24 March 2015

The last few Western Cattle Egrets – Dhahran golf course area

The number of Western Cattle Egrets around the camp seems to dropping from a high point of about 100 birds. Good views can still be had of the birds as they feed along the roadside grass verges finding insects in the soft ground after the grass has been watered. The birds spend the evening roosting in the pharagmites reed-beds of the percolation pond where they arrive just before dark and leave just after first light. It was previously a scarce species in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia but since the 2000’s good numbers of birds were seen that have increased to toady’s numbers slowly over the last ten years. The photographs below were taken on the grass area next to the skate and BMX park close to the golf course where good views of the birds can be had particularly in the late afternoon when the grass has been watered.
Western Cattle Egret

Western Cattle Egret