11/06/08
Quiet day at Al Abraq -
Categories: Week 42 - 18 October 2008, Al Abraq and Jahra Farm
I decided to head out west today to check what may have stopped over from the previous day. Images by Mike Pope
Early winter mornings are not the most productive at this oasis farm, but you do tend to find raptors that roosted for the night. This pale phase Booted Eagle was one of the raptors I saw on this visit.
All 3 of the Sparrowhawks I saw were juvenile/1st winter birds
Early winter brings in Red breasted Flycatchers and this morning I had up to 5 different birds around the farm. They are challenging but rewarding photographic subjects.
This Stonechat followed the workers as they were harvesting some of the crops
A few Tree Pipits were seen feeding in some of the crop patches
Yellow Wagtail numbers have decreased dramatically at the tail end of migration
The Yellows have now been replaced by White Wagtails that over winter in Kuwait
On my way across the desert, I came across this small, but very fast Snake like Lizard
Next stop was Jahra Farm, no sign of the Indian Roller but I did see this Squacco Heron pounce onto this large cricket
At Sulaibikhat, the tide was too far out for any birding. I was entertained watching Mud Skippers have territorial battles over their little pactch of mud
