I met them at 7:40 am, we headed straight to Kuwait University searching for the Indian Roller, we searched all over the place without finding it.

At the University, they saw a Black Redstart, Ochruros ssp. 1, White-cheeked Bulbul 10+, Common Myna 7+, Song Thrush 1, Laughing Dove 5+, Isabelline Shrike 2, Masked Shrike 1, House Crow 3, Water Pipits of  coutellii ssp. 2, and Eurasian Hoopoe 1.

At Sulaibikhat Reserve, Graceful Prinia 12+, Bluethroat 2 and of Spanish Sparrow 20+.

At Sulaibikhat Bay, Desert Wheatear 2, Crab Plover 4, Steppe Gull 4, Armenian Gull 1 , Caspian Tern 1, Grey Heron 10+, Mallard 5, European Stonechat 3, Isabelline Wheatear 4, Pied Avocet 1, Whiskered Tern 2, Slender-billed Gull 50+, Greater Flamingo 1000+, Shelduck 100+ and Western Reef Egret 1.

At Ras Al-Subiya, Purple Sunbird 1, Asian Desert Warbler 1, Desert Wheatear 5, Isabelline Wheatear 3, and Mourning Wheatear 1.

At Jahra Farms, Shikra 1, Red-throated Kingfisher 1, Rose-necked Parakeet 2, Water Pipit 5, Sparrowhawk 1, and Common Kestrel 1.

At SAANR, Pallid Harrier 1, Barn Swallow 3, Black Redstart ssp. phoenicuroides 1, Mourning Wheatear 1, Desert Wheatear 4, Common Kestrel 2, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Southern Grey Shrike 1, and Little Owl 1.

At Ras Al-Subiya, Purple Sunbird seen by the two British Birders.

I went with Rashed to Kuwait University and then Sulaibiya, we found the Blackbird and the Black Redstart and two Red-vented Bulbuls at Kuwait University. At Sulaibiya we found a Black Redstart, a Menetries’s Warbler and a number of Chiffchaffs with their usual unresolved calls.

The Black Redstart photographed by A. Al-Sirhan.

Kuwait University is becoming a good birding site recently, Rashed has found, an ochruros ssp. of Black Redstart, Blackbird and a common quail. His photographs are below.

The Blackbird.

The Black Redstart ssp. ochruros, with a wing bar.

The Common Quail.

This afternoon I went to Sulaibikhat Bay at high tide, unfortunately there were no gulls, but there was a flock of Crab Plovers, Resdhanks and Greater Sand Plovers.

Below is a photpgraph of a Crab Plover, a resident breeder, Kuwait is the only WP country where this bird can be seen all year round.

Rashed and I had photographed a Short-eared Owl at JEO, at Kuwait University Rashed also photographed a Red-vented Bulbul.

The Short-eared Owl by A. Al-Sirhan.

Rashed caught the bird in flight.

Rashed’s Red-vented Bulbul.

On 20/01/2008 Rashed had photographed an two Armenian Gulls and a female Black Redstart, his photographs are shown below.

At  Al-Abraq I found 2 European Robins, 12 Chiffchffs and a Common Redstart.

The adult Armenian Gull.

The first winter Armenian Gull.

The Black Redstart, female.

At Pivot Fields Dr. Gary found and photographed a Richard’s Pipit, it was initially thought to be a Blyth’s Pipit.

At JEO Rashed had photographed a Clamorous Reed Warbler , his photograph is shown below.

At Al-Abraq Brian Foster and Pekka Fågel found a male Ring Ouzel.

Today the visiting groups went to Green Island and saw 24 Grey Hypocolius, then left to SAANR where they saw Macqueen’s Bustard 1, Red-tailed Wheatear 5, Desert Warbler 7, Mourning Wheatear 30, Finsch’s Wheatear 4, Trumpeter Finch 10, Bonelli’s Eagle 1.

Rashed went to Al-Abraq and photographed the following.

A Dunn’s Lark.

A Bar-tailed Lark.

A female Desert Wheatear.

A Temminck’s Lark.

 A skylark.

1 Masked Shrike, 1 Red-wattled Lapwing were at Kuwait University, Shuwaikh.

At JEO there were many Barn Swallows, but Rashed has seen today and yesterday a Bonelli’s Eagle and one House Martin.

Below is my photograph of a Barn Swallow.

This morning Dr. Gary Brown went to Subiya and photographed a Sunbird and a Desert Warbler, his photographs are shown below.

Today the two groups arrived at Kuwait international airport, a Danish and a British group; they headed straight to Subiya and relocated the two Purple Sunbirds.

This morning they were at the Pivot Fields when I met them, we then split into three groups in search of the Little Curlew, even though two days ago it was not relocated again. This morning it was very cold, temperature was down to 5° C and the Pivot Fields had reduced it bird numbers to only c. 20%, Water Pipits, Northern Lapwings and White Wagtails are not seen in 100’s any more, so unfortunately we couldn’t find the Little Curlew.

I found 3 Merlins two on one patch, 4 Namaqua Doves, 10 White Wagtails, 7 Water Pipits, 14 Northern Lapwings, and the Danishes saw 1 European Golden Plover, although two days ago they were 9 European Golden Plovers as reported by Brian.

We decided to go to Sulaibikhat Reserve to see the Long-tailed Shrike, but the British were more interested in finding the Indian Roller, as they had seen the Long-tailed Shrike last spring. On our way to the Sulaibikhat Reserve, I suddenly decided to take them to Kuwait University as it was on our way, I have already told them that the Indian Roller in no longer in Kuwait University, as Rashed tried more than three times to relocate the bird but couldn’t until he gave up. At Kuwait University the groups were trying to relocate a Masked and an Isabelline Shrikes they already had already seen, then I looked to my left hand side and found the Indian Roller just 20m away, the two groups were very happy and much relieved.

On 12/12008 Dr. Gary photographed a European Golden Plover, his photograph is shown below.