Waders on the Cricket Field – Dhahran

Waders are still feeding on the Cricket Field at Dhahran with the regular three Whimbrel seen every day with these birds unable to get used to the people who use the field and fly well before anyone get close to them. Kentish Plover numbers vary from several individuals to over fifty, with the large numbers presumably migrants. A Lesser Sand Plover was present for a single day and ruff occasionally drop in and stay for a couple of days before moving off. Three Little Stint were also present on one day as was a Common Snipe. Yellow Wagtail were around in good numbers still but much reduced from the hundreds of previous weeks.

Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover

Ruff

Ruff

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

A few migrants – Al Uqair

Whilst birding Al Uqair last visit the number of migrants had decreased significantly although there were still a few birds about. Red-backed Shrikes were the commonest bird seen with tens of individuals scattered around. Several Spotted Flycatchers were also seen along with a single Whinchat. Other interesting birds included several Common Redstart, Daurian Shrike, Masked Shrike and Spanish Sparrow. The nearby coast had very few birds bit a single Greater Sand Plover and several Kentish Plover were seen on the tideline.

Common Redstart

Daurian Shrike

Greater Sand Plover

Kentish Plover

Masked Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Spanish Sparrow

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Whinchat

Wader flock – Al Uqair

Whilst birding the Al Uqair area in March we came across a gathering of waders on the beach. This is an excellent place to see Sanderling and this flock held nine birds, and increase from the two seen the prevous visit. A single Greater Sand Plover and a single Kentish Plover were also in the group feeding on the coast. The commonest wader was Ruddy Turnstone with over ten birds. Greater Sand Plover is a common species on passage, with small numbers staying throughout the winter, but it is difficult to get close to them as they are normally out on the tide line or in the flooded sabkha. Kentish Plover and Ruddy Turnstone are common passage migrants and winter visitors with Kentish Plover staying to breed in good numbers. Sanderling is a migratory bird that is a common passage migrant and uncommon winter visitor in Saudi Arabia. It occurs on both coasts during migration (Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct) and occasionally inland, especially in spring but is more common on the west coast than the east coast. It prefers sandy beaches but is also less commonly seen on muddy shores and saline lagoons.

Greater Sand Plover

Greater Sand Plover

Kentish Plover

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Sanderling

Sanderling

Socotra Cormorant & Kentish Plover – Al Uqayr

Whilst birding the Al Uqayr Customs House I found a single Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis sitting near the shoreline and manage to approach to quite a close range in the car. The bird appeared to be very waterlogged and thus stayed in place whilst we took a few photos. They breed on islands in the Arabian Gulf where they are common. Small numbers can be seen close to the mainland coast especially from April to August but from December to May hugh gatherings sometimes occur with more than 25,000 birds on the sea or flying in formation. There are no inland records of this species in the Kingdom. Apart from the Socotra Cormorant there was very little to see along the coast although a very nice plumaged Kentish Plover allowed close approach at one point.

 

Late Spotted Flycatcher – Uqair

Whilst birding the date palms along the coast at Al Uqair in mid-November I saw a small flycatcher perched in one of the date palms. It looked superficially like a Red-breasted Flycatcher but on closer approach turned into a Spotted Flycatcher. This is easily the most common flycatcher in Saudi Arabia but is a passage migrant with birds not generally seen after late October. Apart from this bird there was relatively little around with a few White-eared Bulbuls and House Sparrows some resembling hufuae subspecies. Graceful Prinia was heard singing in a few locations and otherwise there was very little. On the ocast we saw a few waders with one Greater Sand Plover, two Dunlin and several Kentish Plover. Five large white-headed gulls were seen all of which appeared to be Steppe Gulls but they did not allow close approach and flew almost immediately we tried getting closer. 

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover

September waders – Jubail

My last visit to Jubail turned up a few waders, but nothing unusual was in amongst them. It is a great location for getting close to the birds, but the harsh sunlight makes getting good photos a challenge, as I normally go to this location after having spent the best early morning hours looking for migrants. The number of waders feeding along the edge of the sabkha was not too high compared to the numbers in August but there were plenty of Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover & Little Stint, with a couple of Dunlin and a single Ruddy Turnstone. On the way to the location, I saw a photographed a single Eurasian Curlew, but the light was not good, although the bird was close. 

Black-winged Stilt

Eurasian Curlew

Eurasian Curlew

Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover

Little Stint

Little Stint

Little Stint

Ruddy Turnstone

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin