New patch species Pied Avocet – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding Dhahran Waste Water Lake 7 September, I saw two Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta flying over the lake. This is a new species for me on my local patch, but unfortunately, they did not land and flew off towards the coast. Pied Avocet in Saudi Arabia is an uncommon migrant and winter visitor to all coasts that is locally common along the southern Red Sea coast and scarce inland. It is a rare breeding species and in the Eastern Province two pairs attempted to breed at Abqaiq 1976 & 1982 and three pairs in 1983 although it is generally a rather scarce visitor from August to March. Records have occurred throughout the year in the Jubail area but records in summer are much less common. A number of breeding pairs (possible as many as twelve) were found in 2020 in Jubail and were breeding at the same location the following year.

Waders moving – Jubail area

Whilst birding Jubail we saw a good number of various species of waders. There were plenty of Kentish Plover and Little Stints and lesser numbers of Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone and Lesser Sand Plover. Two Bar-tailed Godwit and Eurasian Oystercatcher were unusual sightings for this location. Numbers have increased significantly from the week before as passage starts to build up.

Ruddy Turnstone

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Grey-headed Swamphen – Jubail area

Whilst birding Jubail last weekend we found a lot of Purple Swamphens some in unusual places due to the drainage of large areas of the wetland site. Other areas had the reed beds removed and now there is not many good areas for them to live. Graceful Prinia on the other hand still has large areas of reedbeds and scrub to move around in and are still plentiful. Eurasian and Clamorous Reed Warblers were also common in these same areas. Migrants were around in small numbers including Woodchat Shrike, Isabelle Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, European Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin and Yellow Wagtail. Less common birds for the site included Eurasian Oystercatcher, House Crow, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Myna.

Isabelline Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

Grey-headed Swamphen

Graceful Prinia

Red-wattled Lapwing – Jubail area

Whilst birding Jubail last weekend we found three Red-wattled Lapwing in a similar place to where Phil Roberts found them breeding for the first time at the site in 2020. The fact three birds were together indicates they may have bred again at this site in 2024. The species is scarce in Saudi Arabia with records from Riyadh, the Empty Quarter and the Eastern Province. They are resident breeders at wetlands in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, and are gradually colonizing westwards. It has been recorded breeding in the Eastern Province at Khafra Marsh for the last three years. In the Eastern province it is regarded as a scarce passage migrant, rare breeder and scarce winter visitor although records are becoming more common.

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin – Khafrah Marsh

Whilst birding Khafrah Marsh at the end of August we saw at least three Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes in various places. The species is an uncommon migrant and widespread breeding summer visitor throughout Saudi Arabia with birds arriving in late March and staying until October. They appear to be most common during the first week of May, with more than 10 recorded in one day. Birds of the Riyadh Region by Stagg (1994); mentions the species is a common breeding summer visitor, widespread throughout the region. Numbers have increased significantly in recent years in the wake of expanding cultivation. The species has been seen in the huge desert of the Empty Quarter with one at Sabkha 40 on two days in suitable breeding habitat although this individual was more likely to have been a migrant as no song was heard. The bird we saw could be early migrants or probably local breeders. 

European Roller – Khafrah Marsh

Whilst birding Khafrah Marsh at the end of August we saw three European Roller. One was seen sitting on overhead lines where is stayed for some time and the others in more open land with shrubs, but the light was poors o no photos were taken. Some European Rollers are quite timid and fly well before you can get close, with others being the opposite and remain in place even when the car gets quite close (possibly tired migrants). Luckily for photography, this one fell into the second group allowing me to take a few photos shown below. Saudi Arabia has three species of roller on the country list. These are Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis a vagrant, Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus a breeding resident of the southwest region of the Kingdom and European Roller Coracias garrulus an uncommon to common passage migrant from March to May and again from mid-July to late September when juveniles are also seen along with the occasional adult. Birds are regularly seen in all areas of the Eastern Province almost every year in both spring and autumn but less commonly in autumn.

Whimbrels – Dhahran Cricket Field

Below are two photos of one of two Whimbrel I have been seeing on the Dhahran Cricket Field over the last week. I have been trying to get photos of birds on the ground as well as in flight to check the wing pattern, especially the underwing for signs of Steppe Whimbrel. Neither bird had the typical pale underwings associated with Steppe Whimbrel, but I will keep persevering. Trying to take photos of the birds in flight was quite difficult when on my own, as the birds just run away and keep their distance. On occasions a runner or dog walker would flush the birds and if very lucky they would sometimes fly over me or circle around allowing some photos. The birds are seen first thing in the morning and again after work at 16:15 hrs and if last year is repeated numbers should increase over the next couple of weeks.

Water Rail – Khafrah Marsh

Whilst birding Khafrah Marsh at the end of August we found a Water Rail feeding along the back of a wet pool area. This is a species that we seldom see and was the first time we have seen one at this location although we have heard them calling there before. The Water Rail is an uncommon winter visitor to the Gulf and Red Sea areas as well as Tabuk. In the Eastern Province it is a scarce breeding resident in small numbers in the Gulf Wetlands but a more common winter visitor. I have yet to take any good photos of this species in Saudi Arabia and did not improve my record with the ones below.

A few migrants – Al Uqair

Whilst birding the Al Uqair area last weekend we saw a few migrants. A Lesser Grey Shrike was a little unusual, with three other shrike species seen including Great Grey, Red-backed and Daurian. Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin may have been a migrant or alternatively one of the breeding birds from earlier in the year. Other signs of migration included a few Barn Swallows and several Greater Sand Plover on the coast. A single Whimbrel was quite early and about ten Greater Hoopoe Larks were a seen in an area where we had not seen this type of number before. The coast had a couple of White-cheeked Tern and a single Little Tern along with Kentish Plover. Migrations should start in earnest in the next week or so which I am looking forward to.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Greater Hoopoe Lark

Eleven Cream-coloured Courser – Al Uqair

We saw eleven Cream-coloured Courser on some grass areas near the coast at Al Uqair where Umer had seen them the previous weekend. We did not get to the area until the sun was well up, as were birding elsewhere in the early morning. The harsh light made photographing the birds difficult as did the fact they are very timid and run away quickly when approached. This is a species I do not see very often and one I am still to get photographs of that I regard as reasonable. The Cream-coloured Courser is a common breeding resident and uncommon winter visitor to Saudi Arabia. It is found mainly in the north and east of the Kingdom and prefers flat open areas of sand and gravel steppe deserts, sometimes with sparse, low scrub. It often winters in pivot irrigation fields where it can be seen in ploughed as well as stubble fields.