There are often quiet times in between coastal birding, especially during low-tide when the sea appears to fade away in the shimmering distance. However, if you look more closely on the mud flats during low tide, you will find some interesting species and for this post these are inter-tidal Mudskippers; a fascinating species in their […]
Author: Michael Pope
A South African ex-pat who currently resides in Kuwait with his family since October 2006 and maintains a full time job as an IT Project Manager delivering and implementing projects in Kuwait and the GCC. An avid naturalist with an interest in wildlife and conservation that started early in his schooling when he was selected to spend a week in Londolozi Game Reserve learning about Conservation and Game Ranger principals. That week had a profound impact, the seed was sown and a passion for birds, photography, wildlife, biodiversity and conservation was instilled.
He has travelled and explored the length and breadth of South and Southern Africa in search of birds, Aside from birds, he photographs landscapes, mammals, reptiles and just about any living creature he can get in front of his lens. Since arriving in Kuwait has also explored many other countries expanding his list and knowledge. In Kuwait his passion for birding, photography and highlighting the need for conservation and protection of migratory birds has continued and this is showcased on his Kuwait Birding Blog http://kuwaitbirding.blogspot.com/) . In early 2008 he was proposed as and still is Chairman of Kuwait Ornithological Records Committee. However, a personal achievement of his birding tenure in Kuwait is Co-editor for the milestone publication of “Birds of Kuwait – A Comprehensive Visual Guide” in collaboration with BioDiversity East and KUFPEC.
A Smörgåsbord of Motacilla’s
Spring has truly sprung in Kuwait and the the diversity and migrants heading north is amazing and always appreciated, more so because many birds are already sporting their breeding colours. The White Wagtails that were present all winter, have now given way to an array of Yellow Wagtails in a variety of sub-species. In Kuwait […]
Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City Kuwait
Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City is a massive project underway in the south of Kuwait very close to the Saudi Arabian border. It is the first of it’s kind in Kuwait and has even been featured as a documentary on BBC. I visit the project a number of times each month to survey the birds […]
The making of a Photographer
My 10-year old son Jaden had been asking to go birding and wanting to take some images of his own. There was an upcoming Photographic competition in the UK, so a good reason for him to try and get images for the Junior category. Jahra Pools Reserve is a small inland reserve in Kuwait with […]
Kuwait’s Northern Islands – Boubyan and Warba
I was able to arrange a trip with a small group to conduct a Cetacean Survey around Boubyan and Warba Island (which are in a restricted area of the northern Arabian Gulf) and at the same time look for sea birds. As with all adventures, you can plan all the detail; but the weather is […]
Al Abraq Al-Khabari – a western oasis in Kuwait
Spring migration in Kuwait is in full force and migrants are literally everywhere – foraging, resting and passing by overhead. Al Abraq is a very small dot of green in a vast expanse of open desert in the far west of Kuwait. It is a working oasis and an absolute magnet for migratory birds that […]
Spring Migrants in Kuwait
Earlier this month I visited a protected area north of Kuwait City and Mutla Ridge and was pleasantly surprised by the numbers of Spring migrants in and around the Acacia Trees as well as the indigenous plants with yellow flowers spread out across the desert. There were 5 species of Wheatear, but the most prevalent […]
