10 December 2022

Some winter species – Jubail

The last couple of visits to Jubail have produced a number of wintering Daurian Shrikes. This is a good area to find this species in winter, where they like to keep close to the dense reedbeds. Squacco Heron and Little Egret numbers are again building with birds seen in good numbers almost always out in the flooded areas in reeds or shrubs. The flooded areas are now becoming wetter and Greater Flamingo numbers are increasing although still at a relatively low level of less than 50 birds. Slender-billed Gull numbers have also decreased markedly over the last few weeks dropping from thousands to less than a hundred. These species will all stay around for the entire winter in varying numbers. Other good birds seen included a single Black-necked Grebe and a single White-throated Kingfisher, a species which is now certainly resident in very small numbers in the area.

Daurian Shrike

Greater Flamingo

Squacco Heron

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull