Some early winter arrivals

Week 42, 13 October 2013 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

Another visit to this impressive project in the south where I spent some time on the boat and the balance exploring various parts in a SUV.

Not much was to be seen on the lagoons other than the resident Kentish Plovers, however there was a small flock of Gulls that were roosting on the beaches. A few were Heuglin's

Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini)

But the other, more pale and lighter grey backed birds created some confusion, as they all had pale eyes. Generally Caspian has a small dark eye, and is the paler of the gulls that are found in Kuwait (I suspect these are Caspian), but if anyone would like to venture a different opinion, that would be great. Thanks to Yoav for confirming that it is Caspian.

Possible Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

Once out in the SUV, I explored one of the trenches that was brackish water and some regenerating habitat and found a single Common Redshank with it's red legs contrasting against the desert habitat

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

A Common Ringed Plover

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

and a juvenile Grey Plover, that had a yellowish tinge and appeared out of place in this habitat (the are almost always found on the coast in this location), so created a brief bit of unfounded excitement

Juvenile Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

A Greater Short-toed Lark was foraging along the banks of the trench

Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

as were a few Pied Wheatear's that have now made an appearance

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)

I drove further south toward Khiran town, but only added Mauryan Grey Shrike

Mauryan Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora pallidirostris)

and a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe h. melanoleuca)