Birds of Saudi Arabia: Whiskered Tern

Showing posts with label Whiskered Tern. Show all posts

08 March 2023

Whiskered Terns – Jubail

Whilst birding in the Jubail area in late February we found a group of Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybridus. The Whiskered Tern is an uncommon migrant to all areas of the Kingdom including Riyadh. Records appeared to become less common from 2000 onwards but in the last three years the numbers have increased again. During the 1980’s birds were regularly seen in the Eastern Province between August and March. The photos were taken on a very dull and windy day with up to ten Whiskered Terns feeding on a flooded area of sabkha.

25 November 2021

Waterbirds - Malaki (Jizan) Dam Lake

Malaki (Jizan) Dam Lake, near Abu Arish is probably the best birding location in the Kingdom and when we were there, we saw quite a few birds including Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron and Hamerkop. Hamerkop is a species that is regularly seen at this location, with it being the best site in the Kingdom to record it. They are quite widespread in the southwest of the Kingdom but very local and uncommon. A good number of Terns were flying over the water including up to ten Whiskered Tern and several Gull-billed Tern. Hundreds of Black Kite were present mainly perched in the trees surrounding the lake but also a few in flight and good numbers of Western Marsh Harrier and a single Greater Spotted Eagle were also located.

Greater Spotted Eagle

Hamerkop

Purple Heron

Western Marsh Harrier

Whiskered Tern

13 November 2021

Terns & Indian Roller again – Dhahran Hills Lake

A trip to the Dhahran Hills Lake in early November produced many of the normal herons, egrets and cormorants but three fly over Eurasian Sparrowhawk were good and a continuation of a small movement of these birds over the last week. The slightly different birds than normal seen included a Common Kingfisher, two Pied Wheatear, a Daurian Shrike, several Graceful Prinia and three Whiskered Terns. The normal Gull-billed Terns were still present but they had been joined by the smaller and more agile Whiskered Terns. This is a species which is occasionally seen in the camp but is far from common. The Indian Roller was seen again but again it only came in at the end of the day and perched on its favourite yellow danger signs. I managed to get a little closer this time but the photos I took are still far from the best as the light is poor at this time of day.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Great Cormorant

Grey Heron

Gull-billed Tern

Indian Roller

Whiskered Tern

13 April 2021

Some good migrants - Jubail

Whilst birdwatching the Jubail area in early April, we found a number of good migrants for the area. Several wintering birds were seen including juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle and Greater Spotted Eagle, which normally depart the end of March and early April. Great Cormorant is a species that is a wintering bird but numbers now say throughout the year. This species was rare in Jubail but is now commonly seen. An adult Black-crowned Night Heron was a good bird although they are now being seen each year with the chance they breed in the wetlands now a distinct possibility. Waders were about in good numbers with Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Kentish Plover, Wood Sandpiper and Greenshank seen in good numbers. Smaller numbers of Terek Sandpiper, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Common Snipe and Ruff were also seen. The first European Bee-eaters of the spring were seen and several Whiskered Terns joined the regular Caspian and Gull-billed Terns. Both Turkistan and Daurian Shrikes were seen with Turkestan the commoner of the two. A single singing Savi’s Warbler was also heard along with many Clamorous and European Reed Warblers. One adult and a juvenile Great-black Headed Gull remained on their normal flooded area with several Steppe Gulls with them.

Common Snipe

European Bee-eater

Common Cormorant

Little Ringed Plover

Terek Sandpiper

Whiskered Tern

17 January 2021

Birding the lake area – Dhahran Hills

The lake area in Dhahran is now large as additional water is being pumped into it. It has started to attract good numbers of herons with Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Squacco Herron and Cattle Egret all in good numbers. Great Egret is the scarcest of all the egrets but up to seven have been seen in the last few weeks. In the early morning hundreds of Great Cormorant come to the lake to wash and catch the large numbers of Talapia fish present, but are very nervous and do not allow close approach. Common Black-headed Gulls also arrive in good numbers in the early morning but then generally hang around all day. A single Black-necked Grebe and Common Kingfisher have been present for several weeks but again do not allow you to get too close. Several terns are also present which is a little surprising as the lake is a long way from the coast with Gull-billed Tern, White-winged and Whiskered Tern all present, mainly in the evenings.