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 as target practice. Shrikes were having a field day catching exhausted migrants, and one impaled bird turned out to be a White-throated Robin.

Bird highlights included a River Warbler (seen by Brian, Rick and Pekka), Syke’s Warbler (found by Brian), a  Shikra (probable subadult male), ca. 5 Crag Martins and 3 Corncrakes.

Shikra. Photo by Pekka Fagel. The bird has yellow eyes, and Pekka thinks it is probably a subadult male. 

Sykes Warbler – discovered by Brian, it flew over to me and conveniently hopped around in the tree directly above my head.

Corncrake posing

Corncrake running by Pekka

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 have now all departed, apart from the odd straggler. The following species were recorded during the week (maximum numbers observed on any one day given): European Bee-eater 8+, Barn Swallow 15+, Pallid Swift 2+, Isabelline Shrike 2+, Red-backed Shrike 20+, Woodchat Shrike 2, Lesser Grey Shrike 8+, Masked Shrike 1, Golden Oriole 1, Yellow Wagtail 25+, Tree Pipit 15+, Red-throated Pipit 10+, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 2, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 2, Blue Rock Thrush 1, Common Redstart 2, Whinchat 4, Spotted Flycatcher 3, Northern Wheatear 1, Great Reed Warbler 2, Common Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 2, Whitethroat 2, Upcher’s Warbler 1, House Crow 5.

Masked Shrike - at least one individual has been present over the past 2-3 weeks

Red-backed Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike: several individuals have been present for over a week.

 Woodchat Shrike: this same individual has now been around for over 2 weeks

Great Reed Warbler - up to 2 birds behaving remarkably similar to Song Thrushes were hopping across the lawns for two days.

House Crow

This evening I had a call from Rashed inviting me to photograph a Rosy Starling that he found. There were many Yellow Wagtail, Wood sandpipers, Little Bittern 2, Squacco Heron 3, Red-necked Phalarope 20+, Ruff 9, Curlew Sandpiper 20+, Red-throated Pipt 30+, Tree Pipit 2, Rosy Starling 2, White-tailed Lapwing 1 (same bird as Yesterday), Little Stints 34+.

Rosy Starling.

Little Bittern.

There were 59 species at JEO found during less than two hours:

Red-necked Phalarope 48, Woodchat Shrike 1, Red-backed Shrike 9, Red-throated Pipit 20+, Aquacco Heron 4, Common Sandpiper 5, Common Morhen 3, Little Stint 160+, Ruddy Turnstone 8, White-tailed Lapwing 1, Black-winged Stilt 2, Sanderling 2, Slender-billed Gull 160+, Black-headed Gull 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 4, Whinchat 8, Ruff 20+, Curlew Sandpiper 30+, Wood sandpiper 30+, Isabelline Shrike ssp. Phoenicuroides 3, ssp. isabellinus 2, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 8+, Gull-billed Tern 8, White-winged Tern 3, Little Tern 14, Ringed Plover 8+, European Roller 1, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 1, Greater Short-toed Lark 3, Spotted Flycatcher 1, European Bee-eater 1, Kentish Plover 50+, Glossy Ibis 11, Great Reed Warbler 2, Little Bittern 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Barn Swallow 20+, Willow WArbler 2, Sand Martin 2, Yellow Wagtail 10+, Creasted Lark 4, Pied Wheatear 1 vittata variant, Upcher’s Warbler 1, Isabelline Wheatear 1, Little Egret 6, Eurasian Curlew 5,  Steppe Gull 1 first summer, Bar-tailed Godwit 1, Greater Flamingo 14, Cattle Egret 3, Greenshank 1, Common Chiffchaff 3, Caspian Plover 1, Grey Plover 15, Caspian Tern 4, Greater Sand Plover 1, Grey Heron 1, Western Reef Egret 2, Northern Wheatear 1, House Sparrow 12.

Caspian Plover female.

White-tailed Lapwing.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

On 27/04/2008 the French group found an Oriental Pratincole at JEO at dusk, next day the bird was not relocated. I then re-read the article in Dutch Birding 27:1-35 (2005) by G. Driessens & L. Svensson, referring back to some photographs that I made at JEO and Pivot Fields, there were two birds of that species photographed at Pivot Fields.

On 25/04/2008 at Pivot Fields I saw a flock of more than 30 Pratincoles, at that time I was searching for Black-winged Pratincole, three were close and I quickly photographed two of them, but sunddenly all three flew 10 metres back to join the flock, they all had the red underwing pit, I left the place thinking that they were Collared Pratincole.

Bird discription from photographs:

The birds had short tail streamers shorter than primary projection, red on bill short, lower mandible has red restricted to the area further down to base of bill, beyond the the feathering at base of lower mandible from below, black lore, the black extends further to sides of forehead, the nostril looked oval in shape, neck sides and nape had an orange-rufous colour, upperparts were dark as that of Black-winged pratincole, the birds had an upright stance when compared to the horizontal stance of collared Pratincole, they had slightly longer legs when compared to photographs of Colllared Pratincoles. Comparing the bill of Oriental to Collared, from photographs the Oriental had a deeper based bill and the feathering of lower mandible stretches a little forward.

Oriental Pratincole, short tail streamers.

Oriental Pratincole head, oval nostril, neck sides and nape orange in colour, darker lore extending to sides of forehead, black on lower mandible extends beyond the feathering at lower mandible base.

Oriental Pratincole another bird, an upright stance and short tail streamers and longer-legged.

Comparing head and bill shape, Collared Pratincole (left) and Oriental Pratincole (right), see nostril shape difference and amount of red on both mandibles.

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 6, White Stork 1 dead, Imperial Eagle 1, Pallid Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 6, Common Buzzard 3, Black Kite 2, Lesser Kestrel 30+, Little Stint 15+, Wood Sandpiper 12+, Green Sandpiper 2, Common Redshank 2, Curlew Sandpiper 6, Ruff 2, Ringed Plover 1, Black-winged Stilt 2, Collared Pratincole 1, Black-winged Pratincole 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, European Bee-eater 25+, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 5+, European Roller 2, Barn Swallow, 150+, Sand Martin 30+, Isabelline Shrike 30+, Red-backed Shrike 80+, Woodchat Shrike 1, Steppe Grey Shrike (pallidirostris) 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 10+, Masked Shrike 1, Namaqua Dove 6, Yellow Wagtail 60+, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 2, White-throated Robin 1, Redstart 2, Whinchat 5, Spotted Flycatcher 10+, Northern Wheatear 4, Pied Wheatear 5+, Sedge Warbler 1, Marsh Warbler 1, Basra Reed Warbler 1, Barred Warbler 2, Pale Rockfinch 80+, Ortolan Bunting 5.

Glossy Ibis

Cattle Egret enjoying a snack

Steppe Grey Shrike (pallidirostris)

Al Abraq was once again full of migrants. Best were Corncrake 2, Basra Reed Warbler 2, Common Rosefinch 1, Night Heron 3, White Stork 1, Golden Oriole 1 and late  Stonechat. Marsh Warblers were just everywhere. Shooting was this morning moderate by Kuwaiti standards.

Corncrake (Crex crex)

SAANR (Tulha) produced Golden Orioles 4, White-winged Tern 1,  Ortolan Bunting c. 20. At drinking pool, just on the top of the ridge, we had Pale Rockfinch 30, Ortolan Bunting 10,  Trumpeter Finch 2 and Cinereous Bunting 1.

Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus)

Basra Reed Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 1, White-throated Robin 5 (females), Blackcap 3, Ruff 1, Little Stint 1, Ortolan Bunting 6, Common Chiffchaff 4, Spotted Flycatcher 3, Red-backed Shrike 2, Isabelline Shrike ssp. phoenicuroides 2, ssp. isabellinus 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 2, Greater Spotted Eagle 1,  Pale rockfinch 4, Yellow Wagtail 2, Masked Shrike 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Song Thrush 1, Common Redstart 2.

Basra Reed Warbler.

White-throated Robin (female).

Blackcap.

As earlier posted the French team managed to see Oriental Pratincole on 27 April at JEO. Here are three photographs by Pierre Crochette.

Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) in Background. Note short tail and shorter and different shaped bill compared to Collared Pratincole (G. pratincola) in front. The bird was seen also flying when lack of white on trailing edge was observed.

Oriental Pratincole again with Collared Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole

A trip to Failaka Island produced an Arctic Skua 1, Long-tailed Skua 1, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 3, Slender-billed Gull 9, Great Cormorant probably of the ssp. lucidus.

Great Cormorant probably of the ssp. lucidus.

Long-tailed Skua.

Arctic Skua.

French team found Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum), first for Kuwait if accepted by KORC, in late afternoon on 27 April at JEO. Therefore we tried this morning to relocate the bird but unfortunately in vain. However, as a result of this effort I managed finally to photograph “White-headed Yellow Wagtail” race leucocephala. This race has been seen annually but only in very small numbers.

Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla f. leucocephala) by P. Fagel

Once we arrived it was immediately clear that Al Abraq was flooded with migrants. Unfortunately shooting was heavy as usual during Turtle Dove hunting season. People outside of the farm just shoot everything that flies past.

Our best records were:

Icterine Warbler 2, Syke’s Warbler 1, Upcher’s Warbler 1, Olivaceous Warbler 4, Shikra 1 male, Wryneck 2, Cinereous Bunting 1, Lesser Gray Shrike 1, Masked Shrike 3, Woodchat Shrike 1, Desert Finch (Injured male) and Hume’s Lesser Whitethroat  1. We had also several Nightingales, White-throated Robins, Willow Warblers and Pipits.

Hume’s Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia althaea) which is treated as a subspieces of Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia c. althaea) in some sources . This bird was photographed in same place on 21/04/2008 by P. Fagel.

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. The visiting French birders also recorded a male Black-headed Bunting and possibly 3 females.

At Kabd, at least 4 Upcher’s Warblers were recorded, up to 20 Black-crowned Sparrow-larks were in the vicinity of the pool, as were ca. 15 Pale Rockfinches. The French birders also managed to spot one Dunn’s Lark, which seems to be faring poorly this year, possibly due to the exceptionally dry winter.

Black-winged Pratincole at the Pivot Fields

Whinchat at the Pivot Fields

Black-crowned Sparrow-lark at Kabd

Rufous-tailed Bush Robin at Kabd

Common Nightingale 1, Masked Shrike 1, Great Reed Warbler 4, Blackcap 1, Common Buzzard 1, Red-backed Shrike 3, Pied Wheatear 3, Long-legged Buzzard, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 2, Whinchat 10+, Common Redstart 3, Song Thrush 1, Woodchat Shrike 3, Laughing Dove 3, Grey Heron 1, Purple Heron 1, Collared Pratincole 30+, Northern Wheatear 2, Ortolan Bunting 10+, Rofous-tailed Rock Thrush 2, White-throted Robin 2, Namaqua Dove 3.

White-throated  Robin.

Common Nightingale.

Laughing Dove.

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 2, Common Kestrel 4+, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Woodchat Shrike 5, Isabelline Shrike 5, Southern Grey Shrike 1, Masked Shrike 1, Red-backed Shrike 3, European Bee-eater 10+, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 1, Common Cuckoo 5, European Roller 3, Red-throated Pipit 1, Yellow Wagtail 1, Crested Lark 5+, Greater Short-toed Lark 5+, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark 20+, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 3, Lesser Whitethroat 4, Upcher’s Warbler 1, Barred Warbler 5, Great Reed Warbler 1 (in our shadehouse), Willow Warbler 3+, Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Northern Wheatear 1, Pied Wheatear 5+, Common Redstart 8+, Whinchat 8, White-throated Robin 4, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 3, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Ortolan Bunting 12+, Pale Rockfinch 30+, Barn Swallow 30+, Eurasian Collared Dove 3+, Laughing Dove 15+. 

Common Cuckoo

European Roller