07/10/2009 at Jahra Pool Reserve

An early morning to JPR turned out to be well-worthwhile, and I started off by photographing the Red-necked Phalaropes that have been around for a while now. This time, they came very close to where I was sitting. The highlight of the morning came whilst I was watching two Water Rails chasing each other around in front of some reedbeds (with a couple of Little Crakes frantically trying to get out of their way): out of the corner of my eye I noticed something move in the water straight in front of the car, and it turned out to be a Purple Swamp-Hen. Very obligingly, it flew about 20 m to a position on an exposed mound of earth where I could photograph it at leisure. A second bird also arrived briefly. Among the many other species present at JPR were Little Grebe, Spotted Crake, Marsh harrier, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Sand martin, Isabelline Shrike, Sedge Warbler.

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus

Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana