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....
Gary Brown
05/08/2009 at Kabd Reserve
Highlight at KISR-Kebd was a juvenile Temminck’s Lark at the small pool. The bird was showing the typical cooling behaviour, as described by myself for other larks in a recent edition of Sandgrouse (31(1): 6-14.). Exactly 2 years...
May 2009 in Kabd Reserve and at KISR Shuwaikh
As noted earlier (20.04.2009), two successive dry seasons seem to have led to the disappearance of Dunn’s Lark from Kebd, although a few pairs may still persist in the far north of the area. Black-crowned Sparrow-lark breeding pairs...
20/04/2009 at Kabd Reserve
After a long absence, I’m back again with a brief report of a trip to Kebd. Unfortunately, the dry season seems to have led to the disappearance of Dunn’s Lark from the area, as I have seen none...
29/12/2008 at Kabd Reserve
A final trip to Kebd during 2008 was not very productive. The Black-crowned Sparrow-larks, very much in evidence just a few weeks earlier, had all vanished, no doubt foraging in other parts of the area than usual. Several...
06/06/2008 at Kabd Reserve
My first visit to Kebd for a long while yielded an interesting sighting of a Dunn’s Lark at our small pool. Although Black-crowned Sparrow-larks are regularly present there in the summer months, I’ve only seen Dunn’s Lark there...
09/05/2008 at Abraq Al Habari
Several of us (Brian, Rick, Pekka (non-stop from Cyprus to Al-Abraq!), Ina and myself) enjoyed a trip to Al-Abraq, which was full of migrants. Thankfully, there was only little shooting, but the hunters were using bee-eaters and martins...
Week 04/05 – 08/05/2008 at KISR, Shuwaikh
The lawns at KISR have become a little quieter over the past 2 weeks, but still have an interesting variety of birds. During the past two weeks, there has been a large influx of Red-backed Shrikes, but wheatears...
03/05/2008 at the Sulaibiya Pivot Fields
The Pivot Fields were alive with migrants over the weekend. Other birders (Brian, Pekka et al.) also turned up. The following species were noted: Little Bittern 3, Purple Heron 2, Squacco Heron 30+, Cattle Egret 80+, Glossy Ibis...
26/04/2008 at the Pivot Fields and Kabd
Both areas were fairly quiet on Saturday. Highlights observed at the Pivot Fields included 5 White Storks, 6 Glossy Ibises, ca. 30 Lesser Kestrels, over 30 Whinchats and a mixed flock of ca 250 Collared and Black-winged Pratincoles....
21/04/2008 at Kabd Reserve
Despite the dusty conditions, a whole host of birds was observed in Kabd during an early morning 2-hour trip. The following species were noted: Cattle Egret 7, Steppe Eagle 1, Short-toed Eagle 1, Common Buzzard 1, Montagu’s Harrier...
Mishref Jogging Track, 18/04/2008
An early morning walk along the Mishref Jogging Track with wife in tow (but no bins, unfortunately, as I wasn’t expecting to be birdwatching) proved interesting. The birds were either along the track or immediately adjacent to it...
Jahra East Outfall, 15/04/2008
At least 3 Little Bitterns were skulking in the reeds, and 2 separate Little Crakes were seen. Basra Reed Warblers were very active. Some of the other birds noted included Squacco Heron, Osprey, Montagu’s Harrrier (male), Common Sandpiper,...
Kabd Reserve, 13-14/04/2008
Many of the migrants observed on 12/04 had moved on by the following day, though the Eurasian Wryneck observed near the main gate was seen again on both 13/04 and 14/04. On 13/04, birds of interest included 6...
12/04/2008 at Kabd Reserve
After the storms of the day before, today was a bumper day in terms of migrants. The visiting UK birders were unlucky to miss the one Dunn’s Lark I flushed, but this was made up for by other...
Kabd Reserve, KISR Shuwaikh 09-10/04/2008
10/04/2008: During a visit to Kabd with a visiting group of Finnish birders, we saw a group of 45+ Pale Rockfinches, 1 Booted Eagle, 2 White-throated Robins, a Whinchat and the usual migrants and resident larks (Dunn’s Lark,...