This record was intentionally suppressed for the safety of the bird. The bird was found by Mohamed Korshed and photographed by many on the same day.

Macqueen’s Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii)

Macqueen’s Bustard

Macqueens’s Bustard

On 14/11/2009 Simon Price has found two Greater White-fronted Goose at Shuaiba Golf Course, this is the second record for Kuwait. The record is subject to acceptance by KORC.

This morning Pekka went to the Shuaiba Golf Course which is a private property and was granted access after explaining what he was at, he relocated the two birds and photographed them, he then informed me of their presence , I went there and was able to see the two birds and photograph them.

Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

Below is the flight shot by Pekka Fågel, it shows the wing bar, uppertail coverts and terminal tail band.

Another photograph by Pekka.

Simon Price has seen and photographed a Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii on 9/11/2009 at Sulaibikhat Club, his photographs are shown below.

On 7/11/2009 at Al-Abraq I photographed a bird that seemed to me like an Indian Pond Heron, although previous records of this bird were not accepted according to George’s Gregory Book  ‘The Birds of The State of Kuwait 2005″ available from OSME website at http://osme.org/osme/sales.html.

The bird looked at first smallish ( I figured out later that the Indian Pond Heron is slightly smaller than Squacco Heron) and darker upperparts, chocolate brown  although some Squacco Herons can show similar darker upperparts, the bill looked a bit strong and also stouter towards the tip where in most Squacco Herons the bill gets finer towards the tip. The legs were greenish yellow rather than yellow, as most juvenile Indian Pond Herons show this leg colour, although some juvenile Squacco Heron can show this as well. Also the bird had a dark loral line although it is faint but the upper mandible in front of eye is also dark. In most photographs in the internet a Squacco Heron shows an unstreaked white broad line running from throat to belly dividing the breast streaks, in Indian Pond Heron this line is thin or doen’t exist. There may have been other birds that have been overlooked in Kuwait in the past.

The news were delayed until the bird was confirmed by Richard Porter, Simon Aspinall, Tommy Pedersen and Oscar Campbell.

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii a potential first for Kuwait

For more photographs follow the following link: http://alsirhan.com/Birds/potential_indian_pond_heron.htm

Today at Jahra Pool the Tufted Duck was not seen nor the Common Pochard, but the Ferruginous Duck was still there.

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca

At Pivot Fields: Sociable Lapwing 2, Eastern Imperial Eagle 4, Northern Lapwing 60, Greater Spotted Eagle 1, Black Kite 1, Eurasian Skylark 60, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 20.

Khaled Al-Ghanem went Jahra Pool to find a Tufted Duck and a Common Pochard there were also: Ferruginous Duck 1, Eurasian Coot 20, Northern Pintail 7,  Garganey 6, Eurasian Wigeon 3, Red-necked Phalarope 2, Moorhen 179, Northern Shoveler 4, Common Snipe 1, Little Grebe 6, Black-necked Grebe 4, Common Teal 1.

Sociable Lapwing Chettusia gregaria

A Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck and Common Pochard.

Eurasian Siskin 1, Little Bunting 1, Blue Rock Thrush 1, Water Pipit 15, Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, European Robin 1.

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla

Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Brian, Simon and myself had a regular visit to Al Abraq this morning. Quite soon we managed to see a Short-eared Owl flying and disappearing somewhere. After walking around the farm we finally decided to check alfalfa fieds by car. At one well watered field we stopped and Brian pointed out Little Bunting and soon after that we spotted an other Bunting. This turned out to be a Rustic Bunting  just a second record for Kuwait after 56 years from the first record. For Brian’s great pleasure I spotted a Dead Sea Sparrow next. We saw at least 5 birds. Quite a day I would say.

Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica)

Rustic Bunting

Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla)

Little Bunting

Male Dead Sea Sparrow (Passer moabiticus)

Female Dead Sea Sparrow

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) Photographed by Simon Price.

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)  with a good catch

Gray Hypocolius that I photographed this morning is one out of nine birds. Few days ago I had 18 on Green Island and first birds arrived about two weeks ago. Otherwise Jahra Farms had essentially same species as recent days. At Sabriyah farm the only interesting bird was Crag Martin.

Male Grey Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus)

Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

Crag Martin

Short visit in the morning produced some nice records: Cattle Egret 97, Northern Lapwing 22, Curlew 5, Common Snipe 1, Ruff 1, Spotted Eagle 1, Eastern Imperial Eagle 1, Black Kite 25, Marsh Harrier 1, Steppe Buzzard 2, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Kestrel 3, White-throated Kingfisher 1, Indian Roller 1, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 100, Barn Swallow 200, Sand Martin 3,  Crested Lark 5, Skylark 3, Water Pipit 20, Tree Pipit 1, Red-throated Pipit 2, Tawny Pipit 2, Isabelline Wheatear 3, Starling 15, Isabelline Shrike 3.

Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)

Juvenile White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)