Birding Bahrain

Post details: Locally breeding species and the first migrant returns

2016-06-26

Locally breeding species and the first migrant returns

17:31:29, Categories: Observation by Howard

Is is that time of the year again to check regularly for locally breeding birds particularly in and around our few wetland sites, one never knows what will turn up there - and then there is the shore - to check for breeding species and the first returning waders. Elsewhere there is still plenty of time to go before first records of the passerines will start showing up mixing with those locally breeding species but still a lot of ground to cover in the meantime often with little in return. Can be more a question often of glimpsed or heard, rather than fully observed.

Black-crowned Night Heron a very visible day time species at the moment making observations quite easy

One of many juvenile birds seen note a young bird the eye has yet to turn orange/red
Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-winged Stilt an early breeder in April and May

Kentish Plover Chick smallest youngest seen most probably from a second brood

Lesser Crested Tern just started breeding currently on offshore Islands

Little Grebe juvenile this one independent and well developed but others still still dependent on adults

Little Grebe juvenile

Little Tern Chick breeding more wide spread this year

Little Tern Chick

Little Tern

Saunders's Tern breeds slightly earlier than Little - chicks far more advanced

Saunders's Tern juvenile

Socotra Cormorant will start breeding in late September on Hawar here a first year bird

Socotra Cormorant

Squacco Heron - breeding well advanced one fledged chick seen so far

White-cheeked Tern breeding season well advanced not fussy about habitat for breeding any quiet corner near the shore will do

Western Reef Heron extensive season well underway breeding in mangrove on coastal scrub, bushes and even trees

Returns on the shore
Greater Sand Plover return increasing

Interesting picture - extreme left locally breeding Kentish Plover and on the hard right a Lesser Sand Plover - central birds all Greater Sands
Mixed Plovers