Exploring the Jahra Area

Week 18, 30 April 2013 - Jahra and surrounds (Click to enlarge image)

After my survey yesterday, I stopped by Jahra Farms on the way home and as I walked in through the gate, had this Basra Reed Warbler out in the open 2m in front of me. I am not normally this lucky with this tough to find bird.

Basra Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis)

Today I had the pleasure of guiding Don Hill, a world lister from New York who had stopped over in Kuwait after a few weeks birding in Africa. Obviously Kuwait was a real contrast to both the birds and habitat of the African forests in Uganda, but nevertheless we still found many good birds together.

At Jahra East Outfall I found Basra for Don, as well as a number of other good species. This bird had me guessing for a while when I saw it from a distance, it looked quite different as it's feathers were wet, but I finally confirmed it as Eastern Orphean Warbler

Eastern Orphean Warbler (Sylvia crassirostris) 

After JEO we headed to Jahra Pools and had some unexpected rain on the way. The resulting cloud cover was not quite conducive to photography, so we continued to rack up the birds. There were numbers of young Little Grebe, now swimming independent of the adult birds

Juvenile Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

This Black-winged Stilt is probably sitting on eggs and hopefully the water levels will remain stable and not flood the nest.

Breeding Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

As with yesterday, Red-backed Shrikes are still everywhere.

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

We then headed to Jahra Farms where and had the clouds lift and let some sun through. Again some good birds, but this Barred Warbler was the most obliging.

Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria)

A last stop at Doha Spur didnt produce much, as the tide had come in quicker than we had planned - but 79 species was a respectable total for the day and added a few more to Don's life list.

North of Mutla Ridge

Week 18, 29 April 2013 - A new area north of Mutla (Click to enlarge image)

Abdulmohsen Al Suraye and I conducted a 2nd survey in a new area north of Mutla Ridge and were able to compare results to the previous month. It is quite amazing how many migrants have long moved on but are replaced by a new stream of different species. As with other sites and the Region, there has been an absolute eruption of Red-backed Shrikes.

I arrived early and this was really big sky country with some cloud cover to add to the atmosphere.

A new day dawns

In the first area there was not much habitat, but what little habitat there was had diversity and numbers of many migrant species, but most of the passerines had one eye on the Shrikes..

A late male White-throated Robin was a surprise and proved to be quite elusive

Male White-throated Robin (Irania gutturalis)

There were numbers of Common Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

and a few Upcher's Warblers in a small stand of mature trees. I have seen quite a few with this prominent pale wing panel, not dissimilar to Olive Tree

Upcher's Warbler (Hippolais languida)

As mentioned, Red-backed Shrikes were aplenty and thanks to Yoav for highlighting that Red-backed Shrikes do a complete moult in Africa (in winter), so it is impossible to age them in Spring, but most can be sexed.

Male Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Female Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

A little further north a single female Lesser Kestrel (not Common) was found roosting in a dead tree. Thanks to my friend Daniele for correcting the mis-id by highlighting that Lesser has white nails and thinner black bands on the upperparts. 

Female Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

Even though this tree provided very little cover, we still had birds in the vicinity including a Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)

In an open natural depression, there was some good cover and here we found Common Redstart

Female Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

More Upcher's Warblers

Upcher's Warbler (Hippolais languida)

and of course more Red-backed Shrikes

Female Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Only a few Spiny-tailed Lizards were seen

Spiny-tailed Lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia mirolepis)

We then explored the southern area closer to the Ridge and had masses of Shrikes (Red-backed, Lesser Grey, Woodchat, Turkestan and the odd Daurian) in the Acacia trees that lined either side of the road.

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor)

Driving slowly we found a skulking Common Nightingale

Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)

5 Eurasian Golden Orioles that somehow were always on the opposite side of the tree to where we were

Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

A Common Cuckoo that took some time to finally get a decent image

Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) 

On our last visit we had a Mauryan Grey Shrike with a snake, this time a Red-backed with an unfortunate Willow Warbler. I reckon the Willow Warblers form a big part of the Shrikes diet on migration. Again, the strategy was to impale the prey on an acacia thorn inside the cover so it could feed without dropping it's prey - fascinating to watch (Ok, it is not quite the same as a Lion kill that I am more used to seeing in the National Parks of South Africa).

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) with Willow Warbler prey

Now, we wait until next month to see further changes in migration patterns.

Migration continues

Week 17, 25 April 2013 - Jahra Pools Reserve (Click to enlarge image)

I had a productive morning at Jahra Pools and am always amazed at the bird movement during migration - no two days are the same!

As it was the Pools, passerines were outnumbered by waterbirds and waders, but there was still good variety to be enjoyed by Khaled Al Ghanem and I.

This week Common Ringed Plovers had replaced Little Ringed Plovers that were seen in the previous week.

Displaying Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

The Kentish Plover adults were not as vigilant over their now grown chicks which were almost independent

Male Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)

There were large numbers of Curlew Sandpipers in a variety of summer plumage's

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Good numbers of Temminck’s Stint, here two plumage variations

Breeding plumage Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

Non-breeding plumage Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

Were found amongst the many Little Stints

Adult Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Normally Little Bittern are skulking and elusive but today I saw at least 4 individual males - they may even be breeding in the reeds. This was a hand-held grab shot with a 600 + 1,4x as it flushed out of the reeds!

Male Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

A couple of Little Egrets were seen foraging and moving between the different pools

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Out on the pools I found a pair of Ferruginous Ducks which are most likely the parents for the 4 ducklings we found earlier in the month. This would constitute the first breeding record of this species for Kuwait if accepted by KORC

Male and Female Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

I also found the female Mallard with it's 10 much bigger ducklings, another first breeding record for Kuwait if accepted by KORC

Female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) with her ducklings

A lone female Tufted Duck was seen on the bigger western pool

Female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

There seems to have been an eruption of Red-backed Shrikes all over the Region and they are literally seen everywhere. Thanks to Yoav for highlighting that Red-backed Shrikes do a complete moult in Africa (in winter), so it is impossible to age them in Spring, but most can be sexed.

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Male Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

This Common Whitethroat was seen preening after having had a bath

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Sedge Wablers were heard and seen along the reed base

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

A few Upcher's Warblers are around and this species has also been seen at most sites

Upcher's Warbler (Hippolais languida)

The Willow Warblers are found in and around the reed beds and many of this little birds fall victim to the Red-backed Shrikes

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Spotted Flycatchers have now returned

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Only one Turkestan Shrike was seen, so most have already passed through.

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides)

By way of comparison, here is a different sub-species of Turkestan that I photographed last week in the same area

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius p. karelini)

A male and female Ortolan Bunting were seen on the side of the road.

Male Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana)

It was great to see 3 Arabian Red Fox pups sleeping outside of their den, but safely inside the reserve. 

Arabian Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes arabica) pup

Jahra Pools is really a great reserve and should continue to be so on condition the water supply is maintained. I believe we will get many more good breeding records and rarities before this year ends.