Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Another side of the hood, Mahboula January 22nd 2012

From Kuwait 2012
I haven't explored this side of our neighbourhood much yet.
There's still a huge construction going on at the main street and crossing this one is a pain in the behind (mud puddles, sand in your shoes, dirty dog paws, dust, ...).
The street is right in front of this building, the plot with trees behind me.

From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
This day the trees and old Date palms lured me though.

From Kuwait 2012
Also the mounds and bushes, usually good territory for Shrikes, Wheatears and such fellows I wanted to check out if there were any birds.
Not much yet, I bet during migration a few fellows will stop by though.
We had the usual criminals: Laughing Dove, House Sparrow, I heard a White-eared Bulbul and saw two White Wagtails.

From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
I was surprised to find some plants growing, not sure which is what, except for one.

Jaffa groundsel, Senecio glaucus
From Kuwait 2012
Jaffa groundsel, Senecio glaucus
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012

And on my way back home I stumbled over this Lady, enjoying the cool morning and sunshine. This is a sight you rarely ever get. Women here do walk along the beaches or might sit on a bench, but more often you just see them sitting inside their cars and watch nature from there.

From People

I also stopped at my favorite 'next door' trees.

From Kuwait 2012

The street construction workers are currently pouring their Leftover concrete everywhere. Underneath and besides the tree are some of those places. On one I could see the sparrows taking their baths after the rain - before the concrete :(
And of course, there's always the trash.

From Kuwait 2012
From Kuwait 2012

Not many birds around here, a few noisy fighting House Sparrows (well, the one in the photo stayed out of it and just enjoyed the cool sunshine), Laughing Doves, two Common Myna eyeing me curiously

From Birds Kuwait 2012
From Birds Kuwait 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

Jahra farms

January 2012
Third stop of the birding trip with Pekka Fagel were the Jahra farms. 
Always a nice place to stroll around.
Mind, you can go there by yourself and ask the owner nicely if you can enter, but as a woman - Do NOT go to Jahra by yourself. It is still not the safest place to go in Kuwait (insert irony). 
There was not much going on that morning though. But I can't always bag an Ashy Drongo (a vagrant for Kuwait from 2010 - see farther below).

The farms are a good place to see a Bank Myna - one of the birds in Kuwait that is still teasing me. Well, maybe one day I get to see one.
Jahra farms
From Kuwait 2012
Jahra farms
From Kuwait 2012
Jahra farms
From Kuwait 2012


Birdcount for January 10th 2012

2 Song Thrush
1 White-throated Kingfisher
7+ White Wagtail
2+ White-eared Bulbul
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Rose-ringed Parakeet (sound)

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In October 2010 AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan, a great local birder took me on a trip. One stop was also the Jahra farms.

Jahra farms
From Kuwait
Jahra farms
From Kuwait
Jahra farms
From Kuwait
Subsp. of Isabelline Shrike, Turkestan Shrike, Isabellwürger, Lanius phoenicuroides
From Birds Kuwait 2010

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In December 2010 Humoud took me for a tour.
First stop that morning was at the Jahra farms where we had a male Bluethroat posing for us. He was getting as close as a meter. The food  must have either been great or he was just in a daze from his migration, that he didn’t realize the two humans staring at him in disbelieve (and clicking away happily of course) ;)
1st winter male Bluethroat, Blaukehlchen, Luscinia svecica
From Birds Kuwait 2010
1st winter male Bluethroat, Blaukehlchen, Luscinia svecica
From Birds Kuwait 2010


We had the some nice rain that morning, which made for clean air, but not the greatest lighting conditions ;)

Jahra Farms
From Kuwait

When we went inside the farm, we saw and heard White cheeked Bulbuls, Kingfisher, Common Myna, …
A few Song Thrush
Song Thrush, Singdrossel, Turdus philomelos
From Birds Kuwait 2010


My first Wryneck, quite far away and off  to greener pastures after this shot

Wryneck, Wendehals, Jynx torquilla
From Birds Kuwait 2010

A single Spanish Sparrow. Not sure what he did there without his flock.

Spanish Sparrow, Weidensperling, Passer hispaniolensis
From Birds Kuwait 2010

And last one for the farms, a Ashy Drongo. There are two of them, one showed himself briefly to us, sadly with us facing the sunny side of the morning. Got him nonetheless ;)
The Ashy Drongo was seen in Kuwait only one time before in 2001.
Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus
From Birds Kuwait 2010

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