Bahrain Obs

Archives for: October 2007

28/10/07

Saturday 27th October 2007

10:55:00 am, Categories: Submit Observation

Having been away for several months I set aside today to check out what’s around and which sites still remains amongst the continuing development around Bahrain - I thought I would start with waders and shore birds so I headed across the Maharraq bridge to check the sites around the airport. Having noted that a new road that was being built to access the Amwaj Islands development in the spring I headed straight for there. The new road is now nearly complete and the new layout has left a lovely sandy tidal lagoon as a consequence. Some of the things that fly past are a little on the big size as the lagoon sits directly under the flight path at the southern end of the runway.

Building and future development as a consequence should be minimal. The site was full of waders’, terns and gulls with numbers increasing as the tide reached a peak in the early afternoon. Not the easiest place to photograph stuff without a long lens but a good place to sit and observe – in time and outside evenings when people crowd the shore this could well develop into a excellent small and accessible site. I spent so long in fact there I only had time after leaving to visit Saar and the Hypocolius roost later in the afternoon. Only one Hypocolius was observed – so the next challenge will have to be to find out where all the others go.
Bartailed Godwits

Bartailed Godwits
Curlew
Curlew

Dunlin

Dunlin
Dunlin

Greenshank
Redshank

Redshank

Grey Plover

Greater Sandplover
Greater Sand Plover

Lesser Sand Plover

Kentish Plover

Juvenile Western Reef Heron - are often mottled as this individual

Western Reef Heron

The lagoon also held several hundred Saunder's Little Terns.

and numerous common waders, a large flock of Slender-billed Gulls and other mixed flocks of Lesser Crested and Caspian Terns

Slender-billed Gulls

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27/10/07

First Day Back

11:37:45 am, Categories: Submit Observation

I spent my first morning after my travels back at Badaan Farm with Adrian - to see his photos from the day check out

Out and About with AJ

A Marsh Harrier with its kill of a Collared Dove
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The number of Indian Silverbills has dramatically increased and now they are more numerous than sparrows at their favourite corner

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Another species that gets more numerous every year are Cattle Egret here are a few of the several hundred that now populate the farm

The glossy Ibis that has been around for a week or so

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The farm has a large number of juvenile migrants around amongst them this Isabelline Shrike

Around 30 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters hawked for insects from the electrical wires

the wires are a fovourite spot for many species such as this Tree Pipit

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A Kestrel

Numerous Palm Doves

and Namaqua Doves

Adrian trying to look COOL