Close views of White-throated Kingfisher – Sabkhat Al Fasl

As mentioned in a previous post there have been three White-throated Kingfishers at Sabkhat Al Fasl this winter with the first birds seen in early January 2015. On 31 January whilst driving back through the site after ringing, at about midday, I found an adult White-throated Kingfisher sitting on a dead tree near to the main scrape. I was quite close to the bird by the time I had stopped and managed to get the best views and photographs I have managed so far of the bird. I keep forgetting how large these kingfishers are, but although they are large they don’t normally allow very close approach at this location, although there are many good photographs of White-throated Kingfisher at the closest breeding locations near Riyadh in central Saudi Arabia. In my view all Kingfishers are beautiful birds with White-throated Kingfisher up there with the best of them. Hopefully these birds will stay about for the rst of the winter at least as it is always enjoyable to see them.