Last of the Yellow Wagtails – Dhahran Cricket Field

Yellow Wagtails have been plentiful this spring, with hundreds seen on some days. Over the last week numbers have been declining but there are still tens to be seen most days including various sub-species such as Grey-headed, Yellow-headed and Sykes’s Wagtails. I have not been able to get to the area at first light recently and by the time I have arrived the light has not been so good but I still managed to take a few reasonable photos of some of them. The autumn is not as good as the spring for this species and birds are nt in as good plumage either so I have spent quite a lot of time enjoying the birds over the past month or so.

Various subspecies/types of Yellow Wagtail – Dhahran Hills

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills football fields in the spring I came across a number of different subspecies/types of Yellow Wagtails. The main numbers were Sykes Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava beema amongst them, which is an early migrant with March and April being the best months for seeing them. They are more often seen in spring then autumn. A single thunbergi, also known as Grey-headed Wagtail was seen. This subspecies occurs from Scandinavia eastwards to northwest Siberia and they winter mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and across South & southeast Asia. Yellow Wagtails are common in the Eastern Province throughout the spring with various subspecies passing but thunbergi appears to be one of the late passing subspecies with most records occurring in late April and May, so this bird was an early migrant. As always with wagtails they were difficult to get good photographs of as they are always moving and in areas with lots of vegetation. My best shots are shown below. The other common Yellow Wagtail seen was Black-headed Wagtail feldegg which along with melanogrisia are often the first subspecies to occur. They are then followed by bema, flava and thunbergi. The Black-headed Wagtail is part of the Yellow Wagtail complex a group of birds that are common spring and autumn passage migrants, sometimes in hundreds. Thy pass from mid-February to May and again from early August to mid-November with many races identifiable in the field including feldegg, melanogrisia, lutea, flava, thunbergi and bema. By April, flocks of more than a hundred birds are regularly recorded in cultivated areas. Sykes's Wagtail and Blue-headed Wagtail are sometimes difficult if not impossible to separate in the field.

Black-headed Wagtail - feldegg

Blue-headed Wagtail - flava

Sykes's Wagtail - beema

Grey-headed Wagtail - thumbergi

Sykes's Wagtail - beema

White Wagtail

 

Sykes Yellow Wagtail – Dhahran Hills

Whilst birdwatching the Dhahran Cricket Field in mid-September I came across a small group of Yellow Wagtail with a couple of nice Sykes Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava beema amongst them. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. Birds are common in the spring migration period but less common in autumn and nice plumaged birds like the one in the photo below are not common during this period. As the birds are constantly on the move looking for food they are not so easy to get good photos of, although this bird was quite obliging as it walked very close collecting insects from the wet grass that had just beed sprayed with water. This bird has a longer, larger and bolder white supercilium than most individuals giving it quite a striking appearance. 

Migrants increasing in numbers – Jubail

Whilst birding Jubail recently there was good signs of increased migration. Migration this year has been a bit slow in the early period but now many migrants are passing such as Spotted Crake, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Great Reed Warbler, Yellow Wagtails, Red-throated Pipits, Tree Pipits, European Bee-eaters and both Turkestan and Daurian Shrikes. Good numbers of both White-winged and Whiskered Terns in almost full summer plumage were seen as well and the number of Little Terns are slowly increasing as summer breeding season arrives. The last Greater Spotted Eagle and Western Marsh Harrier remain, and a stunning White-throated Kingfisher was a nice surprise and may now be breeding in the area, although not 100% confirmed.

Yellow Wagtail (beama)

European Bee-eater

European Bee-eater

Red-throated Pipit

Turkestan Shrike

White-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Beema Yellow Wagtail - Deffi Park

The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. A number of different subspecies occur, often together with Jubail being a particularly good area for seeing large groups. The first subspecies to occur are Black-headed Wagtails feldegg and these are then followed normally by beema. This year has been no different with the first Black-headed Wagtails occurring in February and the first beema in March. Numbers should now increase through April with more and more birds and subspecies occurring. Yellow Wagtails are quite confiding but trying to get really good photos is challenging as they are fast moving and you have to get the light in the correct position as well as try to get some catch-light in their eyes otherwise their dark eyes look ‘dead’. If you can manage this, then they make great subjects as they are very beautifully plumaged birds.

Beema Yellow Wagtail – Jubail

Whilst birdwatching the Jubail area at the end of September I came across a small group of Sykse's Yellow Wagtail beema. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. Birds are common in the spring migration period but less common in autumn and nice plumaged birds like the one in the photo below are not common during this period. As the birds are constantly on the move looking for food they are not easy to get good photos of and as this one was seen just after first light the light was low making fast shutter speeds difficult to obtain. The birds were feeding with a small group of Greater Short-toed Larks a species they favour associating with whilst on passage in the Eastern Province.

Beema Yellow Wagtail – Jubail

Whilst birdwatching the Jubail area recently I came across a very pale headed Sykse's  Yellow Wagtail beema amongst a number of Eastern Black-headed Wagtails. This bird is the palest headed beema I can remember seeing and was very active feeding along the edge of the flooded sabnha. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. A number of different subspecies occur, often together, with Jubail being a particularly good area for seeing large groups. The first subspecies to occur are Black-headed Wagtails feldegg and these are then followed normally by Eastern Yellow Wagtail melanogrisea and then beema. This year has been no different with the first Black-headed Wagtails occurring in January and the first beema in early March. Numbers should now increase with more and more birds and subspecies occurring. Yellow Wagtails are quite confiding but trying to get really good photos is challenging as they are fast moving and you have to get the light in the correct position as well as try to get some catch-light in their eyes otherwise their dark eyes look ‘dead’. If you can manage this then they make great subjects as they are very beautifully plumaged birds.

Plenty of migrants passing through – Haradh

Whilst birding the Haradh area recently I came across a good number of migrants. It is the peak migration season so this was not too surprising but as I have only been to the area once before and did not know what the best areas to look for birds was, I was very happy. There were many Shrikes and Wheatears as posted already but also quite a few other species including Wagtails including Grey Wagtail, a couple of late White Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail. The Yellow Wagtails were mainly the subspecies beema but there was also a couple of feldegg. Another interesting migrant, that may possibly stay to breed were  Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins. There were in a area of low scrub and trees a favoured breeding habitat and appeared to be paired so it will be interesting to see what happens. A good number of Barn Swallows were seen over a few pivot fields that were being sprayed, two Lesser Short-toed Larks were next to one field and a female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush on some rocks near another. Good numbers of Common Chiffchaffs were seen on fence wires and shrubs, showing a good passage of this species was underway. Birds that may have been passing through the area, but also may be late wintering birds included Common Kestrels and Tawny Pipits. Good numbers of Spanish Sparrows were seen in the same area where they were seen last visit and many nests were present some made almost entire of hay bale twine. Other birds that breed in the area and that were seen in good numbers were Namaqua Doves.

Yellow Wagtail beema

Grey Wagtail

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Common Kestrel

Namaqua Dove

Beema Yellow Wagtail - Jubail

The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. A number of different subspecies occur, often together with Jubail being a particularly good area for seeing large groups. The first subspecies to occur are Black-headed Wagtails feldegg and these are then followed normally by beema. This year has been no different with the first Black-headed Wagtails occurring in January and the first beema in early March. Numbers should now increase as March progresses with more and more birds and subspecies occurring. Yellow Wagtails are quite confiding but trying to get really good photos is challenging as  they are fast moving and you have to get the light in the correct position as well as try to get some catch-light in their eyes otherwise their dark eyes look ‘dead’. If you can manage this then they make great subjects as they are very beautifully plumaged birds.