Laughing Doves and Feral Pegions.

The Marsh Harrier sat on a bush and my attempt to get a photo was in vain. He moved to the Sabka Area and I was forced to go there. But the risk taken is paid well. I am satisfied with the photos. The bird allowed me to take some decent photographs of it. I guess he too enjoyed it.

Anyway not a bad day at all. A lot of good photos were taken today, especially the photos I took when I was in Mussafah. But if you ask me what is my favourite photo today, I dont have to think even for a second. Its the Marsh Harrier photo. I simply love that photo.

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.

Over The Edge

On the way to Watbah, I stopped at Mussafah Industrial Area (ICAD). Found a lot of waders. I took some shots.

Western Reef Heron

Ruddy Turnstone

Ringed Plover

Laughing Dove

Kentish Plover

Grey Plover

Common Greenshank

Common Sandpiper

Common Redshank

Black-winged Stilt

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.

Ajban: There is absolutely nothing to report

Day Out: 19th Dec, 2010

Left to Ajban today around 8:30AM. Spend almost three hours to find nothing but the commons. The only slight interest was when I found a Thrush. Initially thought it as a Redwing, later understood it was only a Song Thrush.

Here are the findings:

1. Little Green Bee Eater
2. Laughing Dove
3. Little Egret
4. Red-wattled Lapwing
5. Little Stint
6. Little Grebe
7. Barn Swallow
8. Ruff
9. Kentish Plover
10. Red-tailed Wheatear
11. Isabelline Wheatear
12. Desert Wheatear
13. Indian Silverbill
14. Eurasian Hoopoe
15. White-cheecked Bulbul
16. House Sparrow
17. Red-vented Bulbul
18. Southern Grey Shrike
19. Grey Francolin
20. Crested Lark
21. Feral Pegion
22. Grey Plover
23. Song Thrush
24. Black-winged Stilt
25. Graceful Prinia

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.

The Barnie Owl

Day Out: 17th Dec, 2010

I have been spotting Owls for the last few days at Al Watbah Camel Racetrack.

The first time was when I went with Brent Larsson. That day we saw a Barn Owl and a Short-eared Owl. I was not able to get any photos during that trip. Then it was with Simon, Steve and Dave. We saw the Pharoah Eagle Owl. The next trip was with Yousef Al Habshi and yesterday with Salam and Abbas. The last two trips I didnt carry my camera with me. On the trip with Yousef, he got some decent photographs of the Barn Owl.

So I decided to go and try to get some shots of the Barn Owl and if luck favors, the Short-eared Owl and the Pharoah Eagle Owl. Myself and Salam went today to Al Watbah around 11:30PM. Searched the whole area for almost two hours and to our surprise there was nothing but a Common Kestrel just behind the Bilboard and some Feral Pigeons. There were no sign of either the Egyptian Nightjars or the Eurasian Nightjars. We saw three Hares and two foxes.

We tried our best and was planning to call it a day. It was then we found the Barn Owl. The Owl was quite corporative and allowed us to take some very close shots. I was able to take some videos too. Once he flew and landed on the ground and within a minute he came back to the place. It showed for a good 10 minutes before it flew into the darkness. Then we refound it behind the Billboard. But before I could get my camera, he again flew to the top of the Bunglaw and from there he disappeared into the darkness. We never refound the bird even though we looked for it for sometime.

It was getting too late and Salam had work tommarow. So we called it a day and returned home. Just before we left the place we checked the Pools and found some ducks (I guess Mallards), two Greater Flamingos, good number of small waders (probably Little Stints and Kentish Plovers) and two Egyptian Gooses.

I guess I need to go aroud 7:00 PM to see whether the other Owls (Short-eared and Pharoh Eagle Owl) are still there. I have seen them most of the time within the first two hours after the Sunset.

We finished and reached home around 4:00AM.

A good day.

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.

Eversmann's Redstart again...

Day Out: 11th Dec, 2010

Steve was guiding with some visiting birders today and is in Al Ain. He called me around 10:00 AM to inform me about the Eversmann's Redstart on the Crazy Golf ground at Jebel Hafeet (Mercure Hotel).

Started from home around 11:30. First went to Al Watbah to twitch for the Jack Snipe that was reported by Steve and Simon on Thursday. Spent a good hour or so trying to locate it. But luck was not with me. The Jack snipe is nowhere to be seen.

Saw Indian Silverbills (6 of them), Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear and Crested Larks. There was also a unique looking Warbler. It never showed well to ID it or photograph.

A lot of butterflies where present including the Painted Lady.

Visited the pools near to the Camel Racetrack. There were a lot of waders and ducks present, including a Western Marsh Harrier. The ducks saw were Mallards and Teals. The Waders include one Green Sandpiper, Kentish Plovers, one Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Little Stints and Temminck's Stints.

Then headed straight to Jebel Hafeet to locate the Eversmann's Redstart. On reaching there found Huw Roberts and Dave Clarks. They saw the bird in the same spot around 20 min back.

It just took 5 minutes to locate the femal Eversmann's Redstart. Its lifer #5 for the month of Dec, 2010. I was targeting on 14 new species in December. Five done and nine to go. Tough but possible.

She was showing well. I was able to get some decent photos of the bird. She was just moving from one tree to the other. She prefers shades. She dont like to come to the sun. When she does she returned quickly back to a shaded branch quickly.

Also present was a Hooded Wheatear and three White-spectacled Bulbul. The Hooded Wheatear was chasing the Evermann's Redstart at times. Both Hooded Wheatear and the White-spectacled Bulbul showed very well and posed for some nice shots.

Visited the labours buidling where the Ring Ouzel was found, to see whether the Blue Rock Thrush is still present. Saw a couple Ring Ouzels. Earlier Huw and Dave has located 6 of them. There are no signs of the Blue Rock Thrush. I need a decent photo of it. Did not spent much time there as I wanted to visit the Green Mubazarah on my way back. So said good bye to Huw and Dave who where still birding there.

Visited Green Mubazarah on the way back. There is not much action apart from the Black Redstart. The place very was crowded.

It was getting late so headed straight back to home.

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.

Another day to remember

Day Out: 9th Nov, 2010

Ring Ouzels at Mercure Hotel grounds!!! Six of them!

Mercure Hotel is located at the top of Jebel Hafeet Mountains in Al Ain. Its around 150 kms from home. Left office and then straight to Al Ain. Just got time to reach there and photograph the birds. When I reached there I found Khalifa roaming around with a happy smile. Spent a good hour to photograph them. There were also one Black-throated Thrush, 2 Blue Rock Thrushs, 5 Egyptian Vultures and a Sand Patridge.

Got decent photographs of the Ouzel and returned to Al Watbah Camel Racetrack where Simon Aspinall, Stephen James (Steve) and Dave Clark was birding. The Egyptian Vulture was found on the way back from Jebel Hafeet. You see them on most of your trips to Jebel Hafeet. One see them flying high in the air. I have seen them very few times sitting on the ground. The one I saw today was sitting near the fence. The light was too bad for a decent photograph. Still managed to get an average photo of the bird.

One the way back just stopped for a few minutes at the Ain Al Faida Park (outside) to photograph the White-fronted Goose.

Reached Al Watbah around 7:15. They were looking at the Egyptian Nightjar. Its on the same place, near the bilboard hunting insects.

They could not locate the Barn Owl or the Short-eared Owl.

It was then we found the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl just landing in front of us on the backside of the bilboard. There were a number of feral Pegions resting on the back of the bilboard and it was to hunt one of them. Steve, Dave and Myself ran for the camera and tried to get some photos of it. The bird stayed there for almost 10 min or more just jumping from one bilboard to another. Great views we got. Dave got some decent photographs. I am not at all satisfied with my shots. But end of the day I felt very happy.

Soon Steve found a Eurasian Nightjar in the same location hunting for insects. That was much better. What can we ask for more?

Three Owls and two nightjars in three days. And all this in an area of 100m by 100m square!
Dec 5th (Trip with Brent Larson)

• Egyptian Nightjar
• Short-eared Owl
• Barn Owl

Dec 7th (with Simon Aspinall, Stephen James & Dave Clark)

• Egyptian Nightjar
• Eurasian Nightjar
• Desert Eagle Owl (Pharoah Eagle-owl)

Al Watbah a great place to bird especially in the night.

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.

A day to remember

Day out: 7th Dec, 2010

Brent Larsson from Sweden, a visiting birder wants to see Egyptian Nightjar. I met him while I was at Sila twiching for the Taiga Flycatcher and recommended him Al Watbah Camel Racetrack.

Brent Called me this morning to see if I am free in the evening. We agreed to meet outside Al Watbah Camel Racetrack around 5:00PM. We started twitching for the Egyptian Nightjar around 5:10. The sun was still up and we drove for sometime inside the racetrack. The findings are as follows:

Birds

• Issabelline Wheatear
• Desert Wheatear
• Desert Warbler
• Crested Lark

Mammals

1. Red-tailed Fox - 4
2. Cape Hare - 2

Once the sun is set, we went near to the Bilboard where the Egyptian Nightjar hunts for the insects. I was dead right. When we reached there the bird was hunting for Insects. Brent was happy to see it and took almost 25 minutes watching the bird hunting.

Brent wanted to see the bird sitting. We tried to find one but we were not successful. We drove for it inside the racetrack for more than 1 hour. But the luck was not in our favor.

Then everything changed in just two minutes. There was this Short-eared Owl who showed only for a couple of seconds. It then flew. We got a good look at the bird. I always loved seeing Owls. They are the most liked bird as far as I am concerned. I am obsessed with Owls. I don't know why. I have not see to many Owls. So far only 9 species.

In India:

• Brown-fish Owl
• Jungle Owlet
• Spotted Owlet

In Kenya:

• African Scops-owl
• Giant Eagle-owl
• Spotted Eagle-owl

In UAE:

• Little Owl
• Pallid Scops-owl
• Pharaoh Eagle-owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Barn Owl

And I have seen Short-eared Owl only thrice. One in Madina Zayed and two in Al Watbah Camel Racetrack. So this is my forth Short-eared Owl. Things are turning good for us today.

In 5 minutes after seeing the Short-eared Owl, there was another Owl very close to the first location. This time it was a Barn Owl. It showed very well. It stayed in the same place for more than 2 minutes. I tried getting a shot. But I was not succesful. By the time I got hold of my tripod, it flew away.
Left Brent around 8:30. I guess he is happy too.
The sighting for the night is :

• 1 Egyptian Nightjar
• 1 Short-eared Owl
• 1 Barn Owl.

Defenitely today is a great day to remember.

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.