I've still got the Blues

Week 42, 18 October 2014 - Green Island

We appeared to have a lull in migrants, so I went in search of butterflies, specifically the 'Blue's'

Green Island is a man-made island that juts into the Gulf and has some mature habitat that attracts both birds and butterflies.

After paying my KD 1/- at the gate I was alerted by some agitated alarm calls and found around 3 or 4 Lesser Whitethroat's in one of the bigger trees.

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)

It took some time, but they eventually did flush out the culprit, a 1st year Daurian Shrike that had caught an insect. With all the noise they were making, I thought it had reduced the Lesser Whitethroat population by 1.

1st year Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

Right, onto the butterflies. Late last year I discovered a new species for Kuwait in the south of the country; Western Pygmy Blue. Since then, wherever I have gone I have checked all the 'Blue's' to see if they occur elsewhere in the country - without success. That is, until today. At Green Island, I discovered a second 'isolated' population of this tiny butterflies which is pretty exciting news.

Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis)

Whilst creeping about, I also found another 'Blue' that I hadn't seen before and thanks again to Torben Larson for confirming the identity as Dark Grass Blue

Dark Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)

So, a successful trip, but I am still looking for another Blue that may or may not occur in Kuwait, but will have to wait to Spring for the habitat to be in bloom