22 August 2011

Isabelline Wheatear & Common Redshank - Dhahran Hills

I spent a bit of time in the spray fields today as a number of passerines have been recorded on the 'patch' in the last few days. There was very little there except for one Isabelline Wheatear actively looking for food. The percolation pond was very attractive to waders today with good numbers of birds. Sixty one Little Stint was a record count for me here and fifty one Wood Sandpiper was the highest autumn count. The Terek Sandpiper was still present from yesterday along with one Green Sandpiper, thirteen Ruff, one Greenshank, six Little Ringed Plover, one Common Ringed Plover and forty four Kentish Plover. A single Marsh Sandpiper was a good bird but seven Common Redshank were the first ones I have seen on the 'patch' and my one hundred and fiftieth species which was a nice bonus. When I started birding here I thought I would do well to see one hundred and fifty birds by the end of the year so I am doing better than I thought, or rather the site is better than I thought.
 Isabelline Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear