Summer shorebirds

Week 27; 08 July 2017 - Jahra East Outfall (JEO) and JPR

No posts in June, as we were away for a really enjoyable summer break in Greece, after which the family returned to SA for the rest of the summer holidays. Summer birding is tough in Kuwait as the temperatures rise rapidly after 9am, so you have to get out early. Photography is a challenge all through summer with heat haze playing havoc with focusing and sharp images.

I started at JEO just after sunrise for a sea watch, no pelagic species (it was a long shot), but I did have resident Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover (Anarhynchus alexandrinus)

As well as Greater Sand Plover

Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)

There were a couple of fly by's - Eurasian Curlew

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)

and Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

On the low tide, Mudskipper's were active

Boleophthalmus dussemieri

And a few species of Crustaceans showed themselves - Fiddler Crabs close to the beach which are quite entertaining to watch the males trying to impress the females

Fiddle Crab (Uca spp)

Along with another species that preferred some habitat away from the beach in their watery world

Metapograpsus Messor

It was a fair walk back to the car finding Sand Martin hawking over the outfall before taking the short drive to the adjacent JPR whilst it was still early.

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)

Black-crowned Night Herons coming in to roost at the main pool

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

On the road to the beach, a single Black-tailed Godwit, but against the light

European Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa l. limosa)

Black-winged Stilts were pretty vocal

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

A very late European Roller departed quickly after dropping in for a drink

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

The White-tailed Lapwings were still present, looking a little wilted in the heat

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

As were Little Ringed Plover which should have bred in the past month

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Down at the beach, another Greater Sand Plover, but this one moulting into breeding plumage

Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)

More Eurasian Curlews with one a possible orientalis

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)

A small flock of Cream-coloured Coursers were sitting in the shade under the thatch umbrella's on the beach - I haven't seen these birds for a really long time and it seems their numbers are on the decline

Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius cursor)

A few invertebrates on the way out when it became too unpleasant to be out

Dragonfly sp.

Dragonfly sp.