31 August 2011

European Roller & European Bee-eater - Dhahran Hills

On Monday 29th August I went to the 'patch' as always and had a bit of colour overdose. There were three European Roller in the trees surrounding the percolation pond and a European Bee-eater was also in the same vicinity catching bees. This is the first European Bee-eater I have seen this autumn and was a welcome sight. The spray fields held a single Steppe Grey Shrike and three Isabelline Wheatear and the percolation pond had two Terek Sandpiper, six Green Sandpiper, nine Ruff, ten Black-winged Stilt, 13 Wood Sandpiper, 22 Little Stint. Best of all was a flock of nine Purple Heron flying over and landing in the reeds at the edge of the pond.
 European Roller
 European Roller
 European Bee-eater
 European Bee-eater
 Grey Heron
Purple Heron (four)