The morning started out quite cold and misty, but turned out into a lovely day once the sun had burnt off the mist. I managed to catch up with a few of the recent regulars as well as find a few less common visitors. A Water Pipit warming up in the early morning sunshine Common Sandpiper with a tasty morsel Wood Sandpiper This Common Greenshank was hawking meals off the water surface, flying back onto the wall and then quickly swallowing its bounty. Try as I might, I could not capture the action, so had to be satisfied with this resting pose instead. Very frustrating. This European Stonechat male was at the same spot I found it the other day. It was very obliging but the female kept her distance this time. There are two Red-wattled Lapwings that have been present at the same night storage dam for a while now. One of the birds is carrying a leg wound that looks to be healing, all be it a little bit buckled and bent. Here is the companion. Keeping a very low profile at the same spot was this female Mallard. All I managed was this rather grainy ID image. This Red-spotted Bluethroat was skulking in the cover and only briefly hopping out into the open to catch something before disappearing again. This is bit of a bogey bird for me, and I continue to dip on securing a good image on this species. I also came across a pair of Namaqua Doves. I managed to get a few images of the male before they took off in their typical "explosion" of flight.
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I have not been to the waste water ponds for a while, so decided it was time for another visit. Since I was last there I see they have blocked off access to the main road through the middle of the ponds. The cormorants (and others) have been quick to use the roadway as a gathering, roosting, preening, and resting site. The number of cormorants present was simply incredible. I found these two birds in full breeding plumage, complete with extensive white markings on the head and upper neck, as well as the large thigh spot. During the course of the morning I was treated to some fly-bys. The better ones I have included below. Grey Heron Western Great Egret Gull species to be confirmed Gull species to be confirmed In one of the wet marshy areas below the ponds I found this single Black-winged Stilt willing to pose for a portrait. The ever present Little Grebes did not disappoint The Great Crested Grebes were all swimming around in pairs and coming into their breeding plumage There were lots of Western Reef Herons present. Here is a dark morph individual nicely silhouetted.
Woodchat Shrike Red-vented Bulbul An early adopter. The first Eurasian Hoopoe I have seen this season. A bit early to call it spring yet. Female European Stonechat Male European Stonechat
Yesterday I headed north to the Al Ruwais area. The day started out cold and windy with a little bit of rain. Not ideal conditions for photography. After a few hours and not much to show for my efforts I decided to head home. En route the sun put in an appearance, so I changed my mind and headed off to Al Thakhira, as I had never been there before. A dark morph Western Reef Heron fishing in the coastal shallows A pale morph Western Reef Heron fishing along the slipway A Caspian type Gull tbc flying overhead A Slender-billed Gull swimming in amongst the moored Dhows in the calm harbour waters I got very excited when this Great Black-headed Gull flew overhead
I managed to find and photograph a few shrikes on the windy day out, so have decided to put them alongside some others seen previously for a bit of a selection. Enjoy. Arabian Grey Shrike Steppe Grey Shrike Masked Shrike Turkestan Shrike Daurian Shrike Woodchat Shrike
The other morning when I was out and about the conditions were very blustery. I noticed the raptors were spending time on the ground. They were tucking themselves up against bushes or positioning themselves in the lee of mounds facing the sun. They were more approachable, and as a result I managed to get a few close up images. Female Pallid Harrier. Female Montagu's Harrier sitting very low to the ground. Common Kestrel. I like how this front on shot turned out, a pose I struggle to capture well. Then the exception to prove the rule. A Female Pallid Harrier quartering for prey.
A Wood Sandpiper with a juicy morsel. A White Wagtail with what looks like a dragonfly larvae. An Indian Silverbill busy stripping seed. A female European Stonechat with a grasshopper of sorts.
Here are some of the categories of birds found in Qatar. A: Occurs in the wild C: Originally introduced, now has self sustaining populations E: Escapee, released or otherwise unnaturally introduced Below find a selection of some ACE's I came across today. A lovely Masked Shrike. A regular passage migrant. This is an adult male given the rufous touch to the flanks. (A) A Grey Francolin showing off its cream, chestnut and brown patterning. (C) A Mallard type female out for a early morning stroll. ( E) A Mallard type male, also out and about. (E) An Indian Silverbill deciding which seed-head to tackle next. (C) Portrait of a Peafowl (E) A White-eared Bulbul feasting on the berries of this shrub.(C) Any takers on the shrub I.D? A Daurian Shrike. A common passage migrant and winter visitor. (A) Not a bird, but this Red-eared Slider of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fame, is likely to be an escapee. (E) It is on the list of the 100 most invasive species, as published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.(IUCN) 4/02/2014. Check out what I came across whilst strolling through the local Souq today. A bucket full of baby Red-eared Sliders on sale. There is a tragic scenario playing out in South Africa. The Cape Parrot, South Africa's only endemic parrot species faces possible extinction. There are estimated to be less than 1000 birds remaining, making the species critically endangered. Yellowwood trees found in the eastern afromontane mistbelt forests are the main resource for food and nesting for these parrots. The trees produce high quality hardwood much in demand in the furniture industry. This has led to the forest patches having had most of the yellowwoods removed. Add to this a Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) outbreak in the Eastern Cape parrot population, which has caused some deaths. If this isn't enough, there is also illegal trapping for bird trading as there has been a massive rise in the market value of these parrots given their rarity. Worldwide, parrots have the most threatened species of any bird family. More than 90 of the world's 332 parrot species are threatened with global extinction. 04/02/2014
No sooner had I posted this article about the demise of the Cape Parrot, and the part trapping and trading is contributing towards the issue, when I came across a whole lot of parrots for sale whilst strolling through the local Souq (market place) in Doha City. Nice sunlight on this Slender-billed Gull taking off. A coastal fly-past by this Bar-tailed Godwit. Soon followed by this handsome Eurasian Oystercatcher. Undercarriage on view as this Pallid Harrier female flew overhead.
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