Lots of Duck – Dhahran Percolation Pond

The Percolation Pond has been dug out and refilled with water recently and now holds lots of ducks. Well over a hundred Northern Shoveler were present with fifty Eurasian Teal. Three Pochard, a single Gadwall and two Mallards were also present. Apart from this there were 22 Black-winged Stilts, well over two hundred Common Back-headed Gulls and 13 Little Grebes. Luckily this area is very safe for the duck as no hunting is allowed and there is strict security in the Aramco compound. 

Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Ducks and more – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

My last few visits to the Dhahran Waste Water Lake have produced a few ducks of various species. The regular Ferruginous Ducks, that have been around for almost a month, were joined on one occasion by three Eurasian Teal and a female Northern Pintail and a female Garganey was also seen on one occasion. Hopefully duck numbers build up over the next month or so, with this being a good and safe place for them to rest and feed. A few waders have been dropping into to feed and rest on the waters edge, with Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank and Black-winged Stilt being the most common. Migrants around the edge of the lake have been lacking this autumn although the number of Rose-ringed Parakeet flying over appear to be increasing.

Ferruginous Duck

Ferruginous Duck

Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Ducks on Dhahran Hills Lake – Dhahran

I visited Dhahran Hills lake at first light in late December I found a group of four Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, two males and two females. They kept close to the lake edge near to cover and due to the cover around the lake I was able to get reasonably close to them before they noticed me a flew off. Also on the lake were seventeen Eurasian Teal, a mix of males, males in eclipse plumage and females. They were out in the middle of the lake but flew when a Marsh Harrier flew overhead. In the Eastern Province Mallard is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that generally occurs from late August until May, with peak numbers from September to March. It occurs mainly in the coastal zone where they often frequent coastal areas and inland pools. The only regular sites are the Dammam area where birds are often seen in Tarout Bay and the Jubail area that regularly has small flocks of up to 35 birds in the winter. Inland records have come from Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp percolation pond and Abqaiq lagoons where birds are seen each winter in numbers up to 15 birds. The species is extremely weary in the Kingdom and getting close to birds is extremely difficult. Eurasian Teal is a common passage migrant, common winter visitor and erratic summer visitor that is widespread throughout Saudi Arabia both as a broad front migrant from February to March and again from September to October). Many birds overwinter from November to February such as the birds I saw.

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Mallard

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal

Eurasian Teal – Al Wannan

To show that anything can turn up anywhere in Saudi Arabia I located three Eurasian Teal in the middle of the desert on a small wet area to the side of some large pivot irrigation fields at Al Wannan. This is far from the nearest large wetlands where they are normally located. These fields also held a number of other good birds including Daurian Shrike, Meadow Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Desert Wheatear, European Stonechat and Great Grey Shrike.

Some birds from Al Asfar Lake – Records by Arnoly Uy

Arnold sent me some photos of birds taken in the Eastern Province at Al Asfar Lake near Al Hassa. He saw a flock of duck in flight that looked like Eurasian Teal as well as a few Pallid Swifts. He also found lots of Western Marsh Harriers that have come back to spend the winter in the region as well as a Western Osprey catching fish and two Common Kestrels. A less common species seen was a Greater Spotted Eagle although this is perfect habitat for them and they are common in winter at Sabkhat Al Fasl a similar site a few hundred kilometers away on the coast. I thank Arnold for sending me the details and photos and for allowing me to use them on my website.

Eurasian Teal

Pallid Swift

Western Marsh Harrier

Western Marsh Harrier

Greater Spotted Eagle

Northern Shoveler increasing - Dhahran Hills

Yesterday at the 'patch' there were again plenty of birds. The water level at the pond is attracting plenty of waders with one Marsh Sandpiper, one Common Greenshank, one Common Ringed Plover, two Dunlin, two Green Sandpiper, four Wood Sandpiper, six Kentish Plover, 11 Common Snipe and 25 Little Stint. The waders all took flight at one point and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew over, but it looked like it had already fed on something as its crop was full. Ducks were again on the pond in good numbers with two Garganey, 33 Eurasian Teal and 74 Northern Shoveller. A group of six Blue-cheeked Bee-eater were catching insects over the pond along with 12 Sand Martin and 11 Barn Swallow and two Cattle Egret flew in at last light and landed in one of the tall trees to roost. The only other bird of note was a Caspian Reed Warbler in the reeds at the edge of the pond which is the first one I have seen there for a few weeks.

 Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Teal