Leatherneck Recce
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:22 am
Sunday is always a quiet day in Bastion with most units starting work at midday. Subsequently I have an easy time with no telephone calls or emails. It had rained considerably last night, much more so than on Friday, so today most of the camp is under water.
I took the opportunity to drive to Leatherneck to check out a potential site between the camp and Camp Shorabak. I found what could have been site but it is now within the wire. If I had got out of my vehicle with binoculars I would have possibly risked the wrath and bad shooting of the Afghan National Army Guards so decided to try elsewhere.
I headed to the south of Leatherneck and found their tip and waste water site. Unlike similar sights at MOB Price or Kandahar there were no waders or raptors but the area looked like it might produce birds during migration and I now intend to visit weekly and may adjust my running route to take the site in. There is no vegetation around but the area contains a grey water lagoon similar to the RSOI lagoons at KAF. Leatherneck seemed to have had the worst of the flooding and subsequently I found plenty of both Masked and the nominate White Wagtails around filled drainage ditches. I also caught the back end of what may have been a Pied Bushchat but could not confirm.
It is now sunny and I’ll probably head that way this afternoon during PT. Watch this space for birds seen whilst out running.
I took the opportunity to drive to Leatherneck to check out a potential site between the camp and Camp Shorabak. I found what could have been site but it is now within the wire. If I had got out of my vehicle with binoculars I would have possibly risked the wrath and bad shooting of the Afghan National Army Guards so decided to try elsewhere.
I headed to the south of Leatherneck and found their tip and waste water site. Unlike similar sights at MOB Price or Kandahar there were no waders or raptors but the area looked like it might produce birds during migration and I now intend to visit weekly and may adjust my running route to take the site in. There is no vegetation around but the area contains a grey water lagoon similar to the RSOI lagoons at KAF. Leatherneck seemed to have had the worst of the flooding and subsequently I found plenty of both Masked and the nominate White Wagtails around filled drainage ditches. I also caught the back end of what may have been a Pied Bushchat but could not confirm.
It is now sunny and I’ll probably head that way this afternoon during PT. Watch this space for birds seen whilst out running.
