Birds of Saudi Arabia: Pied Avocets

2 Oct 2012

Pied Avocets - Sabkhat Al Fasl

An early morning trip to Sabkhat Al Fasl on Thursday produced a few good birds including a nice juvenile Little Crake and a juvenile Black-eared Kite, details of which I will post later in the week. Typical birds were 100+ Grey Heron and 50+ Squacco Heron and a single Balck-crowned Night Heron. Terns were about in good numberswith 20+ Little/Saunder's Terns, seven White-winged Terns and 125 Caspian Terns. At least ten Western Marsh Harriers were flying about over the reeds and 25+ Yellow Wagtails were flying over calling. Waders were still about in good numbers including 400+ Dunlins, 200+ Kentish Plovers, 25 Common Ringed Plovers, 50+ Leser Sand Plovers, 15 Pied Avocets, one Greater Sand Plover and a Marsh Sandpiper. Twelve Greater Flamingos and six Northern Shoveller were out on the Sabkhat. Other migrants included a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, one Great Reed Warbler, two Daurian Shrikes and a Red-backed Shrike.