06/15/09
Week 25 - 12 June 2009, Pivot Fields, Jahra East Outfall, Jahra Farm and Sulaibikhat Bay
Even with an early start you dont escape the summer heat, but birders will attest that given the opportunity they will be out in any weather conditions - as you never know what you may encounter or learn. Images by Mike Pope
Despite the greenery, water and food supply even the Pivot Fields lacked diversity. Although during summer, it appears that all the House Sparrows in Kuwait congregate at this site. As I said earlier, you never know what you may encounter and today was a flock of 5 very skittish Red wattled Lapwings which kept the rising heat haze between my camera and the flock. Dhubs (Spiny tailed Lizards) were much more abundant

This unidentified sparrow sized bat was forced to vacate its roost to quench its thirst swallow style at the crocodile pond. It was successful 3 times in drinking on the wing, but the 4th time mistimed its approach and hit the water. It frantically used its wings to get itself to safety but immediately attracted the interest of one of the crocodiles who felt the vibrations through the water - fortunately the bat got to the edge in time, not that it would have been much of a meal.

By the time I got to JEO it was already too hot for productive birding. I did encounter an adult and juvenile Cream coloured Courser. Mixed flocks of adult and juvenile Coursers are being seen at most sites the past few weeks

I was quite surprised to find this single European Bee-eater

A tired looking White winged Black Tern also flew by

In the heat of the day, I discovered a breeding female Kentish Plover at Sulaibikhat. I was amazed that such a small bird had an open scrape of a nest completely exposed to the harsh summer elements. This image gives you an idea of the habitat

I watched as it alternated between sitting on its single egg

and standing over the egg just providing shade and using its feet to move the egg. Every so often it disappeared to the water edge to soak its belly feathers that obviously provided some additional cooling

I was able to photograph the single egg when the bird departed to the waters edge and was surprised at its size in comparison to the size of the bird itself. At this stage the outside temperature measured 48 degrees - isnt nature just amazing that even in the harshest of conditions, life cycles continue

On the way home, I found a large mixed flock of Cream coloured Coursers on the beach at Sulaibikhat Bay, most of the birds had taken advantage of whatever shade they could find to shelter themselves from the heat of the midday sun

06/06/09
Week 23 - 05 June 2009, Sulaibikhat Bay
My son wanted a quick ride on his bike and the gravel road along the coast at Sulaibikhat is a safe place to ride. Sadly, we found a very large 4m Hammerhead Shark on the road, that appeared to have been killed only for it's tail and fins. Images by Mike Pope
The tide was pretty full, so waders had moved elsewhere to feed; but we did see one juvenile Cream coloured Courser, a lone Whiskered Tern and this juvenile Red backed Shrike baking out in the heat

06/02/09
Week 22 - 30 May 2009, Pivot Fields
It was not an ideal day to be out birding, conditions were very hot coupled with gusting winds. However, my 6-year old son wanted some birding tuition, so who was I to say no. Images by Mike Pope
We visited the Pivot Fields but at 8am it was alreay too late for optimum birding as the temperature was around 42 degrees. As a result not many birds were around, also indicating that migration was an event of the past. We did pick up some tail end stragglers, the first in the form of a lone Collared Pratincole

There were two Marsh Harriers present and I'm not surprised as the huge numbers of House Sparrows are still an abundant food supply

We found a flock of 3 Lesser short toed Larks

A mixed flock of juvenile and adult Cream coloured Coursers were seen feeding in one of the fields and confirmation of succesful breeding

This juvenile Black Kite had me going with its odd moulting plumage, but after some consultation the ID was agreed

An unexpected sighting was a European Nightjar relaxing in the shade inside the fence of the crocodile enclosure

05/16/09
Week 20 - 16 May 2009, Pivot Fields, JEO and Jahra Farm
It was good to get out again today despite the unstable weather conditions that still persist. I drove through a rain shower on the way to Pivot Fields and had mixed sunshine and cloud throughout the morning. Images by Mike Pope
I was hoping to relocate the Red footed Falcon found by Rashed earlier this week, but during migration if you dont drop everything to twitch a rarity the moment is generally gone, as it was with the Falcon. I did however enjoy a host of good birds at this location. There were some newly planted fields that were being irrigated and this Wood Sandpiper took advantage of the spray to cool itself and catch insects

It was accompanied by good numbers of Yellow Wagtails which are still present, this is thunbergi

and a flavissama

I found the large flock of Lesser Kestrels that the Red footed Falcon was part of, but to no avail despite a lot of scrutiny. The flock was perched on the structure of the irrigation and swooping down on crickets and insects in the crops below - not much exertion required to get their fill of protein


I spotted a female Cuckoo (rufous form) perched amongst the Kestrel flock and quite unperterbed. She was almost the same size as the Kestrels

Female Cuckoo in rufous form

The few Blue cheeked Bee-eaters also used the structure to hunt from

The Kestrels were competing for food with Egrets and Herons that were patrolling the fields below the moving irrigation - this Cattle Egret about to swallow another cricket

Squacco Herons took a far more cautious and deliberate approach to the Cattle Egrets

There were a fair number of Raptors present including both Long legged Buzzard and Black Kite seen in this image

A couple of Marsh Harriers put the passerines up everytime they did a fly over, the tactics of the hunt

I was fortunate to photograph both colour forms of Greater Spotted Eagle together. In this image, the dark form juvenile was feeding on something and the pale form just stood by watching; eventually it lost interest and flew off to perch on the irrigation.

The darker form is a juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle.

The paler form Greater Spotted Eagle is var. fulvescens and according to Collins Bird Guide is very rare.

I stopped at a small depression with water and vegetation and found a host of feeding waders, this Redshank was resplendent in breeding plumage.

A Purple Heron dropped in for a quick drink.

As did two Wood Sandpipers.

I came across a small flock of Collared Pratincoles on the way back to the main gate.

I headed off to JEO where I was delighted to find myself alone and also see a police car patrolling the area to deter hunters and grazers as part of collaboration with local authorities to try and protect this key and important wetland. A female Winchat was seen near the outfall

With disturbances and shooting under control, Basra Reed Warblers are still present and we are hopeful that they will in fact breed at JEO this summer.


Sedge Warblers are also potential breeders for this summer.

A few Little Bitterns were seen along the outfall.

Isabelline, Lesser Grey and Red backed Shrike are still present at most sites.

As are Spotted Flycatchers.

Last stop today was Jahra Farms and amazingly the Indian Roller is still present, but still skittish. Bank Mynas did breed this year and I caught this one after just having had a bath to cool down in the 40 degrees that we experienced by noon today.

05/09/09
Week 18 - 02 May 2009, Kirhan Pearl City Development
I was fortunate to be invited to visit the impressive Kirhan Pearl City development close to the southern border of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. I spent the morning with Arnand the on-site environmentalist conducting a bird census. Images by Mike Pope
Most of the morning was spent on a boat exploring the khors which have been extended inland (rather than reclaiming land from the sea). The weather wasnt favourable, but we did manage to pick up 4 Tern species with the first one seen being a Bridled Tern

One of the small flock of Little Terns were seen roosting on the pristine beach

I missed the Lesser crested Tern which passed overhead as well as a Socotra Cormorant feeding out at sea on the return journey but did catch two White cheeked Terns were feeding along one of the Knors

It was unusual to find two Purple Herons roosting on the breakwater which took flight on our approach

Kentish Plovers were seen on the beach

Along with Eurasian Curlew

And a Whimbrel

A flock of 16 Squacco Herons were feeding on the banks of the Knor

We made a stop on one of the four islands where natural habitat is being reintroduced and saw one of the many Red back Shrikes that are currently passing through

Spotted Flycatchers were found feeding on the island together with Upchers Warbler and Yellow Wagtails

04/11/09
Week 15 - 09 April 2009, SAANR
I met Pekka Fagel with the Austrian and Swiss groups for a morning in SAANR. Images by Mike Pope
I got to the reserve a little before the rest and headed north to check for birds in the desert scrub. I found a distant Hobby roosting on the desert that was flushed by a migrating Shikra

At Tuhla, the number of White throated Robins had notably increased

I found a Nightingale sitting very quietly deep in a thicket on the small island at the pool

Pekka managed to find 3 Scops Owls in the same small tree. This image shows just how cryptic these birds are, despite being right in front of you

A better view of the rufous tinged Scops Owl

I found this oddly coloured Pipit drinking from some surface water. We believe it is a 2 to 3 year old Red throated Pipit which appears to lose its breast streaking as it matures

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