Less is More

[Lesser Spot Finder]

The loss of Runway’s End Marsh has led to a week of nomad birding around camp in order to find migrants that are still moving through. In some cases the best bet has been to just walk out of the back of the Ops Room and view over the US vehicle park and find birds hiding in the shade.

Leatherneck Grey Water Lagoon has been the epi-centre of bird sightings with many Little Stints and Little Ringed Plovers along with upwards of two Dunlins and three Temminck’s Stints. The 9th of May proved to be a red letter one with a total of thirty eight Wood Sandpipers on the southern half of the lagoon – they were joined by four LRPs and four Little Stints. A Little Egret, an Afghan first for me, was present on the 10th

A trip to MOB Price on Monday and Tuesday was rather disappointing with the highlights being Common Myna. Both Tree and House Sparrows are now breeding with the latter extremely bright compared to those see in the UK. Black Kites were not seen over the tip - presumably now off breeding elsewhere.

Passerines in Bastion have been represented by a female Siberian Stonechat on the 10th, a Blythe’s Reed Warbler and Hume’s Whitethroat on the 11th, Pied Stonechat, female Syke’s (beema) Wagtail and male Turkestan Shrike on the 12th. Spotted Flycatchers have been omni-present with birds on most barbed wire fences. Laughing Dove numbers have increased considerably with small flocks around camp, some appearing to be moving north. A Greater Hoopoe Lark has been holding territory, singing from a mound, for some time now. It is seemingly improving its song as it was performing and displaying well this morning. Finally, during the afternoon run around BSNs 1, 2 and 3 I picked up a calling Common Myna at the 25m Range - the first one in BSN for some weeks.

All in all a quiet week but Less has been More in some cases. Green Zone birding next week as long as the RAF can get me out. I may find something different there.