Once round the lagoon, Dubai, March 2014

My mission today was to test my assertion that it is possible to visit the main Dubai Hotspots and get back to the airport in time for tea. It is easily possible to do the visiting, but it seems that if you want to make it into a birdy extravaganza, you will need the wind at your back and a favourable tide.

There are 4 hotspots that make a circuit around the lagoon at Dubai, starting and finishing at the airport, but the first priority is to set your direction of travel. Clockwise, nothing else will do. By installing central reservations down all the roads, Dubai town planners saw to it that a driver will never be able to turn left, so the tour must be done with a series of right turns, thus a clockwise direction (This will make a circuit of 53kms. Anti-clockwise is tortuous and convoluted. I clocked 70kms on Google Earth, but had to miss out Ras Al Khor Mangrove Hide).

First off is Mushrif Park, just 10 minutes from the airport at Google Earth ref; 25 13 46.66N 55 27 3.24E. See this link for more details.

The gate opens at 08.00, but there is a small car park to the left of the gate and some birding can be done on the approach road. Once in the park, take the 2 km circular route that turns off to the right just after the gate. Indian Roller, Southern Grey Shrike and Grey Francolin will probably be seen; Eurasian Collared Doves, Laughing Doves and White-eared Bulbuls are almost a certainty. My lifer of the day came from here this morning in the form of a Ménétriés Warbler.

There are plenty of stopping places where you can get out and walk in the scrub, but on this occasion, I found nothing that I hadn’t already seen from the car. The circular drive ends back at the gate, but you can go round as many times as you wish.

Birds seen;

Grey Francolin 12, Shikra 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 6, Eurasian Collared-Dove 250, Laughing Dove 60, Rose-ringed Parakeet 8, Pallid Swift 6, Green Bee-eater 2, Indian Roller 3, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Southern Grey Shrike 5, House Crow 2, Red-vented Bulbul 1, White-eared Bulbul 40, Menetries Warbler 3, Common Myna 20, Purple Sunbird 6, House Sparrow 120, Indian Silverbill 4.

 The next stop is Pivot field (at Google Earth ref; 25 9 52.50N 55 25 50.73E. Seethis link for more details. Turn right out of Mushrif Park, turn right at roundabout, cross 2 roundabouts, turn right at next roundabout, cross roundabout, turn right at next roundabout. Turn right, go back on yourself and find gate to Pivot Field at the top.) and I found that the workers take a break for lunch and close the field to birdwatchers, so time your arrival carefully. 

Pivot Field is a grass farm and features a large pivot watering system. Birders are welcome, but cars are NOT permitted to drive on the grass. The whole site is available to the walking birder and if you can find someone with an experienced eye for a pipit, he will be very useful here. 

Crested Larks have proved easy to find as are Green Bee-eaters and Red-wattled Lapwings. Bank Mynas surprised me today and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Western Yellow Wagtails. Look out for White-tailed Lapwings as well as Social Lapwings in the winter.

Birds seen;

Grey Francolin 2, Cattle Egret 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 18, White-tailed Lapwing 2, Black-headed Gull 3, Eurasian Collared Dove 250, Laughing Dove 5, Rose-ringed Parakeet 2, Green Bee-eater 3, Eurasian Hoopoe 3, Crested Lark 10, White-eared Bulbul 8, Graceful Prinia 2, Bank Myna 60, Common Myna 25, Purple Sunbird 2, Western Yellow Wagtail 20, White Wagtail 8, Red-throated Pipit 4, House Sparrow 30,

The Mangrove Hide looks out onto the lagoon at Ra’s al-Khor (Google Earth ref; 25 11 9.19N 55 19 45.57E). See this link for more details.  There is not much of the lagoon visible, but there is plenty of water even when the tide is out, so there will be birds. Today a Common Snipe fed in the margins while Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal rested on the dry spots. Of course the star attraction on the lagoon is the Greater Flamingo. 

They sometimes approach close to the hide, But are more likely to be seen further out in the company of herons and egrets. Waders can be seen at a distance and I was able to identify Black-tailed Godwits today, but the small stints were beyond me. A scope is available to borrow from the security guard positioned at the hide.

Birds seen;

Northern Pintail 4, Green-winged Teal 12, Greater Flamingo 60, Grey Heron 6, Great Egret 4, Little Egret 2, Western Reef-heron 4, Cattle Egret 3, Red-wattled Lapwing 2, Kentish Plover 4, Black-winged Stilt 30, Common Sandpiper 1, Black-tailed Godwit 11, Common Snipe 1, Gull-billed Tern 1, Eurasian Collared Dove 15, Laughing Dove 4, White-eared Bulbul 5, House Sparrow 20,

When the tide is right, or at feeding time, the best place to see the Greater Flamingos is at Flamingo Hide, just a short way further round the clockwise route (Google Earth ref; 25 11 31.81N 55 18 39.57E). See this link for more details. 

Hundreds of birds can be seen here when the tide is high or from 15.00 when they get a supplemental feed. A high tide is your best bet as shore birds get pushed up close to the hide too. I arrived at a very low tide today and found a couple of Curlew and a Kentish Plover.

 Apart from these, there was just mud. Oh, and more Eurasian Collared Doves (I returned later to find approximately 700 flamingos crowded around the end of the spit and managed to get some pictures. The hide was quite crowded by now and I had to kneel behind the front row and take pictures over someone’s shoulder). From here, follow signs to Al Maktoum Bridge and you will be back at the airport in no time.

Birds seen;

Greater Flamingo 700, Great Egret 1, Little Egret 1, Kentish Plover 1, Eurasian Curlew 8, Gull-billed Tern 4, Eurasian Collared Dove 25, Laughing Dove 6, White-eared Bulbul 6, Common Myna 4, House Sparrow 20.

If you are not especially birdy, Flamingo Hide is worth a visit anyway for hundreds of close up Greater Flamingos. Mushrif Park is great for a picnic. Pivot Field is strictly for the birder or turf-lover. This picture should please you whichever camp you fall into.

So the circuit itself is easy enough, but timing is important. Check Easytide, and select Al Maktoum Bridge to get a free tide prediction. Otherwise, supplemental feed is put out around 15.00 for the flamingos.

This route is best achieved in a private or hire car as taxis cannot easily (if at all) be found at any of the sites.

 http://www.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/EasyTide/index.aspx

Visit the dedicated Middle East page for more posts from Dubai.

Birding, Birdwatching , Dubai, DXB

Creekside Park, Dubai, September 2013

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,

He knew he shouldn’t yet he,

Went out along the jetty,

The local chaps saw his slow collapse,

And smirked as he came undone.

Suited, booted, belted,

He melted.

In old Dubai, ‘neath a clear blue sky,

The natives are apt to sneer,

At a sun-struck fool, who has lost his cool,

At the end of a shadeless pier.

In Creekside Park, the Crested Lark

Looks after number one,

But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Today didn’t quite go to plan. The plan, such as it was, was to try and describe a route around the prime birding sites of Dubai. But it was fiercely hot and come Thursday lunchtime, traffic was already building for the weekend. I had to change my plans and decided on a short, gentle stroll through Creekside Park.

There are three entrances along the western edge of the park. The most southerly entrance is by the Children’s City at Google Earth ref; 25 14 7.66N 55 19 35.13E. Air conditioned bus stops here are a blessing when the heat hits you like a well aimed brick.

It was noon as I stepped from the cab and ridiculously hot. I was only likely to see the common birds that I have seen many times in Dubai, so what made me do this to myself I wonder. Anyway I persevered for a couple of hours in the midday sun and nearly did myself a mischief into the bargain.

A Striated Heron was sheltering beneath a short jetty and I tried to creep up and take its picture. This meant stepping out from the shade into the full heat of the early afternoon. A very uncomfortable experience. From the end of the jetty, I could see a good number of birds shading themselves on the base of the supports for Garhoud Bridge and my curiosity got the better of me. I couldn’t get close enough to make a good identification, but I suspect that many of them were Red-wattled Lapwings.

There were a few of the lapwings on the shore of the creek as I walked along the beach. There were also a few Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and some Whimbrel. One of the Whimbrel was trying to find some shade in the childrens' playground where the hot metal apparatus must have been torture for little hands.

High above me the wires of the cable car system made a good perch for European Bee-eaters, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, and of course, loads of Eurasian Collared Doves.

Down to earth in the park, Eurasian Hoopoes were as common today as I have seen them before.

Most of the birds had made shade their priority of the day and I felt bad about flushing them and making them exert any energy in the stultifying heat. One moment of excitement came when I passed a treeful of White-eared Bulbuls and Red-vented Bulbuls in full squawk. Something had obviously upset them, but I couldn’t see what it might have been. There are a few feral cats in the park and perhaps one of them was threatening a nest. I gave the area a full look over and found a young Red-vented Bulbul. Perhaps the parent birds were getting very excited as their offspring left the nest.

Birds seen;

Grey Francolin 4, Striated Heron 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 15, Common Ringed Plover 1, Common Sandpiper 6, Common Greenshank 1, Whimbrel 5, Eurasian Collared Dove 60, Laughing Dove 4, European Bee-eater 4, Eurasian Hoopoe 15, House Crow 25, Red-vented Bulbul 5, White-eared Bulbul 20, Common Myna 45, Asian Pied Starling 3, Purple Sunbird 3, House Sparrow 120

For a previous post from Creek Park, follow the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/creek-park-dubai-feb-2013.html

Visit the dedicated Middle East Page for more posts from Dubai., including Mushrif Park, Safa Park and Ra’s al-Khor.

Ras al Khor, Dubai, Feb 2013

There are two hides as Ras al Khor that look out into the sanctuary. Having sampled both of them, I feel that the Mangrove hide (Google Earth ref; 25°11'9.19"N 55°19'45.57"E) has a wider range of species to be seen, but the Flamingo Hide (Google Earth ref; 25°11'33.75"N 55°18'44.32"E) allows closer views of the birds. The two hides open between 10.00 and 16.00. Birds can be seen from the lay-by at Mangrove without access to the hide; at Flamingo Hide it is not so easy.

To get to the Flamingo hide, it is necessary (from most of Dubai) to pass the Mangrove Hide first, so make that your first call and soak up a few species before moving on for the close up view of the Greater Flamingos at the Flamingo Hide. At Mangrove Hide today were Northern Shovelers, Eurasian Spoonbills, Western Reef Herons and Greater Spotted Eagles.

Waders included Kentish Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and a Common Snipe. Unfortunately the birds were rather distant, but the security guard in the hide provides a scope to allow visitors to view them.

Birds seen at Mangrove Hide; 16

Northern Shoveler 60, Northern Pintail 8, Green-winged Teal 4, Greater Flamingo 250, Grey Heron 3, Great Egret 4, Western Reef-Heron 15, Eurasian Spoonbill 35, Greater Spotted Eagle 4, Kentish Plover 6, Common Ringed Plover 15, Black-winged Stilt 45, Black-tailed Godwit 3, Little Stint 15, Common Snipe 1, Black-headed Gull 1

1.5 miles clock-wise around the lagoon brings you to the Flamingo Hide. The causeway reaches further out into the reserve here and the Greater Flamingos are fed just in front of the hide. They had been fed earlier and were roosting when I arrived at 11.00. The tide had peaked early this morning and was a distant memory now. Many of the wading birds had followed it out, but a few lingered within spotting scope distance. This hide also has a security guard who offers free use of his scope to anyone who would like to use it.

A single Eurasian Curlew probed the mud in good light to the north of the hide. Grey Plovers could be seen a long way off as could a couple of Common Redshank and a Terek Sandpiper. After a short while a flock of Kentish Plovers and Little Stint flew in as if they had been flushed from somewhere else.

Birds seen at Flamingo Hide;

Greater Flamingo 600, Black-bellied Plover 2, Greater Sand Plover 1, Kentish Plover 20, Common Ringed Plover 35, Terek Sandpiper 1, Common Sandpiper1, Common Greenshank 1, Common Redshank 5, Eurasian Curlew 1, Little Stint 60, Curlew Sandpiper 8, Green Bee-eater 1, Crested Lark 2.

If you want to visit both hides, you must resign yourself to a full circumnavigation of the lagoon (actually, unless you run across a six lane motorway, you are likely to have to do the best part of a circle anyway). Although it is only 1.5 miles between the two hides, the roads have central reservations and it is not possible to turn into the lay-by unless you are travelling clockwise around the lagoon. To make the full circle is about 11.5 miles. It may prove difficult to find a taxi from the hide back to the city, so if you arrive by cab, ask him to wait. The only other option is to use a private car.

For previous visits to Ras al Khor, see the links below;
 http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/it-is-strange-that-i-resisted-making.html
 http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/ras-al-khor-dubai-november-2012.html

Visit the dedicated Middle East page for more posts from Dubai, including; Mushrif Park and Safa Park.

Mushrif Park, Dubai, Feb 2013

Readers of this blog, intelligent people obviously, will already be aware of the advantages and pleasures of early mornings, but just in case you need a graphic example to encourage you from your beds, these pictures of the Burj al Khalifa were taken just 2 hours apart!

Mushrif Park carries a UAE Dirhams 10 entrance charge for cars. It only costs 3 Dirhams for pedestrians, so the small area to the left of the entrance booth was busy with parked cars this morning (Google Earth ref; 25°13'28.23"N 55°27'8.09"E). Members are allowed early entrance, but the rest of us had to wait until 08.00. Most of the other people waiting to get in were joggers and warmed up in the small car park while I wandered about in the scrub picking out the expected White-eared Bulbuls, Red-vented Bulbuls and Purple Sunbird.

Two Eurasian Hoopoes were interacting in a fascinating encounter. Bills locked, their barred wings whirred in a strange optical effect as they rose together into the air. I think that they were both males and that a third bird was possibly a female, so this was possibly a display or an aggressive encounter? If anyone has any thoughts, I would be interested to hear them.

Once 8 o’clock came, I drove into the park and took the anticlockwise route that starts at a right hand turn shortly after the entrance. The route describes a circle of about 2.5 miles circumference along a one-way paved road. Grey Francolins were calling and an Indian Roller narrowly escaped having his picture taken. The rollers were seen throughout the morning, but expertly eluded me each time.

The most obvious bird in the park, both visibly and aurally were the doves, especially the Eurasian Collared Dove. Their numbers were augmented by Laughing Doves that added to the surround sound of the morning (thanks again to Xeno-canto for use of their sound archives and facilities).  Occasionally they would be joined by a Rose-ringed Parakeet.

 

The park is popular with picnickers in the evenings and small car parks and barbeque facilities are provided at regular intervals. I stopped at one such car park to chase a potential Arabian Babbler. A large brown bird had flown up into a tree as I approached, but I could not find it again, so turned my attention to the Pallid Swifts instead. Having taken about 200 shots at the swifts, I eventually got one that I liked.

I had been surprised to see a Eurasian Marsh Harrier earlier in the day and was able to return the favour by shocking the bird as it came low over the trees nearby. It panicked when it saw me and nearly stalled in mid-air as it tried to stop and turn around.

There is a road that cuts back to the centre of the circle. It is sign-posted to the equestrian centre and comes out by the mosque, adjacent to the grassy area where the Pallid Scops Owl may sometimes be seen at dusk. I had popped in quickly on the previous evening, but neither saw nor heard the owl. Nor have I seen any evidence or reports that the owl is still seen here regularly. I must follow that up.

Birds seen;

Grey Francoln 8, Eurasian Marsh Harrier 1, Shikra 2, Red-wattled Lapwing 4, Eurasian Collared Dove 400, Laughing Dove 60, Rose-ringed Parakeet 15, Pallid Swift 4, Green Bee-eater 3, Eurasian Hoopoe 8, Southern Grey Shrike 1, Red-vented Bulbul 25, White–eared Bulbul 80, Black Redstart 2, Purple Sunbird 3, House Sparrow 120.

 For previous visits to Mushrif Park see the links below;
 http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/approach-road-to-mushrif-park-is-lined.html
 http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/mushrif-park-dubai-november-2012.html

Visit the dedicated Middle East page for more posts from Dubai, including; Ras al Khor  and SafaPark.

Pivot Field, Dubai, Feb 2013

The Pivot Field is an area of turf and rougher grassland watered by a huge circular sprinkler (the pivot). There are two ‘crop circles’, the larger of which is about half a mile across. They can be seen on Google Earth by cutting and pasting these coordinates into the search box; 25°10'3.11"N 55°26'9.45"E. From the car park birders are welcome to walk out onto the circles, but cars may not be taken beyond the car park. 

I started on the turf field on the west side. Sprinkler heads here provided perfect hawking posts for Green Bee-eaters which would swoop down on unsuspecting insects. The short grass also appealed to the Motacilla species with White Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail all seen here.

Close to the car park, a wide trench had collected some water and had attracted a few birds. A Common Snipe, a Common Ringed Plover and a few Black-headed Gulls were seen here on the first pass and four Green Sandpipers were found on the way back.

I am assuming that the irrigated circles have a dynamic life with sowing, growing and cropping occurring on different parts of the circle throughout the year depending on the seasonality of crops. For the most part, it seemed to be taken up with the growing of grass at this time of year. The Polo Club is just next door and I guess they need hay? This week there were four cuts of grass and each provided a haven for different birds.

The Isabelline Wheatear appeared to like the short, fine turf whereas the doves seemed to like the freshly cut grass that had been left out to dry.

Crested Larks could be seen dashing about in the rough grass looking for food. Occasionally one would sing from a prominent perch on one of the vegetation heaps at the edge of the crop circle.

I didn’t get a chance to get as far as the long grass. Something had caught my eye and I didn’t want to disturb it. Sociable Lapwings are often reported from here and this was a bird that I had wanted to see for a long time. Red-wattled Lapwings stood out with their contrasting head pattern, but there was one bird amongst them that had a more demure head pattern. I used the scope to check and was delighted to see that it was indeed a Sociable Lapwing and that there were two others with it.

This species is critically endangered and underwent a rapid decline in population during the twentieth century. I didn’t want to disturb it so kept a reasonable distance from it, but was pleased when it came closer and I was able to get a few shots.

Birds seen;

Eurasian Marsh Harrier 3, Eurasian Kestrel 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 30, White-tailed Lapwing 1, Sociable Lapwing 3, European Golden Plover 1, Common Ringed Plover 1, Green Sandpiper 4, Common Snipe 1, Black-headed Gull 60, Eurasian Collared Dove 120, Laughing Dove 25, Rose-ringed Parakeet 1, Green Bee-eater 3, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Crested Lark 25, White-eared Bulbul 8, Isabelline Wheatear 1, Western Yellow Wagtail 1, Citrine Wagtail 3, White Wagtail 40, House Sparrow 50

Visit the dedicated Middle East page for more posts from Dubai including Ras al Khor and Safa Park

In case you might be tempted by a side trip to the nearby Warsan Lakes (see below), you may find that any time you have would be better spent by staying at Pivot Field.

Google Earth is a wonderful tool for anyone who wants to explore an unfamiliar place. It can even give a fresh perspective to somewhere that you think you know. It is not perfect however; nearly, but not quite. It does not show the wall at Warsan Lakes for example. It shows the perimeter road, entrance and car park, but failed to mention that access is no longer possible due to the entrance being blocked and an eight foot wall around the entire complex. It was a disappointment as I had pictured myself driving lazily around the lakes, watching grebes, ducks and reed warblers. There is a tiny gap in the wall at Google Earth ref; 25° 9'33.24"N 55°25'13.23"E, but it does not give an adequate view.

But… on one of the roundabouts was a flock of White-tailed Lapwings. This is a bird that I can never see enough of. I twitched one at Dungeness once and now I was looking at a flock of 16 of them. Traffic was light so it was possible to stand on the pavement and shoot across the road, but shortly, a couple of pedestrians disturbed the birds by crossing the roundabout and putting them to flight.

A few birds had flown up from the lakes, but I suspect that there were fewer birds in there than I had pictured ahead of time.

A Eurasian Marsh Harrier made a pass and found a column of air to gain height from.

Birds seen; 15

Mallard 3, Little Grebe 2, Great Cormorant 23, Grey Heron 2, Purple Heron 2, Eurasian Marsh Harrier 3, White-tailed Lapwing 16, Black-headed Gull 12, Eurasian Collared Dove 60, Laughing Dove 20, Crested Lark 1, White-eared Bulbul 6, Graceful Prinia 8, White-Wagtail 4, House Sparrow 40.

Creek Park, Dubai, Feb 2013

On the journey from the airport to the hotel I had noticed a large number of dark birds on the creek as we passed over Garhoud Bridge. Since I was in the market for a Socotra Cormorant, I felt the urge to skip my planned nap and take an impromptu visit to Creek Park.

By the time I arrived, the dark birds had moved on and the creek was mostly populated by Black-headed Gulls. A few Great Cormorants were roosting on the floating bridge that crosses the creek and marks the north-east corner of the park, so I assume that the birds seen earlier were also Great Cormorants.
 

Eurasian Collared Doves and Laughing Doves made the soundtrack for the visit. Grey Francolins and Red-wattled Lapwings were also very distinctive in their calls and will enhance my 10,000 Birds year List which is being compiled for birds identified by sound.
 

The park was quiet in the late morning and the winding call of the Graceful Prinia carried easily from some low bushes. It sat momentarily in the bush before hopping to the top of a sunshade to keep an eye on me. It posed very nicely, but a picture of a prinia needs to have the tail. Shame.
 

The tide had come early this morning and the banks of the creek had been exposed. Only a couple of Common Sandpiper was taking advantage of any feeding opportunities here. The mangroves further upstream were probably busier where the mud is muddier.
 

A cable car runs across the park and the wires were a popular perch for Indian Rollers whose scratchy calls could be heard on the ground Sadly the height of the cables made for poor roller watching. The succulent garden was quite busy with birds and a Red-vented Bulbul sat nicely at the top of a stalk.
 

Creek Park (used to be known as Creekside Park) is a typical city park with lawns and trees. Dubai Creek runs along its northern edge. It can be easily reached in a taxi from the downtown area and can be seen at Google Earth ref; 25°14'30.71"N 55°19'29.87"E. The taxi-rich Riyadh Rd. runs along the edge of the park and it is easy to hail one for the return journey.

Birds seen;

Grey Francolin 5, Great Cormorant 8, Grey Heron 1, Western Reef Egret 1, Cattle Egret 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 2, Common Sandpiper 2, Black-headed Gull 200, Eurasian Collared Dove 150, Laughing Dove 30, Indian Roller 6, Eurasian Hoopoe 5, Rufous-tailed Shrike 1, House Crow 30, Red-vented Bulbul 15, White-eared Bulbul 30, Willow Warbler 2, Graceful Prinia 3, Common Myna 15, Asian Pied Starling 8, White Wagtail 6, House Sparrow 80 Indian Silverbill 1.

Visit the dedicated Middle East page for more posts from Dubai including Safa Park and Mushrif Park.

Mushrif Park, Dubai, November 2012

Bill Oddy used to enter “None” into his birding diary if he saw nothing at his local reservoir and Corey Finger can eke three posts out of not seeing a Virginia Warbler. So I hope you will forgive me for writing up a post in which I visited Mushrif Park and failed to see a Pallid Scops Owl.

Hundreds of doves, mostly Eurasian Collared-doves, were flying in to roost in the tops of the trees that line the approach road. Grey Francolins were calling from the areas beyond the fences on either side.

An Oriental Honey-buzzard circled above me as I passed the gate and paid my 3 Dirhams entry fee.

Most birds were preparing for the night, but a few Green Bee-eaters were taking advantage of the dying light to pick off a few insects that had been drawn out by the dusk.
 

The sun had dropped surprisingly quickly from the sky this evening and caught me on the hop. I had arrived at the turn-off to the park to hear the evening call to prayer as I alighted from the taxi at around 17.00. I had hoped to see an Arabian Babbler this evening, but the darkness was falling fast that my prime focus became the owl.
I made my way to the lawns opposite the mosque where the Pallid Scops Owl is said to hunt for insects by the lights of the toilet block. A group of British and Canadian birders were already in place with a similar intent, but none of us saw nor heard the owl.

 

Gray Francolin10, Oriental Honey-buzzard 1, Eurasian Collared-dove 400, Laughing Dove 50, Rose-ringed Parakeet 12, Pallid Swift 40, Green Bee-eater 10, White-eared Bulbul 6, Common Myna 6.

 

I caught the train to Rushadiya, beyond the airport and grabbed a cab from there. I had to rely on a lift back from the park as there is no taxi rank there. The turn in for the approach road Google Earth ref; 25°13'49.52"N 55°27'3.30"E is from a main, multi-carriageway road (Al Khawaneej Rd) with a central reservation. Catching a cab from here, without crossing 6 lanes of fast traffic in the dark, means hailing one driving in the wrong direction. There is a roundabout less than a mile along the road to make a turn.

For a previous visit to Mushrif Park, follow the link below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/approach-road-to-mushrif-park-is-lined.html
Visit the dedicated Middle East Page for more posts from Dubai including Safa Park and Ras al Khor