27 August 2016

The Golden Hour

Week 34, 19 August 2016 - JPR

Markus Craig and I visited Jahra Pools Reserve in the late afternoon, which is the best time for photography, for the remaining accessible pools.

Even though it was early afternoon, a few Black-crowned Night Herons were already active and flying around above the reeds.

Adult Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
A few Caspian Reed Warbler's were seen from one of the observation towers

Caspian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. fuscus)
After a drive around the reserve, we found ourselves back at the pool in a good spot with the sun dropping in the sky behind us - perfect. Black-winged Stilts are generally quite photogenic and I quite like the image of the bird directly facing me.

Adult Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)


There were many Grey-headed Swamphen's at this time of the afternoon

Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio  p. poliocephalus)
A single European Black-tailed Godwit was still present

European Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa l. limosa)
And a few more Black-crowned Night Herons dropped in

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
A new migrant addition was a skulking Little Crake

Little Crake (Porzana parva)
A number of Shorebirds or waders were foraging on the shoreline and in the shallows including a few Ruff

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Temminck's Stint was not seen on the previous visit

Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)
There were quite a few Squacco Heron in breeding plumage and they are still looking pretty striking

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) in breeding plumage


There was also a very dark Squacco present and we debated the possibility of it being Indian Pond - but it remained as a juvenile Squacco Heron (not sure if it is an offspring of the Reserve?)

Juvenile Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)

Juvenile Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) - but a different bird to the one above


By now the sun was close to the horizon when I heard a Spotted Redshank fly by overhead. I thought it wasn't going drop in - but it circled back and dropped out of the sky, but into another pool further away from where we were parked. This just a record image, only because I haven't photographed one in breeding plumage yet!

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
By now the sun had set, when we came across a very early Grey Wagtail. Here the haze is created by the evaporating moisture from the ground still evaporating in the late afternoon heat. 

1st year Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Whilst we were watching the Wagtail, a Red-spotted Bluethroat popped out of the reeds for a record image

Red-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia s. svecica)
All in all, a pleasant afternoon in the reserve, but still the migrant numbers are relatively low; however this should change in the coming 2-weeks


1 comment:

  1. I really like how the red eye is popping out sharp!

    ReplyDelete