03 March 2015

Common Kingfisher Al Khobar Corniche – Bird records by Mark Domz

Mark photographed a Common Kingfisher along Al Khobar Corniche on 26 February near to the Kudu Restaurant and kindly sent me his photographs that he has allowed me to use on my website. As with most of the Common Kingfishers seen in the area this is a female told by the red lower mandible, males would have black coloured ones. It has been a very good winter for Common Kingfisher in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with lots of birds seen in a number of locations particularly Sabkhat Al Fasl and my first record on my local 'patch' as well. Mark says he and his friends have found many good birds at this site, which is one I do not bird myself and these include: Water Pipit, Western Great Egret, many herons, Daurian & Turkestan Shrikes, Green Sandpiper, Plovers, Great Cormorants, gulls and terns, White-eared and Red-vented Bulbuls, Isabelline Wheatear, Eurasian Hoopoe and Greater Flamingos amongst others.
Common Kingfisher - female

Common Kingfisher - female

Common Kingfisher - female