Winter Tour

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)

Winter Tour 03-11 Jan 2025 (8 nights), price: $1600. (spaces available)*

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 ShikraEversmann’s (Rufous-backed) Redstart, Lilith Owlet, Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline WheatearEastern Mourning Wheatear, Finsch’s WheatearBlue Rock ThrushMénétries’s Warbler, Lesser WhitethroatAsian Desert WarblerHypocolius, Greater Short-toed LarkTurkestan Shrike, Daurian ShrikeMauryan (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!

Do you have a question? Click here

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