Fujairah National Dairy Farm at Dibba

25°36'03''N + 56°14'02''E

Fujairah National Dairy Farm at Dibba is one of the best birding areas on the East Coast.

It is called Fujairah National Dairy Farm, Dibba on page 56 in the Shell Birdwatching Guide.

Directions from Dubai:

Take the E44 towards Hatta and Oman (see the directions for Dubai Pivot Fields on how to get out of Dubai), passing Dubai Pivot Fields on your right, pass one roundabout, after 4 km. another roundabout where take left on E611 signposted towards Al Sharjah and Al Dhaid. It is 45 km to Al Dhaid from here.

After 18 km, exit right (signposted to Al Dhaid, Al Fujairah, Khor Fakkan).

In Al Dhaid you are passing through 2 roundabouts, take left in the first one (signposted Fujairah, Masafi) then after 600 m at the next roundabout you exit to the right (signposted Fujairah, Masafi) on road E89. It is 30,5 km to Masafi from here.

In Masafi you will find another roundabout, exit left (signposted Dibba, Dadna, Al Aqqa). Drive 36,5 km through mountaneous terrain and you will eventually arrive at an unmarked roundabout. Take this to the left, pass straight through the roundabout with a giant Oil Lamp / Coffee Pot, then another 200 m. until you arrive at a T-junction.

Take right in the T-junction, pass 2 speed-bumps and turn left 100 m. after the last speedbump (small sign saying "Fruit Research Station). You are now entering an area called Wam (white sign).

You will be passing Dibba slaughterhouse to your left, then a few hundred meters further to the green gate on your right signposted "Dibba Milk,  Fujairah National Dairy Farm".

The farm is under new management since January 2006 and rules of access have changed: You are now advised to park outside the gate, then register with the security before walking in. PLEASE abide by the new rules. The new managers are quite happy to let birding continue but they do ask, quite fairly, that their new rules and health precautions are observed.

Area 1 is the main area for birding where you can walk along gravel paths (see map below).

Area 2 is a closed farm (no access), but birding is often good along the gravel road leading to 3.

Area 3 is a gravel plain, often good for wintering Variable Wheatear (=Eastern Pied Wheatear) and Egyptian Nightjar.

Area 4 is Dibba Park.

Update 20.09.2006: The 'milky drainage ditch' has been cleared and levelled, resulting in a near-dry pond at the end.

Entrance to the Dairy Farm (Area 1) - this is where you park

The sign at the gate

Area 1 in February 2005 seen towards the mountains in Oman

Once inside, walk past the 'admin office' and turn right at the cow pens. They are full of flies, and between October and March you will find various wagtail species here. The most common is White Wagtail, and usually a few Masked Wagtail (the very striking personata subspecies of White Wagtail) winter here. Scan in between the cows inside the pens. Yellow Wagtail of several races occur, as well as Grey Wagtail and Citrine Wagtail.

The milky drainage ditch that runs along the southern line of trees, and the small pond at the end of the ditch is also excellent for Citrine Wagtail, as well as ducks, Pin-tail Snipe, Common Snipe, Indian Pond Heron, Squacco Heron, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Bluethroat and Clamorous Reed Warbler.

The fields attract a large number of Indian Roller and 3 species of bee-eaters are often seen (Little Green, Blue-cheeked and European), Water Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Richard's Pipit, Long-billed Pipit, Blyth's Pipit, Meadow Pipit and Tree Pipit are often seen, as well as Eurasian Skylark (common), Bimaculated Lark & Oriental Skylark (both scarce but regular), Greater and Lesser Short-toed Lark, various wheatear species and Rose-coloured Starling.

Sometimes recorded on the stony fields are Trumpeter Finches.

Raptors are often present, with Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Great Spotted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Common Kestrel and Lesser Kestrel regularly recorded.

The UAE rarity list is one of the longest in the country, and have included:

Eurasian Bittern (18.11.2004)

Black-winged Kite (29.12.1997 - 05.01.1998 & 29.01.1999)

Lappet-faced Vulture (31.10.2003)

Northern Goshawk (01.11.2004)

Amur Falcon (several)

Red-footed Falcon (2 birds October 2006) - an UAE first!

White-breasted Waterhen (18.-14.04.2006)

Little Crake (March 2005)

Macqueen's Bustard (18.11.1999)

Sociable Lapwing (08.01.2000 & 09.11.2000 & 26.-31.12.2003

Eurasian Dotterel (02.12.2004 & 28.10.-25.11.2005)

Great Snipe (28.10.-05.11.2005)

Oriental Turtle Dove (30.10.-02.11.2003 & 19.10.2004 & 28.10.-04.11.2005)

Namaqua Dove (21.10.1998 & 06.05.2005 & 28.10.-18.11.2005 & 08.12.2005)

Asian Koel (male 18.02.2005 & female 11.03.2005 & male 18.11.2005)

Sykes's Nightjar (20.-21.12.2007 at site 3; gravel plain)

Little Swift (28.04.2006)

White-throated Kingfisher (28.10.2005)

Calandra Lark (02.12.2000)

Brown-throated Martin (25.11.2004 & 28.10.2005)

Buff-bellied Pipit (29.12.1997)

Black-throated Thrush (07.11.-30.12.2001 & 10.02.2003)

Savi's Warbler (16.03.1995)

Paddyfield Warbler (08.01.2000) - UAE's only record!

Booted Warbler (28.10.-04.11.2005)

Dusky Warbler (28.10.-04.11.2005) - UAE's third record

Pied Stonechat (22.08.1997 & 30.-31.03.1999 & 03.09.1999 & 17.11. 2000 - 04.01.2001 & 22.09.2003 & 28.10.2005 & 15.09.2006)

Bay-backed Shrike (11.03.1998 & 20.09.2002 & 26.12.2003 & 27.02.-12.03.2004 & 21.04.2006)

Long-tailed Shrike (24.10.2003 - 20.03.2004) - UAE's 3rd record

European Goldfinch (13.02.1995)

Little Bunting (13.-16.01.1999)