Day 6 - Al Abraq, Sulaibaikhet and Doha Spit

The usual early start with Pekka arriving early, having time to partake of a coffee and a bun because of lack of traffic, collecting and stowing our luggage and still out before 7.15. heading out on highway 70 towards Saudi Arabia. The drive was very interesting and gave us a chance to see a different part of the country. The roads were dual carriageway most of the way with trees planted on both sides. About 85 kms out of Kuwait there was what looked like a large town which Pekka told us was a breakers yard. It was massive with shacks and piles of bits. We turned right at the junction on to the Al Dubdiba road towards Iraq and drove another 25 kms before turning off onto a dirt track across the desert. There were some rubbish bags near the road and there was the almost guaranteed Desert Wheatear flitting around.  Another 10 kms brought us to Al Abraq, with the palms and trees appearing in the distance and getting closer as we approached - giving us an idea of how welcome the sight of an oasis was for travellers in the past.

Pekka parked the car and we walked around checking the trees and grassy areas. As we walked up to a water tank we found a new dragonfly for the trip and one we hadn't seen before. Later identification found it was a Slender Skimmer. There were the usual Vagrant Emperors and Eastern Scarlet Skimmers We all spread out and but there wasn't a lot of activity apart from a few Chiffchaffs and Song thrushes and a Sparrowhawk that flew over, proving not to be a Saker. I joined Pekka and David for a while as they followed a strange call but lost them among the trees so decided to walk through to the other end. I was half way there when David called to say he had seen a Redstart and had a Red-breasted Flycatcher calling. I called for Brenda and Alan, alerted Pekka who went to look for the others and walked rapidly back to find David. We followed the calls of the bird around the trees but had no sightings other than fleeting views of a Blackbird.

We drove back to Sulaibaikhet car park where there were lots of gulls including Armenian and lots of waders as yesterday but quite distant and no Crab Plovers. There were at least 10 Reef Herons standing on a line of posts out to sea and using them as fishing spots. We drove round to Manchester where there were more flamingos but no still no Crab Plovers.

Last call was to Doha spit where we walked the desert area first locating a Desert Wheatear then Pekka called us over for a desert warbler – seen flying and diving into a bush. Eventually we refound it and followed it carefully for a while till it flew away over the bushes.

Pekka drove us to airport where we sorted our luggage, had a Pasta meal with Pekka and then said our goodbyes and sat in the airport until time to check in and head for home. It had been a brilliant week in the desert