The Baltic comes to the Gulf

Week 46, 14 October 2013 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

The very next day I was back at Sea City, but this time exploring lagoons in another Phase.

The large flock of Heuglin's Gulls was still present, but scattered over a few of the beaches - but there was one gull that stood out like the proverbial sore thumb - a cracking adult Baltic Gull and one of the best views I have had of this uncommon Gull in Kuwait

Baltic Gull (Larus f. fuscus)

Part of the Heuglin's Gull flock

Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini)

Also amongst the Heuglin's was a single Common Black-headed Gull which are not as abundant in the south as they are in the north

Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

A few Slender-billed Gulls were present and they almost seem to have a pinkish hue, as they do in breeding season - I'm not sure why?

Adult Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)

The only wader seen today was a Grey Plover...

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Yesterday, I noted quite a few tiny Asian Grass Blue butterflies on one of the Islands, but a big piece of glass was not ideal to photograph them. Today I brought a more appropriate lens to photograph this small, delicate and agile butterflies. I suspect this is the female, but I cannot find it in the butterfly book that I have, whereas the male is more easily identifiable

Suspected female Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

and male

Male Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

Male and female Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

I also found a cryptic moth that preferred to roost inside the habitat rather than on the outside where it would be vulnerable to being someone's food

Unidentified Moth sp.

A couple of Dragonflies were also seen, thanks to Oscar Campbell who suggested this is Crocothemis erythraea a member of the Dragonfly genus Crocothemis. It's common names include; Broad Scarlet, Common Scarlet-darter, Scarlet Darter and Scarlet Dragonfly

Crocothemis erythraea

And lastly a small Wasp sp

Unidentified Wasp sp.