Mission Accomplished

Week 31, 28 July 2014 - Boubyan, North Kuwait

I was on a mission to get better photographs of the 3rd Mudskipper species in Kuwait - Slender Mudskipper.

An early start to catch the low tide, meant a fair drive north, then east and north again toward Boubyan Island and stopping on route for a few landscape images

Camel grazing with a Jal Al Zor backdrop

The only switchback road in Kuwait

Jal Al Zor

In this northern area there are also extensive mudflats - but finding a suitable one was a challenge.

Eventually I did find one and after scanning it for some time saw that there was quite a bit of activity on the flats. The problem was that since it was early I would be photographing into the sun - my problem was solved when I found an old slipway, so could get closer to the low tide and photograph back to the beach with the sun behind me. So I plonked myself down on my backside and sat for over an hour enjoying the animated activities of these fascinating amphibious fish. May I present to you, Scartelaos tenuis, who by the way has impressive blue eyes when the catch the light just right!

Slender Mudskipper (Scartelaos tenuis)

As with the mudflats in the south, there are some large Crabs that co-exist on the mudflats with the Mudskippers

Macrophthalmus dentipe

After an enjoyable morning, I headed back toward home stopping first at McDonalds to enjoy a birding favourite - Egg McMuffin and Cappucino and since it was the first day of Eid, they were open!

A quick stop at the smelly outfall in Sulaibikhat produced a single Eurasian Oystercatcher

Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

And a few White-winged Terns foraging over the outfall - I shudder to think what it is they fished out of the outfall to eat, but it must be revolting!

White-winged Tern

And a House Crow dropped in, fortunately the number of these Crows have remained low in Kuwait

House Crow (Corvus splendens)