Late September at Dhahran Cricket Field

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills Cricket field at the end of September I saw a few interesting birds. Western Cattle Egrets are back in good numbers and Eurasian Hoopoe numbers have increased significantly with migrant birds joining the local breeding birds. Another species that has been seen in higher-than-normal numbers is Black-winged Stilt with tens of birds on almost all grassy areas in the compound. Resident species seen included Common Myna, Eurasian Collared Dove and Crested Lark. Migrants noted have included Woodchat Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher and Northern Wheatear.

Black-winged Stilt 

Black-winged Stilt 

Black-winged Stilt 

Common Myna

Crested Lark

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe

Spotted Flycatcher

Western Cattle Egret

Western Cattle Egret

Western Cattle Egret

Woodchat Shrike

Yellow Wagtails and more – Dhahran Cricket Field

I have been visiting the cricket field each morning before work and seeing a few interesting birds. The two Whimbrel have been joined by a third bird and two Ruff were also around for a day. Fifty Kentish Plover early one morning was ahigh count for the site. Yellow Wagtail numbers have been high with 75-100 birds present but they are normally only present first thing in the morning and again in the evening when the temperatures are cooler. Resident Common Myna are around in very large numbers as are Eurasian Hoopoe that will include migrants with the resident birds at this time of year. A couple of Grey Heron flew over one day and Gull-billed Terns have been seen flying around on a few occasions.

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe

Common Myna

Plenty of birds – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

There have been a good number of Northern Shoveler in Dhahran with well over thirty birds present flying between the Percolation Pond and Dhahran Waste Water Lake. The Waste Water Lake has still the two Tufted Ducks from a couple of months ago and they have been joined by another female making three in total. A few Grey Heron, One Black-crowned Night Heron, two Western Great Egrets and several Squacco Heron are still around. A few more birds are now around the scrubby areas at the edge of the lake including Daurian Shrike, White-eared Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff and Eurasian Hoopoe.

Common Chiffchaff

Common Chiffchaff

Eurasian Hoopoe

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Squacco Heron

Squacco Heron

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

White-eared Bulbul

Eurasian Hoopoe - Dhahran Cricket Field

Eurasian Hoopoe is a common species in Dhahran with birds breeding each year in various places, including pipes going into houses, broken sprinkler boxes and a few more natural places. The breeding birds are supplemented by many migrants that pass through in spring and autumn when they can be the commonest bird seen in the area I bird. They are amazing birds, and some allow very close approach even on foot. Taking photos of them on the ground is not too difficult but getting them in flight is a trickier task. I managed to take a few in the last month or so and some are shown below.

Birds on Dhahran Cricket Field – Dhahran Hills

Whilst birding Dhahran Cricket Field over the last couple of weeks I have seen some quite good birds. A very close Tawny Pipit in a small group of Yellow Wagtails. Yellow Wagtails have been common with up to fifty birds present of a couple of days and this species, Common Myna and European Hoopoe the commonest species on the field. The only waders seen were Ruff, with three birds, Kentish Plover with fifteen birds the highest count and Whimbrel with six birds.

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe

Ruff

Ruff

Tawny Pipit

Tawny Pipit

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail