More Steppe Buzzards near Tabuk – Bird records by Viv Wilson

As mentioned in a previous post Steppe Buzzard Buteo Buteo vulpinus is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that pass in March and April and again in September and October, merging with the occasional and sparse winter visitors which may appear in any or all months between the spring and autumn movements. Viv has been taking a number of photos of this species recently with birds still present until at least 9 May, which is quite late for the species. The northwest where Viv lives is a very good site for the species that tend to pass on the western side of the Kingdom rather than the Eastern side where I live. Viv has kindly allowed me to use some of his photos of the species on my website which are shown below.

Regional Endemic Yemen Thrush near Taif – Bird records by Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts was birding near Taif recently in the west of the Kingdom and saw and photographed Yemen Thrush Turdus menachensis with this area being in the northern part of the species range. This is a common & widespread resident of the southwest highlands of Saudi Arabia, favouring areas of thick bush mainly at Jebal Souda and Al Jarrah. In 1987 it was also common and widespread in the highlands and no apparent change in population seems to have occurred over the period till present. Also occurs in the Tihama around jebals such as Jebal Aswad and Jebal Gaha. It is a medium-sized (23 cms), plain brown bird with the male being olive-brown above, paler and greyer below, with dark narrow streaks radiating across the buff-grey chin and throat onto the breast. The stout bill is orange-yellow, the legs are flesh-coloured to yellow and, in flight, the orange underwing-coverts can be seen. The female is very similar but paler overall, being buff below, often with dark shaft streaks on the belly and flanks, and with a duller-coloured bill. It has a fluty song, mostly heard at dawn, containing a series of high-pitched phrases and an explosive call ‘chuck-chuck’, from which it is most easily located. It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List 2006 as its population is likely to be small, 2500 to 9999 birds and declining owing to excessive exploitation and clearance of its montane woodland habitat although in Saudi Arabia its woodland habitat is protected in at least two protected areas: Raydah Reserve and Asir National Park. It is native to the mountains of southwestern Saudi Arabia and western Yemen and has a very local distribution. It can be very skulking in nature, remaining motionless for long periods of time. The species is confined to mountainous areas with a dense cover of native trees and shrubs including woodlands, thickets, copses, orchards and large gardens, although adjacent open areas are also frequented. This species occurs from 1,200 to 3,100 m above sea level, mainly above 1,700 m, and at its lowest elevations it is restricted to thick vegetation along watercourses. This small forest bird forages on the ground among dead and rotting vegetation, feeding on terrestrial invertebrates such as snails, and on fruits such as those of Rosa, Juniperus, Olea and Ficus species. The Yemen thrush breeds from March to August, with the nest positioned one to four metres above ground in a bush or tree-fork, usually in dense cover. The nest consists of a firm cup made of dry grass, small twigs, moss and thin bark strips, with a mud interior lined with fine grass and rootlets, into which one to three eggs (usually two) are laid. Birds are relatively common in the Baha area in the middle section of the Golden Tulip valley and the Raghadan Forest area.

Masked Shrike in the Tabuk area – Bird records by Viv Wilson

Viv Wilson a birder from Tabuk sent me a few Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus that he had seen over the last few weeks and has given me permission to use them on my website. The Masked Shrike is an uncommon but regular passage migrant and increasingly regular winter visitor. Winter records have come from all areas of Saudi Arabia but are more common in the southwest and Eastern Province although they remain scarce at this time of year. Birds pass mainly in April to May and September although there are records from all months of the year. Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) mention they are a spring and autumn passage migrant in variable numbers that pass late February to May, peaking in April, and again from late August to early October.

Birding the Taif Area – Bird records by Phil Roberts

Phil went to Taif, in the western mountains, for a few days birding in early May and saw a lot of good birds. He was trying to see Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak again but failed in his attempts this time. Phil spent most of his time in Wadi Thee Gazal. Phil mentioned how good this site was, and the last time we were both there together earlier in the year we spend a good many hours birding the site and saw a few really good birds. Phil did likewise this time and added a few new species compared to our last trip including Shikra and Long-legged Buzzard. He also saw and photographed Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Green Bee-eater, Eurasian Bee-eater, Eurasian Blackcap, Ruppell’s Weaver, Violet-backed Starling and Long-billed Pipit. Phil very kindly sent me a number of his photos that he has allowed me to use on my website and that are shown below.

Shikra

Long-legged Buzzard

Long-billed Pipit

European Bee-eater

Green Bee-eater

Cinnamon-breasted bunting

Eurasian Blackcap

Violet-backed Starling

Ruppell's Weaver

A late Greater Spotted Eagle – Bird records by Mats Ris

Mats was birding the golf course area of Dhahran when he came across a late Greater Spotted Eagle siting on the fence next to the small pond. Greater Spotted Eagle is seen uncommonly in the camp but is a regular winter visitor to Sabkhat Al Fasl, 125 kilometres north of Dhahran. Most birds have moved off by late March or early April so early May is quite a late date for the species in the Eastern Province. The same bird was seen on 11 May sitting on top of a street light in the same area. I have seen two summer birds in June and July but these are extremely rare although apparently becoming more usual than previously. In the Eastern Province it is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor; rare summer visitor. Birds occur in the region on passage from late September until November and from late February until late April with the birds seen in late April almost always young birds that often linger on their wintering grounds in spring, unlike adults. Winter records from December to February are generally on the littoral with birds seen mainly around lowland man-made lakes and sewage farms as well as central pivot irrigation fields. Prime locations for seeing the species are Sabkhat Al Fasl, Jubail green belt zone, Khafrah Marsh, Jubail sanitary landfill site, Qatif sanitary landfill site and Dhahran Saudi Aramco compound where the wintering population has been increasing in recent years with the Middle East still appearing to be a main wintering area for the species. Winter numbers in the coastal littoral have been documented as a minimum of 6 – 8 birds in the mid 2000’s but by 2011 this number had increased to 15 – 20 with a ratio of adults to young birds of about 40% Adults to 60% youngsters and the maximum number of birds seen in a single day being thirteen on 9th February 2012. In the past, the species frequented the formerly extensive mangroves and Phragmites reed beds lining many large coastal bays, with a maximum count of eight around Tarout Bay 12th December 1991, but due to destruction of this habitat they are now seldom seen in these areas. The pale form fulvescens is rarely recorded.

Caspian Turtle – Dhahran golf course

The Caspian turtle Mauremys caspica is a tan to blackish, medium-sized (to 25 cm), semi-aquatic turtle that occurs in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran, northwards into Eastern Europe, through Turkey & Bulgaria into the former Yugoslavia. It has a low, oval carapace that is tan to olive or black with yellow to cream-colored patterning on their shells, legs and head. Some stripes extend anteriorly from the neck onto the head of which one on each side passes above the eye and onto the snout where it meets the stripe from the other side. The neck, limbs, and tail are tan gray to olive or black with yellow, cream, or gray stripes or reticulations. Females are generally larger than males although have shorter, thinner tails. There are four sub-species of the Caspian Turtle of which the one occurring in Saudi Arabia is the Siebenrock's Caspian turtle. Siebenrock's Caspian turtle M. c. siebenrocki, occurs in Iran and Iraq, with relict populations in Saudi Arabia and on Bahrain. This light form with contrasting colors resembles M. c. caspica but has a yellow-to-orange plastron with a small to medium-sized regularly shaped dark blotch on each scute. The soft parts are lighter than in M. c. caspica. They can occur in large numbers in almost any permanent freshwater body within their range where they like to bask in the sun. Breeding usually takes place in early spring and nesting occurs in June and July. A typical clutch is four to six, elongated (20-30 x 35–40 mm), brittle-shelled, white eggs. Hatchlings have round carapaces about 33 mm in length, and are brighter colored than the adults. In temporary waters it is forced to aestivate in the mud in summer. They are carnivorous, feeding on small invertibrates, aquatic insects, amphibians and carrion.

Breeding Purple Swamphens at Sabkhat Al Fasl - Bird records by Phil Roberts

Phil went to Sabkhat Al Fasl near Jubail last weekend but didn't really see anything out of the ordinary with a Eurasian Spoonbill probably the best bird.  This species although common on the west coast of the Kingdom is an uncommon visitor to the Eastern Province with the coasts near Jubail and Dammam the best places to see them. Phil also saw quite a few Red-backed Shrikes, though not in the vast numbers seen some years. Purple Swamphens were still about in good numbers at always with Phil managing to get a photo of an adult with young showing breeding has occurred again at this breeding site, which is only one of two known sites in the Kingdom. Square Herons in full breeding plumage were also seen where they possibly breed but this has not been proven conclusively yet. Phil has kindly allowed me to use a few of his photos below of birds seen on his last visit.

Purple Swamphen with chick

Squacco Heron

Steppe Buzzard near Tabuk – Bird records by Viv Wilson

Steppe Buzzard Buteo Buteo vulpinus is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that pass in March and April and again in September and October, merging with the occasional and sparse winter visitors which may appear in any or all months between the spring and autumn movements. In the Eastern Province they are scarce with birds seen in the coastal zone between February and March with immatures noted from April to early June. Recorded rarely in July and August and more often from September through January with small peaks in February & November suggesting some passage movement. Many birds fly down the western side of the country with North Yemen an important flyway for the species with 862 recorded between 14 October and 3 December 1985. The bird below appears to be a juvenile (2nd calendar year) showing mottled inner primaries with black tips and a barred juvenile tail.

Blandford's Agama - Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm

Whilst birding Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm I came across a couple of Blandford's Agama that I took for Yellow-spotted Agama Trapelus flavimaculatus sunning themselves and displaying on tall acacia trees, showing off their bright blue throat and belly & orange tail. They are a medium sized lizard about 30 centimetres in length and are also known as Blue-headed Agama for obvious reasons. Their tails are very long and thin and make up over half their body length and they move extremely fast over the ground. The Yellow-spotted Agama is a common species of lizard found in arid regions of the Middle East from Egypt: North of the Eastern Desert & Northern Sinai to the Arabian Peninsula including Saudi Arabia. They are readily distinguished from the Sinai agama Pseudotrapelus sinaitus by their heavier build, rougher scales and the presence of a gular sac that is darkened and inflated as a threat display. The ear opening is smaller and its dorsal margin is partially covered by pointed scales. In the summer these lizards often sit atop Acacia trees or prominent rocks as a territorial display and to regulate their temperature. They are quite aggressive with a mainly carnivorous diet of small insects. Their skin colour varies from reddish-brown to olive‐green, and is covered in a pattern of heavy yellowish-white spots. Their tails are normally pale yellow; however, male Yellow-spotted Agamas have the ability to go from this drab coloration to something much more vivid and spectacular. The dull reddish-brownish-green skin turns vivid blue, and the pale yellow tail glows brilliant flaming orange. Sometimes a male Agama will only change partially turning just the underside of his head blue, for instance. The colour change happens in seconds and fades just as quickly. I thank Mansur Al Fahad for kindly pointing me in the right direction with regards to the species involved.

Birds in flight – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Taking photographs of birds in flight is tricky and results can be disappointing but if you get it right the photos can be very satisfying. I had a go at a few birds, with all these photos being grab shots. That is I saw a bird flying and grabbed my camera and tried my luck. None of the photos are very good but show some interesting aspects of the birds behavior. At some stage I will try to actually concentrate of taking some proper photos of flying birds as I have some good results in the past. The photos below show Purple Swamphen a common breeding resident, Western Marsh Harrier a common winter visitor, Great-black-headed Gull and uncommon winter and spring passage migrant and Squacco Heron a common passage migrant and winter visitor.

Purple Swamphen

Great Black-headed Gull

Steppe Gull

Squacco Heron

Western Marsh Harrier