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18 February 2015

Western Marsh Harriers – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Western Marsh Harrier is a common winter visitor to wetland areas of the Eastern Province with a large number wintering at Sabkhat Al Fasl near Jubail. Although the species is common you very rarely get close enough to them to take photographs when they are on the ground as they fly long before you can get anywhere near them. As a result the only real way to photograph them is to try to do so when they are flying. As they spend most of the time hunting over reed beds this is difficult as the camera finds it hard to lock onto the bird due to the fact the reed beds also attract the cameras attention and it regularly focuses here instead of the bird. I am quite an expert in getting out of focus shots of the harriers but last weekend Phil Roberts and I stayed for some time in an area where six or seven birds were quartering a reed bed. As a result we both took a few nice photos of the birds and were happy with our efforts.
Western Marsh Harrier

Western Marsh Harrier

Western Marsh Harrier

Western Marsh Harrier