An unusual sighting on Dhahran Cricket Field last week as a single Glossy Ibis. It flew in whilst we were watching the Sociable Lapwing and landed. Like most of the birds on the field it started eating the beetles that are plentiful and looked quite happy until a nearby noise scarred it into flight. If flew off in the direction of the Waste Water Lake where I assumed it would stay but when I went over there I could not find it. Glossy Ibis is an uncommon but regular passage migrant from March to early May and from August to November in the Eastern Province as well as a scarce summer and winter visitor. It is more common in Riyadh where it is predominantly a passage migrant and winter visitor but ones and twos are normally present throughout the year. They pass through the Riyadh area from March to early June, usually in small flocks but up to 40 together have been recorded, and again from late July to November, often in groups of 20 plus.
