Week 32, 09 August 2014 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City
There was strong wind and rising dust for the visit to the desert and coastal areas of Sea City which were less than ideal conditions to be out with digital equipment and no eye drops.
Exploring some of the norther lagoons a few Socotra Cormorants were found inside the project which is pretty unusual for a generally off-shore species
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Air drying 1st year Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) |
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Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) |
I found a mixed flock of Bar-tailed Godwit's and Eurasian Whimbrel on the lee side of the lagoon
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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) |
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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) |
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Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius p. phaeopus) |
Here a Bar-tailed Godwit and Eurasian Whimbrel flying together to show the not so subtle differences in structure and bill shape and size
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Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius p. phaeopus) and Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) |
South of Khiran many shore and sea birds were found sheltering out of the wind. Again, a few Terns were found - Lesser Crested
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Lesser Crested Tern (Sterna bengalensis) |
and a family of White-cheeked Terns who were getting their youngsters ready for their imminent departure
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White-cheeked Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) |
The predominant shorebird today was Greater Sand Plover
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Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) |
with fewer Lesser Sand Plover's seen
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Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius atrifrons) |
The smaller shorebirds consisted of Little Stint
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Little Stint (Calidris minuta) |
Dunlin and Curlew Sanpiper's
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Dunlin (Calidris alpina) and Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) for comparative purposes |
Sanderling
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Sanderling (Calidris alba) |
and Terek Sandpiper
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Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) |
and the only passerine of note seen was a Yellow Wagtail that dropped onto the beach to get out of the wind.
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1st year Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava) |
No more coastal and Kuwait birding for the next 10-days as I head off to the South African lowveld and then some time up on the highveld catching up with our wonderful wildlife and then family and friends.