Kuwait – Winter Specialities on the Edge of the Western Palearctic
27 January - 3 February 2012
- Price per person: £970
- Deposit per person: £250
- Suggested Flights: British Airways and Kuwait Airlines run daily direct flights from London Heathrow to Kuwait City.
KLM run flights from Heathrow too but these go via Amsterdam.
Being positioned in the extreme south east corner of the Western Palearctic and on a migration crossroads the State of Kuwait has an enormous amount to offer the visiting birder. Like several of its near neighbours the country has a great infrastructure and welcoming people. Until recently the country has been off-limits to visitors without state sponsorship but all that has now changed and its true birding potential is starting to be realised. With assistance of our ever helpful local guide we will gain access to several restricted sites which will help ensure we see all of what the country has to offer the winter visitor.
The list of wintering and resident species includes Western Reef Heron, Crab Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Shikra, Steppe Gull, Heuglin's Gull, Swift Tern, Grey-headed Swamphen, White-breasted Kingfisher, Dunn's Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-lark, Hoopoe Lark, Persian Wheatear, Eastern Mourning Wheatear, Finsch's Wheatear, Common Babbler, Indian Roller, Grey Hypocolious, White-cheeked Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Asian Desert Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff, Moustached Warbler, Bank Myna and Common Myna.
In recent winters Long-tailed Shrike has spent the winter near Kuwait City, Eversmann's Redstart has been found and in early 2008 the first Purple Sunbirds for the Western Palearctic and several wintering Asian Buff-bellied Pipits were discovered. 2009 yielded Darter, Oriental Turtle Dove, Macqueen's Bustard, Rustic Bunting and Indian Pond Heron whilst in 2010 a Hume's Wheatear graced a desert wadi. All proving that this under-watched corner of the region can turn up rarities from all points of the compass!
As a result the tour will have a real pioneering edge to it as new discoveries are being made all the time.
Day 1
Our tour will begin in Kuwait City where flights should have landed in the early morning. Once on the road we’ll head for our first port of call - the local nature reserve of Sulaibikhat to the west of Kuwait City. This site is a great introduction to Kuwaiti birding and we’ll hope for a variety of species - we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the wintering Long-tailed Shrike plus Daurian Shrike, Bluethroat, Graceful Prinia, the ubiqitous White-cheeked Bulbuls and Common Mynas. The shoreline here will give us our first waders, gulls and terns which should include Whiskered Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Steppe Gull and Slender-billed Gull. Greater Flamingoes will shimmer pink in the haze.
In the afternoon we’ll explore the reedy pools of Doha South for Grey-headed Swamphen, Bluethroat and and wintering warblers and also the inspiring Doha Spit on the west side of Kuwait Bay. The order we do things will depend on tide times but we can expect good numbers of Crab Plover, Lesser Sand Plover and Broad-billed Sandpiper together with a good chance of Western Reef Heron, Terek Sandpiper, Great Black-headed Gull, Caspian Gull and Swift Tern at the latter site.
Day 2
This morning will see us head into the desert for the first time and this will be our destination for a large proportion of the day. We'll also check a productive oasis which holds some of the most sought after wintering species in the Western Palearctic – Persian Wheatear, Eastern Mourning Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear plus Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Dunn’s Lark, Hoopoe Lark, Bar-tailed Desert Lark and Asian Desert Warbler. The area is vast but we’ll ensure we do it justice to ensure we have the best chance of seeing our targets.
After leaving the desert we’ll finish the day at Jahra Farms for some easier birding. In this lush area of palms and cultivated small holdings we’ll connect with Bank Myna and hopefully White-breasted Kingfisher and Ring-necked Parakeet. Wintering species could include Daurian Shrike, Water Pipit and Bluethroat.
Day 3
We’ll have to foresake breakfast this morning in order to be at the man-made Green Island on the Kuwait City seafront for first thing. This will ensure we beat the crowds and have the best possible chance of securing 2 species that will be towards the top of most peoples wanted lists – the enigmatic and gregarious Grey Hypocolius and Red-vented Bulbul.
Our next port of call will be the large area of irrigated farmland to the SW of the city known at the Pivot Fields. This site acts as a magnet for raptors and with luck we’ll enjoy Greater Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard and Black-eared Kite. We’ll drive the network of tracks searching for anything else interesting and should turn up some Namaqua Doves, Spanish Sparrows, Cattle and Great White Egrets as we do so. In previous winters Asian Buff-bellied Pipits have been seen here.
The day will be concluded at Jahra East Outfall (JEO), an area of reedbeds, saltmarsh and a stream outlet. This site is normally alive with birds and we’ll hope it is for us. Distinct possibilities are Jack Snipe, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Grey and Daurian Shrikes, Lesser Short-toed Lark and wintering warblers that favour the reed edges.
Day 4
Our plan for the day will be to head north towards the Iraq border to Abdali Farms. Hidden amongst this large area of farms are the only known breeding Common Babblers in the Western Palearctic and they will be our primary aim. Coming a very close 2nd here is Red-wattled Lapwing which we’ll also do our best to see whilst also checking the area for other wintering species such as Black Redstart and Graceful Prinia. Shikra is also a distinct possibility here.
Next stop will be at the small isolated farm at Subiyhah which we’ll check for wintering birds. This site will give us another chance at Shikra and may yield absolutely anything.
On our return to the Kuwait City environs we’ll visit Sulaibikhat NR or Jahra Farms for a quick look if daylight permits.
Day 5
Today we'll head in a different direction – south from Kuwait City. Within a relatively short distance there are a number of sites we'll explore. An area of desert/scrub/reeds beside the highway at Sabah al Salem will give us a good opportunity for wintering warblers such as Asian Desert Warbler and maybe a Moustached. 2 species which are beginning to colonise this spot are Streaked Weaver and Village Weaver and although these have yet to make it onto the 'self-supporting population' list we'll try to locate some.
Further south at Fahaheel the harbour will give us a good chance at a variety of gulls and terns before we move on the check out two more sites close to the Saudi Arabia border – Sewer Plant Reeds and Power Plant Reeds.
Day 6
This will be our last day in Kuwait and has been deliberately left flexible. We are able to re-visit any of the sites we’ve already been to in case we’ve missed anything vital. It will enable us to stand the best possible opportunity to ensure we see as much as we can and give us ‘2nd dabs’ at any species we may have missed and would give us the chance to return to SAANR if need be. The consensus of the group will rule!
Day 7
Transport will be provided back to the airport for early morning flights back to London.
Additional Information
Please note that the above itinerary is subject to some change depending on the availability of local guides and the times of tides.
All nights will be spent at the same apartment accommodation in Kuwait City.
Transport will be in 4-wheel drive vehicles which are essential to reach some of the sites.
