Yellowhammer, Goldammer, Emberiza citrinella

Germany 2011

From Birds Germany 2011

From Birds Germany 2011

Great Cormorant, Kormoran, Phalacrocorax carbo

Seen in Kuwait 2010 and 2011

Did you know that Cormorants fly in formation?
I mean, not the loooong straight line you usually see.

From Birds Kuwait 2010

Nope. V-formations. Seen them only once like that.

From Birds Kuwait 2011

A Juv. enjoying the company of some Black-headed Gulls

From Birds Kuwait 2011

One in flight

From Birds Kuwait 2011

And most of you remember my all time favorite, I guess ;-)

From Birds Kuwait 2011

A morning walk, Dec 21st 2011

December 21st I went out for some little adventure.

The day before I got brief access to one of the private beaches here at the Mahboula coastline.
There were at least 100 Black-headed and Slender-billed Gulls. It was beautiful (no camera though).
I was sitting at the edge of the beach for a while until the security guard told me, I eventually have to leave.

There was also the exit of one of the sewer drainages, where (correct me, if I'm wrong) raw waste water runs into the ocean.

All the construction around here on the streets is for new sewage pipes. But they still don't lead to a water treatment plant.

Abandoned vehicles are a normal sight in Kuwait, so is trash in the streets. Corners like the above get cleaned up every once in a while. The construction is for a new sewer system (which still leads to the ocean).

From Kuwait

They lead to this piece of (private) beach I found on the 21st.

One of the private beaches in Mahboula and some of the residences along the coast that are abandoned and some new ones built in front of them. That huge complex is empty since years, they are still building it...

From Kuwait

Big construction on new houses and the new pipes going on there, so I snuck my way in. Walked on the pier briefly, snapped some shots (not from the construction, I don't want to be marked as a terrorist or spy).

From Birds Kuwait 2011

It's another beautiful spot. This one was resting ground for only a few Black-headed Gulls,

From Birds Kuwait 2011

one that was maybe a Caspian or Heuglin's Gull

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

and a bunch of Great Cormorants

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

and one not so common Grey Heron. I've seen a Grey Heron around Mangaf and Mahboula since we got back in 2010. I wonder if he is just staying around or if it's various young fellows stopping by.

From Birds Kuwait 2011

They all got spooked by a fisherman, dropping his nests where the Cormorants had been resting.

I've seen over 100 Cormorants fly by the other day, one flock of 10-20 after another.
Sights like that always lift my spirits and make me sad at the same time, knowing what these birds have to deal with here in Kuwait.
Polluted beaches, polluted water and illegal hunting.

Here's hope that 2012 will be a year of progress and better education.

This is a video by K's path (made by John and Angelique). It sums up very nicely what we are up against here in Kuwait:


Marine Conservation 2012 from john peaveler on Vimeo.


Update:

I checked google maps and there actually is a huge water treatment plant in Kuwait.
Now, how comes that the stuff that comes out of there and floats into the ocean still smells raw?
Mind, you don't see toilet paper or other 'things' floating around, but still.

And one more closer to 'home'.

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Posted for World Bird Wednesday - check out the wonderful posts from around the Globe!

Common Pochard, Tafelente, Aythya ferina

Seen in Germany (Laacher See, Rheinland-Pfalz) in Nov 2011.
Checking through the photos this Lifer caught me a bit by surprise.
I was shooting from quite a distance, hoping to get some IDs on the waterfowl.
Most I could tell were Coots, some Tufted Duck and some Great Crested Grebe. This guys just now caught my eye. I love surprises :-)

The one in the middle (all grey, brown head) is the male and the others are female.

From Birds Germany 2011

And here's a close crop of the male. Not good quality, but oh well,...

From Birds Germany 2011

Neighbourhood birds & plants, Mahboula

Some quick snaps from yesterdays dog walk to show you a bit of the 'wildlife' that's currently available in my beautiful neighbourhood ;-)

The usual criminals 

House sparrow, Passer domesticus

From Birds Kuwait 2011

White-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus leucogenys

From Birds Kuwait 2011

These guys are usually migrants, but some fellows stay over winter it seems.

We have around three of them staying here. 

I thought I saw a Northern Wheatear the other day, but I am not 100% sure.

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba

From Birds Kuwait 2011

This fellow was a bit strange. He didn't wag his tail at all. I've never seen a waggy before,

 not wagging it's tail.

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba

From Birds Kuwait 2011

We have some bats around too. At least two species.
I doubt I will ever catch a photo of them though ;-)

Water sources

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

Some plants that grow wherever you find some water

From Kuwait

Some trees that survive the harshest conditions & trash surrounding them, the construction that goes on around here (new sewer system - the exit still seems to lead to the ocean, new streets, new houses - like we really need more. Yes, the skies are actually this blue right now. But it was very windy yesterday and the dust pretty bad. I got my nasty cough back. Either a virus or the dang dust.

From Kuwait

Stray cats and dogs in abundance - King & JoJo wanted to get this one, but she somewhat
knew she was save in the dense undergrowth of the trees

From Kuwait

From The kids

From The kids

Something to smile ;-)

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

Posted for 'World Bird Wednesday' - hop on over to see the world

Qaru island, Kuwait - Beach clean-up Dec 23rd 2011

A small island off the coast of Kuwait, near the Saudi border. The Coast guard is stationed there and birds use it as a resting ground during migration and breeding there during summer. It is also important for the ongoing turtle conservation program. Any help on IDs of the (mostly dead) animals is welcome! Bird count of the day: Approx 5 Black-headed Gulls, 1 or 2 Caspian or Heuglin's Gulls (one oiled), 1 Ringed Plover, 8 House Sparrows
For the ones interested, some Info on the Turtle Conservation project

Black Woodpecker, Schwarzspecht, Dryocopus martius

One of my first forest walks while back in Germany,

I saw this fellow in the trees.

Just got these brief few clicks – not the greatest shots, but hey, it’s a Lifer :)

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

From Birds 2011 Germany

Beach Bird morning

Spent some time at the beach this morning. Nice bird flybys and nice sunrise

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

I watched a family of Common Mynas take a McD breakfast and sip some water – at least trash and Leftovers seem to be good for some and something, sometimes.

From Birds Kuwait 2011

King won a fight with a stray who wanted to show his female companions who’s the owner of the beach. No dogs got harmed & they went back to their own stretch after a while.

From The kids

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Kuwait

Birdcount: 64 Greater Cormorants, 75 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Common Myna, 2 Greater Sand Plover, 1 Kentish Plover, 3 White Wagtails, 9 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Northern Wheatear, 15 Slender-billed and one possible Caspian or Heuglin’s Gull, 1 White-eared Bulbul, 23 House Sparrows on my way home 2 Rose-ringed Parakeet

Um Al Maradin, Island beach clean-up, Dec 9th 2011

First clean-up for me since I am back and I lucked out to get a place on the island trip to Um al Maradim (uhoh, there's even an entry on wiki :)). A tiny speck of land in the middle of nowhere, serving as a Coastguard post and can be visited only with a special permission. That doesn't stop a bunch of fishing boats from circling the island, there were at least 15 of them.


The island is quite important for migrating birds as a stopover and for some birds as a breeding ground.


This was the second clean-up on this island. Due to the currents (I guess) and the visiting boats, a lot of trash gets on the beaches with the tide. Including dead sheep, 7 of them. Dumped, most likely, by big animal transports who don't want to have sick or dead sheep aboard when they reach port. It's scary to think of all the trash floating in our oceans... We also found 3 dead birds. Two in a state of decay beyond ID-ing and 1 a possible Steppe Buzzard.


We collected altogether 33 big black trash bags full of plastic bottles, Styrofoam, cans and other plastics, household stuff, fishing lines and hooks, kids balloons (I know why I don't like those things), ropes and half a rubber boat. There's also tires and a big pile of pallets that we couldn't remove.


The Kuwait Dive team took us to the island. They helped burying some of the sheep above the tide line. The team of K's Path, including John the manager whom I met for the first time, was there and the girls did a good job organizing the whole trip. Thanks for doing this! A big thanks also to the chief (?) of the Coastguards who had a big, yummy Lunch prepped for us when we were finished with the clean-up :)

Birdcount:


At the Marina


8 Cormorant, 2 Slender-billed Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 White-eared Bulbul




Um al-Maradim island


1 Northern Wheatear (1st wt), 3 Greater Sand Plover Plover, 6 Kentish Plover, 15 (Great) Cormorant (6 Juv.) - flying over, 9+ House Sparrow, 1 1st wt Caspian Gull (possibly more), 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 White-eared Bulbul (voice)

A morning at the beach, Dec 8th

Caught my first sunrise at the beach this morning. Was up way too early and had to kill time at home (you don’t want to be at the beach in the dark…), check the sunrise times and then almost missed out on the glorious pre-sunrise colours 

Most exciting sightings were a Flamingo flyby and a Grey Plover.

Sadly the birds were all gone (thanks to someone walking around) when the light finally got better for my lens & camera skills  - I hope you can enjoy them anyway.

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

From Kuwait

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

From Birds Kuwait 2011

Bird count:

2 Cormorant, 2 Reef Egret (dark and white morph), 31 Black headed Gull (at least two oiled), 2 Caspian Gull, 1 Flamingo (flyby), 2 Greater Sand Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Kentish Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 10 White Wagtail, 2 White-eared Bulbul, 9 House Sparrows, 17 Laughing Doves, 2 Common Myna