Kuwait Birding: A twitch is on

10 July 2017

A twitch is on

Week 47, 19 November 2016 - Jahra Farm and JPR

The 10th Olive-backed Pipit for Kuwait had been found earlier in the week at Jahra Farm and it was a species I needed.

I was at the farm in the late afternoon and spent around 2-hours walking slowly around the fields. There were many assorted Pipit's foraging in the fields, so it wasn't going to be an easy task. However perseverance paid off and when a Pipit flushed into the Palm Tree near where I was standing, I knew this was probably the bird and luckily I was right!

10th Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)

I stayed still and did not make any sudden movements. So, was thrilled when it dropped out of the tree and started feeding on a path in the sun, pretty close to where I was standing where all the salient features could be seen.

Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)

Other Pipit species seen in the fields included; Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

and Caucasian Water Pipit

Caucasian Water Pipit (Anthus s. coutelli)

A few Small Cabbage Whites were also seen at the farm

Small Cabbage White (Artogeia rapae iranica)

As JPR was close by, I spent the last hour at the reserve before sunset.

I spent some time with an Asian Desert Warbler that had caught a small caterpillar that took some time to beat on a branch before finally eating the small morsel

Asian Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana)

A small flock of Northern Pintail were seen flying above and around one of the pools

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

The sun was now heading for the horizon and light was becoming golden, which was great for this North Caspian Stonechat (the species with the Wheatear tail)