Sunday, January 22, 2012

Beach morning at Mahboula, January 18th 2012

From Kuwait 2012
Didn't walk much this morning, just stayed at one spot,

let the dogs swim (High tide - yippieh)

From The kids
From The kids
From The kids

and enjoy the cool air with nice sunshine.

From Profile Photos

Hope you enjoy it too ;-)

From Birds Kuwait 2012

Some idiots did drive their car around and many more left their trash behind. But that's Kuwait,...

From Kuwait 2012

Some odd colours on the horizon, usually a sign for dust coming (so it was, just 3 days later and just a little bit. )

From Kuwait 2012

Some Barn Swallows made a brief appearance

Barn Swallow
From Birds Kuwait 2012

And the Black-headed Gulls seem to start a change of plumage

Black-headed Gull
From Birds Kuwait 2012
And some don't...

Black-headed Gull
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Black-headed Gull
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Caught one first winter Black-headed Gull too. I was a bit irritated at the black tail line and had to look it up :)

Black-headed Gull 1st winter
From Birds Kuwait 2012

And my favorite of the day - shot this way by accident though :)

Black-headed Gull and the moon
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Friday, January 20, 2012

A neighbourhood morning, January 20th 2012


Well, our beach clean-up today was canceled due to possible dust. Hm. I saw dust on the horizon yesterday, can imagine it was pretty bad in the North. You never know with the weather here.

From Kuwait 2012
It's a gorgeous morning though. For some reason I didn't feel like going to the beach, so I decided to take the dogs at least for a neighbourhood walk.
From Kuwait 2012
I wanted to take some more photos of the former farmland (at least I think that's what it is) and check out if there are some 'new' birds around.

From Kuwait 2012
The rotting Date palms seem to prove my idea of this having been a farm before
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
No new birds, just the usual criminals (Laughing Dove, White-eared Bulbul, House Spassows and 2 White Wagtail).

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba
From Birds Kuwait 2012
The White-Wagtails gave me a little show of Bug hunting. Sadly, the sun was quite bright and I was to dumb to use Exposure compensation, so the white on the Waggies got a little burned out. Oh well.

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba with his breakfast
From Birds Kuwait 2012
I also found a new plant (new for me)
From Kuwait 2012

and two beetles, shimmering golden on the top  -which you of course can't see thanks to my camera skills today ;)
The ones I usually get to see here are simply black on top with varying degrees of 'bumps' on their backs.
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012

There is one old house left, still inhabited, some greenery around it, which attracts butterflies (thanks for the ID Keith! There were about 6 of the same).
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
Painted Lady
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012

I wonder how long this little paradise will last until the encroaching 'civilization' will finally swallow it all.

New vs old
From Kuwait 2012
Burnt tree
From Kuwait 2012
Road construction and encroaching civilization
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
Someone ID-ed this tree the other day on Project Noah, but it was on some other spotting and I didn't write down the name. Gggrrr....

From Kuwait 2012
The fruits are edible when ripe

From Kuwait 2012

There are some people that try to make this place look a bit better

From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
and others that don't give a shit

Trash dumped in road construction site
From Kuwait 2012

This one's probably my favorite photo of the day. I snuck it when shooting the tree

From Kuwait 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Black Redstart, Hausrotschwanz, Phoenicurus ochruros

Hungary 2009

Adult Black Redstart, sadly from quite a distance.

male adult
From Birds Hungary 2009
male adult
From Birds Hungary 2009
1st summer bird?
From Birds Hungary 2009

And some Immature ones.
This one all puffed up.

From Birds Hungary 2009
From Birds Hungary 2009
From Birds Hungary 2009
From Birds Hungary 2009
It's hard to believe that it's been over two years since we were last in Hungary.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Birding trip (part1), Pivot fields, Kuwait - Jan 10th 2012

Last Tuesday, Pekka Fagel, a local Birder was nice enough to take me on a birding trip.

Pivot fields
From Kuwait
We first went to the pivot fields, usually a place for Birds of Prey in abundance.
That day whatsoever, they had gotten the warning that I was coming ;-)

Greater Spotted Eagle, Schelladler, Aquila clanga
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Greater Spotted Eagle, Schelladler, Aquila clanga
From Birds Kuwait 2012
We saw some Hen Harriers and Greater spotted Eagle though - both Lifers for me -
so you don't hear me complaining ;-)

Greater Spotted Eagle, Schelladler, Aquila clanga
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Greater Spotted Eagle, Schelladler, Aquila clanga
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Hen Harrier, Kornweihe, Circus cyaneus
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Female Hen Harrier, Kornweihe, Circus cyaneus
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Black Kite, Milvus migrans, Schwarzmilan
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Another Lifer for the day were the Skylarks, which showed up in a huge flock and
were to be found all over the fields.

Skylark, Feldlerche, Alauda arvensis
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Lapwings and Water Pipits were there in abundance as well.

Northern Lapwing, Kiebitz, Vanellus vanellus
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Water Pipit , Bergpieper, Anthus spinoletta
From Birds Kuwait 2012

And some Namaqua Doves (the most I've ever seen together in one spot)
Namaqua Dove, Kaptäubchen, Oena capensis
From Birds Kuwait 2012

And a bunch of busy bees Spanish sparrows

Spanish Sparrow, Weidensperling, Passer hispaniolensis
From Birds Kuwait 2012
Whereas the Starlings and Crested Larks were taking a break.

Starling (Common / European), Star, Sturnus vulgaris
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Crested Lark, Haubenlerche, Galerida cristata
From Birds Kuwait 2012
One peculiar thing about the Pivot fields is probably the Crocodile pond.
There was a Moorhenn hiding somewhere and some Cattle Egrets took off when we came,
Chiffchaffs were singing in the trees.
Crocodile pond at Pivot fields
From Kuwait

Yes. With crocodiles.
Crocodile pond at Pivot fields
From Kuwait
The fields belong to the Amir's son and so do these crocs.

There were also sheep and some camels.

From Kuwait
From Kuwait

To enter the fields you need a permission, but you can drive along the fence line
and see some of the birds, especially during migration.
Be aware of hunters though.

Pivot fields
From Kuwait

I enjoyed my day very much - a great Thanks to Pekka for taking me!




Birdcount

Pivot fields


3 Hen Harrier (2 fem / 1 male) (Lifer)
2+ Greater spotted Eagle (Lifer)
4+ Isabelline Shrike
7+ Namaqua dove
60+ Spanish Sparrows
55+ Lapwing
80+ Skylark (Lifer)
10+ Crested Lark
20+ Water Pipit
30+ White Wagtail
Moorhenn (sound)
Chiffchaff (sound)
6+ Cattle Egret
16+ Starling
2 Common Kestrel

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