Sabkhat Al Fasl birding – Bird records by Vinu Mathew

Vinu Mathew went to Sabkhat Al Fasl for the first time a couple of weeks ago and saw and photographed a number of birds. He was able to catch up with at least one the very photogenic female Pied Kingfishers and described the site as unbelievable. This is undoubtedly one of the best sites in the Eastern Province for birdwatching and is excellent every time you visit. Vinu also managed to see and photograph one of the wintering Daurian Shrikes as well as Black-winged Stilts that are still about in good numbers. I am sure this will not be the last visit for Vinu to Sabkhat Al Fasl so lets hope he sees and photographs more good birds in the future.

Daurian Shrike

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Black-winged Stilt

Hypocolius at Jasra in Bahrain – Bird records by Jehad AlAmmadi

Hypocolius is a species that many birdwatchers would like to see as it is a family on its own. They are quite difficult to see as they occur in regions that are not so easy to access like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Hypocolius is a short-distance migrant. Small numbers remain in western Iran throughout year but the majority migrate south and east to thier main wintering areas in southern Iran, Pakistan, western India, west and central Saudi Arabia, and Arabian Gulf States (notably Bahrain). Departure from the breeding areas mainly occurs in August with birds arriving back in April. In Saudi Arabia as a whole they are an uncommon, but may be a locally common winter visitor to Central Arabia, Northern Hejaz, Hejaz and Northern Red Sea. Flocks of over 100 birds have been recorded in Riyadh each winter. Bahrain is probably the best and easiest place to see the species with Jasra the best location. This winter more than 200 birds are present and Jehad managed to photograph both males and females there. Jehad kindly sent me some of his photos that are shown below and has allowed me to use them on my website.

European Robin still near Jubail – Bird records by Arnold Uy

Arnold Uy was in the Jubail area 12 December and saw the European Robin again in the same place as it was originally found. He kindly sent me photos of the bird and some others that he saw and has allowed me to reproduce them below. As mentioned in a previous post Phil Roberts found a second bird some distance from the original location indicating that the cold weather may have brought them into the region. I have not been able to go the area recently and will not be able to until the new-year so I hope they stay around, as this is a species I have not yet seen in Saudi Arabia. Arnold has been trying to photograph the Greater Spotted Eagles in the area with much luck but managed to finally get one although not on such a pleasant perch as it was on one of the pylons that they like using to rest. Arnold also said there are now lots of Red-spotted Bluethroats about the site and they have obviously now returned in numbers for the winter. They should stay around until March or early April before heading north to their breeding grounds.

European Robin

Red-spotted Bluethroat 

Greater Spotted Eagle

Nubian Nightjar at Jizan - Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

The third species Mansur Al Fahad photographed and sent to me was Nubian Nightjar that he saw near Jizan in early August 2015. This species is seen quite regularly in this area but trying to get photographs of the birds is extremely difficult and Mansur has done very well to get such good photos. I would like to thank Mansur for very kindly allowing me to use his photos on my website the copyright of which remains with Mansur. This species is resident and breeds in the lowlands from the Yemen boarder to the Hijaz in Sadui Arabia where it has been seen northwards to KAUST north of Jeddah. Where it is found it is locally common with more that ten birds seen in very small areas after dark and favours rocky or stony areas with some vegetation although they have also been seen in sandy areas with vegetation. This is probably the easiest of the three Nightjars photographed by Mansur to see but knowing the right areas and time and effort are still required.

Plain Nightjar at Abha - Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

The second species Mansur Al Fahad photographed and sent to me was Plain Nightjar that he saw near Abha in July 2015. The Plain Nightjar is a scarce breeding summer visitor to the southwest where it occurs in Saudi Arabia from the Yemen boarder northwards to Taif. Where ideal conditions occur in can be locally common with several birds seen close together. They occur from 500 – 2500 metres and favour dry rocky hillsides and hilltops that have only scatter acacia trees. Phil and I saw at least two Plain Nightjars near Taif in July 2015, in a wadi with bare ground but a lot of vegetation along the side, with other birds seen between Najran and Al Baha during the same year. I would like to thank Mansur for very kindly allowing me to use his photos on my website the copyright of which remains with Mansur.

Montane Nightjar at Tanoumah - Bird records by Mansur Al Fahad

Mansur Al Fahad sent me some amazing nightjar photos recently and asked me to write about them and add them to my website. The first species is Montane Nightjar at Tanoumah that he saw and photographed in April 2015. The Montane Nightjar has only been recorded in the highlands of southwest Saudi Arabia from the Yemen boarder to Taif and was not recorded in Saudi Arabia until November 1982 when Stagg found one near Abha.  It has since been shown to be widespread and locally common on the western edge of the Asir and Hijaz mountains where it favours slopes with rocky outcrops often with juniper bushes. It is difficult to see and remains scarce throughout its range. Birds have been recorded in every month suggesting the species is a breeding resident in the country, but no actual breeding records have ever been recorded. Phil and I have also seen Montane Nightjar in Tanoumah in July 2014 & July 2015 as well as on the main road to the Raydah Escarpment, Abha in July 2013. I would like to thank Mansur for very kindly allowing me to use his photos on my website the copyright of which remains with Mansur.

Juvnile Bonelli’s Eagle near Jubail – Bird records by Arnold Uy

Arnold Uy sent me a photo of an unusual bird of prey he had seen on the pylons in Jubail. This bird on closer inspection turned out to be a fresh juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus a species that is a rare migrant to all areas but is possibly a winter visitor to the Tihamah, Hejaz and Asir in the southwest of the Kingdom. In the Eastern Province the species is a vagrant with four records of four birds. One first year Dhahran 2-9 January 1981, one Dhahran 4-27 February 1981, one captured exhausted 20 kilometres south of Safaniya 14 July 1984 and one at Qatif 11 December 1991. This is an excellent record and shows the more birdwatcher there are, the better the chance of finding good species. I thank Arnold for sending me the photographs and for allowing me to use them on my website.

A second European Robin near Jubail – Bird records by Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts was in the Juabil area looking for the European Robin last week but without luck. This would have been a new species for him if he had seen it, but unfortunately he could not locate it. On the second attempt on 9 December Phil managed to find a second European Robin quite some distance from the first. At the time, as European Robin is a scarce winter visitor to the country we assumed the bird was the same but the original bird is still in its original location making the bird Phil found a new one?  We have been suffering a very cold spell in the Eastern province and further north, with temperatures down to 6 degrees Celsius and this has probably driven the birds further south than normal trying to find somewhere slightly warmer. Whilst in the area Phil also saw a Western Marsh Harrier feeding on a dead Greater Flamingo, showing that they scavenge almost anything. Phil has kindly sent me photos of the European Robin and Western Marsh Harrier and allowed me to reproduce them on my website.

European Robin

Western Marsh Harrier

Red-breasted Flycatcher type near Zulfi – Bird records by Mohammed Al Mohatrish and Masur Al Fahad

Mansur Al Fahad sent me an e-mail recently saying his friend Mohammad Al Mohatrish photographed a Red-breasted Flycatcher type bird east of Zufi in an area of small acacia trees. It is difficult to tell much from the photos but the date would make it more likely to be a Taiga Flycatcher recently split from Red-breasted Flycatcher but good views of the tail, underparts and tertial edges would be needed for positive identification. Hopefully Mohammad can go back and look again as Taiga Flycatcher would be a new species for Saudi Arabia. Mohammed has kindly allowed me to use his photos of the bird on my website for which I thank him and I also thank Mansur for letting me know about the bird.

Some winter birds – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Bird watching at Sabkhat Al Fasl always produces a few good birds whenever you go there and even in winter there is plenty to be seen. The site is a great place to see large numbers of Greater Flamingos with several thousand each winter on the flooded sabkha and area also good for Caspian Terns. The other site of the location has large reed beds where Western Marsh Harriers, Greater Spotted Eagles, small flocks of Spanish Sparrows and Daurian Shrikes can be seen in good numbers during the winter. The wetter areas here hold Common Moorhens, Squacco Herons, Common Snipe, White Wagtails and is a place where at least one of the Pied Kingfishers can often be seen.

Greater Flamingo

Caspian Tern

Western Marsh Harrier

Daurian Shrike

Common Snipe

Little Egret

Pied Kingfisher

Spanish Sparrow

Squacco Heron

Squacco Heron

White Wagtail