Flamingos in the Wild
Any average-educated person or Disney-watching child can tell you that the desert is home to camels. But only super nerdy Nat-Geo-documentary-watching individuals know that flamingos also set up shop in the desert. No - they’re not perching on my back porch or waiting impatiently at the parks to eat my expired bread. However, these quirky feathered wonders are literally a five minute drive from my apartment in the Ras Al Khor protected bird sanctuary, a sort of marshy area just off the Dubai Creek which runs right through central Dubai.
Visitors can go to three different “Hides” to spy on the flamingos (and several other uncommon bird species) while the birds unknowingly pose for thousands of pics a day as they chill out on one leg and eat water bugs. It is especially exciting when the birds argue with and bite one another, and what an amazing sight when they take off in flight uncovering their brightest pink feathers! I’d typically pass up the flamingo exhibit at the zoo because it’s rather boring to watch birds in captivity. But seeing an exotic animal in the wild is simply awe inspiring. I’ve always laughed at the idea of bird watching, but maybe there’s something to it. I’ve already been out to see the flamingos three times, and I can’t wait to do it again!
