Birds of Saudi Arabia: Red-backed Shrike

Showing posts with label Red-backed Shrike. Show all posts

02 June 2024

Not much visible – Khafra Marsh

Whilst birding Khafra Marsh the last couple of weekends I have not really seen very much at all. The temperature is now very high, and birds are few and far between at most sites. I did see a few migrants in the form of Wood Sandpiper at a small pool formed by all the recent rain and a Red-backed Shrike and Common Whitethroat in the scrubby areas. A Blue-cheeked Bee-eater was present on the same place es the breeding birds from last hear so looks like it may well be breeding again. Eurasian Collared Dove and Graceful Prinia are resident breeders that were the only birds seen in good numbers.

Common Whitethroat

Eurasian Collared Dove

Graceful Prinia

Red-backed Shrike

Wood Sandpiper

31 May 2024

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

Spanish Sparrow

Spotted Flycatcher

Whinchat

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

01 October 2023

A scattering of migrants – Jubail

My last visit to Jubail at the end of September turned up a small number of migrants. Shrikes are always common in this area of Jubail throughout the migration period with quite a number staying to winter. This trip I located a few Daurian, Turkestan and a single Red-backed Shrike. I spent quite abit of time trying to get good photos of Graceful Prinia and saw a number of this species as well as Caspian Reed Warbler and Clamorous Reed Warbler. A single Tree Pipit was very good at avoiding being photographed but the hundreds of Yellow Wagtails were slightly more obliging. A single first calendar year Citrine Wagtail spent a bit of time at close quarters but was never in favourable light for good photos. Barn Swallows and Sand Martins were around in large numbers but not easy to photograph until I found a couple of Barn Swallows resting on a stick that allowed close approach. Trying to get photos of the Sand Martins in flight proved too difficult and I soon gave up. Grey Herons, Purple Herons and Squacco Heron numbers are building up and I managed to get quite close to a Squacco Heron this trip.

Yellow Wagtail

Turkestan Shrike

Squacco Heron

Red-backed Shrike

Squacco Heron

Daurian Shrike

Barn Swallow

14 May 2023

Hundreds of Shrikes – Jubail

Birding the Jubail area in early May produced a good number of migrants. On arrival it became apparent there were plenty of shrikes around and by the end of the day I had counted 142 Red-backed Shrikes, 12 Lesser Grey Shrikes and six Daurian Shrikes. Although shrikes are common in Saudi Arabia on passage this was an exceptional number for a single day and single location. Warblers seen were mainly Willow Warbler and Barred Warblers with a few Common Whitethroat. Other migrants included a few European Bee-eaters flying over calling, several Spotted Flycatchers, several small groups of Ortolan Bunting and four Whinchat. Yellow Wagtails were seen in various locations in several large groups with most birds being male thumbergi. A single Common Nightingale and two Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins were also seen. Wader numbers are building again with most birds being Little Stints and Kentish Plovers.