Exploring the Jahra Area

Week 18, 30 April 2013 - Jahra and surrounds (Click to enlarge image)

After my survey yesterday, I stopped by Jahra Farms on the way home and as I walked in through the gate, had this Basra Reed Warbler out in the open 2m in front of me. I am not normally this lucky with this tough to find bird.

Basra Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis)

Today I had the pleasure of guiding Don Hill, a world lister from New York who had stopped over in Kuwait after a few weeks birding in Africa. Obviously Kuwait was a real contrast to both the birds and habitat of the African forests in Uganda, but nevertheless we still found many good birds together.

At Jahra East Outfall I found Basra for Don, as well as a number of other good species. This bird had me guessing for a while when I saw it from a distance, it looked quite different as it's feathers were wet, but I finally confirmed it as Eastern Orphean Warbler

Eastern Orphean Warbler (Sylvia crassirostris) 

After JEO we headed to Jahra Pools and had some unexpected rain on the way. The resulting cloud cover was not quite conducive to photography, so we continued to rack up the birds. There were numbers of young Little Grebe, now swimming independent of the adult birds

Juvenile Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

This Black-winged Stilt is probably sitting on eggs and hopefully the water levels will remain stable and not flood the nest.

Breeding Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

As with yesterday, Red-backed Shrikes are still everywhere.

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

We then headed to Jahra Farms where and had the clouds lift and let some sun through. Again some good birds, but this Barred Warbler was the most obliging.

Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria)

A last stop at Doha Spur didnt produce much, as the tide had come in quicker than we had planned - but 79 species was a respectable total for the day and added a few more to Don's life list.