24 December 2017

Western Cattle Egret – Dhahran Hills

The number of Western Cattle Egrets around the camp seems to have stabilized for the winter around the 100 bird mark. Good views can be had of the birds as they feed along the roadside grass verges finding insects in the soft ground after the grass has been watered. Many people in the camp have mentioned to me about the Western Cattle Egrets here and they are a popular bird with the residents who are interested in nature. The birds spend the evening roosting in the pharagmites reed-beds of the percolation pond where they arrive just before dark and leave just after first light. Good numbers of birds were first seen in the early 2000’s and have increased to toady’s numbers slowly over the last ten years. The below photo was taken along the walking track by the golf course a very good place to see the species feeding on the grass of the fairways or the green areas along the walking track.
Western Cattle Egret