The Bird's and the Bee's

Week 41, 09 October 2014 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

I was down in the south for what turned out to be a quiet morning's birding, despite an encouraging start.

I made a stop at some reed habitat on route and was rewarded with a 1st year Little Crake, that had me going initially - but the long primaries and ever so slight hint of red at the base of the bill clinched the id.

Juvenile Little Crake (Porzana parva)

There weren't many migrants about, a single Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

along with a female Red-backed Shrike

Female Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

and a few Mauryan Grey Shrikes

A wary Mauryan Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora pallidirostris)

When I'm birding, I also keep an eye out for other insects; here a Darter sp.

Darter sp.

I think the Clouded Yellow's picked their migration time perfectly as most of the vociferous insect eaters have already departed. Here a male and female

Female Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)

Male Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)

The Mediterranean Pierrot is one of the small 'Blue's' and has a uniquely patterned underwing

Female Mediterranean Pierrot (Tarucus rosacea)

Male Mediterranean Pierrot (Tarucus rosacea)