20 November 2014

Birds still thin on the ground – Dhahran Hills

Birding the ‘patch’ the last week has been slightly more interesting than the previous weeks although birds still remain thin on the ground. There have been a few shrikes about with most being Daurian Shrikes but a Red-backed Shrike was also present. Most of these birds have been in the spray fields although a few have been in the recently cleared scrubby desert. Other birds seen in the spray fields have been the winter first Stonechats with three European Stonechats and one female Eastern Stonechat. An Isabelline Wheatear was also on one of the spray heads one evening. Waders have been plentiful and the settling pond has had a good number including two Marsh Sandpipers, eight Wood Sandpipers, three Green Sandpipers, ten Little Stints, one Common Redshank, one Common Sandpiper and two Dunlin. The wet ditch also has had a few waders with four Common Snipe, one Green Sandpiper and one Wood Sandpiper. A few Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters are still passing through and the Red-tailed Wheatear is still present on its favourite boulders.
Daurian Shrike
Daurian Shrike
Eastern Stonechat
Green Sandpiper
Common Snipe