29 August 2013

Migration picking up – Dhahran Hills

Passage migration is slowly picking up in Dhahran with a number of new birds being seen daily. The wet drainage ditch and settling ponds are holding a reasonable number of waders with Little Stints being the commonest and up to 20 birds seen daily. Kentish Plover numbers are also high with a maximum daily count of 19 recorded. Wood Sandpipers and Green Sandpipers have both been seen in double figures and seven Black-winged Stilts the highest count of this species.  The best birds seen in the spray fields have been two European Rollers, three Northern Wheatears, one Isabelline Wheatear, four Yellow Wagtails and 10+ Namaqua Doves that again appear to have had a good breeding season. Fifteen Barn Swallows and three Sand Martins made up the rest of the migrants seen.
Little Stint
Little Stint
Little Stint
Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover
European Roller
Northern Wheatear
Yellow Wagtail