Birds of Saudi Arabia: Northern Wheatear

Showing posts with label Northern Wheatear. Show all posts

11 May 2024

Birds in around & over – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The last few visits to the Waste Water Lake during April and early May have produced a few new birds. A number of breeding Little Ringed Plover have been seen and heard calling and flying around suggesting they have young about. House Crows are now being seen in good numbers around the pond and nearby Cricket Fields. At least two Crested Honey Buzzards are still present and may well stay for the summer as they have done in the past few years. Migrants include Daurian and Red-backed Shrikes the later of which were not seen until late April which is quite late as they are normally seen early April and very occasionally in March. European Bee-eaters have been flying over in reasonably good numbers with flocks of twenty plus birds seen on many occasions. They are often heard calling before they are seen. Another migrant seen in larger numbers than normal this year has been Northern Wheatear, whilst Tree Pipit has been recorded less frequently than in recent years.

Little Ringed Plover

Northern Wheatear

Red-backed Shrike

Tree Pipit

Crested Honey Buzzard

Crested Lark

Daurian Shrike

European Bee-eater

18 April 2024

First spring Whinchat & Lesser Grey Shrike – Dhahran Football Field

Whilst birding the Dhahran Football field in mid-April area recently I saw my first records this year of Whinchat and Lesser Grey Shrike. Both these species are seen each year in Dhahran but only on one or two days in the spring. Migration of shrikes has been good through Dhahran this year with the majority being Turkestan and Daurian Shrikes but also Woodchat, Great Grey and Masked Shrikes have been seen. Other migrants seen have been a few Northern Wheatear, a species seen rarely in Dhahran, tens of Eurasian Hoopoe and one Whimbrel

Eurasian Hoopoe

Lesser Grey Shrike

Northern Wheatear

Whimbrel

Whinchat

22 October 2023

Pipits & others – Dhahran Cricket Field

Due to the number of good birds on the Dhahran Cricket fields recently I have spent more time than normal down there. This has allowed me to get good views of several unusual species for the fields. I have seen at least three Tawny Pipits of which a couple gave extremely close views. A single Tree Pipit was also noted on two occasions, although this bird was not so confiding, and the photographs were not great. An Isabelline Wheatear has been present for the last few weeks and this also kept its distance but luckily a Northern Wheatear was close enough for photography. The Whimbrel numbers are decreasing and now only two birds are present, but again these birds do not allow close approach and fly as soon as they see anyone. European Hoopoe numbers however are still high, and these birds are relatively tame. Trying to photograph the birds is relatively easy on the ground but in flight is a different situation and it’s not easy to get good photos.

Gull-billed Tern

Northern Wheatear

Tawny Pipit

Tree Pipit

Whimbrel

04 April 2020

Large numbers of Wheatears – Hanidh

Whilst birding the Hanidh area in early March we came across good numbers of Wheatears. They would congregate in good feeding areas, mainly were new green growth was abundant due to recent rains. Large areas of similar habitat were devoid of any birds so presumably insect abundance was good where we saw them. Most birds were Northern Wheatears with both males and females present but there was also two stunning male Eastern Black-eared Wheatears that I unfortunately did not photograph as well as a couple of male Desert Wheatears and a single Isabelline Wheatear.

Northern Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

21 November 2019

October birding – Talea Valley

I went birding in the Talea Valley in mid-October, but very few birds were seen. Many birds appear to move to lower elevations or at least out of the valley at this time of year and common birds in the summer such as Laughing Dove and Dusky Turtle Dove was almost absent. A few good birds were still seen such as five Steppe Eagles and a dark morph Long-legged Buzzard. Arabian Serin, Arabian Wheatear, Yemen Linnet and Shinning Sunbird were Arabian Endemics located during the day but unfortunately the Eurasian Scops owl found by Phil the day before could not be relocated. The wet pool held a Green Sandpiper and a Grey Wagtail with a few House Sparrows and Indian Silverbills coming down to drink with Crested Lark and a single Red-capped Lark.