Western Barn Owl – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching the Waste Water Lake in Dhahran on 23 December 2023, I saw a Western Barn Owl siting on the ground near a small pool of water. Luckily as I came around a large bush I saw the bird, before it saw me, and although I was only a few metres from the bird I got a few photos before it took off and flew into the reeds. The photos are all full frame as I could not move back to get better composition before the bird flew. This is a new species for me on my ‘patch’ although Phil has seen one before at the Hobby Farm before I arrived in Saudi Arabia. Western Barn Owl has a very large range and is widespread across the Americas, Africa, Europe, India, Southeast Asia and Australasia. In Saudi Arabian it is an uncommon breeding resident but a species that is seldom seen. It occurs widely throughout the Saudi Arabia mainly near villages with adjacent crops or rough areas, including large towns with suitable hunting areas. I have seen the species previously in Saudi Arabia but not in the Eastern Province where I live although records have occurred in the last few years in the Al Hassa area.

Pallid Scops Owl & Western Barn Owl near Zulfi – Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur has just sent me an e-mail with a couple of his excellent photos attached. He mentioned he has seen two owls in Zulfi  through to the end of March. Mansur looked for the Western Barn owl for four nights but only saw it once in its usual place and thinks the reason is the restoration work in nearby old buildings where perhaps it was nesting. Mansur also mentioned that during the search for the Western Barn Owl he also saw a Pallid Scops Owl that was active after sunset. Mansur thinks there is a high probability that the species is a winter visitor to the area around Zulfi as one was seen in a similar environment of Tamarix trees in Onaizah (Qassem Area) about 80 kilometers west of zulfi in early December. I would like to thank Mansur for allowing me to use his photos on my website and also for keeping me informed on what is happening in the Zulfi area of Saudi Arabia as well as other regions.

Pallid Scops Owl

Pallid Scops Owl

Western Barn Owl

Some good breeding birds at Zulfi – Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur Al Fahad has recently sent me more of his excellent photos from the Zulfi area of north central Saudi Arabia taken mainly during August 2103. These photos are of resident breeding species to the area and include two species I have yet to see in Saudi Arabia and which have not been showcased before on my website. These are Western Barn Owl which Mansur saw at one of the farms near the city. He first saw the bird in June this year but did not manage to get a very good photograph of it so went back in August and saw it again this time getting a great photo using a Canon 600EX Speedlight flashgun. The second species is Temminck’s Lark that he saw on the eastern plateau (including Al Kaseer &  Soblah NP) where the species is very common. Both of these species occur widely in Saudi Arabia but are not easy to see with the lark being difficult in the Eastern Province although areas to the far north such as the Dibdiba Plains hold them in good numbers in certain years.

Western Barn Owl

Temminck's Lark

 Other breeding birds seen and photographed by Mansur included European Collared Dove which was seen in most areas including the sand dunes and plains, eastern plateau, the western part of the cliff and slope and gardens where they are common as well as the palm oasis where they were very common. Laughing Dove was uncommon on the eastern plateau but very common in the western part of the cliff and slope, gardens, palm oasis and farms. House Sparrow was very common in the western part of the cliff and slope, gardens, palm oasis and farms but uncommon in the sand dunes and plains and eastern plateau.

Eurasian Collared Dove

LaughIng Dove

House Sparrow

Another breeding species that is not easily seen in Saudi Arabia, although is widespread, has been seen by Mansur over the years at Zulfi - the Pharaoh Eagle Owl. He has located birds in the area over the last two years noting that have changed positions from time to time. He has seen birds in three different areas the sand dunes and plains where they are uncommon or local, and the eastern plateau and the western part of the cliff and slope where they are rare. The excellent photos of the Pharaoh Eagle Owl were taken with a 1.4x extender attached to the 600mm lens.

Pharaoh Eagle Owl

Pharaoh Eagle Owl

The other breeding birds Mansur photographed were Crested Larks that were common on the western part of the cliff and slope and gardens, very common on the eastern plateau and farms and rare on the western part of the cliff and slope. Greater Hoopoe Lark was common on the sand dunes and plains and very common on the eastern plateau. Again I would like to thank Mansur for allowing me to use his excellent photographs the copyright of which remain with Mansur.

Crested Lark

Greater Hoopoe Lark