Birds of Bahrain

Returned to Bahrain late on Friday I did manage a few hours out on Saturday afternoon - following on AJ'S advice I went to the Chicken farm at Dumistan - lot of birds there - the Collared Pratincoles in particular but viewing in the afternoon is difficult as you have to look straight into the sun however I did take a few pictures of varying quality

Male Namaqua Dove

Lesser Short-toed Lark - have to thank JanJ on the bird forum for the ID on this fellow

Kentish Plover

and chicks galore - lots of these little fellows around as well

Collared Pratincole

not so many as AJ saw but nice all the same

Ortolan Bunting - Still a few around -

Red-throated Pipit even more of these fellow remain

Rufous Bushchats - moving in and claiming territories ahead of breeding

Wood Sandpiper, a very long legged Little stint and Collared Dove

Wood Sandpiper

Cattle Egrets in full breeding plumage with male Ruff in the background

Black-winged Stilt with Turnstones

Black-winged Stilt

On the way back into town I stopped off at Adhari the only birds of merit that I could get close to were these
Bee-eater on the wrong side of the bush

Male Little Bittern hiding deep in the scrub overlooking the main drainage ditch

Will return to Bahrain this week

What a difference a day makes warm and sunny but with a steady breeze still the same species of bird as yesterday being seen but a little easier to Photograph despite a few whirlygigs (dust devils) passing through

Ortolan Bunting

Yellow Wagtail - two ssp here and I'm not even going to guess what they are

Red-throated Pipit

Pale Rock Sparrow and Red-throated Pipit

Woodchat Shrike

Isabelline Wheatear

Graceful Prinia

Northern Wheatear

Crested Lark

Around the Chicken Plant waste water outfall
Common Sandpiper

Little Egret

Ruff

Squacco Heron

On my way home I pass through Askar not much on the beach -

Greenshank and Bar-tailed Godwit

Pair Gull-billed Tern

Pair Saunders Tern

Don't know why the weather has turned so unseasonal - rain and low cloud seems to be the norm at the moment - great for the desert since we have not had much rain for over two years. I am expecting a late showing of flowers around the place next week as a consequence. On the bird front the migration is very hit and miss according to the strength of the winds. Today more Pratincoles, Red-throated Pipits, Ortolan Buntings, Pale Rock Sparrows,Yellow Wagtails, Chiffchaff and now Willow Warblers are passing in ever increasing numbers. Nightingale Redstart the odd Stonechat loads of Shrikes and Wheatears of numerous species continue to populate every available habitat. Ruff, Kentish and Ringed plovers on the fields are increasing in number while today Caspian Plovers were the birds of the morning.I managed a couple of reasonable but distant and much cropped plus in the poor light adjusted photos
Caspian Plover

The rain was at times heavy as can be seen in this next shot mind you I don't think much of this Isabelline Shrikes' choice fro an umbrella

Collared Pratincole

Northern Wheatear

This photo of a Chiffchaff was taken yesterday - the sun was out then

Cattle Egret

Rather high in a bland sky Honey Buzzard drifts by

Pied Wheatear

Yellow Wagtail

Red-throated Pipits

Ringed Plover and Isabelline Wheatear