03 August 2011

Isabelline Wheatear - Dhahran Hills

The local 'patch' was fairly quiet today but a new bird in and the first returning Wheatear for the camp was an Isabelline Wheatear on the dried up edge of the percolation pond. The bird was finding the conditions quite hot as it spent most of the time with its bill open panting (see bottom photograph), so presumably has just come from somewhere milder, although that would not be hard considering the temperatures here at the moment. I had seen an Isabelline Wheatear last weekend at Sabkhat Al Fasl (Jubail) but nothing on the 'patch' until today. The only other birds of note were a few waders including eight Little Stint, six Black-winged Stilt (all juveniles), four Wood Sandpipers, thirty three Little Ringed Plover and thirty six Kentish Plover.