Sunset shorebirds

Week 37; 14 September 2019 - Abu Hassania Beach

I had some issues with the auto focus on my Canon body, so after the Pivots in the morning, I swung by Canon to have it checked out. We switched it to Live View and focusing was fine and when we switched it back, it sorted itself out on it's own - odd, but very relieved.

So, in order to make sure it was fine, I went to Abu Hassania beach (on the other side of the freeway from where I stay) to test it in the late afternoon, just before sunset.

There were a few waders on the beach, but I couldn't get as close as I would have liked. A couple of Common Ringed Plover were quite busy feeding on the beach.

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

Greater Sand Plovers were amongst the rocks and along the beach

Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Were feeding together with a small flock of Sanderling's

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Whilst Kentish Plover's kept away from the mixed flock

Kentish Plover (Anarhynchus alexandrinus)

A single Terek Sandpiper landed close to me, but then sprinted as far away from me as possible

Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)

Just as the sunset, a Common Redshank flew past me and up the coast. I was a bit slow getting onto it though...

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

I then played around with some slow exposure panning for an abstract 
sea-scape

Dreamy Seascape

Followed by an abstract sunset

Psychedelic Sunset

After which I headed home happy that my camera body was back to normal!

Class birds at the Pivots

Week 37; 14 September 2019 - Mutla'a Ranch and Pivot Fields

This was my first outing after returning from an enjoyable 2-weeks in South Africa, seeing the family and spending a week in the southern Kruger National Park, which was very dry compared to the last time we visited. Nevertheless, we still had great birds and mammal sightings and really enjoyed our time soaking up the tranquility of the African bush.

Now back in Kuwait in time for the autumn migration.

Yesterday afternoon, Neil Tovey, Paul Scott and I were out at Mutla'a Ranch although at 3pm it was still too hot and birds were still sheltering out of the sun. There were many Crested and Short-toed Larks on the ground in any shade they could find. We found a Namaqua Dove from this year's brood

Juvenile Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)

Along with a single Sykes's Wagtail

Sykes's Wagtail (Motacilla f. beema)

As it cooled down, we had some other migrant passerines; Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Barred Warbler, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Olivaceous Warbler and a Garden Warbler (crappy record shot)

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)

We then headed to Khuwaisat to check if any raptors were coming in to roost, but the wind direction was not favourable and none were to be seen. Neil dropped us off at JPR to collect our cars, just in time to watch the Harvest Moon rise.

JPR Harvest Moon

At 6am we all met again at Pivot Fields and since there were a few of us, we split into 3 cars and worked the fields from all directions which proved to be a good strategy. I started along the northern boundary road, finding an accommodating Indian Reed Warbler

Indian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. brunnescens)

Followed shortly by a Black-winged Kite and a good number of Black Kites, but no chance for any photographs against the light. A European Roller was a little more obliging

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

I slowly worked my way back to the marsh, where most birds seem to pass by or over. I was in luck with a fleeting view of a vocal Common Rosefinch

Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus)

I spent some time walking the soggy 'track' between the two pools and was surprised by a juvenile Black Stork passing by low overhead. I alerted the others and eventually we all got to see it (it made 3 fly over's as it looked for a quiet place to land - this is a working farm, so not that easy for a skittish Black Stork)

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

A Common Whitethroat was seen at the top of the reeds, not the usual habitat I would expect to see it

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Whilst a Temminck's Stint passed by over the reeds.

Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

There were a fair number of Western Marsh Harriers

Female Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Paul joined me just as two Black-winged Kites passed overhead and amazingly did a u-turn and flew back toward us in just perfect light

Black-winged Kite (Elanus c. vociferus)

Guess the silhouette?

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Over the marsh and surrounding fields a few White-winged Terns were happily foraging on the wing

White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

We then continued driving the fields and I had good views of a juvenile Pallid Harrier 

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

and a female Montagu's Harrier. There was also a Hen Harrier present, but too distant to photograph in the heat haze - but that completed a clean sweep of Harrier's for the morning!

Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)

A really young Lesser Grey Shrike was seen hiding in some irrigation

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor)

Whilst on the southern boundary, European Bee-eaters were successfully catching bee's on the wing

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

Neil called to say he had Black-winged Pratincole amongst the Collared and we managed to see them in flight

Black-winged Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni)

By now the temp was starting to drain us, so it was a good time to call it a morning

Adios August

Week 34; 17 August 2019 - Pivot Fields

This is to be my last outing in August, as I head back to SA for a long overdue 2-week break to see my family and to spend a week at our timeshare at Ngwenya Lodge on the banks of the Crocodile River in the southern Kruger National Park (my soul food!).

I was through the gate at 6am and not shortly after, came across a flock of Collared Pratincole (all juveniles) roosting on the desert floor

Juvenile Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)

And a Spiny-tailed Lizard that was enjoying the cooler early morning sun

Arabian Spiny-tailed Lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis)

The family of Common Kestrel were hanging around the same Tamerisk Tree as a week ago

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

I then headed back to the reed and shallow pool habitat to sit in the car and wait patiently to see what interesting Warbler were around. It didn't take long for them to start appearing. This time there were Great Reed Warblers

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

Along with Indian Reed Warblers, worn adults and fresh juveniles

Worn adult Indian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. brunnescens)

Young Indian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus s. brunnescens)

I was eventually rewarded with a fleeting but better view of the Savi's

Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)

There were still Citrine Wagtails

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)

Amongst the Western Yellow Wagtails

Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla f. flava)

Amongst the mixed waders, I had a single Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

and the White-tailed Lapwing numbers had increased to three

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

A single Garganey was among the big flock of Black-winged Stilts when a passing Marsh Harrier flushed them from the pool

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Namaqua Dove's dropped in for a drink, but often flushed again before drinking

Male Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)

On the way out, I saw the Falconer with his Peregrine, so a few more portraits of this magnificent raptor were almost obligatory

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

I went to check the area with the Sparrow-Larks and found the flock of 7 Spur-winged Lapwing. They have now been present in the general area for a few weeks and hopefully will remain

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

I will return to Kuwait in early September and in time for the raptor passage - lets hope it surpasses last year.