Eurasian Spoonbill – Aqua Park

Whilst I was birding Aqua Park I found an immature Eurasian Spoonbill. Unfortunately, it was directly into the sun and although quite close the photos were poor. As a result, I decided to drive around to the other side of the large inlet to get the sun in a better position. Luckily the bird was still present and the photos much better. After a short while some cyclists came by and disturbed the bird, but it only flew a short distance downstream before alighting again. The status of Eurasian Spoonbill has changed over the years in the Eastern Province, with it being regarded as a rare and irregular visitor usually involving immature birds until the end of the 1980’s. Today it is an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. Jubail is the best location to see the species in the Eastern Province, but it is far from guaranteed here being only see on a few days per year. This is the second winter I have seen birds at Aqua Park, so it may turn out to be a good location for them.

Birding Aqua Park – Jubail

Phil Roberts and I went to Aqua Park to see if the cold weather had brought any birds down. We arrived at first light and walked to the end of the park where we saw a Eurasian Sparrowhawk in an aerial battle with a Common Kestrel. We also saw a Western Marsh Harrier in the same area along with two Common House Martins. We then went to the waterside where I saw a Pied Kingfisher flying down the estuary as well as a Striated Heron, an unusual bird in the Eastern Province. Also flying over the water were a few Slender-billed Gulls, a Squacco Heron and a Western Great Egret. On the water itself were three Greater Flamingo and three Eurasian Spoonbill. Further down the park in a tree on the edge of the water we found four Pied Kingfisher along with presumably the same Striate Heron as seen earlier in flight. A small group of Spanish Sparrow were in the reeds along with Clamorous Reed Warbler. At least one but probably two Masked Shrike was in the park as were two Eurasian Hoopoe.

Western Great Egret

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Eurasian Sparrowhawk - juvenile

Eurasian Sparrowhawk - juvenile

Eurasian Sparrowhawk - juvenile

Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbills

Eurasian Spoonbills

Greater Flamingo

Eurasian Spoonbills – Abu Ali Island

Whilst I was birding the large lake at the end of Abu Ali Island we found four Eurasian Spoonbills, three adults and an immature bird. The birds were quite timid and flew after a couple of minutes. The status of Eurasian Spoonbill has changed over the years in the Eastern Province, with it being regarded as a rare and irregular visitor usually involving immature birds until the end of the 1980’s. Today it is an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. In Central Saudi Arabia the status of the species has also changed with the List of Birds of Saudi Arabia (Jennings 1981) saying there were no inland records for the country. By the mid 1980’s the Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) stated that prior to 1987 the Spoonbill was a rare autumn visitor. Since then, it made frequent appearances along the Riyadh watercourse and became a spasmodic spring and autumn passage migrant and a regular winter visitor in growing numbers. In the late 1990’s the species was not recorded at all by the local birders and is still regarded as a scarce bird in the area. The main stronghold for the species in Saudi Arabia is the Red Sea where it is a common resident breeder. Largest numbers are seen in the southwest near Jizan but birds have been recorded all along the coast to north to Yanbu. Jubail is the best location to see the species in the Eastern Province, but it is far from guaranteed here being only see on a few days per year.

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Birding Malaki Dam Lake – Abu Arish

Whilst birding Malaki Dam Lake near Abu Arish Phil Roberts and I saw a few good birds. We were mainly there to try to see and record Nubian and Plain Nightjars during the night but also spent some daylight time looking for other birds. The lake is a huge expanse of water with semi cultivated fields nearby and other rough hillsides made of volcanic rock. The water areas are good for Eurasian Spoonbills and Glossy Ibis and the trees for doves where Red-eyed Dove has been seen previously. We failed to see any Red-eyed Doves but located plenty of similar African Collared Doves. The uncommon Abyssinian Roller was seen on some overhead wires and African Palm Swifts were flying over.

Eurasian Spoonbill

Glossy Ibis 

Glossy Ibis

African Collared Dove 

African Palm Swift

African Palm Swift

Malaki Dam Lake

Waders and Terns – Jizan Corniche

Whilst birding the southwest of Saudi Arabia in July I spent a few hours looking at Jizan Corniche. This is an excellent area for birding and has a fantastic small inlet which waders and other water birds get pushed up at high tide. Good views of the birds can also be had here and we saw plenty of species including Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Terek Sandpiper, Eurasian Spoonbills some in breeding plumage and Pink-backed Pelican. The commonest birds seen here were Crab Plover and Bar-tailed Godwits although a few Ruddy Turnstones and Greater Sand Plovers were also present. Indian Reef Herons were along the shore and a couple of Striated Herons were also present. A few gulls were also seen with Baltic Gull, Sooty Gull and White-eyed Gull being commonest. A Western Osprey was on a post out at sea, several Saunder’s Terns and one or two Gull-billed Terns were also out to sea.

African Collared Dove

Crab Plover

Crab Plover

Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill

Pink-backed Pelican

Pink-backed Pelican

Immature Eurasian Spoonbill – Jubail

I was birding the Jubail area when I found an immature Eurasian Spoonbill on a wet Sabkha area. The status of the species has changed over the years in the Eastern Province and is now an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. Jubail is the best location to see the species in the Eastern Province but it is far from guaranteed here being only see on a few days per year. Most records in the spring and summer refer to immature birds suggesting breeding nearby somewhere. The closest breeding areas I know of are in Kuwait so birds may have come from there and headed south down the coast. A week later I saw two immature Eurasian Spoonbills in a similar area.

Immature Eurasian Spoonbill - Jubail

I was birding the Jubail area when I found an immature Eurasian Spoonbill on a wet Sabkha area. The bird was quite some distance away on the ground but flew after a couple of minutes. It circled around but unfortunately did not land again and flew off and away. The status of the species has changed over the years in the Eastern Province, with it being regarded as a rare and irregular visitor usually involving immature birds until the end of the 1980’s. Today it is an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. In Central Saudi Arabia the status of the species has also changed with the List of Birds of Saudi Arabia (Jennings 1981) saying there were no inland records for the country. By the mid 1980’s the Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) stated that prior to 1987 the Spoonbill was a rare autumn visitor. Since then it made frequent appearances along the Riyadh watercourse and became a spasmodic spring and autumn passage migrant and a regular winter visitor in growing numbers. In the late 1990’s the species was not recorded at all by the local birders and is still regarded as a scarce bird in the area. The main stronghold for the species in Saudi Arabia is the Red Sea where it is a common resident breeder. Largest numbers are seen in the southwest near Jizan but birds have been recorded all along the coast to north to Yanbu. Jubail is the best location to see the species in the Eastern Province but it is far from guaranteed here being only see on a few days per year.

Two Eurasian Spoonbills at Shubaily – Record by Arnold Uy

Arnold Uy was at Shubaily very early one morning and saw two Eurasian Spoonbills flying over. He managed to get a photograph that he kindly sent to me for use on my website for which I thank him. The status of the species has changed over the years in the Eastern Province, with it being regarded as a rare and irregular visitor usually involving immature birds until the end of the 1980’s. Records occurred from November to December and April and June with most on the coast at Taraut Bay, Qatif, Abu Ali and Al Khobar. The only inland record was one at Abqaiq 30 September to 1 October 1976. Today it is an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. In Central Saudi Arabia the status of the species has also changed with the List of Birds of Saudi Arabia (Jennings 1981) saying there were no inland records for the country. By the mid 1980’s the Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) stated that prior to 1987 the Spoonbill was a rare autumn visitor. Since then it made frequent appearances along the Riyadh watercourse and became a spasmodic spring and autumn passage migrant and a regular winter visitor in growing numbers. Wintering birds arrived occasionally in November but mainly January and were seen thereafter until May with the largest group 11 on 23 November 1990. In the late 1990’s the species was not recorded at all by the local birders and is still regarded as a scarce bird in the area. The main stronghold for the species in Saudi Arabia is the Red Sea where it is a common resident breeder. Largest numbers are seen in the southwest near Jizan but birds have been recorded all along the coast to north on Yanbu.

Some scarce and unusual birds - Abqaiq Wetlands

Whilst birding Abqaiq Wetlands on 1 May with Phil Roberts we came a cross a number of good birds with the best probably being a Eurasian Crag Martin. This species is a scarce passage migrant in the Eastern Province mainly in the spring and I have only seen one before in the Eastern Province over the percolation pond in Dhahran. A flyover adult Eurasian Spoonbill was also a surprise as were five Marsh Warblers. Marsh Warbler is supposedly a common passage migrant in May throughout Saudi Arabia, but I had only seen one previously do the birds seen at the wetland were very unexpected. The other good bird seen was one Eastern Nightingale as they are far less common than Thrush Nightingale and although all the above birds were not photographed in any acceptable manner they were all good birds to see, showing the importance of this new wetland area. Other birds seen included one Grey Heron, two Little Egrets, one Common Whitethroat, two Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, six Kentish Plovers, ten Little Grebes including an adults with juveniles, one Sedge Warbler, two Little Bitterns, ten Barred Warblers, five Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, ten Graceful Prinias, 50 House Sparrows, four Common Moorhens, one Spotted Crake, eight Little Terns, one Great Cormorant, one Little Ringed Plover, ten Black-winged Stilts, ten Pallid Swifts, five Barn Swallows, one Sand Martin, one European Bee-eater, two Rufous Scrub Robins, ten White-eared Bulbuls, six Crested Larks, one Lesser Kestrel flying over, five Laughing Doves, five Namaqua Doves, ten Collared Doves, two Tree Pipits, five Red-backed Shrikes, eight Turkestan Shrikes, one Whinchat, ten Spotted Flycatchers, one Reed Warbler, 15 Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warbler, two European Rollers, one White-throated Robin and one Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.

Eurasian Spoonbill

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Turkestan Shrike

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Pallid Swift

Crested Lark

Black-winged Stilt