Qarn Nazwa

24°59'31''N + 055°39'45''E

Qarn Nazwa is a solitary rocky outcrop with surrounding gravel plains along the Dubai to Hatta Road.

It is called Qarn Nazwa on page 42 in the Shell Birdwatching Guide.

Access now is NOT via the mosque as depicted, but straight in from the main road to the Warbler & Wheatears area.

This limestone outcrop in the middle of the desert is an important bird site and good for fall migrants. Distance from Dubai is 50 km (40 minutes drive)

Qarn Nazwa is the star site for Pharaoh Eagle Owl (=Desert Eagle Owl). Best at dawn and dusk; the owl calls at sunset and often perches prominently on the rocky skyline. Best season is November to March, but they aea recorded all year.

This site is a regular wintering site from September to February of Variable Wheatear (=Eastern Pied Wheatear) often found sitting in the small bushes on the gravel plain.

Explore the rocky slopes and surrounding narrow acacia plain looking for resident Brown-necked Raven, Hume's Wheatear, Pale Crag Martin, Southern Grey Shrike and Indian Silverbill.

They are joined in winter by Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Whitethroat, Asian Desert Warbler and occasionally Plain Leaf Warbler. More elusive is the Long-billed Pipit.

Regular migrants include Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Black Redstart, Pied Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Upcher's Warbler, Menetries's Warbler, Isabelline Shrike and Pale Rockfinch; the latter most often overflying flocks identifiable only by their Bee-eater like 'prrrping' calls. Uncommon migrants include Eurasian Crag Martin and White-throated Robin.

UAE rarities have included;

Alpine Swift (11.03.1996)

Little Swift (11.03.1996)

White-crowned Wheatear (06.-08.02.1999)

Finsch's Wheatear (07.03.1997)

Mourning Wheatear (20.01.1995)

Hume's Whitethroat.

Chukar has also been recorded here, but they are feral releases.