Image Showcase: Little Grebe in an oasis

I was returning from an early-morning session at another marsh when I decided to take a detour through Wadi Al Buhair. One of the few remaining freshwater oases in Bahrain, the reserve is home to a remarkable variety of wildlife. It had been a couple of years since my last visit, and I was disappointed to be greeted by the thundering of excavators and bulldozers.

Despite being designated a site of significant natural value in 2022, the valley has long been scarred by construction and infrastructure projects. The habitat available to wildlife continues to steadily shrink, while pollution and illegal hunting occur, seemingly, without consequence. Still, a few pockets of tranquility remain, offering glimpses of what the valley might have been had it been preserved as intended. This pond is one of them.

Standing on a cliff overlooking the site, I found a flock of Little Grebes drifting on the mirror-like water of this pool as the sun was starting to creep over the horizon. I loved the light blue hue of the water and the touch of yellow the reeds added without being overwhelming or distracting. I just had to wait for a grebe to float into the frame and, at this location, that was just a matter of time.