Photos: Al Qudra lake in Dubai, a great escape into the desert

Al Qudra lake, a man-made lake located in the middle of the Seih Al Salam desert near Bab Al Shams, is home to over 180 species of birds. It is not uncommon to sight gazelles and desert foxes in the area. The lake has become a weekend spot for people to camp and enjoy nature.

There are plenty of freeroaming wildlife animals like Foxes, the Arabian Oryx, Arabian Gazelles, Rabbits, Owls and several desert plants.

Hundreds of migratory birds have taken shelter in this beautiful lake.

The lake has been created and managed by Dubai Municipality as part of a project to green part of the desert in Dubai.

A duck swims with ducklings in the Al Qudra lake.

A gazelle eats grass in the Al Qudra lake.

Birds sighted in the lake include the Glossy Ibis, Caspian Plover, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Gull-billed Tern that prefer coastal areas. Migratory birds include the Eurasian wryneck, Starlings, eagles and falcons.

An Egyptian goose.

An aerial view of Al Qudra desert and lakes.

Spread over 10 hectares in the middle of the Saih Al Salam Desert, the man-made Qudra Lake is supplied with sewage treated water by the Jebel Ali sewage treatment plant of Dubai Municipality.

The periphery of the Lakes is covered with several indigenous and exotic trees planted by the Dubai Municipality. Among them are Ghaf Prosopis cineraria, Acacia Ehrenberghiana Acacia farnesiana, Acacia A arabica, Ziziphus spinachristi, Ziziphus jujuba, Albizzia lebbek, Pithecellobium dulcis, Parkinsonia aculeata to name a few.

Black-winged Stilt chicks swim.

Western Marsh Harrier.

A bird perched on a branch in the Al Qudra lake.

Flamingos walking across Al Qudra Lake.