I had a great day's guiding with Linda Widdop, the VP of Delaware Valley Bird Club (DVBC) in Philadelphia who was in Kuwait on business. Not a great start when Google Maps hadn't been updated with all the road works around the Hotel and quite frustrating when you can see the Hotel, but not quite get there.
I planned a route starting in the west at Abraq and from there heading back east to finally end the day at Jahra Pools. Unfortunately we had quite a brisk wind for most of the day, but migrants were on the move. As like last week, Al Abraq was pretty cold early in the morning but we combined our time here with both walking and driving. The pool at the entrance had Grey Wagtail and we watched it dismember a Dragonfly for breakfast
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| Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) |
There were a number of Green Sandpiper seen and heard
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| Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) |
In the woods, the numbers of Willow Warbler had increased, but there were also still a few Chiffchaff both seen and heard
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| Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) |
In the open desert area we had a number of Hoopoe and later a few Tawny Pipits dropped in - probably as respite against the wind
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| Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) |
Whilst overhead a couple of Common Swift passed by very quickly
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| Common Swift (Apus apus) |
We got onto a stunning male Common Redstart and in the same area also Common and Lesser Whitethroat. A male Ménétriés’s Warbler played hiding-go-seek with us, but did eventually present itself briefly
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| Male Ménétriés’s Warbler (Sylvia mystacea_ |
Linda picked up a raptor high overhead which turned out to be a Steppe Eagle
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| Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) |
whilst I briefly got onto a Black-winged Kite (not the same juvenile as my last visit), as it flew by low over the trees
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| Black-winged Kite (Elanus c. vociferus) |
By now we weren't adding new birds, so headed east and north to Liyah which is primarily an open desert reserve. We added Desert Wheatear and Mauryan Grey Shrike and had better views of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. The unexpected migrant, at least for this reserve, was a male Semi-collared Flycatcher that had perfected the art of keep of lot of foliage between us and him.
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| Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) |
After a quick stop for a McRoyale (which is apparently not on the McDonald's menu in the USA) we headed south to Sulaibikhat Bay for the incoming tide.
There was quite an assortment of Gulls; Slender-billed, Common Black-headed, Caspian, Steppe, Heuglin's and a single Baltic on the edge of the big flock of Redshank
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| Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus) and Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) |
The Greater Flamingo flock was edging closer until some wanker with his drone and not a care for anyone else flushed them all, together with the Gull and Wader flock
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| Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) |
A couple of Gull's were still coming in from further down the coast, but continued with the rest of the flock
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| Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) |
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| Possible Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) |
There are a number of Eurasian Collared Doves at this location, this one flying low in the wind with the causeway as a backdrop
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| Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) |
It was then back north for a walk around Jahra Farm where the same unique farming technique has been practiced for over 100 years. We had a number of species here, including the resident White-throated Kingfishers
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| White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) |
Overhead, Linda picked up another soaring raptor - this also a Steppe Eagle, but with a really dark head which is a plumage variant I have not seen or read about before. Perhaps it is related to the age of the bird?
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| Dark-headed Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) |
Our last stop was Jahra Pools, just over the 80 Freeway from Jahra Farm and here we racked up many more species of Ducks, Grebes and other reed dwelling species. A pair of Pied Kingfishers had us entertained for some time as they hunted in the main pool
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| Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) |
And in a quiet pool, we picked up both Spotted and Little Crake which Linda was thrilled about. At the causeway we had a variety of Heron's including Great White Egret
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| Western Great Egret (Ardea alba) |
We also watched a female Western Marsh Harrier spooking all the birds, as it flew low over the reeds
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| Female Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) |
And later this male Marsh Harrier that I am struggling to age
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| Male Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) |
Jahra Pools is still THE place for Greater Spotted Eagles and we had our fill with these magnificent raptors as they slowly dropped out of the sky
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| Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) |
to come and roost for the night
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| Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) |
In amongst the Greater Spotted's, a Western Osprey had also found a high perch for the night
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| Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) |
By now the sun had hit the horizon and it was time to head back to the Hotel whilst recounting the highlights of the day. We had just over 80 species of which just under 40 were new species for Linda. This is not a bad haul for this early in the spring migration and with an unfavourable wind
You can read Linda's account of the day on her Blog;
https://www.phillybirdnerd.net
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