High tide was just after sunset, but I took a chance and drove to Sulaibikhat Bay for the last hour of daylight and to also check if any Black Tern's were about, as none have been reported this summer, so far.
Unfortunately, the tide was still pretty far out but there were good numbers of waders on the flats along with a small flock of Greater Flamingo's. Bar-tailed Godwit and Terek Sandpiper were the two predominant species that had fair numbers, but were too far out for any images. Even the Mudskipper's were hiding and waiting for the tide to come in and soften the crust that had baked hard in the harsh afternoon sun.
Greater Sand Plovers are present all year round although the numbers swell during migration. All of our birds are in non-breeding plumage. It was interesting to watch this bird feed; it would use it's foot to agitate the water the the sediment below to stir up any hidden morsels
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| Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii) |
Gull-billed Terns breed on nearby Boubyan Island and then disperse post breeding. They quite favour foraging over the outfall picking up whatever washes out in the water
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| 1st year Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) |
With dust in the air from the brisk wind for the past 2-days, light was not great and the sunset was quite subdued.
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