Oh Mike, You Take Me To All the Nicest Places

Birding in Kuwait is a sometimes like birding at home and then sometimes totally NOT like birding at home. Most of the "hotspots" are centered around water as you can imagine. We went out to a remote abandoned quarry to find true desert birds. The place was barren except for a few shrubby trees surrounding the quarry pit. The winds howl in the desert and blow sand and trash for miles. Every tree and fence line that we passed had at least one plastic bag tangled in the branches.

Along with the trash, the trees also hold birds. We were able to track down a few specialties. The trees also attract migrants that are passing through. In fact, here is a photo that shows both the migrant (Semi-collared Flycatcher) and the trash.

Semi-collared Flycatcher

We saw a group of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters which are really cool looking. Not the best photo but they barely stopped moving so I was happy to get any photo at all of these colorful birds. 

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Another really cool bird that blends into the desert is Crested Lark. 

Crested Lark

We headed back toward the city to hit some other birding locations. I have to admit that I was a little worried when Mike pulled the car into a back alley that looked like this:

Alley

Is this the part where I disappear and they only find pieces of my body years later? Gulp. Not to worry (of course). Would you believe that this is the entrance to Jahra Farms?  Once we went inside of the walls, we found the "farms" which is more like a community garden co-op than the farms that we are used to in the US. 

Jahra Farms

The farm/garden attracts birds due to the water and vegetation. Strange to see Kingfishers and Herons in a farm setting. 

Squacco Heron

This Squacco Heron is sitting in the middle of a patch of parsley which will eventually end up in one of the local markets or restaurants. The "farms" ended up being a great stop on our tour not only for the birds but also for the cultural experience. In fact, here it is on my plate in tabouli salad - yum! 

Back to more traditional birding locations after the farms including Sulaibikhat Bay . This spot is more like birding Delaware Bay in Cape May except that Sulaibikhat Bay has Greater Flamingos!

Greater Flamingo

Two Flamingo species in a month. Who would have thought? The bay also had multiple gull and tern species along with shorebirds. Unfortunately, the birds were pretty far out on the mudflats for photos. 

Our last stop was by far the most familiar to me. We headed to Jahra Pools which is a large wetland area where we found and photographed birds up close. One of my favorite bird groups is the Kingfisher group. We found 2 very cooperative species at the pools. White-throated Kingfisher indeed has a white throat.

White-throated Kingfisher

But the aqua color on the back is more impressive. 

White-throated Kingfisher

The other Kingfisher that uses the pools is the Pied Kingfisher. "Pied" means black and white and this bird exemplifies the pied name. This bird posed for us balancing on a reed in the wind. 

Pied Kingfisher

 Pied Kingfishers hover above the water looking for a fish.

Pied Kingfisher

It felt like home when we spotted an Osprey roosting in a dead tree. 

Osprey

But then, we found 6 Greater Spotted Eagles that use the marsh for night roost. We photographed a few soaring low over the marsh. 

Greater Spotted Eagle

As they were landing for the evening. Interesting to see that they like to roost low in dead trees. 

Greater Spotted Eagle

And even on the ground. 

Greater Spotted Eagle

We spent some time looking for marsh birds like rails which are called "crakes" in Europe and Asia. Our patience was rewarded with up close views of 2 species. We had a typical view of Little Crake.

Little Crake - typical view

Yup. That is about the best view that I usually get of rails and crakes. Barely visible through the thick reeds. Not so for the Spotted Crake. This bird really put on a show running out in the open water.

Spotted Crake

A nice way to end an amazing day of birding in an amazing new area of the world - Kuwait. 

Banana Train and Boat Ride

This is the nerds first time in a large group like this which had many up sides like not having to worry about details like where to go, what birds would be there, how to get there etc. The group consisted of 16 birders, 1 bird field guide (Alex) and our driver (Gustavo or Gus). Gus took care of logistics and driving. Alex took care of finding the birds, getting everyone to see the birds, coordinating the meals and lodging etc. All we had to do was follow the group. We ate each meal as a group. Alex took time at dinner to review our bird list for the day and tell us where and when to meet for the next day's adventure.

Our first big outing and tour in Honduras was to a place called RVS Cuero y Salado which is a mangrove estuary. Alex told us to be at breakfast by 6:00 and on the bus by 6:30. The bus trip only took 20 minutes where we would board the "Banana Train" at 7:00. Banana Train?

Bird Nerds on Banana Train

Banana - we thought was due to the train being yellow but turns out that the train used to carry banana pickers out to the fields in the old days.
Train - well, it was on tracks. The engine consisted of an engine mounted right next to the driver who had a lever and a brake pedal. That's it. 2 cars were attached to carry all of our group plus the regular passengers such as school children.

The track was one long straight line that took us through really poor rural housing, fields that used to be banana plantations and swamps.

Linda - Banana Train

Military guards ride the train to protect the passengers. Not sure what could happen but we didn't ask.

Connie and friend

Di and Barbara ride the train

The train dropped us at the end of the line where little boats awaited to take us up into the mangrove estuary. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

Mangrove Estuary

Birders in boats

Our guides took us to the places where we could see the specialty birds that make the estuary home. The first bird that we saw was Boat-billed Heron. This is an impressive bird with a wide bill and cool floppy feathers on his head. 3 of them were in the mangroves along the water's edge. Our boat driver pulled right up so that we could get a good look.

Another resident along the banks were Northern Jacana. Here is a baby following the parent through the reeds and lily pads.

Kingfishers are abundant in Central America. Unlike our area where we only have one type (Belted), Honduras has 6 types that can be seen. We found 3 of them along the estuary.  Here is Ringed Kingfisher which looks the most like our Belted except it has a rufous belly.

Ringed Kingfisher

This one is Green Kingfisher. This gal hung around under the mangroves and allowed the boat to get pretty close.

Green Kingfisher

The most uncommon kingfisher is Pygmy. It is also the hardest to see due to it's small size and habit of hiding in the mangrove roots. Can you see it?

Pygmy Kingfisher

We saw lots of other birds plus some other animals like this huge Crocodile lazing in the sun.

Crocodile

And these bats hanging onto the trunk of a tree.

Bats

Here is a close-up of one of them. Furry little fellow huh?

Bat

The crowd pleaser had to be the howler monkeys. We heard them roaring in the distance and also stumbled upon a family right along the bank. Here is Dad keeping a watchful eye.

Male Howler Monkey

Here is Junior figuring things out for himself. He was curious about the boat.

Juvenile Howler Monkey

How cute is this?

Junior

What a great day in Honduras. And this is only the beginning. Way more to come as I process photos.

FarmStock 2014

I made it out to FarmStock this year which was really great. As usual, Mark and Linda volunteered me to lead the "bird walk". The walk is scheduled for 7:30 which means that we start an hour later after everyone rouses themselves, gets much needed coffee and opens their eyes after a fun night of drinks and music.

Of course, the bird walk is more like a walk down to the Buffalo Creek with me hoping that a bird - any bird - shows up or sings or something. And as usual, the walk started off with no birds in sight or earshot. I tried to entertain the group by pointing out butterflies and such but they weren't interested. Thank goodness we heard a few and got to see a few too. Eastern Kingbirds were chirping. This one posed for me later in the day.

Eastern Kingbird

 When leading a bird walk for non-birders, you really hope to see big birds or red birds or blue birds or something showy and flashy. Of course, the only bird that would show itself was this immature Swamp Sparrow. B.O.R.I.N.G. The crowd lost interest and started lagging behind. A leader's worst nightmare.

Swamp Sparrow

We finally made it down to the creek which thankfully was more interesting. The group perked up a little bit when we got to the duck blind. A few birds showed up. We saw this Killdeer and a Solitary Sandpiper too.

Killdeer

Juvenile Wood Ducks quickly took cover when we arrived. I snapped this photo before they ducked (pun intended) behind the reeds.

Wood Ducks

The group lost interest again and we headed back to the camp for breakfast and a tractor ride. I guess all leaders have to suck it up when there are no birds. I think they forgot all about it once the tractor came out of the barn.

Tractor Ride!

A leader's worst nightmare - seeing the best birds of the day after the official walk has ended. Case in point:

Female Kingfisher

This female Kingfisher sat right next to the duck blind and chattered away. Her mate was there too. I could just cry. This is one of those birds that could get someone really interested in birds and birding. God forbid they show up when I have the group with me.  I give up.