Bahrain Obs

A quiet morning at Badaan Farm produced some interesting birds on this Yankee Doodle day - seen besides the usual residents WERE - On arrival at 06.00hrs (early starts are essential these days) 3 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters on the wires - they didn't stay long but I did managed to get a record shot from a distance of one.

a small flock of 28 swallows including some juveniles

and a single ssp fledegg Yellow Wagtail

Besides this we saw Namaqua Doves, some silverbills, a Single Curlew, Kentish Plover including some chicks, dozens of Rufous Bushchats, Olivaceous and Prinia Warblers, Palm and Collared Doves, House and Spanish Sparrows, Common Mynas, Indian House Crows, a few Cattle Egrets and Reef Herons, White Cheeked Terns, Crested Larks, White-cheeked Bulbuls, Grey Francolin and one of our regular escapee's - a Red Bishop

A Bushchat growing its tail back

Collared Dove

Red Bishop

Indian Silver Bill

We are becoming a little frustrated at the weather here this year - not the heat we have learned to live with that - its the dust storms. One after the other there seems no end to them this year. Yesterday and again today visibility has been reduced to next to nothing by dust haze - my car the morning had more than a fine dust covering; had I had a bucket and spade I could have made a reasonably sized sandcastle. Maybe by this weekend I will have some decent images and some good observations to report currently I can't see the shore let alone any birds on it.

Friday we did some ringing on Jarim - see under projects for additional photos

Socotra Cormorants
At this time of the year they can be found everywhere - at the yacht club as we left

On the Islands as we arrived

those with white brests are 1 c/y birds - from this winter

Bridled Tern

Juv Western Reef Hereon

Nesting White-Cheeked Tern

Have been too busy at work these last few weeks to post any reports - but things are improving except the weather which continues with high winds and dust storms - Hope to have some new images later this week
High winds 'will ease by the weekend'

FROM THE PAGES OF THE Gulf Daily News

MANAMA: High winds, which have sandblasted Bahrain for 10 days, are expected to ease by the weekend, weathermen said yesterday. By MANDEEP SINGH

Winds of up to 27 knots lashed Bahrain yesterday but are expected to fall to around 23 knots today and 17 knots tomorrow, says the Civil Aviation Affairs Metrology Directorate.

"The weather is expected to be fine by Friday when we also expect to see an increase in the day temperatures," said the weathermen.

Extremely bad visibility was reported throughout the day yesterday, falling at times to less than 1,000 metres at Bahrain International Airport.

A bad weather warning also remained in place as the weatherman forecast strong to near gale force winds and rough seas well into today.

"Poor visibility and rising sand in places will make it even more uncomfortable," said the weathermen.

They said the bad weather was the result of "disturbance" due to a low-pressure area, which had developed over parts of Saudi Arabia.

"This is causing the weather to be erratic throughout the region," they said.

The number of birds and species passing at Badaan Farm has slowed to a crawl - a few surprises in what's been turning up but nothing really exceptional. Collared Pratincoles, Yellow Wagtails, Winchats, Ortolan Buntings, Willow and Reed Warblers and the odd Red-throated Pipit and Nightingale all put in a show. The only Shrike seen today was an Isabelline who kept company with a few swallows and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. Gone are the Kestrels but hanging on are a Great White Egret, Little Egret and a Purple Heron keeping company with the Night and Western Reef Herons. Also seen today a Little Bittern will be interesting to see how long he stays. Western Reef, Little Bittern and Night Herons all breed locally. Kentish Plover chicks can been seen everywhere along with Grey Francolins, while Olivaceous Warblers and Rufous Bush Robins (chats) are busy nesting. White Cheeked Bulbuls and Graceful Prinia are well advanced while Crested Larks have already produced a first brood. A larger than usual number of Cattle Egrets have stayed on and could well breed again this year.

Pictures of some of the species ringed today can be found under Projects see tab at the top or right of the page.

Little Bittern

Cattle Egret

Just an update on whats been happening Here-

May 1st - A Stonecurlew with 2 chicks was observed between Al Jazair beach and the horse endurance center. This represents a first breeding record for this species if confirmed. Observer a Falconer caught and examined one of the chicks before returning it to waiting parent.

May 7th - A Corncrake was reported at Anwaj Islands - this observation has some quality as the observer not a birder is familiar with the species in Ireland - last record 1991

May 8th - Willow Warblers have now turned up - we ringed the last one of last year on the 24 of April - we ringed our first one this year only today. Swallows and SandMartins passing in large numbers today as are Willow Reed and Great Reed Warblers.

May 6th - A pair of Grey Hypocolius were on sale at Isa Town Market - before the birds could be recovered the seller had disappeared. Isa Town is the other side of the Island to the known roosts this might indicate an unknown roosting areas for the species.