The Northern Desert – Nayriyah area

Whilst birding the northern areas of the Eastern Province in spring we found good numbers of Wheatears. Most were Northern Wheatears with several Pied Wheatears amongst them. We also located a couple of Eastern Black-eared, Desert and Isabelline Wheatears. Careful checking of any tree fence-lines produced a few warblers with a big fall of Common Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroat and Eastern Orphean Warbler also located. Eurasian Hoopoe, Daurian Shrike and Eastern Stonechat were also seen on the fences or nearby.

Common Chiffchaff 

Daurian Shrike

Eastern Stonechat

Eurasian Hoopoe

Lesser Whitetroat 

Isabelline Wheatear - female

Isabelline Wheatear - female 

Pied Wheatear - male

Bucks-horn Plantain - Hanidh

Whilst birding the Hanidh area in spring 2020 I came across a good amount of Bucks-horn Plantain Plantago boissieri. This plant is said to be the most abundant annual of the spring biomass in the Eastern Province, but it is not common where I live in Dhahran. Growing from roots as deep as 50 centimeters, it produces a rosette of long, narrow, silky-haired leaves above, upon which the extended thin flower spikes stand. The flowers are dominated by the whitish stamens, which protrude well beyond the petals. It is a favoured food for camels particularly after heavy rainfall when plant growth is abundant.

Leaking tap attracting birds – Hanidh

Whilst birding Hanidh in the spring the leaking tap that had caused a small puddle to form in a desert landscape with a few jebals nearby proved good for photographing birds. In the desert these waterholes are very attractive to birds so although the first couple of times we visited we did not see anything we always held hope birds would come and drink. Eventually we managed to photograph Pale Rochfinch and also got some reasonable photos of Crested Lark and Namaqua Dove. Even though we remained in the car the birds were still very timid and only flew in to drink briefly before departing. The below photos are the best I managed.

Namaqua Dove

Namaqua Dove

Crested Lark

Crested Lark 

Crested Lark

Variable Stalker – Judah

Whist birding the Judah area recently I came across a few Variable Stalker Adesmia conthurnata which is a common beetle in Saudi Arabia spread throughout the Kingdom. The appearance and disappearance of the beetles is strongly correlated with climatic conditions with the peak occurrence in spring when the temperatures are moderate and plant growth is at its maximum. During the hot months of summer, most beetles disappear. Variable Stalker is a very active beetle moving continually over the ground and quite a quick pace.

Black-winged Kite – Mulayjah

On the 13 March 2020 Phil and I found an adult Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus, at Mulayjah near Nayriyah which was only the six record for the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The first two birds were also adults present at Dhahran Hills from 29 March to 17 April 2012, Dhahran Hills 20 April 2014, Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm, Fadhili, near Jubail 4 September 2015 with the other records from Khafra Marsh in the last two years. Its status in Saudi Arabia as a whole is a rare visitor and this bird was initially seen sitting in some trees. It did not stay long and then flew off towards a group of date palms and could not be relocated. The light was bad by the time we saw the bird as it was early afternoon with the below photos the best I managed.

Field Marigold Calendula arvensis - Judah

This year there has again been good winter rains and as a result, some flowering plants are in full bloom. I came across a nice small patch of flowering plants near Judah that had some Field Marigold Calendula arvensis. Field Marigold is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family that is native to central and southern Europe but has been introduced into many other parts of the world. It is an annual or biennial herb 10 – 50 cm tall with lance-shaped leaves borne on petioles from the slender, hairy stem. The inflorescence is a single flower head up to four centimeters wide with bright yellow to yellow-orange ray florets around a center of yellow disc florets. 

Pale Rock Sparrow – Hanidh

Whilst birding Hanidh in the early spring we came across a leaking tap that had caused a small puddle to form in a desert landscape with a few jebals nearby. In the desert these waterholes are very attractive to birds so although the first couple of times we visited we did not see anything we always held hope birds would come and drink. Very early one morning in mid-March, I saw a large group of 50 plus birds that appeared to be larks flying over and they saw the pool, turned around, and came down nearby. On inspection, it became clear they were Pale Rock Sparrows / Pale Rockfinch and eventually after we retreated to the car, they came to the pool to drink. Pale Rock Sparrow is an uncommon and erratic breeding migrant, that breed particularly after good rainfall like this year, They are an uncommon passage migrant (March to April and September to October), and uncommon winter visitor (November to February). Birds often occur in flocks and wander from place to place so their occurrence is unpredictable and they can appear common if you come across a flock or two. They mainly frequent rocky hills, escarpments and wadis with sandy substrate and low vegetation.  

Antheemis deserti - Judah

This year there has again been good winter rains and as a result, some flowering plants are in full bloom. I came across a nice small patch of flowering plants near Judah that had some Antheemis deserti. The genus Anthemis (family: Asteraceae) includes approximately 210 species distributed in Europe, south west Asia, and north and north east Africa and is a medicinally important genus. Antheemis deserti flowers in the first three months of the years and has large white daisy petals and a yellow center of tubular florets. The soil were I found the plant was shallow with some clay and silt with hardpan outcropping where large accumulations of windblown sand could accumulate. 

Large numbers of Wheatears – Hanidh

Whilst birding the Hanidh area in early March we came across good numbers of Wheatears. They would congregate in good feeding areas, mainly were new green growth was abundant due to recent rains. Large areas of similar habitat were devoid of any birds so presumably insect abundance was good where we saw them. Most birds were Northern Wheatears with both males and females present but there was also two stunning male Eastern Black-eared Wheatears that I unfortunately did not photograph as well as a couple of male Desert Wheatears and a single Isabelline Wheatear.

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

Azure Skimmer - Kahfah

Whilst birding Kahfah village I found a couple of dragonflies around a leaking water pipe that had caused a small wet area to form. They turned out to bee Azure Skimmer Orthetrum theniolatum a medium sized dragonfly that frequents narrow water channels with barren steep banks, concrete water tanks and other areas of water where it patrols the water surface. Adult males develop a blue-grey bloom a few days after emergence.