27 November 2017

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters – Jubail

This autumn there have been large numbers of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters passing over Jubail as well as many other areas of the Eastern Province. The species is a common passage migrant through the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with good numbers of birds passing in the spring as well as the autumn. Numbers are commoner in the autumn when they outnumber European Bee-eater whereas the opposite is true in the spring. This year birds have been seen eating insects on the ground with a favourite insect the Migratory Locust. The juvenile below eating the locust moved the insect around and hit it on its perch until its wings were removed before eating it.
Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters

Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters