A mega in the South

Week 49, 05 December 2015 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City, Khiran

I have a penchant for sunrises wherever I may be in the world, tranquility, the dawn chorus and the feeling that you have a head start on the day. Winter in Kuwait can also provide some memorable sunrises......

Khiran sunrise

As the temperature has dropped and sunrise is later in the morning, it takes some time before the birds come out to 'warm' up in the first rays of dawn. A few Water Pipits were seen in their expected habitat

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

and the numbers of Desert Wheatears are slowly increasing.

Female Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)

Male Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)

I found the Eastern Mourning Wheatear in the same location as I saw it last month..

Eastern Mourning Wheatear (Oenanthe lugens)

There was not much to be seen from the boat other than a Grey Heron

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

and a Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

and a single Daurian Shrike

Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

Once I was back on land, I explored some acacia type habitat finding the female Western Black Redstart - probably the same bird from last month!

Female Western Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)

Followed shortly by a stunning and obliging male Eversmann's Redstart, the 11th record for Kuwait. I got the news out straight away and those that still needed it were able to make the trip to the south and twitch it; as more often than not, these are generally 1-day birds.

Male Eversmann's Redstart (Phoenicurus erythronotus)

On the invertebrate side, a few Asian Grass Blues were still present

Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra karsandra)

And many Darkling Beetles scuttling around between the desert shrub

Darkling Beetle

This Dragonfly sp remains unidentified...

Dragonfly sp.

However, the day belonged to the Eversmanns - a stunning bird, it was!