Up for breakfast at 6.30 in the dinning room on floor one. It was a very comprehensive, international selection giving a wide choice and a chance to try out some different combinations.
We met up with Pekka just after 7.00 and set off to the Pivot Fields where we were to have the honour of being the first non-kuwaiti birders to be allowed in for 5 years. It was easy to see why this area is such an attraction. There was a mixture of huge, irrigated fields and large areas of deserty, weedy fallow. Our first stop was close to the entrance where we scanned across the field for lapwings. As we got out of the car there was a burst of Great Reed Warbler song, but no sighting. David scanned the field and found two White-tailed Lapwings and a further scan found a flock of 10 Red-wattled Lapwings at the top of the field, quite a distance away. In the next field was a huge flock of Lapwings but no sign of Sociable Lapwings. In the edge of a filed an Indian Gerbil was feeding but we couldn't get very close. We then drove round some more fields, checking the Lapwings and finding larks and pipits before stopping in a trackway that looked out over a large field. Scanning through the lapwings the first thought was that there were some golden plover in the distance but after they moved into better light it was realised that there were at least eight Sociable Plover in the field. We drove round to other side to see if the views were any better but apart from an amazing line of kites on one of the irrigation arms they were just as difficult to see.
We drove around the fields and tracks and then headed out to a pond, stopping for a Bluethroat and a pair of Stonechats, where we had brilliant views of a Spanish Sparrow male in the reeds. Raptors seen in this excellent place were Black Kite, Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles, Hen Harrier and a ring-tailed Pallid Harrier and Long-legged Buzzard.
Our next drive out was to a camel farm area with a flock of 10 Namaqua doves sitting in some low branches. We watched the doves for a while and then returned to the entrance with a stop at the crocodile pond where we found a large crocodile sunning on the bank. As we left we commented on how interesting and productive the area was and how we could understand the frustration of not being allowed in. Today we had a very ethnic lunch in a local 'restaurant' for the vast sum of 5 KD for all 5 of us, including a drink.
We spent the afternoon in the KABD where we had to surrender our passports before entering. It seemed very quiet with just a Desert Wheatear, some Isabelline Wheatear and a Steppe Grey Shrike. As we bumped along a track a small bird turned into a lovely male Black-crowned Finch-lark which seemed to be completely unaware of us as it foraged along the track edge, giving stunning views.
We headed back to Kuwait University where we were dropped off and walked about, seeing House Crow and finding a small flock of Indian Silverbills feeding among their favourite food source. We then returned to our hotel as the sun set.
We decided to explore the area a bit and walked a short way to an Indian Restaurant where we enjoyed a nice meal and began to explore the variety of fruit 'cocktails' that are available to make up for the lack of anything alcoholic.
We met up with Pekka just after 7.00 and set off to the Pivot Fields where we were to have the honour of being the first non-kuwaiti birders to be allowed in for 5 years. It was easy to see why this area is such an attraction. There was a mixture of huge, irrigated fields and large areas of deserty, weedy fallow. Our first stop was close to the entrance where we scanned across the field for lapwings. As we got out of the car there was a burst of Great Reed Warbler song, but no sighting. David scanned the field and found two White-tailed Lapwings and a further scan found a flock of 10 Red-wattled Lapwings at the top of the field, quite a distance away. In the next field was a huge flock of Lapwings but no sign of Sociable Lapwings. In the edge of a filed an Indian Gerbil was feeding but we couldn't get very close. We then drove round some more fields, checking the Lapwings and finding larks and pipits before stopping in a trackway that looked out over a large field. Scanning through the lapwings the first thought was that there were some golden plover in the distance but after they moved into better light it was realised that there were at least eight Sociable Plover in the field. We drove round to other side to see if the views were any better but apart from an amazing line of kites on one of the irrigation arms they were just as difficult to see.
We drove around the fields and tracks and then headed out to a pond, stopping for a Bluethroat and a pair of Stonechats, where we had brilliant views of a Spanish Sparrow male in the reeds. Raptors seen in this excellent place were Black Kite, Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles, Hen Harrier and a ring-tailed Pallid Harrier and Long-legged Buzzard.
Our next drive out was to a camel farm area with a flock of 10 Namaqua doves sitting in some low branches. We watched the doves for a while and then returned to the entrance with a stop at the crocodile pond where we found a large crocodile sunning on the bank. As we left we commented on how interesting and productive the area was and how we could understand the frustration of not being allowed in. Today we had a very ethnic lunch in a local 'restaurant' for the vast sum of 5 KD for all 5 of us, including a drink.
We spent the afternoon in the KABD where we had to surrender our passports before entering. It seemed very quiet with just a Desert Wheatear, some Isabelline Wheatear and a Steppe Grey Shrike. As we bumped along a track a small bird turned into a lovely male Black-crowned Finch-lark which seemed to be completely unaware of us as it foraged along the track edge, giving stunning views.
We headed back to Kuwait University where we were dropped off and walked about, seeing House Crow and finding a small flock of Indian Silverbills feeding among their favourite food source. We then returned to our hotel as the sun set.
We decided to explore the area a bit and walked a short way to an Indian Restaurant where we enjoyed a nice meal and began to explore the variety of fruit 'cocktails' that are available to make up for the lack of anything alcoholic.
No comments:
Post a Comment