Sea watching

Week 12; 24 March 2017 - Ras Salmiya (Scientific Center)

It is always worth checking for pelagic species from Ras Salmiya while you enjoy a walk along the corniche from the Scientific Center.

Before I got to the sea watching spot, I had a pleasant encounter with a stunning male Semi-collared Flycatcher. Unfortunately, due to all the pedestrian traffic, I could never really get close enough as it was fairly active.

A smart male Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata)

A single Woodchat Shrike was another early spring migrant

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Once at the sea watching site, I picked a place to sit, wait and watch for birds passing by. No real pelagic species unfortunately, but there were other species to be seen. A few Continental Great Cormorants passed by

Continental Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sinensis)

As did Caspian Gull

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

and a Heuglin's Gull

Heuglin's Gull (Larus f. heuglini)

However, the most common today were Sandwich Tern's which were quite fun to watch as they patrolled the coastline

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis)

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis) in for the kill