The spray fields have been reasonably quiet in recent weeks but there are always a few Stonechats to see. The trouble is they are often seen at some distance and in poor evening light. Yesterday I saw three stonechats at close range of which two were Common Stonechats, but I saw them very late in the day and was unable to photograph them. I also saw one North Caspian Taxon (NCT) Stonechat at some distance but it kept flying closer and closer to me allowing a few photos, although the light was poor as it was quite late. The stonechats in Dhahran normally stay around until late spring so I hope I can photograph these birds in better light conditions, as the days get longer. The only other birds seen in the spray fields were a couple of Western Cattle Egrets which is a very small percentage of the 121 birds I counted going to roost in the red bed of the settling pond.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDK-NhdcJgdRgnugtO1sHq57z0Ar0hcF0nFudu0qhjhj3P1uaXYffpKuO27RIbDUmRD-3Ya3yMyTnXGfQDeriC6H2AnfSEH3MMUy3E1L7cki34Nwpyx7EGOgvEJDJgsedyfErEpE2Gxw/s1600/North_Caspian_Taxon_Stonechat.jpg) |
North Caspian Taxon (Siberian) Stonechat |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSkhaCLIbyS8HUOhdldqRdkIozR95HKPEyuLBaKY1UZTdSP8g8FddC8-P5Xq1LoLPI1xq3WNz_upCDlipJhglbWxBW1NONjwlVoPUcbHy3Tr7HjRmDH7HvBhhHUj1SQ0F2hZOteCBbe4/s1600/North_Caspian_Taxon_Stonechat1.jpg) |
North Caspian Taxon (Siberian) Stonechat |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga20lMtCxe_0y66LLKKLqM3rEHCbjuGdAPYxjATVMIfS-VbqxgA7wnziUTZvz1lWq3D7YBc9Udp2K2FZGNo5M_gvMloUIIa7V1ajLlOXruRXCsti28Vrl3VJIKjhNmhO-Pa_h9AWKkfzg/s1600/North_Caspian_Taxon_Stonechat2.jpg) |
North Caspian Taxon (Siberian) Stonechat |