Bahrain Obs

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