Kuwait - Part 6

The day started with a visit to the Kabd Reserve to search for Black-crowned Sparrow Lark. We failed to connect but did have White-throted Robin, more Common Redstarts, Ortolan Bunting and Turkestan Shrike. A dust-up with one of our travelling companions on the subject of fieldcraft left the atmosphere decidedly cool - the less said about that the better!

Driving around the reserve we found a female Rock Thrush, Isabelline Wheatear, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Eastern Olivaecous Warbler.

Isabelline Wheatear - Kapd Reserve, Kuwait

Turkestan Shrike, Kapd Reserve, Kuwait

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - Kapd Reserve, Kuwait

From there we headed back into the city to search a local park where the Birdfinders group had earlier seen a Crested Honey Buzzard. Sadly we also failed to connect with this bird but did have Wryneck, yet more Redstarts and a female Semi-collared Flycatcher. In another city park we came across this Sylvia warbler which initially had us all stumped!

'Mystery' Sylvia

However, on examination of the shots I had taken from the back of my camera, Abdulrahman confirmed it was an eastern race (Icterops) of Common Whitethroat, a really grey / blueish looking bird. I'd not heard of this race and this turned out to be one of the most interesting encounters of the trip!
That afternoon we trudged around the Jahra Pools Reserve - I say trudged because it was above 40 celsius and I think we were all struggling a little. Nonetheless we added Graceful Prinia, White-tailed Lapwing, Spur-winged Plover, Heuglin's Gull, White Wagtail and Black-winged Stilt to the trip list.

Plus we had nice views of this male Rock Thrush perched in a dead tree.

Male Rock Thrush - Jahra Pools, Kuwait

And this smart Woodchat Shrike making it the 5th Shrike species of the trip after Turkestan, Isabelline, Great Grey (specifically Steppe Grey Shrike) and Masked Shrike.

Woodchat Shrike, Jahra Pools Reserve.