The following birdwatching tours are available to book now. They include three meals, reserve entrance fees, hotel accommodation in a double room, transport in 4 WD, and all the services of the bird guide.
Itinerary:
Autumn Tour 09-17 Nov 2024 (8 nights), price: $1600. (spaces available)
Autumn Tour 20-26 Nov 2024 (6 nights), price: $1350. (spaces available)
Winter Tour 11-16 Dec 2024 (5 nights), price: $1200. (spaces available)
Winter Tour 03-11 Jan 2025 (8 nights), price: $1600. (spaces available)*
Winter Tour 13-19 Jan 2025 (6 nights), price: $1350. (spaces available)*
* Dates updated 22/03/2024
Day 1: Meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: We will start at Green Island for the Hypocolius, Red-vented Bulbul, White-eared Bulbul, Common Myna, Bank Myna, and Ruppell’s Weaver. We then drive south to Abu Hassaniya for Lesser and Greater Crested Terns, Lesser and Greater Sand Plovers. We then head to Shuwaikh Free Trade Zone as a starting point to scan the whole of Sulaibikhat Bay in search of waders and end at Doha Spit. In Sulaibikhat Bay we will for sure encounter the resident and breeder Crab-plover, and a range of waders, terns, gull, and Sandpipers which include Heuglin’s Gull, Steppe Gull, Armenian Gull, Caspian Gull, and Great Black-headed Gull, Terek Sandpiper, Indian (Western) Reef Heron, Lesser and Greater Sand plovers, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo (seen the last two winters), Caspian Tern, Gull-billed Tern, and Whiskered Tern, Moustached Warbler, we will search for Great Knot (rare) where it has been seen last year at same dates. We will continue to scan the northern part of Kuwait Bay which is called Kadma Bay which also includes Jahra East Outfall and Jahra Pools Reserve. Jahra Pools Reserve is a very interesting place and here we are expected to see White-breasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Grey-headed Swamphen, Little Grebe, Purple Heron, Bailon’s Crake (rare), Black-necked Grebe, Namaqua Dove, Ferruginous Duck, Western Great Egret, Little Egret, Western Reef Egret, Eurasian Coot, Pallid Swift, Greater Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Pallid Harrier, Caspian Stonechat, Byzantine Stonechat, European Stonechat, Graceful Prinia, and we may encounter White-tailed Lapwing and Red-wattled Lapwing. We will finish the day at Jahra Pools Reserve.
Day 3: We will visit again Jahra Pools Reserve to cover it more thoroughly and head to Jahra Farms and then Jal Al-Zour (a desert with ridges and boulders), Mutla’a Ranch (a desert oasis), and Al-Shallal’s Farm. Birds expected to be seen at these sites include Shikra, Eversmann’s (Rufous-backed) Redstart, Lilith Owlet, Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Eastern Mourning Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Ménétries’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Asian Desert Warbler, Hypocolius, Greater Short-toed Lark, Turkestan Shrike, Daurian Shrike, Mauryan (Steppe) Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike (although rare in winter). We also search for Larks in the desert between the farms, which include Bar-tailed Lark, Lesser Short-toed Lark, and Hoopoe Lark.
Day 4: We will drive north to Abdali Farms for the Afghan Babbler. On our way, we will stop at Mutla’a Ranch in search of rarities (last year a Sooty Falcon was found there). At Abdali Farms we will look for the Afghan Babbler and Red-wattled Lapwing which both breed there, and Pallid Scops Owl and a number of wintering birds. We will then drive to the Al-Ratqa desert in search of Desert Lark, Dunn’s Lark, Hoopoe Lark, and Lesser Short-toed Lark, Bar-tailed Lark. We will drive south to Kabd’s Reserve, where we will search for the Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark which breeds there, and any other wintering birds, which will include Red-tailed Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Finsch’s Wheatear, and Eastern Mourning Wheatear.
Day 5: We will visit Al-Abraq Oasis where any rarity might turn up. Hume’s Leaf Warbler was almost annual for the last four years. We are expected to find some good wintering birds. Oriental Skylark, Pallid Scops Owl, Shikra, and Levant Sparrowhawk have all been seen there in winter. Also, we are expected to see Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle (rare), Crested Honey Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard, and Long-legged Buzzard. We will then drive into the surrounding desert in search of Dunn’s Lark, Temminck’s Lark, Desert Lark, Hoopoe Lark, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, and Mauryan (Steppe) Grey Shrike. We then go to Kabd Reserve and Pivot Fields (from outside) birds expected to be seen include Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle (rare), European Honey Buzzard, Crested Honey Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard.
Day 6: We will go south to Abu Al Hassaniya to scan the coast for waders etc, then to Fintas Park and also Fahaheel Park to search for wintering warblers. We then drive south to Al Zour Sewage Treatment Plant then to Al Khiran to search for wintering birds, and then to the Al Nuwaiseeb Lycium Bushes for Red-tailed Wheatear, Pied, and Finsch’s Wheatear and Blue Rock Thrush, etc. If time allows we will pay a short visit to Wafra Farms to search whatever we encounter, Eversmann’s Redstart and Masked Wagtail have been seen there in winter.
Day 7: We will go to Al Abraq to search for rarities and then drive into the desert in search of larks such as Dunn’s Lark, Temminck’s Lark, Desert Lark, Greater, and Lesser Short-toed Lark. We then drive on our way back towards Kabd Reserve and end the day there.
Day 8: We will do birding in Jahra Farms, Jahra Pools Reserve and Jahra East Outfall, Sulaibikhat Bay, and Mutla’a Ranch as time allows.
Day 9: Say goodbye and transfer to the airport to fly home.
Prices:
Price for the Winter Tour: $1600.00 (doesn’t include a boat trip)
Single room supplement: 8 nights $280, 7 nights $230, 6 nights $200, 5 nights $160. For Saudi Arabia $450.
Deposit: $300.00
Group Size: Minimum number for the tour to go ahead is Five, and the maximum is Ten. I would accept three with a price increase of $200 for each person and four with an increase of $150 for each.
The photographic opportunity is superb as of the sunny weather and open areas.
After booking, you must confirm by paying a non-refundable deposit of $300.00. Instruction on how to pay the deposit will be sent by email.
Terms and Conditions:
Included in the price:
- Accommodation in twin-bedded rooms that includes breakfast and dinner.
- Light lunch, water, tea, coffee, and refreshment during the daytime.
- Entrance fees to reserves and professional bird guidance.
- Ground transport in 4WD, and also transport from and to the airport.
Not Included in the price:
- Air travel tickets, travel insurance, passport costs, entry visas fees, and excess baggage charges.
- Telephone calls, laundry, room service, snacks, and anything of a purely personal nature.
Physical Requirement:
The tours involve short walking distances as in most reserves we drive through dirt roads and stop for short walks on mostly flat ground.
Tour Cancellation:
I reserve the right to cancel any tour for which there are insufficient reservations (2 or 1), 60 days before the tour begins.
Cancellation and refund:
You may cancel your tour and get your deposit refunded back to you as long as it is 90 days before your tour begins.
Entry Visa to Kuwait:
The passport holders of the following countries (52) can obtain Tourist Visa online at: https://evisa.moi.gov.kw/evisa/home_e.do . You are granted to stay for three months from the date of arrival. A 3 KWD (9 Euro) will be required for some countries.
ANDORRA, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BHUTAN, BRUNEI, BULGARIA, CAMBODIA, CANADA, CYPRUS, CZECH, DENMARK, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GEORGIA, GERMANY, GREECE, HONG KONG, HUNGARY, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, LAOS, LATVIA, LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA, LUXEMBOURG, MALAYSIA, MALTA, MONACO, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SAN MARINO, SINGAPORE, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SOUTH KOREA, SPAIN, SWAZILAND, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TURKEY, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, VATICAN, VIETNAM.
Note: The rules of visa are also online at https://evisa.moi.gov.kw/evisa/home_e.do .
Updated on 17 May 2023!
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To book your Birdwatching Tour please fill in the form below:
List of expected species during this tour:
* Unlikely to be seen. ** Highly unlikely.
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Garganey Anas querquedula
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
Common Pochard Aythya ferina
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
**Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor
*Black Stork Ciconia nigra
*Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
**Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Western Great Egret Ardea alba
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Indian Reef Heron Egretta gularis schistacea
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
*Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus
*Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
*Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
*European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
*Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
*Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
**Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
*Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga
*Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
*Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciatus
*Asian Shikra Accipiter (badius) cenchroides
**Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
**Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus
Black Kite Milvus migrans
*Black-eared Kite Milvus (migrans) lineatus
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus
**Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
*Corncrake Crex crex
Little Crake Porzana parva
*Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio (porphyrio) poliocephalus
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
**Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo
*Common Crane Grus grus
Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Crab-plover Dromas ardeola
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
**Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
**Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus
*Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
*Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
**Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus
*Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
**Great Snipe Gallinago media
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
**Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Sanderling Calidris alba
Little Stint Calidris minuta
*Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
*Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
*Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni
Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei
Common Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
**Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
Great Black-headed Gull Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
*Common Gull Larus canus
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus
Baltic Gull Larus fuscus
Heuglin’s Gull Larus (fuscus/heuglini) heuglini
Steppe Gull Larus (fuscus/heuglini) barabensis
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
Little Tern Sternula albifrons
*Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
*White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
*Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata
Feral Pigeon Columba livia forma domestica
**Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
*Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia (orientalis) meena
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis
*Western Barn Owl Tyto alba
Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei
Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops
*Pharaoh Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus
*Lilith Owlet Athene (noctua) lilith
**Long-eared Owl Asio otus
*Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
*Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius
*Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
*Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
*Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Daurian Shrike Lanius isabellinus
Turkestan Shrike Lanius phoenicuroides
Mauryan Grey Shrike Lanius lahotra pallidirostris
*Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
**Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
House Crow Corvus splendens
**Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis
Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus
*Eurasian Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus
Greater Hoopoe-Lark Alaemon alaudipes
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
Lesser Short-toed Lark Alaudala rufescens
*Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
*Woodlark Lullula arborea
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
*Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps
Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha
White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys leucotis
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
**Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
**Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne obsoleta
*Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus
*Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
*Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Indian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus (stentoreus) brunnescens
*Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon
Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus (scirpaceus) fuscus
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
Afghan Babbler Turdoides (caudata) huttoni
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana
*Ménétries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea
Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
*Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
*Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis
*Redwing Turdus iliacus
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
**Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
European Robin Erithacus rubecula
Red-spotted Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
**Taiga FlycatcherFicedula albicilla
*Eversmann’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythronotus
Western Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Central Asian Black Redstart Phoenicurus (ochruros) phoenicuroides
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
Caspian Stonechat Saxicola maurus hemprichii
Byzantine Stonechat Saxicola maurus variegatus
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
**Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe albonigra
Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschii
Eastern Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe chrysopygia
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
*Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus
Ruppell’s Weaver Ploceus galbula
*Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
**Masked Wagtail Motacilla (alba) personata
*Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
**Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
**Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus (rubescens) japonicus
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
**Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
*Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta
*Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
*Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus