08/15/09
Too dusty and windy to be birding -
Categories: Week 33 - 15 August 2009, Pivot Fields, JEO, Jahra Farm and Sharq
With strong winds yesterday, I was too optimistic that today would have been better. Images by Mike Pope
I hadnt been to Pivot Fields for some time, but the gusting wind kept most birds out of sight. Numbers are down for migratory birds this August, compared to last year when we had some crackers in August. An Isabelline Wheatear was some compensation
I wasnt too optimistic for JEO and sadly found shooters there before me who were shooting the Blue cheeked Bee-eaters - they have been reported to the police
I was able to photograph one that was not dropped from the sky in a hail of pellets
In the sabkha I found a displaying Rufous tail Scrub Robin
and a juvenile European Roller passing over
I headed to Jahra Farms which had good birds last August; another Rufous tail Scrub Robin was seen coming in for a drink
At the same spot, numerous Whitethroats dropped in for a drink
Walking around the farm, I flushed the 2 Indian Rollers I had seen here 2-weeks ago, which brings the total up to 3 for today. A Bluethroat was my first for the autumn migration
At the holding pond on the way out I photographed this worn and tatty adult Clamorous Reed Warbler. It looks like it may have walked wherever it has come from!
Final stop was Sharq harbour where dust had reduced the visibility down to 400m; a Caspian/Steppe Gull picked up this fish discarded by the fisherman
Week 32 - 08 August 2009, Khiran Pearl City Census
I met Anand at the site office for an early morning start for our August census. Weather was perfect today, with no wind and a flat sea. Images by Mike Pope
On the way to the development, I stopped at a small pond with edges fringed with reeds created by rising ground water and found a Greenshank and Black winged Stilt feeding together
It was then onto the boat and out to sea, stopping at the last buoy where we found 2 roosting Socotra Cormorants along with Lesser crested Tern
and a few juvenile White cheeked Terns
There were quite a few rafts of Terek Sandpipers heading south flying low over the sea
Our skipper called out that he had seen a pod of Indo Pacific Humpback Dolphins which is always a rare treat and we spent the next hour following the pod observing behaviour we hadnt seen on our last outing. With flat seas and really clear water, it was a treat to observe both adults and young. We witnessed some lob tailing where they slap the surface with their tails
Sounding vertically
The young calves swimming on their backs
Breaking the surface as they swam past us
and general frolicking about
And Spyhopping – when they raise their head vertically out of the water and then sink back quietly below the surface
After leaving the dolphins, we headed to Phase A2 and I caught this Whimbrel on take-off
We then headed back to Phase A1, stopping at the last buoy and this time we had 8 Socotra Cormorant roosting on the bouy - this is the highest daily count since the 40 seen at Zour in August 2000
Last stop was island # 4 where we found a lone Hoopoe
08/09/09
Week 32 - 07 August 2009, Sulaibikhat
I didnt get out this morning so decided to check the outfall at Sulaibikhat and enjoy the sunset. Images by Mike Pope
The tide was way out, but I found some terns hawking and feeding over the smelly outfall that discharges directly into the sea - not good for swimming, but a reliable food source for the terns. A couple of 1st summer Gull billed Terns were present
A single White winged Tern still showing much of its breeding plumage
Whiskered Terns in various forms of eclipse plumage made up the bulk of terns feeding over the outfall
Not a great image, but this bird has a pretty rufous and uniform chest without obvious streaking on the flanks - my guess is that this is post breeding plumage?
I decided to try the hide inside Sulaibikhat Reserve where a water source has now been restored, the gatekeeper only allowed my 15-minutes as he was going out. I sat in my car outside the hide watching House and Spanish Sparrows, adult and juvenile White cheeked Bulbuls with Collared and Laughing Doves also coming in for an early evening drink. A few months ago Common Babbler(s) had been seen here, so I was hoping that they might still be around - a long shot! Imagine my surprise when a single Common Babbler hopped across the road in front of me
It quickly flew into the small tree on the side of the hide before disapearing into the reeds for the night - I was delighted.
After this excitement I still had time to catch the sunset over the low tide flats
Week 30 - 23 July 2009, Jahra East Outfall (JEO
My last visit was a week ago, so before I left for Oman I headed back to JEO to see if I could relocate the juvenile Basra Reed Warbler and to check if I could find any others. Images by Mike Pope
Reed Warblers had also bred at JEO this summer and they were really active this morning, feeding on small insects gleened from the reeds. This I believe is a typical post breeding adult showning some moulting around the neck
An adult in typical pose
I noted this behavior in both the Reed and Basra Reed Warblers this morning; where the bird would sit on a perch, lean over, lift its wing and fluff out its body feathers - like it was 'airing' itself to keep cool in the heat of the morning
After some time, a larger warbler hopped into view, this first bird was an adult Basra Reed Warbler
It was soon followed by the 'bald' Basra Reed Warbler, presumably the same I had seen a week earlier - not too much progress on the growth of the head feathers
Finally I got onto the juvenile again and it appeared that these 3 birds moved up and down the reed bed as a group - were they a family, I dont really know?
Here is the Basra Reed Warbler showing the same 'airing' behaviour
And showing a crest when it was alarmed
Week 29 - 18 July 2009, Jahra East Outfall (JEO
With sustained effort by local birders/photographers, Jahra East Outfall finally got the protection it deserved with the police making regular visits and arresting shooters when caught. This together with habitat protection from reed cutters and herders has allowed the reeds to re-establish themselves and provide the cover required for summer breeders. Images by Mike Pope
We had always suspected there was a possibility of Basra Reed Warbler breeding at Jahra East Outfall and following the big number of these birds seen this spring, we were hopeful that it might happen this year. Many thanks to Peter Kennerley, the co-author of the coming Reed and Bush Warblers to be published by Helm later this year for his assistance in identifying this juvenile Basra Reed Warbler I was able to photograph today. The following impressions were provided to justify the identification of this juvenile as probable proof of breeding Basra Reed Warbler in Kuwait.
Identifying JUVENILES; Iris colour grey brown in birds up to 1-year old; gape colour pale orange with a hint of yellow; tongue spots (if seen); leg colour dark lead grey; bill colour with the distal third to half of the lower mandible dark; plumage - recently fledged juveniles will usually show fresh unworn primaries and tail feathers which would be browner than those of a worn adult at this time. Also, a slight creamy wash to the underparts and supercilium, and no sign of wear to the primaries and tertials, which are pale tipped.
Whilst watching the juvenile, this 'bald' bird popped out and I suspected that it may be a post breeding moulting adult. Peter has suggested that feathers grow in 'tract's and these tracts are usually replaced sequentially, so feathers at one end are newer than those at the other. In this bird, the entire head feathering has been lost, which suggests some sort of trauma or disease rather than a moult in which all feathering is replaced. The head feathers were clearly lost simultaneously and the replacement feathers are growing but are still in pin, and their length suggests they are about 4 days old. The wear on the tertials and greater coverts suggests this is an adult.
08/04/09
Week 31 - 01 August 2009, Sulaibikhat, Jahra East Outfall (JEO), Jahra Farm
Another favourable high tide in the early morning means that the coastal route is the preference. Images by Mike Pope
I headed for the spit on the northern end of Sulaibikhat Bay, where I found numerous roosting Herons, Egrets, Waders, Gulls, Terns and Flamingos. A skulking Kentish Plover in summer plumage was first up
A Turnstone was seen feeding in amongst a large flock of Terek Sandpipers
With some patience I was able to get closer to the skittish flock of Terek Sandpipers
This one was feeding as it passed a Little Tern
I was fortunate to watch an aerial squabble between two Caspian Terns over a fish one was desparately trying to swallow (but it appeared to big). It was chased by the second bird for quite some time and this one was probably hoping that the fish would be regurgitated
On the way out I flushed a White chested Kingfisher which is always more spectacular in flight than when perched
I headed to Jahra East Outfall where I discovered that the White chested Kingfisher that had taken up residence along the outfall had been shot and killed for fun. The good news is that the next day 3 shooters (hopefully the same who shot the kingfisher) were arrested by the Police for shooting in this protected area
Feeling rather despondent I headed to Jahra Farm to try and locate the Indian Roller which has remained at this location through the winter and was delighted to find that it has been joined by a 2nd Indian Roller - certainly unusual at this time of year as they are generally winter visitors
Week 30 - 23 July 2009, Sulaibikhat
I stopped at Sulaibikhat Bay after spending the morning at JEO looking for Basra Reed Warblers. Images by Mike Pope
I found a single Black headed Gull in between the roosting Slender bill Gulls, my first of the summer
Greater Flamingos in flight are always a tempting photographic subject
