European Robin – Deffi Park

Whilst birding Deffi Park at first light on 16 December I saw a European Robin feeding on the ground at some distance. After alerting Phil Roberts we tried to get closer for some photos. European Robin in the UK is a very confiding species allowing close approach, but this bird had not been taught well and was very timid. It quickly flew up high in a dense tree where we could not see it. Eventually we relocated it, but again it flew quickly into another tree. I managed to get a single poor photo (see below) of the bird before it flew off some distance and could not be relocated. This is only the second time I have seen the species in Saudi Arabia, with the first an adult bird near Salwa, between Al Kuwaifriah and Al Bartha 26 November 2021, of which I could not get any photos. The European Robin is a scarce winter visitor to Saudi Arabia with the following records from the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. One adult male Abqaiq lagoons 11 November 1983, one adult male Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp percolation pond, 16 December 1983, one adult male Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp percolation pond, 22 February 1984, One at Jubail Lagoons 15 November 1991, one Duffi Park, Jubail 15 February 2014, one Jubail 1-12 December 2015, one Sabkhat Al Fasl 9 December 2015, one between Al Kuwaifriah and Al Bartha 26 November 2021, one male Aqua Park, Jubail 10 September 2022 and one Deffi Park 16 December 2022. 

European Robin still near Jubail – Bird records by Arnold Uy

Arnold Uy was in the Jubail area 12 December and saw the European Robin again in the same place as it was originally found. He kindly sent me photos of the bird and some others that he saw and has allowed me to reproduce them below. As mentioned in a previous post Phil Roberts found a second bird some distance from the original location indicating that the cold weather may have brought them into the region. I have not been able to go the area recently and will not be able to until the new-year so I hope they stay around, as this is a species I have not yet seen in Saudi Arabia. Arnold has been trying to photograph the Greater Spotted Eagles in the area with much luck but managed to finally get one although not on such a pleasant perch as it was on one of the pylons that they like using to rest. Arnold also said there are now lots of Red-spotted Bluethroats about the site and they have obviously now returned in numbers for the winter. They should stay around until March or early April before heading north to their breeding grounds.

European Robin

Red-spotted Bluethroat 

Greater Spotted Eagle

A second European Robin near Jubail – Bird records by Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts was in the Juabil area looking for the European Robin last week but without luck. This would have been a new species for him if he had seen it, but unfortunately he could not locate it. On the second attempt on 9 December Phil managed to find a second European Robin quite some distance from the first. At the time, as European Robin is a scarce winter visitor to the country we assumed the bird was the same but the original bird is still in its original location making the bird Phil found a new one?  We have been suffering a very cold spell in the Eastern province and further north, with temperatures down to 6 degrees Celsius and this has probably driven the birds further south than normal trying to find somewhere slightly warmer. Whilst in the area Phil also saw a Western Marsh Harrier feeding on a dead Greater Flamingo, showing that they scavenge almost anything. Phil has kindly sent me photos of the European Robin and Western Marsh Harrier and allowed me to reproduce them on my website.

European Robin

Western Marsh Harrier

European Robin near Jubail – Bird records by Mohammed AlRuqaya

Mohammed AlRuqaya sent me details of a European Robin Erithacus rubecula he found and photographed near Jubail between 1-5 December 2015. Mohammed has also kindly allowed me to use his great photos of the bird on my website. European Robin is a scarce winter visitor to Saudi Arabia with a number of records occurring in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. The records I know about include one adult male Abqaiq lagoons 11 November 1983, one adult male Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp percolation pond, 16 December 1983, one adult male Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp percolation pond, 22 February 1984, One at Jubail Lagoons 15 November 1991, one Duffi Park, Jubail 15 February 2014 and this bird 1-5 December 2015. There may be more records than this but it indicates how scarce the species is in the Eastern Province and how well Mohammed has done finding one. I am still yet to see this species in the country but will, hopefully, one day find my own whilst out birding.