Birds of Saudi Arabia: Common Black-headed Gull

Showing posts with label Common Black-headed Gull. Show all posts

30 December 2024

Birds on the Lake - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The Waste Water Lake has been attracting a number of Common Black-headed Gulls in the early morning which have been coming and resting with the resident Great Cormorants on the lake. Duck are still regularly being seen with Ferruginous and Tufted Duck seen on every visit and once three Pochard were seen, a more unusual species but still one seen every year at this location. Herons include Western Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Western Great Egret, Squacco Heron and Western Reef Heron. Waders have been thin on the ground but a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers are resident the last month or so.

Western Reef Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Common Pochard

Ferruginous Duck

Common Sandpiper

Common Black-headed Gull

24 December 2024

Common Black-headed Gulls returning – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake in the very early morning in mid-November I saw a group of seven Common Black-headed Gulls drop in and wash in the waste water lake. Although I have seen a few elsewhere in the Eastern Province over the last three weeks these are the first for Dhahran this winter. This species is an uncommon passage migrant, very common winter visitor and erratic summer visitor. It is most common on the coasts in winter from November to March, and in recent decades has become a common and widespread winter visitor to inland water bodies such as the Dhahran Waste Water Lake where it is now seen every winter in good numbers. Most birds are adults, but a few younger birds also occur. Birds mainly stop off in the early morning to catch small fish and bath at the lake but are often seen flying over in the morning and evening to their main feeding and roosting areas.

23 March 2024

Heron numbers building – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Dhahran Waste Water Lake in March it was very apparent that the number of herons were increasing. Six Great Egrets and more than ten Grey Herons were present with double figures of Squacco Heron also seen. A single dark phase Western Reef Heron was an unusual sighting. Great Cormorant numbers were also increasing woth around fifty birds present perched in the waterside trees and fishing on the lake itself. Three Ferruginous Duck were still around as were a single Gull-billed Tern and Common Black-headed Gull

Common Black-headed Gull

Ferruginous Duck

Gull-billed Tern

Grey Heron

Great Egret

Great Cormorant

Western Reef Heron

28 November 2023

Common Black-headed Gulls - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

I have been seeing quite a few Common Black-headed Gull in the last week in Dhahran. This species is an uncommon passage migrant, very common winter visitor and erratic summer visitor. It is most common on the coasts in winter from November to March, and in recent decades has become a common and widespread winter visitor to inland water bodies such as the Dhahran Waste Water Lake where it is now seen every winter in good numbers. Most birds are adults, but a few younger birds also occur. Birds mainly stop off in the early morning to catch small fish and bath at the lake but are often seen flying over in the morning and evening to their main feeding and roosting areas.

14 March 2023

Normal birds - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching around the Waste Water Lake in Dhahran recently I have been seeing the same species continually. The lake has a good gathering of Common Black-headed Gull which occasionally attract one or two passing Steppe Gull. They normally just fly in and fly off but occasionally settle briefly for a wash. The three Glossy Ibis are still present and have now been around for almost three months. They are always timid and never really allow close views, which is surprising as they have been around for so long and seldom get disturbed. Two Western Marsh Harrier are also present, that have also been around for months now and flew so close to me I could only just fit them in the photos. The number of Great Cormorant has decreased markedly over the winter with only a few tens remaining from the several hundred of their peak numbers with some birds are coming into fine breeding plumage. Overhead can be seen several Pallid Swift some of which drop down lower over the water but I have not seen any drinking water of wetting their feathers in the lake yet. Another species that fly over quite regularly is Rose-ringed Parakeet, a common species in Dhahran camp but one not so easily seen elsewhere. Eurasian Collared Dove is also a common species in Dhahran and can be seen flying over or perched on the nearby trees and shrubs around the lake.

Common Black-headed Gull

Glossy Ibis

Eurasian Collared Dove

Pallid Swift

Western Marsh Harrier

Steppe Gull

Rose-ringed Parakeet

06 March 2023

Same species – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The pair of Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe that have been present for more than a month on the Dhahran Waste Water Lake were not seen on my last visit. The common species using the pond are Great Cormorants, and various herons including Grey Heron and Western Great Egret, where birds spend the entire day around the edge of the water. Steppe Gulls are still visiting the pond to drink and bath but seldom stay longer than a few minutes, whereas Common Black-headed Gulls tend to remain for most of the day. The newly planted native trees that Saudi Aramco have planted around the edge of the pond are growing nicely and have quite a few birds in them. The only species I managed to photograph was an Eastern Stonechat where both a male and female were present.