Birds of Saudi Arabia: Glossy Ibis

Showing posts with label Glossy Ibis. Show all posts

19 October 2023

Glossy Ibis – Dhahran Cricket Field

An unusual sighting on Dhahran Cricket Field last week as a single Glossy Ibis. It flew in whilst we were watching the Sociable Lapwing and landed. Like most of the birds on the field it started eating the beetles that are plentiful and looked quite happy until a nearby noise scarred it into flight. If flew off in the direction of the Waste Water Lake where I assumed it would stay but when I went over there I could not find it. Glossy Ibis is an uncommon but regular passage migrant from March to early May and from August to November in the Eastern Province as well as a scarce summer and winter visitor. It is more common in Riyadh where it is predominantly a passage migrant and winter visitor but ones and twos are normally present throughout the year. They pass through the Riyadh area from March to early June, usually in small flocks but up to 40 together have been recorded, and again from late July to November, often in groups of 20 plus.

14 March 2023

Normal birds - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching around the Waste Water Lake in Dhahran recently I have been seeing the same species continually. The lake has a good gathering of Common Black-headed Gull which occasionally attract one or two passing Steppe Gull. They normally just fly in and fly off but occasionally settle briefly for a wash. The three Glossy Ibis are still present and have now been around for almost three months. They are always timid and never really allow close views, which is surprising as they have been around for so long and seldom get disturbed. Two Western Marsh Harrier are also present, that have also been around for months now and flew so close to me I could only just fit them in the photos. The number of Great Cormorant has decreased markedly over the winter with only a few tens remaining from the several hundred of their peak numbers with some birds are coming into fine breeding plumage. Overhead can be seen several Pallid Swift some of which drop down lower over the water but I have not seen any drinking water of wetting their feathers in the lake yet. Another species that fly over quite regularly is Rose-ringed Parakeet, a common species in Dhahran camp but one not so easily seen elsewhere. Eurasian Collared Dove is also a common species in Dhahran and can be seen flying over or perched on the nearby trees and shrubs around the lake.

Common Black-headed Gull

Glossy Ibis

Eurasian Collared Dove

Pallid Swift

Western Marsh Harrier

Steppe Gull

Rose-ringed Parakeet

26 February 2023

Dhahran Wastewater Pond – Dhahran Hills

The pair of Tufted Duck are still happily residing on the Wastewater Pond in Dhahran Hills, where there have also been seven Mallard on a couple of occasions. The Great Crested Grebe is also still present where it has now been for almost a year. Great Crested Grebe is relatively common in the winter in the Half Moon Bay area but is not so easy to get close too, so this bird is a refreshing change. Although, like the Tufted Ducks, it always stays on the far side of the lake, it is nevertheless close enough to take some reasonable photos. Other birds using the pond are Great Cormorants, where birds spend the entire day with some roosting in the large trees around the edge of the water. They are joined by the three Glossy Ibis which have been around for more than a month now, but as it gets light the Glossy Ibis fly and start feeding, often out of sight in the pools behind the reed beds. Grey Heron, Indian Reef Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Western Great Egret and Little Egret are all common feeding mainly on frogs. Up to four Gull-billed Terns have been flying over the pond catching small fish for the last few weeks, but last time I visited in mid-February I did not see any.

Glossy Ibis

Great Cormorant

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Little Egret

Mallard

Tufted Duck - female

Tufted Duck - male

Tufted Duck

Western Cattle Egret

Western Great Egret

Indian Reef Heron

10 February 2023

Wastewater Lake – Dhahran Hills

The lake in Dhahran Hills has been holding a few birds recently with a number of Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Western Great Egret. Three Glossy Ibis were a much more uncommon sight. Birds on the water included the wintering Great Crested Grebe, fifty plus Little Grebes ad a single Black-necked Grebe. Great Cormorant, Black-headed Gull and Gull-billed Terns were still present and European Stonechat, Daurian Shrike, Delicate Prinia and Crested Larks were in the vegetation and rough areas around the pond. Two Crested Honey Buzzards were seen in flight but at a great distance and on a grass area near to the waters edge was a single Eurasian Hoopoe.

Squacco Heron

Crested Lark

Eurasian Hoopoe

Glossy Ibis & Squacco Heron

Grey Heron

Little Egret

26 September 2019

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.