Bahrain Obs

A Spanish Sparrow was observed and photographed on 9 March 2007 at the old Rock Quarry behind Riffa Air base - (Diplomatic Wadi) this is the 3rd record for Bahrain the previous being one last November at the Riffa Golf Course but a few Kilometers from the Wadi - HMK, AJ, SC.

List of species reported as observed in Bahrain 15th to 25 March 2007

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Gray Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus
Quail Coturnix coturnix
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii
Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva
Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Little Stint alidris minuta
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura
Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Curlew Numenius arquata
Redshank Tringa totanus
Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans - barabensis
Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini - taimyrrensis
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
Saunders's Little Tern Sterna saundersi
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Stock Pigeon Columba oenas
Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Palm Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Common Swift Apus apus
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
Hoopoe Upupa epops
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Sky Lark Alauda arvensis
Swallow Hirundo rustica
Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
House-Martin Delichon urbica
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba
Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus
White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
Rufous Bush Chat Cercotrichas galactotes
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna
Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
Rock-Thrush Monticola saxatilis
Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris or Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida
Desert Warbler Sylvia nana
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita or Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
Great (Southern & Steppe) Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
Indian House Crow Corvus splendens
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica

While out visiting the Hypocolius Roost at Saar we came across some local lads out with their Lanner Falcon - The forty or so Hypocolius that arrived that evening were not in any way disturbed by the Falcons presence. The lads were truly amazed by the Hypocolius a species they were completely unaware of.

After a small break in visiting Badaan Farm Brendan, Jahani and myself spent a pleasant but blustery morning at the Farm. Friday had been a complete waste of time as a dust storm had settled over the island reducing visibility to a matter of metres so the farm was a refreshing change. It is such a pleasure to bird there; it really is a different world in comparison to the rest of the Island. Jahani was suffering withdrawal symptoms from not having photographed anything decent recently so he was happy -

Bluerock thrush

Yellow Wagtail - ssp Feldegg

Starling

Kestrel

Crested lark

Pacific Golden Plover