Some good migrants – Al Uqair

I forgot to post these photos taken recently at Al Uqair where wesaw a lot of good migrants. The best birds for us were a male Semi-collared Flycatcher and three White-throated Robins with good numbers of Masked Shrikes at the small date plantation. The magic barbed wire fence held lots of birds as always with European Roller, Turkestan and Great Grey Shrikes and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush amongst the best. Migration seems to finally have arrived and im looking forward to seeing if anything unusual turns up this spring.

Masked Shrike

Masked Shrike

Masked Shrike

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush

Semi-collared Flycatcher

Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike

White-throated Robin

White-throated Robin

European Roller

Great Grey Shrike

Great Grey Shrike

Great Grey Shrike

Male Semi-collared Flycatcher – Dhahran main camp.

A male Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata was found by Chris Boland in Dhahran Main Camp on 15 April and he sent me a text message to inform me. I was birding in Jubail but was very interested in seeing the species, as it is a scare and irregular spring and autumn passage migrant to all areas of Saudi Arabia. They occur from March to Mid-April and again in September with more birds are seen in the spring than the autumn. I have only seen three Semi-collared Flycatchers in my time in Saudi Arabia and all of them had been females and Chris’s comments the bird was showing well was added incentive and as soon as I got back to Dhahran I went to look for it. The bird was not visible when I arrived but after about ten minutes I saw it on the ground in the middle of a small park. The bird was indeed very confiding and allowed close approach but it was not easy to get good photos due to its black and white colouration. After staying and photographing the bird for some time I left the bird in peace perched in a hedge and looking quite content. I thank Chris for informing me of the presence of this bird, which I would not have seen without his message.

Male Semi-collared Flycatcher in Dhahran – Bird record by Mats Ris

Mats Ris sent me a couple of photos of a male Semi-collared Flycatcher taken near his house on the edge of Dhahran Golf course. He had seen my post on one on the golf course the week before and wondered if it was the same bird. Mats bird was different to mine and Phil Roberts also saw another in a different area of Dhahran around the same time. This shows there has been a good passage this year so far as they are scarce in the region. Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata is a scarce passage migrant to all areas of Saudi Arabia with birds passing through from March to early May and again in September to early October. Mats also saw one last year near to his house so it looks like the golf course area is the best area in Dhahran for seeing the species.