01 February 2013

Green Sandpipers & Common Snipe – Dhahran Hills


The settling pond is now almost empty of water and has nice muddy edges around the bottom. This has been good for waders in recent weeks but the last few days only two Green Sandpipers and one Common Snipe along with two Common Redshanks and a Common Greenshank have been present. Water Pipits are finding the area to their liking and good views can be had of them here along with 30+ White Wagtails. The spray fields have been quite for a few weeks with the only birds of interest being a Common Stonechat, two Siberian Stonechats ‘maura’, a Daurian Shrike and an Isabelline Wheatear. The Red-tailed Wheatear was still present on the large boulders behind the fenced off area behind the percolation pond. The pond itself had seven Gadwall, seven Garganey and 70+ Cattle Egrets roosting in the reeds at last night with 200+ Great Cormorants. A Water Rail was calling from the reed-beds, and has been seen or heard each month of the year now so it could be very interesting to know if birds breed in the area? The only interesting passerines have been a couple of Red-spotted Bluethroats, six Common Chiffchaffs, five Pallid Swifts and two Barn Swallows which were the first ones of the month.
Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Common Snipe