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

Great Cormorant.

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

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 in the open area with trees between the jogging track and the Fahaheel Expressway / 6^th Ring Road.

Common Quail 1 (walking along the jogging track), European Bee-eater 2, Masked Shrike 1, Isabelline Shrike 2, Common Redstart 6+, White-throated Robin 2, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 4+, Whinchat 3, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Barn Swallow 20+, House Martin 5+, Sand Martin 5+, Pallid Swift 5+, Tawny Pipit 2, Northern Wheatear 6+, Pied Wheatear 5+, Willow Warbler 1, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1. 

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, Common Moorhen, Bluethroat, Moustached Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Ortolan Bunting and numerous Yellow Wagtails.

Little Bittern

Little Crake.

Marsh Warbler.

Observer:  Mark O. Chichester
chichmark@aol.com
ochi@chevron.com

1-10 April 2008

Locations: 

•  
  • (N-W) Nuwaiseeb-Wafra Road
  • (WOF) Wafra Oil Field – including the Joint Operations Administrative Camp  GPS for Wafra Administration Camp N28 degr 38.438′ E48 degr 56.043′
  • (WPR) – Water Plant Reeds – the discharge area adjacent to the MoE (water & electricity) facility west of the intersection of King Fahad Expwy (Hwy 40) and the Rd.270/Nuwaiseeb-Wafra junction.  GPS for WPR N28 degr 44.279′ E48 degr 16.035′
  • (PPR) – Power Plant Reeds is a dumping area near Zour Village and the South Zour Power Plant with a small reedbed intermittently fed with waste water  GPS for PPR N28 degr 43.641′ E48 degr 21.352′
  • (Z) Al-Zour area includes Ras Al-Zour area, Saudi Arabian Chevron Mina Saud compound, adjacent village and nearshore  waters include a sandspit and patch reef.  GPS for SAC Camp Main Gate N28 degr 44.342′ E48 degr 22.375′

Date/Time:
1 April, Susan and I hosted Dirk Colin’s group of three from Belgium on  their second visit to Zour this week to look for Socotra.  Hazy conditions limited the views of the offshore towers and tides were high.  16:00-17:30h

6 April  Susan and I hosted a large group to Zour to search for Socotra.  14 birders from the UK, Finland and Austria spent 1600-1800.  It was an overcast day with some showers and dust.  The tides were favorable with a good sandbar showing – low tide of 0.5m at 17:34.

8 April  The family and I hosted another group to Zour to look for Socotra Cormorant.  Pekka Fagel and his group of seven from Finland and four Brits.  The day was terribly dusty, windy with a few sprinkles.  Poor visibility hampered views of the north towers so we walked the bunch-grass portion of the golf course before scoping the sandspit.

10 April  The family and I hosted the Brits (Chris Lansdell, Justin Lansdell, Lee Gregory & Andy Wilkinson) for a final search for the Socotra Cormorants.  We were joined by Brian Foster.  For the first day in several, the visibility was quite good and we had east breezes at 5-10 mph.  We birded 1600-18:45 dusk.  Tides were falling from a 2.2m high at 13:49 to a low 0.0m at 20:52.

Environmental Conditions:

•  
  • Inland lows 25-28C and highs 36-42C.
  • Coastal lows 25-28  and highs 32-36 C
  • 1 April Sunrise: 05:37  Sunset:  18:06

FOS = First of Spring
FOF = First of Fall

Common Quail:  One at Z on 8 April.  One at Z on 10 April.

Great Cormorant:  15 at Z on 1 April.  11 at Z on 6 April.  Four at Z on 10 April.

Socotra Cormorant:  One smallish looking bird was among a half-dozen cormorants roosting on one of the north reef towers off Z on 1 April.  One 6 April, the same (?) smallish bird was on the same tower.  One 10 April we had our best FOS for this species at Z.  A single Great Cormrant was on the top of one of the north shore towers and a diminutive (Socotra) was directly below it.  Lee Gregory photographed the direct size comparison and it was clearly 2/3 the size.  It was an immature (pale breasted) bird.  A clinching view under scope view at the great distance was the bird bending its neck to pick at its toes.  The long-slim neck profile was devoid of any “bull-neck” or kinked look.  The neck was slim and uniform in thickness.

Lesser Frigatebird:  Birding magic struck Ras Al-Zour at about 17:15 as the group was enjoying watching the migrating and feeding terns far offshore.  Justin Lansdell glanced to the right towards the point and east shore  and coming into view was a bird he quickly called “skua”.  I was on the bird quickly and thought “heron” – seeing the long wings, long tail and bulgy neck.  Immediately, Justin correctly called “frigatebird and the Lesser Frigatebird.  Everyone soon had the bird as it flew in front of us as close as 150m.  The bird coursed the entire area, at time far offshore and out of site to the west for much of the next hour and fifteen minutes.  We were hoping the bird would roost on the sandspit as it was exposed with the falling tide – nope.  The bird harassed several terns over the observation period (successfully) on at least three Lesser Crested Terns.  It was staggeringly efficient in flight.  When it chose to pursue a tern, it merely flapped steadily and slowly to close rapidly on a fast flying tern with little effort.  The maneuverability in its descent to catch the food falling from the tern was amazing for a bird with a nearly seven-foot wingspan.  The birds markings were black and white below.  Above, the bird was blackish with a pale (light brown?) bar on the inner half of the upper wing (median coverts?).  The throat, breast and a wedge of the axillaries were white.  The head and face were brownish – sub-adult bird.  Reviewing the images in Harrison’s Seabirds book, the white extended out a bit farther than the plate of the subadult females.  Lee Gregory imaged the bird and even had a short video clip.  According to the local blogs, the bird was tentatively placed as of the Fregata ariel iredalei subspecies as this subspecies breeds in Mascarene Islands east of Madagascar and disperses to coasts of India and Somalia. The other two subspecies recognized, namely ariel and trinitatis are unlikely.  The birds long forked tail and long-hooked thin bill were very striking and gave me reason to think grey heron at my first glance.  This record is a Kuwait FIRST and the 4th Western Palearctic record and the first away from Israel (birds at Eilat on 1st December 1997, 6th May 1999 and 16th April 2005.  My previous experience with the species is in the Seychelle Islands, specifically the hundred of frigates on La Digue Island.

Little Bittern:

Squacco Heron:  Seven on the Zour golf course beach standing at the high tide line looked like exhausted migrants on 1 April.

Cattle Egret:

Western Reef Egret:  One blue phase bird at Z on 10 April was unusual and white birds are more often seen here.

Little Egret:

Great Egret:

Grey Heron:  2 at Z on 6 April.  12 at Z on 10 April roosted from the 9^th.

Purple Heron:  One at Z on 10 April roosted from the 9^th.

Black Kite:  One at Z on 10 April.

Pallid Harrier:  Two migrants came ashore from over the sea on 1 April at Z.

Eurasian Hobby:  One at Z on 6 April.  One at Z on 10 April.

Kentish Snowy Plover:  Two at Z on 1 April.  Three at Z on 6 April.

Grey Plover:  One at Z on 6 April.  One at Z on 10 April.

Sanderling:  Nine at Z on 1 April.  Nine at Z on 6 April.  Five at Z on 8 April.  Five at Z on 10 April.

Whimbrel:  85 in a high-flying migrating flock ove Ras Al-Zour at 17:30hr on 6 April.  Another flock of 30 moved over Z in the same manner on 8 April.

Common Sandpiper:  Seven at Z on 1 April.  Five at Z on 6 April.  Two at Z on 8 April.  Five at Z on 10 April.

Arctic Skua:  One fide Dirk Colin at Z on 1 April.

Black-headed Gull:  Three at Z on 6 April.

Slender-billed Gull:  40 at Z on 1 April.  60 at Z on 10 April.

Greater Crested Tern:  One at Z on 1 April.

Lesser Crested Tern:  30 at Z on 1 April.  15 at Z on 6 April.  18 at Z on 8 April.  50 at Z on 10 April.

Sandwich Tern:  Six at Z on 6 April.

White-cheeked Tern:  Two at Z on 1 April FOS.  Four at Z on 6 April.  15 at Z on 8 April.  Four at Z on 10 April.

Bridled Tern:  About 100 were amongst a mixed kettle of feeding birds scoped far off Ras Al-Zour on 10 April.  A couple birds came to the sandspit to roost on the falling tide at dusk – the closest ashore I’ve ever seen this species at Zour.

Little Tern:  Four at Z on 6 April.  Two at Z on 10 April.

Eurasian Collared Dove:  One at Z on 1 April.

Laughing Dove:  10 at Z on 1 April.  Eight at Z on 6 April.  Four at Z on 8 April.  15 at Z on 10 April.

Common Swift:  Three passage migrants over WOF on 2 April.

European Bee-eater:  15 at Z on 1 April.  Five at Z on 6 April.  Many at Z on 7 April.  200 at Z on 8 April.  75 at Z on 10 April.

European Roller:  One seen at dawn at Z on 10 April was my FOS.

Eurasian Hoopoe:  Two at Z on 1 April.  One at Z on 6 April.  Two at Z on 8 April.  Two at Z on 10 April.

Crested Lark:  One at on 6 April.  Four at Z on 8 April.

Barn Swallow:  Two at Z on 6 April.  Noted at Z on 7 April.  18 at Z on 8 April.  10 at Z on 10 April.

Red-rumped Swallow:  Three at Z on 1 April.

Tree Pipit:  4 at Z on 8 April.

Red-throated Pipit:  10 at Z on 1 April.  Eight at Z on 6 April.  Noted at Z on 7 April.  16 at Z on 8 April.  Four at Z on 10 April.

Yellow Wagtail:  Nine at Z on 1 April.  20 at Z on 6 April.  Noted at Z on 7 April.  Five at Z on 8 April.  12 birds at Z on 10 April included 2 male lutea.

White Wagtail:  One at WOF on 2 April.  Two at Z on 6 April.

White-eared Bulbul:  Five at Z on 1 April.  Five at Z on 10 April.

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin:  One at Z on 1 April.

Common Redstart:  One at Z on 1 April.  One at Z on 6 April.  Five at Z on 8 April.  2 at Z on 10 April.

Whinchat:  One at Z on 1 April.  Two at Z on 8 April.  One at Z on 10 April.

Common Stonechat:  One at Z on 1 April.

Isabelline Wheatear:  One at Z on 7 April.

Northern Wheatear:  One at Z on 1 April.

Pied Wheatear:  Four at Z on 1 April.  Five at Z on 6 April.  18 at Z on 8 April.  Two at Z on 10 April.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush:  One at Z on 1 April.  One at Z on 6 April.  One at Z on 8 April.

Blackcap:  Many feeding in the blooming bottlebrush plants at the Z Admin. Bldg. on 7 April.  Four at Z on 10 April.

Lesser Whitethroat:  One at Z on 10 April.

Common Chiffchaff:  Five at Z on 1 April.

Willow Warbler:  Two at Z on 1 April FOS.

Spotted Flycatcher:  One at Z on 10 April FOS.

Isabelline Shrike:  One at Z on 1 April.  Two at Z on 10 April.

House Sparrow:  Noted at Z and WOF on 1 April.  Noted at Z on 6 April.  Noted at Z on 7 April.  Noted at Z on 10 April.

Pale Rockfinch:  Two fide Pekka Fagel at Z on 8 April.

Cinereous Bunting:  One fide Pekka Fagel at Z on 8 April.

Ortolan Bunting:  Three at Z on 8 April.

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 Steppe Eagles, 8 Lesser Kestrels, 3 Namaqua Doves, 1 Hoopoe Lark. A group of 3 Dunn’s Lark obliged by allowing close-up views for several minutes.

On 14/04, highlights included 3 male Montagu’s Harriers, 1 Purple Heron (resting in a small grass field), 1 Cattle Egret and 2 European Rollers. 

Eurasian Wryneck

Montagu’s Harrier

Purple Heron

European Roller

Common Redstart

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 species such as Cinereous Bunting, Basra Reed Warbler, Upcher’s Warbler, Pale Rockfinch etc.

After midday, over 100 Pale Rockfinches were present at the small pool.

The following birds were seen in all: Steppe Eagle 1, Montagu’s Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Common Kestrel 5+, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Isabelline Shrike, 20+, Southern Grey Shrike 3+, Masked Shrike 2, European Bee-eater 50+, Tawny Pipit 3, Red-throated Pipit 1, Yellow Wagtail 5+, (beemi, feldegg and lutea), Crested Lark 15+, Dunn’s Lark 1, Greater Short-toed Lark 40+, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark 20+, Eurasian Skylark 10+, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 3+, Eastern Orphean Warbler 1, Whitethroat 1, Lesser Whitethroat, 2, Ménétries’s Warbler 1, Upcher’s Warbler 1, Barred Warbler 3+, Basra Reed Warbler 1, Willow Warbler 5+, Chiffchaff 4+, Blackcap 1, Isabelline Wheatear 10+, Northern Wheatear 8+, Pied Wheatear 5+, Common Redstart 8+, Whinchat 2, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin 2, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 2, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 4, Wryneck 1, Cinereous Bunting 2, Ortolan Bunting 25+, Pale Rockfinch 100+, Barn Swallow 20+, Eurasian Collared Dove 5+, Laughing Dove 15+.

Female Cinereous Bunting

Ortolan Bunting

One of the ca. 100 Pale Rockfinches drinking at the pool

Lesser Whitethroat demonstrating a new hopping technique

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, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark).

09/04/ – 10/04/2008: Apart from the species listed below (06 – 09/04/2008) for the lawns and scrub at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Shuwaikh, 3 Whinchats were observed and on the 10/04, a rather oily Whimbrel joined the other birds on the lawns. A single Graceful Prinia was seen in scrub on the edge of one of the lawns.

Whinchat (male)

Whinchat (female)

A somewhat oily Whimbrel

The following has just been posted at WestPalBirds@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Richard Bonser:

A Lesser Frigatebird has been seen and photographed this evening at Zour Port, southern Kuwait by visiting English birders- a national first and as I understand it the 4th Western Palearctic record and the first away from Israel (birds at Eilat on 1st December 1997, 6th May 1999 and 16th April 2005).
Of interest a single Socotra Cormorant, 100 Bridled and 4 White-cheeked Terns were also at this site today.
Cheers and good birding
Rich__

From Lee G R Evans I recieved this email through UK400Club@yahoogroups.com:
Just in the nick of time ! A single SOCOTRA CORMORANT has returned this
spring to Zour Port in Kuwait but more importantly, a juvenile LESSER FRIGATEBIRD
is showing well this evening, along with 100 or more BRIDLED TERNS. The
Frigatebird constitutes the first record for Kuwait (Lee Gregory, Justin Lansdell,
etc). With luck, the bird will still be present tomorrow. I shall be there with
a group from 11th-16th April

Lee G R Evans

It is probably the iredalei subspecies as it is this subspecies that breeds in Mascarene Islands east of Madagascar and disperses to coasts of India and Somalia. The other two subspecies recognized, namely ariel and trinitatis are unlikely.

The gardens at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) at Shuwaikh continue to attract a variety of migrants: ca. 80 Pipits (roughly equal numbers of Tree and Red-throated Pipits) have been working the lawns for the past week. Up to 10 Yellow Wagtails are still around, including two of the lutea race, but only very few (less than 5) White Wagtails. Other birds include 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes, 4 Eurasian Hoopoes, 4 Pied Wheatears, 1 Black-eared Wheatear, 1 Northern Wheatear, 3 Common Redstarts, 1 Woodchat Shrike, 2 Isabelline Shrikes, 1 Tawny Pipit, a Blackcap (which fell victim to one of Isabelline Shrikes), an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, up to 15 European Bee-eaters and now 2 Squacco Herons have been strutting the lawns over the past few days. In the afternoon of 08/04, there was an invasion of up to 20 Grey Hypocolius in the fig trees. Two were still around on 09/04/2008.

Grey Hypocolius

Common Sandpiper

Yellow Wagtail lutea

Isabelline Shrike with a rather unfortunate male Blackcap

An early morning trip to Kabd with the visiting birders from Austria / Germany provided some interesting birds, despite the dull, windy weather and the sandstorm that later developed. The main target species, Dunn’s Lark, was easily found, and ca. 8 birds were seen in total. The most interesting species, however, was a Temminck’s Lark, usually only seen here in August / September. Otherwise 60+ Black-crowned Sparrow-larks, 200+ Greater Short-toed Larks, 1 Pale Rockfinch, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 2 Booted Eagles, 2+ Montagu’s Harriers, 2+ Pallid Harriers, 1 White-throated Robin, 1 Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, 3 Common Redstarts, 1 Eastern Orphean Warbler, 1 Barred Warbler, 2 Woodchat Shrikes, 20+ European Bee-eaters.

Temminck’s Lark