Imagine a vast, protected marine sanctuary, which contains extraordinary and unique marine life and globally important bird nesting sites, all amid a remote chain of islands, atolls, reefs, and shoals. From octopods and the world’s largest sponge, to the oldest marine organism—a deep-sea black coral that can live up to 4,500 years—and the biggest colonies […]
Tag: Ruddy Turnstone
Migrants lacking – Jubail
Whilst birdwatching in the Jubail area I saw a few good birds but very few migrants. The Egyptian Nightjars that I saw a few weeks ago are still present with at least three birds seen. This site, like the one in Al Hassa, seems to hold Egyptian Nightjars throughout the summer now indicating birds may […]
Whimbrel At Carlos Pointe: Part II
The Whimbrel that had been reported daily at Carlos Pointe for nearly a week prior to my visit was of course not guaranteed to be there. The Whimbrel was difficult to identify as it was found to be loafing with its bill hidden in its right wing while surrounded by Marbled Godwits and Willets. The […]
Whimbrel At Carlos Pointe: Part I
Although there was a very welcome breeze at dawn on the morning of 11 August, I was not prepared to walk miles from Carlos Pointe at Big Carlos Pass along Little Estero Lagoon with the temperature already at 78 degrees. The primary purpose of my visit to the freshwater pool at Carlos Pointe was to […]
Shorebird Clock = Right Tide And Right Time
Last weekend when I checked visited the Westbrook shoreline early in the morning. Right from the start I knew it was the right tide and right time for seeing shorebirds. As I started to walk up the beach a yellowlegs seemed to be leading the way. This may not look like the ideal place […]
Spring birding – Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm, Fadhili
A spring trip in early May to Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm, Fadhili failed to produce much of interest. The best birds seen included Spur-winged Lapwing and Ruddy Turnstone. Spur-winged Lapwing may well be breeding at the site now as birds have been around all winter and most of last year. It was the first […]
Birding By The Sea
Well, this is not actually a post about birding by the sea, but birding by the Long Island Sound at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Images in this post are from a trip to Hammonasset in mid-January when I met world eBirders Julie Hart and Daniel Schlaepfer with four additional visits in February. Julie was kind […]
Summer Florida Birding Beach Tour: Part I
A very rare setting full strawberry moon was observed on the summer solstice this week with the occasion not to return again until June 2062. The moonset above (image 1) was photographed at Siesta Key Beach in June 2016. Celebrating the occasion was my birding expedition to Access #5 at Siesta […]