01 April 2018

Birding the pivot fields – Jebal Hamrah

A look at the three accessible pivot irrigation fields near Jebal Hamrah produced a lot of species with many birds using the fields and others the spray equipment as resting places whilst on migration. The majority of birds were larks with 400 Greater Short-toed Lark and several Crested Larks in the pivot fields and two Bar-tailed Lark and ten Desert Larks on the stony ground approaching the fields. Several Common Chiffchaff were around as were Barn Swallows and the first Sand Martin of the year for me. Pale Crag Martins were also over the fields in small numbers along with a couple of Brown-necked Raven and a single unidentified eagle. Common Kestrel was on the cliffs and a female Pallid Harrier flew over one of the pivots. Tawny Pipit was common with up to twenty birds seen feeding in the grassy areas.
Bar-tailed Lark
Bar-tailed Lark
Bar-tailed Lark
Bar-tailed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Crested Lark