Birding Bahrain

The news of the day has to be that of a Sociable Plover seen at the Hamalah Experimental Farm by Adrian Drummond-Hill this afternoon. Having been there most of the morning I am a bit peed off with his good fortune.

Pics from the chicken farm end of Hamalah
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater today saw a hugh passage of this colourful migrant

Redshank

Indian Silver-bill

Marsh Harrier a clipped shot taken from a distance -

But for me the Kingfisher seen at Adhari first thing this morning plus the six Squacco Herons along with a Cut-throat (photo under Wildlife)remain the best birds I saw today

I got a bit delayed in putting last weekends images up so - over the two days actually only went to two places Busaiteen on Friday morning and Buri on the Saturday. To bore those that don't like waders first up are some of the species seen at Busaiteen Maharraq, which include a few interesting Wheatears images.

Kentish Plover - a well marked individual totally unlike the resident washed out birds we normally see at this time of the year.

Greater Sand Plover - now in full winter Plumage and included here cause I like em

Lesser Sand Plover

Curlew

Dunlin - just a few feathers left to moult out

Ringed Plover - a common species now with as many on the shore as on the farms

some record shots of some of the terns seen here White-cheeked - about to leave to warmer climes

Sandwich Tern - my first of the season with Slender-billed in the foreground

Gull-billed Tern

Pied Wheatear - me thinks because cant see what else they can be - I have included some of the fuzzier shots to show tail and under wing

Isabelline Wheatear

Saturday a change of venue - Buri in an area largely used to currently farm Ocra

Ocra

Stonechat here a European visitor

Northern Wheatear

Desert Wheatear

Hoopoe

Tawny Pipit

Most birds produce pellets to get rid of undigested material in their diet. This bee-eater was caught in the act.

He seems happier without it!

Isabelline Wheatear

Pallid Harrier

Bee-eaters are plentiful today. Snipe are building up and the odd roller can still be found. The wheatears are starting to thin out in the past few days.

Almost missed this!

Attention!!!!!!!!!!!!

European roller

A lot around this week-end but boy did it cause some problems for ID. The major problem were the Wheatears so many in fact along a single excavated drain in the chicken farm that they were impossible to pin down, made worse by the fact that many were the female/1cy winter type. They would disappear from view and re-emerge on another mound of dirt or sprinkler further along the track only to be replaced by another look alike on the pile one was watching. I hate basing ID for Wheatears on a single feature and often the back view provides at a single glance most clues especially if the bird is seen to fly. Fly they did but always then out of view and when making themselves available for a nice photo they would be face on. Tying faces to backsides was nigh on impossible so I like Adrian who followed me on Friday afternoon, ended up with a lot of maybe's and the odd what the hell is this.

But first the pics of species I am sure about.

Ortolan Bunting

Stonechat my first of the season

In the sump a Snipe - an odd looking white faced fellow

Six Glossy Ibis circle the site before dropping into the sewage sump

Isabelline shrike - a selection from the many birds around

Red-backed Shrike - two individuals seen

Namaqua Dove - I remember the first few seen in the early 90's

Citrine Wagtail

Swallows

Southern Grey Shrike

Now the Wheatears
Most likely this is a Black-eared

Most likely this is a Isabelline

This I am not in any way certain about - rear could be Isabelline but a very short tail in comparison to others and the bill boy that's a big one and with that facial I am not sure thought about a Finches for this one, just a thought but don't know.

I happened to be in the right place at the right time this weekend. This Osprey and a Hobby were very obliging.

Osprey

Hobby

Again a short weekend had to complete some work in the office
First my favourite shot of the day

Caspian Tern

Pied Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

Short-toed Lark

Whimbrel