A twitch, at last!

Week 49, 04 December 2014 - Jahra Pools Reserve

A Fieldfare had been present at Jahra Pools for almost a week and I hadn't yet had the opportunity to get to see this obliging bird. So, I packed my gear in my car this morning and headed to Jahra Pools from the city straight after work.

The sun is already setting before 5pm, so it didn't give me a lot of time and the weekend traffic slowed my time in getting to the reserve. I bumped into one of the local birders near the gate who confirmed the bird was still present, so that was good news. Unfortunately, it wasn't at it's 'usual' spot when I got there, but a few of the others assured me it would return and sure enough it did. I spent a good amount of time enjoying and soaking up this really smart looking Thrush.

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

By now the sun was very low in the sky and light was fading fast, so I had a quick cruise around the reserve finding a skulking Common Snipe

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

A Common Kingfisher looking for a snack before bed time

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) in the late afternoon light

and finally a female Caspian Stonechat on the plumes of the phragmite reeds.

Female Caspian Stonechat (Saxicola m. hemprichii)

On the way out after sunset, a Greater Spotted Eagle came in low looking for a roost for the night, but was immediately harassed by the resident Western Marsh Harrier, but it wasn't particularly perturbed and flew on regardless to its perch.

Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) and Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) interaction

By this time the sun had set and I went home feeling pretty satisfied myself