Birds of Saudi Arabia: Squacco Heron

Showing posts with label Squacco Heron. Show all posts

04 December 2024

Nothing unusual – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake the last few weeks I have been seeing the same species and not much different. Flyovers include the winter first Crested Honey Buzzard and two Wester Marsh Harriers as well as a few Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawks. Common species such as Common Myna and Rose-ringed Parakeet are seen daily as are House Crow. Birds on or over the lake include good numbers of Pallid Swift and Great Cormorant and increasing numbers of Grey Heron, Western Cattle Egret and Squacco Heron. The maximum number of Gull-billed Tern reached eleven and a single Isabelline Wheatear was seen on the edge of the pond one day.

Common Kestrel

Common Myna

Common Sandpiper

Great Cormorant

Grey Heron

Gull-billed Tern

Pallid Swift

Squacco Heron

Squacco Heron

Western Cattle Egret

10 November 2024

Black-winged Kites again – Khafrah Marsh

Whilst birding Khafra Marsh recently we saw a few interesting birds, but photography was poor due to the weather and strong winds. The best bird was a ‘fulvescens’ Greater Spotted Eagle, but we also saw the normal pair or Black-winged Kites in the favoured area. These birds are now breeding residents at this location and amazing change in status considering they were a vagrant less than ten years ago. Grey-headed Swamphen is now seen at this location on every visit and possible more will arrive soon due to the decline in status of the nearby Sabkhat Al Fasl wetland. We found one amazing set of small fields being used as a market garden growing area that had well over 300 Kentish Plover, 100 Black-winged Stilts, 25 White Wagtail and two Squacco Herons.

Black-winged Kite

Squacco Heron

Daurian Shrike

22 June 2024

Summer at the Lake – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The summer in Saudi Arabia is very hot with few birds about. The Waste Water Lake in Dhahran has many fewer birds than the other seasons but birds can still be seen if you stick at it. A few Pallid Swift are flying around, often dropping down to to the water to drink or wet their breast feathers. Graceful Prinia, European Reed Warbler and Clamorous Reed Warbler are the only warblers seen recently all of which are calling loudly from the reeds. Herons are still present about in ones or twos with Great Egret, Squacco Heron, Grey Heron, Little Egret and Purple Heron all seen along with the more common (now) Little Bittern. Common species seen regularly in the scrub and around the lake include White-eared Bulbul and House Crow.

Graceful Prinia

Great Egret

House Crow

Pallid Swift

Purple Heron

Squacco Heron

White-eared Bulbul

04 June 2024

Collared Pratincoles – Al Asfar Lake

As it is getting very hot now and walking around is unpleasant after about 07:00 hrs we decided to go to Al Asfar Lake, Hufuf where we could spend more time in the air-conditioned car. We have not been here before at this time of year and saw a few interesting birds. A Black-crowned Night Heron was located by Phil at the edge of the reeds but unfortunately, I only saw it in flight. A Collared Pratincole was standing on the main track and after a while flew off into the wet area where it was joined by two more birds, although one of my photographs shows there were actually four bird present and not the three that we noted. Another good bird seen was a single Pied Avocet. Egrets and herons were plentiful with lots of Squacco Herons and Little Egrets and a few Little Bittern. Little Terns and Kentish Plovers were also numerous with Kentish Plover chicks seen on a number of occasions. This is now getting to the slowest part of the year bird wise so we were quite happy with our records.

Squacco Heron

Collared Pratincole

06 January 2024

Plenty of birds – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

There have been a good number of Northern Shoveler in Dhahran with well over thirty birds present flying between the Percolation Pond and Dhahran Waste Water Lake. The Waste Water Lake has still the two Tufted Ducks from a couple of months ago and they have been joined by another female making three in total. A few Grey Heron, One Black-crowned Night Heron, two Western Great Egrets and several Squacco Heron are still around. A few more birds are now around the scrubby areas at the edge of the lake including Daurian Shrike, White-eared Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff and Eurasian Hoopoe.

Common Chiffchaff

Eurasian Hoopoe

Northern Shoveler

Squacco Heron

Tufted Duck

White-eared Bulbul

20 November 2023

Regular species – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Dhahran Waste Water Lake I saw a good number of birds but mainly the regular species. Two pairs of Eurasian Coot breed on the pond most years and at least two birds are present all the time. The heron numbers have changed slightly with no Night Herons seen but still over ten Grey Heron, two Purple Heron, Little Egret, Great Egret and ten plus Squacco Herons. A few Great Cormorant are returning and at least two Gull-billed Tern were fishing although I saw eleven sitting on the nearby cricket field. Pallid swift are still common as are Rose-ringed Parakeets, but they are both only seen in flight in the early mornings.

Eurasian Coot

Gull-billed Tern

Pallid Swift

Purple Heron

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Squacco Heron

01 November 2023

A good number of passing Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching at the Dhahran Waste Water Lake recently I have been seeing a good number of passing Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Many have been grounded by the humid conditions and fog, sitting on the overhead power lines. Otherwise the same species of herons remain with only five Black-crowned Night Heron seen now and a single Purple Heron. Grey Heron numbers are still over ten birds and several Squacco Herons remain with about the same number of Little Egrets. Three Ferruginous Duck still remain and a couple of Eurasian Coot. Waders were only a single Common Greenshank and a pair of Black-winged Stilt. A single Daurian Shrike was the best migrant I could find in the scrubby areas.