Juvenile Namaqua Dove & Water Rail

Today at my local patch I saw a juvenile Namaqua dove sitting in a tree with an adult bird. This is further evidence that they have bred in Dhahran Camp this year. I also saw two Water Rail feeding around the muddy edges in the reeds of the percolation pond. This is a rare bird for Dhahran with only one previous record and is a new species for me on my local patch and the first there since 24th May. Water rail breed in Saudi Arabia in suitable habitat but is currently a migrant a very rare migrant to Dhahran percolation pond. Other good birds present included six Green Sandpiper, two Ruff, adult summer Little Stint, fifteen Little Ringed Plover and four Kentish Plover with Black-winged Stilt numbers significantly lower today.

Namaqua Dove (juvenile)

Water Rail