Kuwait is a relatively small State (17,818 square kilometers (6,880 square miles), including the Kuwaiti share of the Neutral Zone (2,590 sq km)) at the top of the Arabian Gulf, and is almost entirely flat desert.

There are currently about 355 species on the Kuwait Bird List (George Gregory, Feb 2005), many of which are of course migrants and only seen on spring or autumn passage. Whilst there are no endemics, ongoing research on Bubiyan Island is apparently going to add many new species to the Kuwait breeding list.

Local time: GMT +4
Approx noon temp: 25C
Weather: Clear and Sunny.

Kuwait, with George Gregory:

The flight arrived in Kuwait (by way of a quick stop in Jeddah to pick up three hundred Haj pilgrims laden down with Holy water and on their way back to various parts of the world) at 02:45. By the time I finally dropped into one of the most comfortable beds anywhere on the planet (mind you a gravel path would have been comfortable I was that tired) it was 03:30, and I was beginning to wonder how I’d feel when the alarm went off at 07:45…

There was no need to wonder - I was going to feel half-dead. But what can you do? I was fortunate enough to be meeting up with George Gregory, a UK ex-pat researcher who probably knows Kuwait’s birds better than anyone and who had offered to drive me around all day, and nothing short of a coma was going to stop me. I had two target birds - one a desert speciality, the other coastal - that I really wanted to see and that had somehow avoided me on my travels (ie I hadn’t dragged myself into the right places at the right time), and George had been fairly positive that we’d get to see them…So when the telephone went at 07:00 and it was George apologising for being early but saying that he was down in the hotel lobby, I stumbled into the shower, shoved a handful of grapes down my throat while I dried off, and got myself downstairs asap…

First stop was the Sabah Al-Ahmad Reserve, about 50km outside Kuwait City. George had said that we’d be meeting up with another itinerant birder at the gates - this time a Swiss birder on a mini-break in Kuwait. The Swiss turned out to be someone I knew well from a string of emails but had never met: Werner Mueller (of BirdLife Switzerland) who had been so much help with our Birds Korea efforts in the past. An extremely amiable chap, it made the day - which was already looking to be extremely good - even more meaningful…

Sabah Al-Ahmad is basically a “private” reserve, and entrance here is strictly limited to those people who the guard at the gates know well. That included George of course. As we swept through the gates (being introduced as two “very well-known birders” from overseas - much to the bemusement of the guard who looked completely unconvinced) we headed up onto an escarpment and into some real desert: “real” in the sense that it hasn’t been grazed to destruction by flocks of sheep and goats as has so much of the Arabian Peninsula, and is how much of the region must have looked until comparatively recently. With stock animals locked out of the Reserve the gravelly sand was covered in tiny flowers and seed-bearing plants. Lark food! And where there is lark food, there will surely be larks…

Hoopoe Lark

And so it proved. Almost the first birds we saw was one of the target species I hinted at earlier: two Hoopoe Larks. Almost totally inconspicuous when standing still, these wonderful birds are transformed when they spread their wings into magnificent bounding flashes of black and white which quickly disappear over the horizon. Which unfortunately is exactly what they did…and despite some dextrous driving by George we never quite managed to catch them up again. Still, a very good start indeed, especially as we had decent but distant views of the day’s only Bar-tailed Desert Lark at the same time…

It was a little early in the year to expect much in the way of migrants in Kuwait, as George repeatedly pointed out, showing us bushes and wadis that drip with migrants at the right time of the year. During a brief stop at Kuwait’s version of Point Pelee, the famous Tulha “drinking pools” - named for a group of isolated acacias (Kuwait’s only native tree in fact) (right) with a small concrete pool set up in the middle of them to attract migrants - we found only a Chiffchaff (giving a somewhat “tristis”-like call), two or three Song Thrushes catapulting out of the shrubbery like small missiles, and indeterminate views of what was either a Common Redstart or a Black Redstart…but it was easy to imagine what would be passing through in a few months time…

As we hurtled along on tracks that, of the three of us, only George could see we began to find parties of feeding larks - in much larger numbers than even George had expected.

The majority were migrant Eurasian Skylarks, in record numbers it urned out, and we also found good numbers of both Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, two Bimaculated, two Small Skylark (probably more but ID was difficult as the flocks scattered like windblown chaff in front of us), and small numbers of Crested - eight species in total! We also had more Isabelline Wheatears than I’d ever seen before flushing across the tracks, a small number of Desert Wheatear, and a handful of Tawny Pipits.

  

Isabelline Wheatear

It may be typical fare for those birders who spend all their time in four-wheel vehicles crashing around the desert, but for those of us who don’t it was incredibly exciting.

Mourning Wheatear

A quick stop at the “Mother of the Boulders” Wadi added a Mourning Wheatear and four Common Kestrels to the growing day-list, before - all too soon - we arrived back at the Reserve entrance gates and headed off to the next stop - the Jahra Farms…

Jahra Farms are a smallish area of vegetable fields fed by a freshwater spring that bubbles up into a pit surrounded by garbage and out along a series of gravity-powered irrigation channels. Looking somewhat like English allotments (but with palm trees and guys with very sharp, curved knives) there is open access to parts of the Farms, but some of the better, less disturbed plots are hidden away behind high walls that only a local birder (ie George) can get into.

  

Though - with their damp marshy areas and moist soils - undoubtedly a cracking place at the right time of the year the Farms were not surprisingly rather quiet. A group of Cattle Egrets picked their way between White Wagtails, and White-cheeked Bulbuls called from the trees. Best bird was a rather wary Isabelline Shrike, but otherwise migrants were in very short supply - with the exception of three or four Song Thrushes again hurtling out of the tamarisks and disappearing like scalded cats into whatever cover they could find.

Isabelline Shrike

The Jahra area has a number of excellent birding sites, and we moved on to the next after about one hour.

The Jahra Pools Reserve contains one of the larger reed-beds in Kuwait. Subject to the impact of regular droughts, the reedbeds have suffered badly in recent years and are much reduced in size - but, according to George, are bouncing back. They still make an impressive site though - driving the 4×4 through the centre of them (on a proper track of course) is like disappearing into the midst of an eight foot high brown hedge. Thought to be a likely breeding area for the barely-known Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalis griseldis (an E Iraqi breeder that migrates through the Gulf to and from E Africa, the nest of which has never been found), the pools and the reeds were - of course - not at their bursting best at this time of the year. The Pools have hosted many of Kuwait’s rarities over the years, but despite driving around them - and my determination to find an out-of-season Basra Reed posing halfway up a stem right next to the car - on this occasion we only had an imm Spotted Eagle, a one-legged Black-winged Stilt, a very skittish Green Sandpiper (possibly having witnessed the fate that had previously befallen the hapless Stilt?), a similarly nervous Marsh Sandpiper, several variegata Stonechats, and more White Wagtails.

Flippancy aside, without doubt an area of freshwater wetland of this size is of great importance for migratory birds. If you can get there anytime from spring onwards, go for it…

With the sun climbing ever upwards we drove onto the next site - a sewage outfall that George had discovered in his “pioneer” years circling round Kuwait looking for good birding sites. Following yet another track that I couldn’t see we headed through a small settlement where flocks of “Tumbler” pigeons looped through the air, performing that odd, stuttering flight that looks like they’re continually flying smack into invisible walls and tumbling towards the ground - a trait apparently much admired by bored Kuwaitis - and onto something like an embankment heading out to the sea. I personally couldn’t imagine how anyone had ever found this site, and was even more surprised when we pulled up and Werner casually and politely recited a list of the birds he’d seen here yesterday! Swiss birders…amazing…

Jahra East Sewage Outfall

This was the first place we’d come to with gulls, but a quick scan through a flock disturbed by a prowling Marsh Harrier only revealed Black-headeds rather than the hoped-for Slender-billeds…the same Harrier also disturbed two Glossy Ibis (a scarce bird in Kuwait), a snowstorm of White Wagtails, and my first Kuwaiti Starlings. Out on the mud we could just about see Shelducks, Redshanks, and a thick wedge of Greater Flamingoes - and a rising and falling wave of distant shorebirds at the tide-edge, most of which were far too far away to ID unfortunately.

  

White Wagtail Alba alba alba

Overhead we picked up a juvenile lineatus Black Kite - the eastern race which breeds in Siberia and migrates widely through the Gulf. Surprisingly this was the only one we saw…

Juvenile lineatus Black Kite MIlvus migrans.

In all honesty I was beginning to feel the pace - or at least the pace and the lack of sleep. I know we went to a wide bay where we saw a group of beautiful Crab Plovers - I mainly remember that because they were lifers for me - and a few Kentish Plovers and Gull-billed Terns, but the exact name escapes me at the moment (one part of the huge Sulibaya area anyway)…I do remember though that like tidal-flats seemingly everywhere they were earmarked for “development” into a marina: well, what’s a few Crab Plovers compared with having a choice of where to park your boat?

Out there be Crab Plovers…but not for much longer.

…I remember too weaving in and out of both overtaking and undertaking traffic, seeing the odd crumpled car abandoned in the sand by the side of the road, and passing groups of tents that looked like some sort of punishment camp for wayward boy scouts but were in fact weekend retreats for Kuawitis feeling nostalgic for their Bedouin past, but for a blissful hour or so I was lost to the world, the sound of wheels on tarmac thrumming in my ears, and a warm sun filtering in through the window…I usually feel a little awkward falling asleep in cars driven by people I’ve not met before - especially when they’ve put themselves out to show you round - but there are times when all you can do is mumble an apology and hope no-one minds…

Fortunately - no-one minded and I started to come round as we headed for the east coast and views right out into the Gulf. It was here I took the photo of the shepherd below. It’s pretty unremarkable (unless you have a serious thing for goats) except that the pipes he is sitting on are flowing with millions of gallons of oil, pulled only by gravity from the refinery to storage tanks some miles away. There are no fences or guards, no helicopters flying overhead…nothing at all in fact, other than a bit of sand, between me and an uncontrollable fire or an ecological disaster - should I take it upon myself to blow up the pieline or drill some great big holes in it of course. Having spent so long in the last few years in some seriously paranoid countries, I have to say that this was somehow really refreshing: almost a reminder of how the world really works when the President or the Prime-Minister isn’t trying to convince you that there are terrorists in every shadow…maybe I was just still feeling groggy, but I can’t tell you how liberating it felt to straddle an oil pipeline the same day that the Iraqis were holding their election…

There were actually very few birds here - a group of four Slender-billed Gulls that paddled rapidly out to sea as we emerged from behind a sand-dune and onto the narrow belt of coastline, and a Grey Plover - but I returned to the car feeling much better and looking forward again to the next stop.

With about an hour to go before dusk we headed back towards Kuwait City and to Sabah Al-Salem - three key sites right next to each other.

The first two sites are pretty much contiguous but separated by a quiet road. A small area of dampish marshland, the “proper” Sabah Al-Salem is a garbage dump, a muddy patch running with sewage - and can be fantastic for crakes. It does have a tendency to dry out at times, and outside of the migration periods can be very quiet, but we had good views of a Bluethroat, another Isabelline Shrike, and the usual collection of mynas and sparrows.
George raced us around the area quite quickly - to be fair, there really wasn’t much there - but I have to say this was one of my favourite places: the potential just seems great - reeds, open muddy bits, easy and full-time access - you just know that in April or early May the place would be alive with birds (and probably cats and small boys with catapults…)

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus

About 1km away across another road and some more sand was another mini-wetland - complete with a temporary reed-bed. A Kuwaiti IBA we were greeted with the first decent views of Pallid Swift of the day, and a handful of shorebirds - including three Greater Sand Plovers and more Black-winged Stilts. A small flock of early hirundines included one Northern House Martin, and - just out of site behind the reeds - were a few egrets and herons.

Despite the busy main road right behind this tiny patch of water, this was a peaceful and relaxing end to what had been a very long and tiring day - but a very good one indeed. Some cracking birds, loads of new sites I knew nothing about, and some very interesting chat…

Sure, there’d be far more birds in a few months, but no-one’s to blame for that, and this particular blogger is always very grateful that someone would put themselves out for a total stranger and drive them round all day for just the price of a tank of petrol - which in Kuwait really isn’t very much reward at all for so much effort! So, many thanks again George, and I hope you enjoyed it all as much as I did…

The Bird Monitoring and Protection Team (BMAPT)

The Bird Monitoring and Protection Team (BMAPT) has the aims of monitoring and protecting both resident and migratory birds in Kuwait. Its functions include recording both common and rare birds, taking biometrics, monitoring birds in nature reserves and elsewhere, establishing and managing new reserves, and increasing public awareness of birds in Kuwait and of the necessity of protecting them.

It is committed to the free flow of information about birds in Kuwait and to close cooperation with Kuwait governmental bodies, and international ornithological and bird protection organizations.

For more go to the BMAPT website.

desert flower sp; juv Spiny Lizard; Slender-billed Gull; Black-winged Stilt

Trip List (note, numbers are in most cases approximate):
English and scientific names mainly from “Collins Bird Guide”, Mullarney K. and L. Svensson et al, Collins, 1999:
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis c30; Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis 10; Little Egret Egretta garzetta, 10; Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 5; Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 2; Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber 300+; Shelduck Tadorna tadorna c20; Shoveler Anas clypeata 3; Black Kite Milvus migrans lineatus 1; Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 2; Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga 2; Accipiter sp 1; Common Kestrel Falco tinnnunculus, 6; Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 3-4; Coot Fulica atra 10; Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 4-5; Crab Plover Dromas ardeola c30; Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 10+; Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 3; Grey Plover Pluvialis squatorola 20+; Little Stint Calidris minuta 2; Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus 2; Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago 6; Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 1; Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 5-10; Redshank Tringa totanus 20+; Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 3; Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 2; Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 1; Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus +; Slender-billed Gull Larus genei c10; Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 3+; Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 10; Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 30+; Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis 30+; Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri 1; Pallid Swift Apus pallida 40+; Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cincturus 1; Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes 2; Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata 2; Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla c20; Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens 30+; Crested Lark Galerida cristata 20+; Small Skylark Alauda gulgula 2+; Skylark Alauda arvensis 100+; Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 3 - 4; House Martin Delichon urbicum 1; Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris 4; Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta 2; Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 2; White Wagtail Motacilla alba 5 - 6; White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys 10; Bluethroat Luscinia svecica 1; Black/Common Redstart Phoenicurus ochrurus/phoenicurus 1; Common Stonechat Saxicola (torquata) variegata 3; Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellinus 10+; Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti 5+; Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens 2; Song Thrush Turdus philomelos c10; Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 3; Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus 3; Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris 1; Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 20+; Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 10+; House Sparrow Passer domesticus 10+; Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis 2+

All photos © Charlie Moores