Caspian Stonechat – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl I found a very nice male Caspian Stonechat. The Stonechat complex is as its name suggests is very complex and a new paper has been written by Lars Svensson, Hadoram Shirihai, Sylke Frahnert & Edward C. Dickinson on the Taxonomy and nomenclature of the Stonechat complex Saxicola torquatus sensu lato in the Caspian region. This paper suggests that the mainly Asian form becomes the Eastern Stonechat S. maurus (Pallas, 1773). This species has several recognised subspecies, with three occurring in Saudi Arabia as well as being Palearctic taxa: maurus breeding in Russia and marginally in adjacent parts of eastern Europe, in western and south-central Siberia, Kazakhstan and parts of Transcaspia, east to north-west Mongolia and south to Afghanistan and northern Pakistan (possibly also in north-east Iran); variegatus (S. G. Gmelin, 1774) in eastern Ukraine on the lower Don, east Crimea, the Kalmykiya plains north-east to the Volga Delta area, in the south on the northern slopes of Caucasus, apparently reaching north Azerbaijan (named as ‘NCT’ for ‘North Caspian Taxon’); and armenicus Stegmann, 1935, in north-east Turkey, Caucasus (apparently at least locally on the southern slopes), Transcaucasia and western and southern Iran (named as ‘SCT’ for ‘South Caspian Taxon’).

Birds previously known as Caspian Stonechat Saxicola torquatus variegatus are thus now known as North Caspian Taxon (NCT). The paper states that the northern population has a very characteristic male plumage with extensive white portions on each side of the inner tail (between half and three-quarters of the outer tail feathers white), not unlike the pattern in many wheatears or male Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. This can clearly be seen in the flight shots of the bird I found at Sabkhat Al Fasl with the paper saying it can easily be seen on a flying bird, but can be more difficult to confirm on perched birds with closed tails. The amount of white in the tail on males is subject to a subtle cline; at its maximum in the Volga Delta region, becoming slightly more restricted in the south. Both sexes resemble nominate maurus from further east and north in that they have a large unstreaked pale rump patch, buffish when fresh, white when abraded and bleached. In comparison, European Stonechat S. rubicola has a streaked rump with usually limited white. The NCT male has a concentrated red-brown chest patch and a large white patch on the neck-sides, again more like nominate maurus and different from most rubicola which again can be seen on the photogrpahs of the Sabkhat Al Fasl bird. The NCT female is very similar to females of nominate maurus and usually can be identified only if handled. The female has much less white on the base of the rectrices than the male, generally requiring that the tail-coverts be lifted to reveal the white, and a few females lack any. The name used for the NCT in Vaurie (1959), Ripley (1964), Urquhart (2002) and Dickinson (2003) has been variegatus.

Various Stonechats – Dhahran Hills

The spray fields have held a number of Stonechats throughout the winter including Siberian, Common and Caspian types. The last few days have been good for Stonechats with many more passing though the area on passage. Yesterday I saw five Stonechats together and managed to get a couple of photos of two of the species. The first one shown below is the (North) Caspian Stonechat showing the plumage features and the white in the tail (see bottom of post for details on the name change. The second bird looks to me like a Common Stonechat and although it has a white rump the rump is slightly streaked and not the full unmarked white of a Siberian Stonechat. The Common Stonechats we get in Saudi Arabia are the European types and not the race that commonly occurs back home in the UK that shows very little white on the rump. Hopefully a few more birds will pass through, as they are very interesting to look at and learn about the variation in plumage.

(North) Caspian Stonechat

(North) Caspian Stonechat

(North) Caspian Stonechat

(North) Caspian Stonechat

Common Stonechat

Common Stonechat

Common Stonechat

Svensson, Shirihai, Frahnert & Dickinson's paper Taxonomy and nomenclature of the Stonechat complex Saxicola torquatus sensu lato in the Caspian region (Bull. B.O.C. 2012 132(4), 20 April 2012) states:
Saxicola [maurus] variegatus called ‘North Caspian Taxon' has a new scientific name proposed Saxicola maurus hemprichii (Ehrenberg)
Saxicola [maurus] armenica called ‘South Caspian Taxon' has a new scientific name proposed Saxicola maurus variegatus (S. G. Gmelin)
The paper proposes the sub-specific suffix variegatus is transferred from Caspian Stonechat (the northern form) to Armenian Stonechat (the southern form), with hemprichii being adopted for the northern (white-tailed) form.

Migration picking up – Dhahran Hills

The last week has really seen migration picking up with quite a few migrants passing through. New species for the spring have included two Woodchat Shrikes, one Pied Wheatear, one Northern Wheatear, one Grey Wagtail and a Peregrine Falcon. Other migrants have included 100+ Red-rumped Swallows, two Turkestan Shrikes, six Daurian Shrikes, ten Pallid Swifts, 25+ Common Chiffchaffs, two Common Quail, six Eurasian Skylarks and ten Black-headed Wagtails. A few winter birds are still hanging around such as the Caspian Stonechat and a few Tawny Pipits. Other wintering birds such as White Wagtail and Bluethroats have been supplemented with passing migrants with numbers higher now than during the winter. The wintering duck numbers are now reducing with only seven Gadwalls left on the pond last night. An Indian Reef Heron flew over which was the first one I have seen this year, but these are not migrants but straying resident birds which normally occur on the coast.

Turkestan Shrike

Greater Spotted Eagle

(North) Caspian Stonechat

Caspian Stonechat – Dhahran Hills

A Caspian Stonechat has been in the spray fields for the last few weeks and although it has been there for some time I have failed to get any decent shots of the bird. As the spray heads were turned completely off yesterday I managed to get a few photos of the bird that is very different to the other Common Stonechats present. Trying to photograph the white in the tail proved very difficult and hence the out of focus photo below. A few other good birds were seen in the spray fields including two Song Thrushes that are the first two I have seen this winter. This species is normally fairly regularly seen along the grass verges and in the spray fields during winter but this year they have been absent until now. A Common Quail was calling loudly from the long grass and four Eurasian Skylarks were flushed from the grass along with 10+ Water Pipits. An odd looking lark, only seen in flight, may have been something interesting but we were unable to relocate it even though we saw where it landed. Two Jack Snipe were also flushed from right underfoot, giving good views as they flew off and landed further in the fields. This is an uncommon bird in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, probably more so due to their secretive nature than their real status.

Caspian Stonechat – Dhahran Hills

There have been two Siberian Stonechats Saxicola maurus maurus in the spray fields most of the winter and last week I saw a Common Stonechat there (see previous post). Today I found a Caspian Stonechat Saxicola maurus variegatus in the same fields and this is only the third example of this subspecies I have seen since I have been in Saudi Arabia. The first was in the same place last winter and the second a few days ago at Sabkhat Al Fasl. Caspian Stonechat is a scarce winter visitor to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in the winter. The pale colouration and extensive white in the tail of male birds, looking like a Northern Wheatear at times, makes for certain identification. The photo I took of the bird is fairly poor but you can make out the extensive white in the tail and general colouration. Hopefully if the bird satys around I will be able to get better photos at the weekend.