Wildlife Photography Hides in Qatar

Qatar is a small but rewarding stopover for wildlife photographers visiting the Gulf, with its position on the Arabian Gulf flyway producing impressive concentrations of migratory waterbirds, waders, and raptors during spring and autumn passage. Al Thakira Mangrove Reserve near Al Khor is Qatar's most photogenic wildlife site — the largest mangrove stand in the country, accessible by kayak at dawn, with Striated Heron, Socotra Cormorant, Osprey, and Mangrove Heron in the tangled aerial roots. Al Wathba area and Ras Laffan's industrial wetlands (a paradox site where flamingos and shorebirds congregate around water treatment ponds) are productive during migration. The Qatar Natural History Group and Qatar Birding Group run regular field trips.