01 September 2022

Birds of Prey – Al Namas

Whilst birding the Al Namas area in July I saw three species of raptor within five minutes. First I saw a Long-legged Buzzard and Short-toed Snake Eagle together in the air. Long-legged Buzzard is a common species in the southwest mountains but Short-toed Snake Eagle is a scarce breeding resident, passage migrant and winter visitor that only breed in the southwest of the Kingdom. This is the second summer I have seen one in this region with the other in Tanoumah. The third species I saw was a female Crested Honey Buzzard a species that has only been seen eight times previously in the summer in the Kingdom. Most of these records have been seen along most of the Asir mountain range in summer and show a few birds may regularly summer there. As most birds seem to be females there is a chance birds could be breeding in the area and this additional record adds to the data but no males have been located in summer in the southwest. Later on I located a Common Kestrel in flight and another perched on some roadside trees.

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Common Kestrel

Common Kestrel