Spotted Crake - Dhahran Hills

I went to the percolation pond yesterday evening as Phil had seen a Spur-winged Plover flying over the pond in the morning whilst I was at Sabkhat Al Fasl birding. This is only the six record for the Eastern Province but the third from the same pond with the last record and adult I saw in August 2012. The species may be coming more common as three records have occurred at this site in two years. I stopped at the drainage ditch on the way to the pond and saw Green Sandpiper, two Little Stints and three Temminck's Stints as well as the first year Citrine Wagtail. The wet flash at the end of the drainage ditch had a very nice surprise in the shape of a Spotted Crake feeding along the edge and a Black-headed (Yellow) Wagtail was also in the same area. The pond had two Purple Herons (adult & juvenile) and two Cattle Egrets as well as two Spotted Flycatchers in the bushes and three Clamorous Reed Warblers in the reeds. The Great Crested Grebe was still present out in the middle of the pond and four Black-winged Stilts flew over.


Citrine Wagtail - first year

Spotted Crake

Black-headed (Yellow) Wagtail

Green Sandpiper

Purple Heron