A quiet morning at the Pools

Week 35, 28 August 2013 - Jahra Pools Reserve (Click to enlarge image)

As the summer holidays edge to a close, I squeezed in a quick visit to Jahra Pools after photographing the sunrise on the Corniche.

Much of the same birds were seen as on the previous visit, but with migration in progress, there is always a possibility of something unusual or different.

There were a number of Heron and Egret species around the various pools and a small flock of Little Egrets was still present

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

As was the Purple Heron

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

A Little Crake was seen foraging along the base of a fence in the main pool, as it was last week.

Little Crake (Porzana parva)

A few Great Reed Warblers were seen in the reeds

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

And there were at least 3 White-tailed Lapwings present - possibly the adults with a now older juvenile

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

The number and diversity of Shrikes had increased; here a 1st year Woodchat Shrike

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

and a Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor)

Sand Martins were seen perched and preening along one of the fences

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)

Passerine's diversity had increased with Spotted Flycatchers now making a return

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Along with Red-spotted Bluethroats

Red-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)

Rashed alerted me to the presence of a Common Rosefinch, a bird we normally see more regularly in the west at Al Abraq

Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus)

The early Stonechats that have arrived are Byzantine, as typically European and Caspian arrive later in October and November; according to some ringing records

Female Byzantine Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus)

We are eagerly waiting for September, when migration peaks and raptors arrive in greater numbers