Birds in a Dhahran back garden – Bird records by Paul Wells

Paul Wells a local birdwatcher in Dhahran Saudi Aramco camp sent me a few photographs of birds taken in his back garden. The birds were mainly passage migrants in the form of Common Redstart a species that has been passing through the Eastern Province in large numbers in recent days and can be seen all over the camp at present, as well as Isabelline Wheatear and Whinchat. Whinchat has only just started passing through this spring with my first sighting last weekend whilst Isabelline Wheatear is a common passage migrant and winter visitor and can be seen in small numbers in many areas. Paul also photographed a Red-vented Bulbul a breeding species but one that is much less common than the related White-eared Bulbul that can be seen almost anywhere in the camp. I thank Paul for sending me his photos and for allowing me to use them on my website.

Common Redstart

Isabelline Wheatear

Red-vented Bulbul

Whinchat

Birds of Dhahran – Bird records by Harald Ris

Harald Ris the son of Mats is visiting Dhahran again and really enjoying the birding in the autumn with different species than when he last visited in spring. Harald shared his latest records and has allowed me to use them and a few of his photos. On October 24 there were quite a few Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Common Snipe, Little Stint, two Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, immature Marsh Harrier, at least 30 White Wagtails, Sand Martins and White-winged terns. On October 25 Harald had very close and nice views of a juvenile Greater Spotted eagle plus a Red-backed Shrike and a Gull-billed Tern over the pond. On October 26 he walked around the ditch and saw some waders including Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper as well as a Grey Wagtail. On October 27 he saw an Asian Desert Warbler stalking a Desert Wheatear at the golf course. This is a habit that often occurs when the two species are seen together in Arabia. Also a Masked Shrike by the golf course. Mats found a juvenile Crested Honey Buzzard coming back at lunchtime over the golf course. Also a number of Pied Wheatears. On October 28 he got a quick view of the Crested Honey Buzzard again at sunrise. At the ditch he saw two Red-vented Bulbuls and a Greater Short-toed Lark. 28 Ferruginous Ducks, 14 Northen Shoveler, one Grey Heron, one Little Egret and about 5 Little Stints were at the percolation pond. Around the small settling pond were 5 Pallid Swifts, about 30 Barn Swallows and Sand Martins. Three Daurain Shrikes in total and one Marsh Sandpiper, seven Little Stints, three Temmnick's Stints as well as one Dunlin.

Pied Wheatear

Masked Shrik

Red-vented Bulbul

Dhahran – bird records by Mats Ris

Mats was out birding the camp whilst I was away ringing terns in Bahrain and reports a rather good morning better the last week-ends. Two Crested Honey Buzzards lifted at 04 55 from the trees where I have seen these before, one came back at 05 25 (see photograph). Mats walked around on the golf course for about one hour but did not find any signs of a nest. Mats also saw  two Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at the Golf course, and uncommon summer breeder in the Eastern Province. Mats also found a Red-vented Bulbul and nest another uncommon resident of the camp, with very few records each year. Around the percolation and settling ponds were 20 Black-winged Stilts, two Kentish Plovers, four Eurasian Hoopoes, three Namaqua Doves, three Pallid Swift and a Green Sandpiper. Mats sent me the two photos below of a couple of the good birds he saw and has kindly allowed me to use them on my website.

Crested Honey Buzzard

Red-vented bulbul

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Red-vented Bulbul at Udhailiyah Camp – Bird records by John Snell

Following on from Nishan’s excellent photos of Red-vented Bulbul I posted a couple of weeks ago I just received an e-mail from John Snell who used to live and work in Saudi Arabia. He saw the post and mentioned he had just come across my site and sent me an image that he took in Udhailiyah camp in 2011. John also said he used to put food out when he lived in Dhahran Hills and occasionally had Red Vented Bulbuls arrive with the usual hoards of White Eared Bulbuls, just like happens in our garden in the same area occasionally.

Red-vented Bulbul at Udhailiyah Heights – Bird record by Nishan Xavier

Nishan Xavier sent me this beautiful photo of a Red-vented Bulbul he took on 31 January 2014 in Udhailiyah Heights and has kindly allowed me to use it on my website. This is not a common species in the Easter Province and in Dhahran I have only had a few records with most sightings being in my garden. Having said that I have only seen them on a few occasions. Birds have bred in a few Gulf towns and are originally from introduced or escaped birds. They are self-sustaining now in a few scattered areas but not easy to see and this is easily the best photo I have seen of the species in Saudi Arabia.

Red-vented Bulbul

Nishan also sent me great photographs of a Eurasian Hoopoe and White-eared Bulbul, two commoner species, from the same site taken on 7 February that he has also allowed me to use - see below.

Eurasian Hoopoe

White-eared Bulbul