315 : Blue Rock Thrush

Blue Rock-thrush - Monticola solitarius

I haven't been out birding for months and the Daily Bird has been lying in a state of abandoned deep freeze for just as long. I have been spending time at the weekend on the Under 11's rugby and then just veging on a Saturday. The eldest has gone off to boarding school since I last posted - perhaps I felt that I should be at home more to keep the smaller one company (hardly small - he is at 11).

The rugby season has finished and a comment at a drinks evening months ago with work winded me up taking the mother and partner of an old work colleague (Graham and Ruth) for a stomp around some birding spots. I offered to host a day's birdwatching but hadn't realised it was the Easter weekend. I  picked them up at 7 am from Downtown and drove them  around the Pivot Fields, Warsan secret lake and then did a mercy dash to Al Ain and Jebil Hafite in search of some mountain birds. It was nice to have some company - they have birded in Texas, Costa Rica, Nepal - they are way ahead of me on their birding journey but are not camera people.

The day did not disappoint I hope - I don't know what we didn't see, Griffin Vulture, Purple Herons, Glossy Ibis, Lesser Kestrel (Camera Neil !!!), Gull-billed Tern (Camera !!!). I seem to have lost the hunger and desperation to get the shot.

The good old Hotel Mercure on Jebil Hafite turned up a new thrush for this website - Blue Rock-thrush - not to be confused with a Rock Thrush seen in the same car park in 2012 here. I was expecting to see the Rock Thrush with its orange body and blue head as it is a showstopper. This though is an overwintering different but related bird. The Blue Rock-thrush in Europe is much more blue - these are a sub-species longirostris which fly off I think to Turkey to breed a little later in the year. Anyway Graham thought they were a bit dull in comparison. In fairness they barely look blue.

There were also a couple of Humes Wheatears which are a fabulous bird if you haven't seen one before - pristine black and white - first recorded on a desert trip in 2011 here.

So an hour and half there and back for perhaps an hour's birding on the mountain but for me worth it to kick off the Daily Bird for the non-rugby season. I have a business trip to Florida in a few weeks so good to get back in the habit of posting. On my return I learnt that some friend's (Major Tom and the Bradys) had broken down in Fujairah so Easter lunch was delayed somewhat. We had lamb, peas, new potatoes, redcurrant jelly and homemade mint sauce. There was a lemon tart for pudding and cheese. We retired to the Brady's yard for a projected showing of Empire of the Sun. Very moving.

I am taking Easter Sunday off - it feels "right" still even though it is a working day here.

Blue Rock-thrush, Monticola Solitarius