06 July 2014

Black-tailed Godwit and more at Dhahran Hills – Bird records by Mats Ris

Mats said he had a rather good morning birding Dhahran Hills on 4 July. The Crested Honey Buzzard lifted from the tress in the golf course where it appears to roost most of the time, although not when I go to look. At least one of the two birds has been about for more than a month now. It flew very low behind the trees at 04:40 hrs 4 July but could not be found afterwards. There were six Indian Reef Herons flying over with three dark phase and three light phase birds which are not that common on the 'patch'. One Black-tailed Godwit was on the percolation pond with about 15 Black-winged Stilts and the Little Bittern was seen flying over the edge of the pond. Black-tailed Godwit is a scarce visitor to the pond with only one or two seen each year. 12 Kentish plovers and 2 Namaqua doves and a few Eurasian Hoopoes were around the spray fields and a House Crow was seen between the houses on Dhahran Hill. The photo below was taken in April 2014 at Sabya Waste Water Lagoons.
Black-tailed Godwit

On 5 July Mats saw an Indian Reef Heron, one Green Sandpiper, 28 Black-winged Stilts, 17 Kentish Plovers and two Sand Martins. He also saw the Black-crowned Night Heron on a wet ditch along the side of the main road.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Indian Reef Heron