Birds on the Lake - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The Waste Water Lake has been attracting a number of Common Black-headed Gulls in the early morning which have been coming and resting with the resident Great Cormorants on the lake. Duck are still regularly being seen with Ferruginous and Tufted Duck seen on every visit and once three Pochard were seen, a more unusual species but still one seen every year at this location. Herons include Western Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Western Great Egret, Squacco Heron and Western Reef Heron. Waders have been thin on the ground but a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers are resident the last month or so.

Western Reef Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Common Pochard

Ferruginous Duck

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Common Black-headed Gull

Common Black-headed Gull

Herons – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding at Dhahran Waste Water Lake recently I sat down and took a few photos of the Herons that were around. I saw my first returning Black-crowned Night Herons as well as ten plus Grey Herons. Some Grey Herons spent the summer here but this is the time for migrant birds as well. Little Egrets and Western Reef Herons were around in small numbers and a single Purple Heron was also seen.

Western Reef Heron

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Western Reef Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron - Adult

Black-crowned Night Heron - Adult

Black-crowned Night Heron - Juvenile

Black-crowned Night Heron - Adult

Black-crowned Night Heron - Adult

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron - Juvenile

Heron numbers building – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The number and type of herons at the Dhahran Waste Water Lake have been building up the last few weeks. New species seen include a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron and three Purple Herons, the first ones for a few months. Great Egrets have increased to almost double figures and twelve Grey Heron was the high count. A dark phase Western Reef Heron was an unusual sighting with Little Egrets less unusual. Squacco Heron numbers are also steadily on the increase again almost reaching double figures.

Western Reef Heron - dark phase

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

Purple Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron - juvenile

Black-crowned Night Heron - juvenile

Great Egret

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Heron numbers building – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Dhahran Waste Water Lake in March it was very apparent that the number of herons were increasing. Six Great Egrets and more than ten Grey Herons were present with double figures of Squacco Heron also seen. A single dark phase Western Reef Heron was an unusual sighting. Great Cormorant numbers were also increasing woth around fifty birds present perched in the waterside trees and fishing on the lake itself. Three Ferruginous Duck were still around as were a single Gull-billed Tern and Common Black-headed Gull

Common Black-headed Gull

Common Black-headed Gull

Ferruginous Duck

Gull-billed Tern

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Western Reef Heron

Birding Aqua Park – Jubail

Late January I went to Aqua Park to see if the Pied Kingfishers were still present. As soon as I arrived, I heard them calling and saw five birds together in flight over the water. One landed reasonably close and allowed a couple of photos before flying off onto the far side of the estuary. Also on the water were several hundred Slender-billed Gulls, a Squacco Heron, two Western Great Egret. And tens of Western Reef Herons. A male Common Kingfisher was seen along with several Graceful Prinia. And at least two Masked Shrike were in the trees, often dropping to the ground to catch food. Otherwise, it was relatively quiet.

Masked Shrike

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Western Reef Heron

Graceful Prinia

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret