This put up was initially printed in 2017. It’s republished in our “From the Archives” collection, that includes highlights of our huge again catalog of greater than 10,000 birding-related posts printed during the last 15 years or so.
Dubai is a large worldwide airport, completely positioned for connections world wide. Many individuals discover themselves with just a few hours to kill throughout transit and will doubtlessly add just a few ticks to their journey record as they go by. This put up would possibly offer you just a few concepts for what to see throughout a cease in Dubai and some tips about the place to go and how you can get there. There’s a great website known as UAE Birding, that makes a fantastic reference after getting determined how a lot time you must spare and it carries a record of part-time guides who could possibly present you round.
Earlier than we begin, please watch out when utilizing cameras and optical tools in or round any airport in any nation of the world. Safety is taken very severely within the aviation enterprise and discretion is best than having to clarify your self to tightly wound safety personnel.
When you have sufficient time to depart the airport, be ready with passport and immigration card to hurry your passage by the formalities. Purchase some native cash earlier than your arrival and ask for some small denominations. Verify what time it’s essential to be again so as to be prepared on your onward flight. Verify which terminal and which gate you’ll depart from. For many of the yr it’s sizzling and the much less you carry the higher. Do not forget that you’ll have to go by safety to get again into the airport on your onward flight, so carrying much less can have one other benefit. In the event you carry something aside out of your binoculars, make it a hat, sunscreen and water.
Friday is the weekend in Dubai and visitors begins constructing on Thursday afternoon in anticipation. Some companies shut early on Thursdays and lots of are closed all day on Friday. Households spend their high quality time collectively on Thursday evenings and Fridays, so parks and open areas develop into very busy.
The airport is to the north of the primary metropolis (at Google Earth ref; 25 15 14.86N 55 21 55.10E) and is served by a wonderful metro system by way of the Pink Line. There are three stations on the airport, Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Emirates Terminal. A Metro day ticket could also be purchased for AED 14 (£3 0r $US4) and most journeys price lower than a cup of espresso. It runs from 05.50am ’til midnight most days, however bear in mind that it doesn’t function on Friday mornings. The primary service on Friday is from 1.00pm.
Taxis are plentiful and fairly priced, however might be tough to seek out for those who transcend the town. They are often employed by the hour or half-day or full-day, however this will have to be agreed upfront.
The primary two websites, Safa Park and Mushrif Park are straightforward to achieve from the airport. Ask your taxi driver to stick with you at Mushrif Park. The second two websites at Dubai Pivot Fields and the hides at Ra’s al-Khor will want an extended layover and it could be price hiring a automobile or a information. I just lately employed a automobile from Dubai airport by a brokerage website for lower than £20.
Safa Park may be visited within the confidence that you’ll simply be capable to get a prepare or taxi again to the airport. The park may be seen at Google Earth ref; 25 11 6.92N 55 14 48.05E and is near Enterprise Bay cease on the Metro. It is going to take roughly 20 minutes on the Metro with an additional stroll of maybe 10 minutes. A cab ought to price lower than AED 50 (@ AED4 = $US1) and take round 20 minutes. Entry to the park is AED3, by considered one of 3 gates. Gates are open from 08.00am ’til 10.00pm.
The park is generally laid to garden with scattered timber and flowerbeds. Lots of the frequent species may be seen right here, in all probability on this order; White-eared Bulbul, Pink-vented Bulbul, Eurasian Hoopoe, Purple Sunbird, Swish Prinia, Indian Curler. There are three lakes which might maintain Black-headed Gull, Widespread Sandpiper, Wooden Sandpiper and Pink-wattled Lapwing. Throughout April, a number of migrants go by and Ortolan Bunting may be frequent. Winter sees giant quantities of Widespread Chiffchaff within the forested space.
My private record for Safa Park runs to 40+, however upwards of 200 species have been recorded right here through the years. For a complete description of the park, go to UAE Birding. For a fast snapshot, attempt a winter put up from Redgannet.
Mushrif Park is past the attain of the Metro system. It is vitally near the airport and may simply be reached by cab inside 10 minutes. Cabs could also be tough to seek out for the return, so ask the driving force to attend, or higher nonetheless, ask him to drive slowly around the street circuit. The doorway is on Al Kawaneej Highway and may be seen at Google Earth ref; 25 13 48.09N 55 27 3E. It’s primarily scrub and woodland in a dry space with a mosque and quick meals restaurant within the central space. Pay AED10 to get by the management gate and switch proper shortly after. This may put you onto a 2.5km round drive.
White-eared Bulbul, Pink-vented Bulbul, Inexperienced Bee-eater, Indian Curler, Gray Francolin, Purple Sunbird and Eurasian Hoopoe are all straightforward to seek out. Black Redstart, Isabelline Wheatear and Lesser Whitethroat may be frequent within the winter. Eurasian Collared Doves are considerable all over the place. UAE Birding has one other write up for this website and Redgannet was there earlier this yr.
When you have the time to proceed, it’s potential to make a giant circle across the lagoon and go to the Dubai Pivot Fields (Google Earth ref; 25 9 52.72N 55 25 51.88E) and Ra’s al-Khor (25 11 9.03N 55 19 44.75E and 25 11 34.21N 55 18 44.44E). It’s going to get costly to proceed by cab, however it is extremely tough to discover a taxi again to the airport from these websites. Think about using a rent automobile you probably have enough time. Web automobile rent dealer websites are providing small vehicles for lower than £20. Higher nonetheless contact one of many guides from the UAE Birding contact record.
I hesitate to advocate the Dubai Pivot Fields despite the fact that it is a wonderful website inside half-hour of the airport. A information with transport can be the proper option to go to this website as it may be a bit tough to get to. Don’t count on a taxi driver to know the location as it’s principally a turf farm with little or nothing to draw punters in from the surface. You will have to know how. Bear in mind that you simply can not flip left from the eastbound carriageway of the Al Awir (E44)Highway. Verify Google Maps and plan accordingly. Entry may be had alongside an method street that begins at Google Earth ref; 25 10 21.02N 55 25 38.77E. As soon as there, you will notice the watering pivots that give the location its distinctive look from the air. That is the location that the majority Dubai birders will know and love. It may produce the critically endangered Social Lapwing throughout winter.
You may additionally see resident White-tailed Lapwing and Pink-wattled Lapwing as nicely as the ever present Eurasian Collared Dove. Crested Larks and pipits and wagtails are simply seen most months. There are just a few restrictions. No entry might be granted after 1.00pm on Fridays and driving on the grass is strictly prohibited.
The UAE Birding web page for the Dubai Pivot Fields may be seen right here and Redgannet was there in February.
Any remaining time may be productively spent at both or each of the hides at Ra’s al-Khor wildlife Sanctuary. The lagoon and mangroves on the prime finish of Dubai Creek are flooded by the tide and supply good habitat for a lot of wading birds and most notably, a lot of Better Flamingos. Taxi drivers will certainly know of Ras Al Khor, however could also be reluctant to drive on the market with out the prospect of a return fare. Once more, it’s unlikely that you can see a return taxi from both disguise. The flamingos get a little bit of supplementary feeding, however are free to come back and go as they please. The Mangrove Conceal on Ras Al Khor Highway, at Google Earth ref; 25 11 9.03N 55 19 44.75E can solely be accessed by driving west alongside the E44. Preserve proper onto the Oud Metha Highway to seek out the Flamingo Conceal at Google Earth ref; 25 11 34.21N 55 18 44.44E. It’s only accessible from the northbound carriageway. It’s not nicely signposted so examine its exact location earlier than heading out. The hides are open from 10.00am till 4.00pm, however might shut early on Thursday and won’t open on Fridays. They’re manned by a safety guard who will gladly level out birds along with his scope. From right here, depart your self about half-hour to return to the airport by way of the Garhoud Bridge.
UAE Birding holds all the data right here and Redgannet was in a position to evaluate the 2 hides on this fast put up.
In case your transit time is below three hours, the websites at Ra’s al-Khor and Dubai Pivot Fields might be past your attain. It’s potential to drive from the airport, go every location with out stopping and return to the airport inside an hour, however a lot of your transit time might be taken up getting out of the airport and returning in loads of time on your onward sector.
In the event you should not have an extended sufficient layover, maybe the timing is unhealthy, or you might be nervous of lacking your onward connection, you should still be capable to discover just a few birds across the airport. Pale Crag Martin is a resident right here and is perhaps seen chasing across the buildings. Home Crow, Widespread Myna and Asian Pied Starling are all seemingly round any form of habitation. In the event you can see any form of vegetation, Roseringed Parakeet, Pink-vented Bulbul or White-eared Bulbul are potential.
Eurasian Collared Dove and Laughing Dove are at all times seemingly wherever. In case you are fortunate sufficient to have a window seat and are arriving or departing through the early hours, search for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse on the edges of the taxiways.
Because of Tommy Pederson who is the regional eBird reviewer for all issues Dubai. He’s primarily based in Dubai and compiled the Birding UAE web site and additionally kindly checked over this put up earlier than publishing.
In the event you handle to go birding in Dubai throughout your transit, I hope you’ll tell us how you bought on. Please give a little bit of suggestions to enhance the experiences of those that might observe you.
