Bahrain Obs

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.

We did some ringing this afternoon so this meant that time for actual birding was minimal however of the birds around, the ones of note were the Blue-cheeked and European Bea-eaters Swallows and Swifts that continue to pass through. The Purple Heron all four remain, the Yellow Wagtails and Ortolan Buntings a stream that never seems to end and the dozens of warblers of various species now found throughout the farm. Another Scops owl was seen along with numerous Nightingales and Pratincoles. The lesser Kestrels seem to have made the farm their home five sometimes six are now regulars hunting over the crop circles. Kentish Plover Chicks are popping out all over the place and Graceful Prinia, Grey Francolin, Bulbuls, Sparrows, Doves, Rufous Bush Chats and Olivaceous Warblers are all in various stages of breeding as well.

Blue Cheeked Bee-eater

Purple Heron

Overcast and windy but still with a heavy haze from the dust - lingering on.

Spent some time down on Tubli Bay in the morning to see what was around - still plenty of waders but tern numbers collecting prior to breeding are increasing daily - Lesser Crested, Saunder's, White-cheeked and the odd Gull-billed - these together with good numbers of Caspian Terns (winter breeding) and Slender-billed Gulls now out number wading species. A few hundred Flamingos for which we have no breeding records remain complemented by large numbers of Western Reef Herons - many no doubt themselves breeding around the bay or due to depart to Hawar and the main breeding areas there.

Lesser-crested Tern

White-cheeked Tern

Slender-billed Gull

Gull-billed Tern

Flamingo

Western Reef Heron

Later in the day I went to Badaan Farm - the light was again poor - Kevin came later but didn't stay long as a consequence. A good number of larger warblers were observed including Great Reed, Barred and Garden. Olivaceous continue to sing out from most of the denser corners a declaration of breeding territory, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow and Reed plus a few unidentified as usual made an impressive list. The breeding Rufous Bush Robins (chats)and Kentish Plover are encountered now regularly around the farm - Pratincoles, Nightingales, Orioles, as are still a few Red-throated and Tawny Pipits with Ortolan Buntings. A few waders add further interest, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Curlews, Little Stint and Turnstones most moving into breeding plumage. Purple, Great White, Night and Grey Heron along with some Reef Herons and the odd Kingfisher are now benefiting from the recently cut drainage ditches which are alive with fish. On the wires Swallows, a roller, a variety of Shrikes plenty of Lesser Kestrels with a few Bee-eaters all add to the interest, this is of course without the farms resident birds.

Yellow Wagtail - a few more on the fields today but nothing like the number we have had the last few weeks. Not certain of this one think its a female either flava or beema

Bee-eaters

Collared Pratincole

Crested Lark

Curlew

Isabelline Shrike

Kentish Plover - a local breeding species

Kentish chick - the first observed this year - much later than last.

Lesser Kestrel

Red-backed Shrike - A 1st winter/juvenile bird

Spotted Flycatcher

Swallow

Wood Sandpiper

Willow Warbler Seen just as the sun was nearly set

Horrible weather yet again no wind but sand drifting down covering everything with a fine powder including the camera which I now have to get cleaned. Not a single Yellow wagtail remains but four Lesser Kestrel are still hunting the fields. Lesser, Masked, Isabelline Red-backed and Grey Shrike are now faily common. Spotted Flycatchers the odd Wheatear Roller and Bee-eater along with a variety of Warblers continue to be seen along with both Thrush Nightingale and Nightingales. A few Ortolans and a solitary Red-throated Pipit were also seen as four Purple Herons and a Great White Egret patrolled the ditches.

Purple Heron

Great White Egret

The weather has become suddenly hot and so has the migration through our neck of the woods. A busy week watching to see whats passing some things are still hard to find like Warblers but otherwise numbers are good for some species. Ortalan Bunting, Wheatears, Shrikes, Pratincoles, Nightingale, White-throated Robins, Red-Pipits Throated Pipits, Rollers Lesser Kestrel Bee-eaters, Swallows, are more numerous this year than in previous. Out numbering all must be the Yellow Wagtails they are everywhere you look and withy a good variety of ssp

Yellow Wagtail

Spotted Flycatcher - always plenty of these fellows around

Eight surround a splash pool from the irrigation system - IN TOTAL 11 were seen today

Isabelline Shrike

Ortolan Bunting

Palm Dove -it was there - a common local breeding species

Red-backed Shrike - too far away really and in the wrong place to the sun

The rear end of a Roller

Have been in the UK for a few weeks - after I had return my house was burgled - the bast---ds stole my laptop some camera kit my satellite decorder plus a host of other things but the worst was the fact that they stripped the house of its copper water pipe leaving me with a flood. To make matters worse today the first day that I could get out since returning yet another dust storm blew up cutting vis down to around 500 mts. Anyhow birds continue to pass -these last few weeks its been Buntings Ortolan and Cinereous, Martins, Swallows, Pale Rock Sparrows, and Beeeaters all in large numbers and a whole host of other goodies like Lesser Kestrel, Cuckoos, Scops Owls, Pratincoles,Hoopoe, and Rollers. Besides a flurry of Wheatears and Warblers plus the return of the locally breeding Olivaceous - singing their heads off.
Not a good day the light was yuck for photography as you can see from these two images below