White and Grey and Black

Week 02, 09 January 2016 - Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City, Khiran

After a fantastic 2-weeks in the mountains and forests of Austria and even a bonus snow storm on the last day of the year, we find ourselves back in Kuwait - where it did take quite some time to re-adjust back to the land of sand!

There were good winter rains while we were away and this bodes well for a good spring as the desert floral show will start erupting soon.

My first outing of the year, was down south...

Very few winter species at my first stop, other than a White Wagtail

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

A single Isabelline Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

And the female Western Black Redstart, still present in the same area as last month

Western Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)

I found a fruiting shrub inside the project, which a small flock of White-eared Bulbul's were enjoying

White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus l. leucotis)

Out on the water, it was a bit of a Gull fest....with a number of species around..

An array of the resident Slender-billed Gulls in a variety of plumage variations

Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)

A single Common Black-headed Gull which are uncommon in the south

Wintering Common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

A classic winter plumaged Heuglin's Gull (in hindsight, similar to the bird I recorded last month)

Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini)

This one may be Steppe, as it is a little paler above than some of the other Heuglin's that were present.....

Possible Steppe Gull (Larus f. barabensis)

A flyby of a single Western Cattle Egret was also a little unusual for the south of Kuwait

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

A couple of invertebrates were also recorded; Painted Lady

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui cardui)

Mediterranean Pierrot

Mediterranean Pierrot (Tarucus rosaceus)

and Western Pygmy Blue

Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis)

Whilst this Dragonfly remains unidentified

Dragonfly sp.