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Dag 8: De woestijn bloeit

Home Biota: what is it? Animals Plants Mammals Birds Insects NL EN

We start in the garden at the hotel. Everything in the hotel was neglected, and the grounds around it too. Maybe there were plans in the past, but not much more than a petrol station and restaurants came. All the better for the birds that appreciate the vegetation. For me, that produces beautiful photos of the Silktail.

On the way to the coast we pass irrigated agricultural areas. As soon as water is added, you can also grow all kinds of crops in the desert. We see new species that live on the border between desert and water: flightless birds, wheatears, a number of species of larks and a pallid harrier. The guide had found on the web that the rare sociable lapwing had been sitting on a farm for a few weeks. And with his sharp eyes and scope he found them. Eventually we were able to get close to them. There were also sandgrouse but we could not get close to them.

At the end of the day we arrive at the coast. The water birds were easy to approach here because they are used to people. Our beach hotel is finally a real hotel again, I was ready for that.

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<h3>Hypocolius ampelinus / Grey hypocolius / Zijdestaart</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F7.1, ISO 800, distance 35.4 m
<h3>Cursorius cursor / Cream‑colored courser / Renvogel</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2500 sec at F5.0, ISO 200, distance 65.0 m
<h3>Oenanthe isabellina / Isabelline wheatear / Izabeltapuit</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F4.5, ISO 200, distance 11.7 m
<h3>Eremopterix nigriceps / Black‑crowned sparrow‑lark / Zwartkruinvinkleeuwerik</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2500 sec at F5.6, ISO 200, distance 18.2 m
<h3>Circus macrourus / Pallid harrier / Steppekiekendief</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F4.5, ISO 250, distance 111 m
<h3>Anthus campestris / Tawny pipit / Duinpieper</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/3200 sec at F5.6, ISO 200, distance 19.4 m
<h3>Lanius pallidirostris / Steppe grey shrike / Steppeklapekster</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F4.5, ISO 320, distance 29.6 m
<h3>Pterocles exustus / Chestnut‑bellied sandgrouse / Roodbuikzandhoen</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/3200 sec at F5.6, ISO 200, distance 198 m
<h3>Vanellus gregarius / Sociable lapwing / Steppekievit</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5 TC, 1/2500 sec at F8.0, ISO 640, distance 63.4 m
<h3>Ichthyaetus hemprichii / Sooty gull / Hemprichs meeuw</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F4.5, ISO 400, distance 19.2 m
<h3>Ardea purpurea / Purple heron / Purperreiger</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/2000 sec at F8.0, ISO 3200, distance 63.5 m
<h3>Bubulcus ibis / Western cattle egret / Koereiger</h3>OM-1 Mark II with OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5, 1/400 sec at F7.1, ISO 10000, distance 34.6 m

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