Birds of Bahrain

Archives for: January 2018

2018-01-31

January the bonus of a few rarities Part 2

21:23:05, Categories: Observation by Howard, Admin - Howard King

Close to Hamalah farm in adjacent scrub thanks to birding friends I was finally able to get up close and personal with a Great Spotted Cuckoo

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Not a lot seen at Adhari just too much disturbance at weekends but a visit did provide close-ups of a Spotted Crake and Clamorous Reed Warbler
Spotted Crake

Spotted Crake

Spotted Crake
On returning from the UK my first port of call had to be the Hypocolius morning roost adjancent to Jasra Water Pumping Sation - it was pleasing to see so many - probably well over five hundred birds pass through the site between 06:30 and 08:00 THE PEAK BEING AROUND 07:00 - this will creep earlier as the time passes keeping pace with sunrise.

Hypocolius

Male
Hypocolius

Hypocolius

Female
Hypocolius

Clamorous Reed Warbler

and Bluethroat

Bluethroat

At Hamlah Farm the problem was finding birds the site was relatively quiet and birds were often easily spooked
Richards Pipit is a species they I have been chasing for years I have seen dozens but could never get close enough for a decent phtograph well now I have and what a hind claw they have.

Richards Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Bluethroat female I believe

Isabelline Shrike

Isabelline Wheatear
Isabelline Shrike " alt="Isabelline Wheatear" title="Isabelline Wheatear" />

This rather weird looking Dove was keeping company with the Collared
dove

Collared Dove

Corn Bunting

Crested Lark

Curlew
Curlew

Kestrel
Kestrel

Lapwing
Lapwing

Namaqua Dove

Pallid Harrier

Red-throated Pipit

Graceful Prinia

Skylark
Skylark

Skylark

Tawny Pipit

Spanish Sparrow

Stonechats a mix of European and Siberian types

Stonechat

At the Jeble Dakhan
Desert Lark

the long staying White-crowned Black Wheatear

White-crowned Black Wheatear

Desert Wheatear

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2018-01-30

January was a busy month with the bonus of a few rarities Part 1

19:35:38, Categories: Observation by Howard, Admin - Howard King

After a late return from the UK the remainder of the month was really exceptional - not a lot of species around mind but what did turn up was exceptional, hence a rather long posting split into two parts

Starting at Askar Marsh
The White-tailed Plover seen in December was relocated keeping company with numerous Snipe, Sandpipers, Shanks, Stilts, Herons, Glossy Ibis and common Kingfishers
waders

White-tailed Plover

Snipe
Snipe

Snipe

Green Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Kingfisher

Glossy Ibis

Pooping on the wing
Glossy Ibis

Little Grebe

Green Shank

Western Reef Heron now in breeding plumage

Squacco Heron

Purple Gullinule (SwampHen)

White Wagtail

Water Pipit

But the bird of month or rather the species of the month observered at Askar has to be the two Pied Kingfishers that turned up in the last week of the month however intitialy it was thought there was only one

Pied Kingfisher