Down in the South

Week 46, 08 November 2012 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City (Click to enlarge image)

I was down at Sea City and was able to explore the beaches and islands in and around this mega project.

Having access to a boat is essential to explore the many waterways and during the week there was no pedestrian traffic on the beach or any boats and jet skis on the water - very pleasant indeed.

I found a small flock of Common Ringed Plovers

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

as well as a few resident Kentish Plovers in various locations

Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)

This was my first Great Cormorant of this winter as they arrive and the few Socotra Cormorants have now departed

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

In the main channel to the Gulf, a few Grey Herons were seen

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

As well as a single Black-headed Gull and this adult Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei) 

and a Eurasian Curlew

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)

Birds were to be seen on the islands, but proved difficult to photograph - even this 1cy Red-spotted Bluethroat took some patience to eventually get a half decent image as it flitted between the growing vegetation on the island.

Red-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)