Nothing unusual – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake the last few weeks I have been seeing the same species and not much different. Flyovers include the winter first Crested Honey Buzzard and two Wester Marsh Harriers as well as a few Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawks. Common species such as Common Myna and Rose-ringed Parakeet are seen daily as are House Crow. Birds on or over the lake include good numbers of Pallid Swift and Great Cormorant and increasing numbers of Grey Heron, Western Cattle Egret and Squacco Heron. The maximum number of Gull-billed Tern reached eleven and a single Isabelline Wheatear was seen on the edge of the pond one day. 

Common Kestrel

Common Myna

Common Sandpiper

Great Cormorant

Grey Heron

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Pallid Swift

Pallid Swift

Pallid Swift

Squacco Heron

Squacco Heron

Western Cattle Egret

September on the Cricket Field – Dhahran Hills

September is a good month to check the cricket fields in the evening as they are watered thoroughly and the soft ground attracts numerous species of birds. A female Common Kestrel was around for most of the month, normally perched on the floodlights but occasionally dropping down to feed on the ground. Much more common species were Eurasian Collared Dove and Crested Lark with tens of birds scattered around the playing area. Waders were made up of Eurasian Whimbrel & Ruff whilst flyovers of note included a few groups of Rose-ringed Parakeet and an Osprey that was only ever seen as the sun was setting.

Common Kestrel

Common Kestrel

Crested Lark

Eurasian Collared Dove

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

Osprey

Osprey

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

Breeding birds and migrants – Jubail

Whilst birding the Jubail area in mid-May it is becoming more obvious birds are starting to breed. Little Ringed Plovers and Black-winged Stilts are common, some with young already and others on nests. Caspian Reed Warbler and Clamorous Reed Warblers are in full song and Little Terns are back in good numbers at one site where they bred in last two years as are Pied Avocets, again breeding for the third year in succession. At this time of year good numbers of migrants are also passing through including Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Spotted Flycatchers, Shrikes, Yellow Wagtails, Tree Pipits, Common Redstarts, Sand Martins and Barn Swallows. Waders are passing in small numbers with good numbers of Wood Sandpipers and a single Spotted Crake was located in a small wet area. Unfortunately, the light was poor and I could not get in a good position for photos so the below shot is not very good. Birds of prey have now mainly left for their breeding grounds but Common Kestrel is a breeding resident and a single pair seem to be in residence this spring and will hopefully breed.

Common Kestrel

Pied Avocet

Spotted Crake

Wood Sandpiper

Raptors in October – Eastern Province

Whilst birding several areas of the Eastern Province in October I have come across and photographed a number of raptors. In Haradh I saw two Pallid Harriers over the pivot irrigation fields. This is a regular species at this time of year with some remaining for the winter. Another bird of prey seen in Haradh was an adult Steppe Eagle. It was located circling high above the ground but luckily, we managed to drive the car to be directly underneath the bird. Steppe Eagle is a common passage migrant and winter visitor to the Kingdom and can be seen at Haradh throughout the winter. Common Kestrel is as its name suggests common in the Kingdom. Many are seen over pivot irrigation fields but the one I photographed was in Daffi Park, Jubail, perched in a tree. Jubail also held several Black Kites and by mid-October good numbers of Greater Spotted Eagles. Greater Spotted Eagles will now remain over winter and can be seen at most large wetland areas where they are often seen perched on power line structures.

Pallid Harrier

Steppe Eagle

Steppe Eagle

Common Kestrel

Black Kite

Black Kite

Greater Spotted Eagle

Greater Spotted Eagle

Winter birding - Haradh

Phil Roberts and I went for our normal winter birding trip to Haradh recently and saw a lot of good birds. Best was 14 Sociable Lapwings which I have already posted about but we also saw a number of other good winter visitors and early spring migrants. The first pivot field we stopped at had a hugh flock of over 500 Spanish Sparrows and a nice looking are of long grass next a freshly cut area. In the freshly cut area were a number of Yellow Wagtails with several White Wagtails alongside. Whilst looking at the Wagtails were heard several Common Quail calling from the nearby grass area and saw one bird in the short grass and four more were flushed from the long grass. Both Common Quail and Yellow Wagtail are early spring migrants. Whilst walking through the long grass we saw up to twenty Red-spotted Bluethroats, the largest number I have seen at a single site at the same time and several Siberian Stonechats along with European Stonechat. Several Namaqua Dove were in the same area and a few Common Kestrel were overhead and perched. Large numbers of Tawny Pipits were also in the fields and long their edges showing that migration was in progress. 

Common Kestrel 

Namaqua Dove

Tawny Pipit

Summer time birding - Tanoumah

Last summer I visited Tanoumah, and have just sorted out my photos from the trip. Below are a few species I managed to see and photograph including Abyssinian White-eye, Brown-necked Raven, Common Kestrel, Crested Lark, Little Rock Thrush, Tristrams Starling and Violet-backed Starling. I also saw a few Arabian endemics including Arabian Serin, Arabian Wheatear, Yemen Serin and Yemen Warbler.

Abyssinian White-eye

Arabian Serin

Arabian Wheatear

Brown-necked Raven

Brown-necked Raven

Common Kestrel

Crested Lark

Little Rock Thrush

Tristram's Starling

Violet-backed Starling

Yemen Serin 

Yemen Warbler