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 fresh water pools and phragmite reeds and is a great place for both birds and photography. I set up my son with my Canon kit on the back seat and then we drove slowly, with me trying to put him in the best position for each bird. He struggled initially with the weight of the kit and to find the bird in the viewfinder – but once this was overcome, he fired away like a veteran.
A White-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia s. cyanecula) was seen earlier in the week and was a ssp that Ihadn’tyet connected with; amazingly it was literally the first bird we came across once we had driven through the gates.
I had to do a lot of convincing to ensure Jaden got a good image of this bird for my library, as Ididn’tdare ask for the camera to take the image myself – but was pleased with his result. Also, there were many much more interesting and bigger Purple Swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio) walking around like farmyard chickens that Jaden was more interested in capturing.
There were a few other wader species present, the most interesting was a Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
As well as a few Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), this one transitioning to breeding plumage
And Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
We had a great morning together and it was now up to Dad to finish the post processing and submit what Jaden thought was his 3 best images to the Competition.
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.
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