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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

In the water pool. (1 Viewer)

ammadoux

ammadoux

Registered doux
Hello all

i will start here to report the birds that come to the water pool i put on the desert bush behind my house in Jeddah.

since now it is the peak of summer and it has been a real hot summer, water pool is a great attraction for the birds, and i use it as a way to get to see what new visitors i got during the migration of the Autumn, that seem to be already started.
 
August 14/2010

Photo 1, was a real surprise for me as this is the first time i see a graceful pirina coming to the water pool, never ever i saw them coming neither here in back yard nor the to the ones i put in my garden.

Photo 2, the Rufous bush robin (the syriacus race), i have noticed this one since Wednesday 11 August, but was not sure about it, thought it was a female black red start. could not go out much on Thursday and Friday because of the dust. On Saturday the 14th it started to come out on the open. running around on the ground . being very bold, made me think, that it might be his last day as these lovely birds are only passage migrants on this side of Arabia.

Photo 3. the Eastern Olivaceous warbler, this one was around but did not come down to the pool until i got busy with the Robin and gave my back to the pool. but i was lucky enough to get this one shot.

many others were around, like the eternal visitors the House sparrows and the Indian silverbills. there is also the common whitethraot which i have noticed it around since one month, also the African reed warbler, both did not get to the pool with me around.
 

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August 15/2010

Hello

this time i took a hide behind some of the shrubs, was about 10 meters away from the pool. the Olivacous warbler was relaxed and the first to come, but too fast to get any decent shot for him on the branches.

Photo 1. shows how this one can be identifies from similar warblers by its characteristic pumping of it tail. as well as it constant "tuck tuck" calls.

Photo 2. a rather surprise visitor to the pool not first timer but not regular, a female or maybe juvenile Nile-Valley sunbird, but due to the very yellow belly i would go for a female.

Photo 3. this time i became not sure wither it is the Olivacous or another warbler, was a bit quite and did not mind having the house sparrow coming for a drink, the OW usually fly as soon as any other bird come.

Photo 4. a group of 7 Indian silverbills, came with there twittering made all the other birds go. they are so lovely as group and the way they interact when they take there afternoon bath.

Photo 5. finally the African reed warbler came very nervous, and i had to sneeze :-O just after i took only three shots, this is the best of them, or could it be the OW i have to see the tail to be definite.
 

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Augast 16/2010

Hello

after a hard day of gardning, had to change some of the potting soil and trim some branches, take out burnt grasses, hopefully the worse of heat is over and i get to have my garden back in shape in September.

so did not go out for the after noon pool watch but kept an eye on it from the kitchen window, so no shots.

the oilivacous warbler came had a short bath, they usually take about 4-5 ones during the afternoon, just as it was perched another one came and pick it so they start flying after each other, the other one kept on doing this, whenever the first one wanted to come for a bath, i though that since they come here for breeding and they are already here for 6 weeks, this is how the male is attracting the female, i see the Ruppell's weaver doing this with his lady to get her to the come near the nest to see his hilarious display, but never seen warblers doing it, but then this one and the graceful pirina are the only breeding warblers in this region. could be also the Meneterse's as hear them singing constantly on Dec-Jan, but they are not easy to spot as the OW.

a yellow bulky bird came and chased the group of Indian silverbills away form the pool and started a long bath, if i was near i would have heard the chirping and be sure that it was either a female weaver or moulting male.

all the time a small palm dove was there not moving much, she is being like this for two days now, funny thing she does not move even if a cat came near, and cats don't attack her at all.
 
August 17/2010

thanks Chris and Htcdude for your kind words, glad you like it.

It was scuba diving day in the morning, a great way to enjoy the outdoor in this heat, but made me feel a bit hungry specially that i am fasting, so a i needed to get occupied so i spend about one and half hours in front of the pool

Photo 1, the palm dove was around but felt really better than the past days not only she/he is moving around but also could fly to the mid branches.

Photo 2, the tuck tuck sounds of the OW were coming from to directions one finally came and took several sips but was not in the mood for a bath, it could be he took his/hers earlier i only started my session after 3 pm.

Photo 3, from the first look i knew that this is my lucky day, as from the warm brown back, was sure it is the African reed warbler, took some shots on the pool, but it was too quick for me to get a good shot on the branch, so sorry because i was really as close as i can get.

when i got to see the shots on the laptop, got so confused, two shot do not show the difference between the colors of the two warblers, although in reality the difference was obvious.

Posted a thread in the ID forum got only one reply to agree with me about the African reed.

sorry not much for this day, and that yellow bird did not show but the weaver is filling the place with his chripping., hoping in the coming days will get more verity of birds.
 

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Interesting info, and great pictures, Doux. I'm guessing that the Whitethroats will be drinking there soon.
 
thanks dude, i think i should wait until the sun get a little bit down also, like after 4:30 pm.

thanks again Chris. the whitethraot is not showing in the past few days, not even his calls, guess he is a passage, anyway he is one of the popular pool visitors, saw him last week many time but in the pool i put in the garden.

will finish some of my house work and put yesterday update.
 
August 18/2010

Hello

the "ice breaker" it is the name i give to the first bird that comes to the pool after i fill it with water and take my hide, who i am fooling, i am sure those cleaver feathered friends keep a good eye on me when i come to there bushes, and they know very well were i am hiding, hehehe.

Photo 1. the ice breaker today was this male Indian silverbill, he cmae with this mate and flew over my head so they knew i am around, she did not come down but he decided to take the plunge.

Photo 2. either this African reed warbler was being funny or he really got surprised to see the silverbill in the pool, it was hilarious how he touched the edge of the pool of a split second and bounced back to the branch, but did not stay long enough for me to get a good shot, could not expect better with the harsh heat and light of the sun even at ev -1.0.

Photo 3. the female silverbill came took a sip or two and just stood there on the edge, she did not have a problem with the lady sparrow who elegantly came to quench her thirst.

Photo 4. the male came for to take another this time long bath, took several shots thought this one is nice with the splash of water droplet, wish i got a higher shutter speed.

Photo 5. a real surprise to see this young one still around, if he is the same one i spotted last Wednesday then he is now here for more than a week. not really usual, as getting back to my old records, i use to have one for three years, from 2002-2005 that use to come for a week on April and another one on September. so this one might just be a bit early. well on the other side of Arabia, they do winter there and also many records of them breeding.
 

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More great pictures and an interesting record of what's visiting each day, Doux. And that last picture should be in your gallery, great cocked-tail pose and lighting.

BTW, have you counted how many different species come for the water each year?
 
thanks Chris, will see about that last shot.

i was thinking of posting several shots of what i recorded last migration, thanks for the idea.

but here is a quick count.

1- common and lesser whitethraots.
2- Upcher's
3- Meneteres's and this is the only way i could get the female to come in the open.
4-Willow and chiffchaffs
5- European reed.
6- barred warbler.
7- black caps
8- red start
9- Ortolan bunting.
10- Masked shrike
11- most of the residents, the only one i did not see before was the graceful pirina but last week it was very active around the pool. our residents are about 14.
we usually
 
Hello all

sorry for the delay in updating this thread, very busy with many family occasions, you know it is Ramadan time and that is the time when we get to see our relatives.

had also some problem with my hard disk, but soon i will be adding more until then i thought i share this image with you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32910835@N08/4931936670/in/contacts/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32910835@N08/4931936670/in/contacts/

it is taken in Riyadh deep in the middle of Arabia, by Bader Alqassem from the Saudi Ornithology Society, just to show you what a powerful tool can a water pool to make the most shy birds come out to the open.

Hope you like it.
 
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This is an interesting thread, giving an insight into the birdlife of an area one would otherwise know nothing about. Keep up the good work.
 
How wonderful to see such success with a water container, we who have water everywhere, I speak for myself living by the village pond. I have really enjoyed reading about the birds you have visiting and the types of birds that I will never see. Keep up your good work and I in reading about your success. Congratulations.
 
24 August 2010

thanks forthbirder and Shirley for your support, glad you like it.

i just like to say that since the red sea is located between Asia and Africa and relativly close to Europe, it is one of the most important routes in the Eurasian migration, some reserchers believe that most of the species of the this region passes once at least over the red sea from both sides.

will today share some of the shots i took last Teusday. as most of the days last week i could not keep the camera out for long during the day, because of the heat.

Photo 1. the Olivacueos warbler just would not be the ice breaker, he and his mate were around i could hear them comunicating and see them moving among the bushes, but they just would not come down, not long before i heard the melidous song and noticed a ferly large reed warbler, larger and paler then the African but also smaller that the Great or Clamerous reed warbler, in about 16 cm and being a bit bold, it had to be the Basra reed which i had them around the garden since ten days, and could acutly take shots of them one which i uploaded in the gallery.

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/323372/ppuser/71763

to me they are always confusing to ID, i never learn a lesson.

Photo 2. blessed by it with the raised crest. so elegant.

Photo 3. now the cost is clear as far as it is for the OW one will come down for a long drink, no shwoer.

Photo 4. another one , the mate, will follow, there are about 5 or 6 of them i have spotted in only about an hour and half.

thanks for viewing, wish me good to be able to get some newcomers today. i already got a 1 st wintering Barred warbler, but it prefers the water pool on the garden. if not i will upload some of the shots i took fro last Spring migration.
 

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