To Jahra and beyond

Week 46 - 19 November 2011, Jahra Farm, SAANR, Jahra Pools Reserve and Pivot Fields

Today I did a circuit around Jahra and SAANR, starting off at Jahra Farm where I found a roosting Rufous Turtle Dove (10th record for Kuwait) in the early morning.

Rufous Turtle Dove (Streptopelia o. meena)

and a Common Chiffchaff


Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

There was very little else to be seen, so I headed up the 80 and exited on the 801 to SAANR and up on the ridge could just make out Kuwait City in the south

Kuwait City Skyline

I detoured from the normal route and was rewarded with a pair of Asian Desert Warblers that were quite active - really smart little lbj's

Asian Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana)

I covered a lot of ground through the reserve with little reward, but the early morning light gave great vista's over the wadis

SAANR Wadi

and I was rewarded with 4 sightings of Arabian Red Fox who were all very skittish, this one keeping it's eye on me from a distance and surveying it's territory.

Arabian Red Fox

I stopped at the small pan on top of the ridge finding a single Song Thrush


Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

and a medium sized flock of Trumpeter Finches


Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus)

I pushed on to Jahra Pools reserve and found the Eurasian Penduline Tit that were seen in bigger numbers earlier in the week

Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)

and a European Stonechat on the way out

European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

Last stop before heading home was Pivot Fields, later than I would normally get there. Today there were many Common Kestrel hunting over the fields

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

A male Caspian Stonechat near the maize field

Male Caspian Stonechat (Saxicola m. variegatus)

A single Greater Spotted Eagle was found on the deck in one of the fields

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga)

and the Black-winged Kite which has remained in the same area for just over a week. This species is now considered an annual visitor and a good bird to leave on.

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)