Bahrain Obs

The annual migration continues but is definitely slowing down. Birds observed moving through this week include Nightingales, Reed, Marsh and Garden Warblers plus a solitary Willow, Spotted Flycatchers, Red-backed, Isabelline and Great Grey Shrike,Rollers, Orioles, Beeeaters, swallows, Martins and Swifts. On the shore many of the late waders are now in full breeding plummage and include Greater and lesser Sandplover, Little Stint, Dunlin, Curlew, Wood and Green Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwits. Oyster Catchers are unusually numerous on the shore, as are Turnstones and Grey Plovers. Honey Buzzards are also on the move along with a few Kestrels but in the gardens it is the hieght of our breeding season with most local birds both breeding migrants and residents busy either building or tending nests. On the shore and around inland waters Little and Saunder's Terns have already chicks as do the little Grebes and Western Reef Herons. White Cheeked and Lesser Crested Terns are in residence and about to begin so despite the every increasing temperature there is still plenty of species to see. One thing about Bahrain is its size - it is small so we can get round all our habitats in a day - desert, gardens, farms, scrub, mangrove, shore and brackish water which makes for some interesting birding.