Eastern Orphean Warbler – Jebal Hamrah

Whilst birding Jebal Hamrah in early March I saw a male Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris in a small shrub in one of the wide wadies along the bottom of the escarpment near Judah. This species is a scarce passage migrant to all areas, rather common in the west but rare in the Gulf, with mostly single birds seen. Birds are most often recorded in March and April and September to October. Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) state it is a spring and autumn passage migrant. Passes from mid-January to early May and again throughout September. Numbers variable but generally uncommon and seen in ones and twos only. The sub-species S. c. belchanica passes through the region. Males have a sharply delimited, well-defined blackish cap and lack the white eye often depicted for the species. The sighting was a good one for me as I seldom see this species in Saudi Arabia and only have one poor photo. Unfortunately for me, the one time it came out into the open the sun was in the wrong direction so my photo was not the best. By the time I moved to have the sun behind me, the bird had disappeared deep into a bush and despite waiting for a very long time it did not come out into the open again. The subspecies we get in Saudi Arabia is Sylvia crassirostris balchanica from SW Caspian Sea region, NE Iraq east to SE Turkmenistan and SE Iran; non breeding in S Iran, S Pakistan and SE Arabia (UAE, Oman). This subspecies has a dark eye.

Excellent day – Sabkhat Al Fasl

The midweek trip to Sabkhat Al Fasl turned out to be a very good few hours birding. This is a good time in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with many migrants passing through and this is a good site for attracting them. As already posted it was excellent for shrikes with Mauryan (Steppe) Grey Shrike, Turkestan Shrike and Daurian Shrike all present. A few Large White-headed Gulls were present but much reduced from the previous visit. A number of gulls were dead in the area they have been using and I am not sure if they had been shot or died of something else. This was presumably putting the birds off from using the area now and all that was left were 20+ Steppe Gulls. The only other birds here were a few Caspian Terns sitting around and flying about looking for food.

Steppe Gull

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern

Just behind this area a Savi’s Warbler was in full song at first light. Further along where a few bushes flank one of the concrete bunded areas lots of warblers were flitting about. They appeared to be all Common Chiffchaffs until I caught sight of a larger warbler in a low bush. After a bit of time trying to get some decent views of the bird it turned out to be an Eastern Orphean Warbler which is the first time I have seen this species at the location.

Eastern Orphean Warbler

A close inspection of the reed beds and the wet areas nearby produced three male White-spotted Bluethroats and more Common Chiffchaffs. Here there were plenty of Clamorous Reed Warblers and Graceful Prinia in full song as their breeding season is now well underway. Eurasian Hoopoe was also feeding along the wet edges in this area.

Graceful Prinia

Eurasian Hoopoe

The scrubby desert area behind the main reed beds also held plenty of birds including Siberian Stonechat, Tawny Pipit and Red-throated Pipit. Three Greater Spotted Eagles were seen in flight over the area as was a Collared Pratincole, which is the first one of these I have seen this spring. Barn Swallow was quite numerous hunting the insects here with a few Pallid Swifts to keep them company.

Siberian Stonechat

Red-throated Pipit

Travelling further around the site to the main wet area was very rewarding with a good number of both adult and juvenile Purple Swamphens showing well. At one point I was watching a Purple Swamphen wading across an open area of water when a movement in the nearby grass caught my attention. It turned out to be a Little Crake that had just jumped into the water and was following the Swamphen to a small clump of nearby reeds out in the water. It allowed me a chance to photograph this difficult to see species, which was a bonus.

Purple Swamphen

Purple Swamphen

Little Crake

Little Crake

The flooded sabkha area is still full of water with little to see there except for large numbers, maybe 3000, Greater Flamingo. Waders are thin on the ground here with just a couple of Common Greenshank and Common Redshanks and two curlew Sandpipers present. Water Pipits were present in small numbers now showing off their summer plumage and about ten Black-headed Yellow Wagtails were also feeding on the numerous insects. A few wheatears were there as well including Northern, Pied and Isabelline Wheatears.

Black-headed Wagtail

Water Pipit