05 September 2012

Waders in a drainage ditch - Dhahran Hills

I have recently found a drainage ditch which holds a small amount of water and has a nice wet area at one end where the ditch runs into some open ground. It has been good for waders recently and very good views can be had from the shelter of the car. The ditch also attracts other birds of which the best one today was a first year Eastern Yellow Wagtail type. Waders present included one Wood Sandpiper, four Green Sandpipers, seven Little Stints including adults and juveniles, one juvenile Little Ringed Plover, one Common Ringed Plover and three Kentish Plovers including adults and a juvenile. This is a good collection for a small ditch no more than 300 metres long and the views of the birds make this a great place to find something unusual. As you can drive the car alongside the ditch reasonable photos can be taken but the angle is not great as you are above the birds looking down on them for most of the length of the ditch.

Wood Sandpiper


Little Stint - adult


Little Sint - juvenile


Little Ringed Plover - juvenile


Common Ringed Plover


Kentish Plover - juvenile