Egyptian Nightjars in good numbers - Jubail

The Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius is an uncommon bird in Arabia, with The birds of the western Palearctic (Cramp 1985) mentioning they winter in north-east Africa and migrate on a broad front across Arabia from September to early November & March to mid-May. Although this information is borne out by the data from Arabian countries there is little published information of summer or winter records from the region, and the recently published Birds of the Middle East (Porter et al 2010) has no mention of summer records and only a comment saying birds winter in southern Arabia, although the map depicted only shows passage birds marked. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia by Mike Jennings (2010) mentions the Egyptian Nightjar is a scarce migrant and winter visitor but numbers are increasing, notably in the northern Arabian Gulf region, with birds present in summer since the beginning of the 21st Century in areas where freshwater can be found. He mentions over-summering has been noted in Kuwait & the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and mentions the species is thought likely to breed. Records of the species in summer are now occurring in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Qatar with summer records occurring in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia since 2004 when a pair was discovered at Khafrah Marsh 24th June 2004 where the possibility of this nightjar being overlooked as a breeding species was briefly discussed. Since 2006 additional birds have been located in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia at Sabkhat Al Fasl (Jubail) in August with the highest count being ten birds together on 22 August 2008. Birds have been seen every year in August at this site since 2006 with birds also seen in July from 2011 to date and the earliest record is on the 27 June 2014. On 1 July 2016, in the desert near Jubail, Phil Roberts and I found 14 birds in two groups at different sites. Six were at the first site and eight at the second. This is the second highest count of the species for the country as 15 were seen in August 2015. The birds are normally seen sitting in the shade under small bushes but some of the ones we saw were alongside a track and out in the open.

Ringing in the southwest – Tanoumah

I recently spent two days ringing in the Tanoumah area with Chris Boland and Abdullah Alsuhaibany and trapped many species I have not ringed previously. This area is part of the Asir Mountains and is an endemic hotspot for animals, plants and birds and olds a number of African species as well. As a result, we caught many birds, 70 on the first day and 24 the next morning. Some of them only occur in the southwest such as Arabian Warbler, Brown Woodland Warbler, Gambaga Flycatcher and Little Rock Thrush. The recently proposed new Arabian Endemic species Arabian Green Bee-eater was also caught as were the more widespread Eurasian Hoopoe, Palestine Sunbird and Ruppell’s Weaver. Ringing was pleasant temperature wise but difficult for the nets as it was in acacia scrub with plenty of thorns and with large flying beetles that became caught in the net and then tried to chew their way out. We set eight nets in various locations with all catching birds. The nets were set in the open, between open acacia cover and in denser juniper trees. Ringing was much easier for me than normal due to the excellent help of Abdullah and Chris.

Green Bee-eater

Arabian Warbler

Arabian Warbler

Brown Woodland Warbler

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe

Gambaga Flycatcher

Little Rock Thrush 

Little Rock Thrush

Palestine Sunbird

Ruppell's Weaver

Black-crowned Tchagra near Tanoumah – Bird records by Ahmed AlKassim

Ahmed AlKassim was photographing birds near Tanoumah for a few days in June and found up to seven Black-crowned Tchagra’s in a large wadi area at the foot of the mountains near Tanoumah. This is not an easy bird to see let alone photograph, but Ahmed managed to get an excellent photo of one that he has sent to me and given me permission to use on my website. I have not shown this species before on the website, as I have personally not seen one in the Kingdom and no one else who I know has photographed one. I thank Ahmed for allowing me to use his photo, which is shown below, and who’s copyright remains with Ahmed. The quality of the photo shows what an excellent photographer Ahmed is when it comes to Saudi Arabian birds. There are a number of subspecies of Black-crowned Tchagra with the one occurring in southwest Saudi Arabia, west and east Yemen and southern Oman T. s. percivali. This subspecies is distinctive, and has its upperparts and underparts uniform dark grey, but chin and throat white. It differs from all other races in lacking any vestige of black or rufous on the scapulars and in having central tail feathers black (not grey-brown) a white supercilium and unpatterened tertials. The species is mainly an African one with the birds in Arabia the only subspecies occurring outside of the African continent.

Late Red-backed Shrike – Jubail

Whilst birding the Jubail area in late June I found a Red-backed Shrike. This is late for the species as they nearly all pass through the Eastern Province in May with the peak in the early part of the second week. This was, however, the only migrant I saw. Most other notable species seen were resident breeders with good numbers of both Indian Reed Warbler and Little Bitterns seen. Good numbers of Grey-headed Swamphens and Common Moorhens were also seen. More than ten summer plumaged Squacco Herons were still about suggesting breeding is occurring somewhere nearby. Good numbers of both White-cheeked Terns and Little Terns were seen with several Caspian Terns and a single Sandwich Tern. The Sandwich Tern is the first time I have seen the species in this area although I have seen good numbers before on Abu Ali Island. Seven Greater Flamingos were late in the season for this species, as most have departed for the breeding grounds more than a month ago. Hundreds of Kentish Plovers and tens of Little Ringed Plovers both with chicks indicate a good breeding season for both species and Black-winged Stilt also appears to have had a successful breeding season, as plenty of juveniles with accompanying adults were located.

Red-backed Shrike

Little Bittern - male

Indian Reed Warbler

Crested Lark - juvenile

Black-winged Stilt - adult

Black-winged Stilt - juvenile

Black-winged Stilt

Caspian Tern

Little Tern - adult

Little Tern - juvenile

Common Black-headed Gull

Common Black-headed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

Birding Tanoumah – Tanoumah

The Tanoumah area is probably the best area in the country for seeing the endemic species. It holds all the endemics occurring in Saudi Arabia with the exception of Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak as well as the three subspecies often also regarded as species, Arabian Magpie, Arabian Spotted Eagle Owl and Arabian Green Bee-eater. I saw all the endemics and the three subspecies with the exception of Arabian Partridge on my last visit to the area and saw the Arabian Partridge at the Raydah Escarpment near Abha as well. Apart from all the endemics, there are many other southwest specialities such as Arabian Warbler, Brown Woodland Warbler, Dusky Turtle Dove, Gambaga Flycatcher, Little Rock Thrush, Spectacled Bulbul and Tristram’s Starling. As the area is in the high mountains at around 2000 metres above sea level, some other interesting birds such as Alpine Swift and Rock Dove may be seen. As the tempertures are much lower in the mountains than the nearby plains and coast it is possible to spend the entire day birdwatching on foot making for a pleasant and enjoyable day in the field. 

Yemen Thrush

Yemen Warbler

Philby's Partridge

Tanoumah

Arabian Warbler

Arabian Wheatear

Arabian Wheatear

Brown Woodland Warbler

Dusky Turtle Dove

Gambaga Flycatcher

Little Rock Thrush

White-spectacled Bulbul

Rock Dove

Tristram's Starling

Desert Monitor near Al Asfar Lake – Record by Arnold Uy

Arnold Uy kindly sent me a photo of a Desert Monitor Varanus griseus he took recently near Al Asfar Lake, Hofuf that he has also kindly allowed me to use some on my website and is shown below. Copyright remains with Arnold. The Desert Monitor is a species of monitor lizard with three subspecies, the one occurring in Saudi Arabia being Varanus griseus griseus also called the Grey Monitor. This subspecies is found from Northern Africa throughout the Sahara, Arabian Peninsula and southwestern Asia eastwards to northwestern India. It has 5-8 narrow grey bands on the back as well as 19-28 bands on the tail, the highest number of bands of any subspecies. Its tail is more rounded that those of the other subspecies and the final size of the adults average around one to 1.3 mtres in length (approximately 55–65 cm excluding their tail) with their overall body size dependent on the available food supply, the time of year, environmental climate, and reproductive state, with males generally larger than females. The body is long and robust, with sturdy limbs, and a long, powerful tail which can be used liked a whip in defence as they are aggressive reptiles. The nostrils of this species are particularly distinctive, comprising diagonal slits much closer to the eye than the tip of the snout. Their coloration can be a simple grey if living in desert-like ecosystems, to more brilliantly colored if living in areas with large amounts of plant growth. It is a carnivorous lizard that feeds on a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates with the most common prey consisting of lizards and snakes, but can also include ground-nesting birds and other small mammals. They hibernate from September to April becoming most active between the months of May and July. They are active during the day, emerging from their burrows in the early morning, and basking in the sun at the entrance in order to raise their body temperature often staying in their burrows during the heat of the day. During a single day, Desert Monitors range over large distances, usually between five and six kilometres, returning to their burrow before sunset. They are predominantly desert-dwelling, although can occupy a variety of arid and semi-arid habitats with a specific habitat requirement being the presence of sand or soft soil in which tracks can be made for communication and orientation. Their skin is adapted to the desert environment in which they live, and they are excellent swimmers sometimes entering water to hunt for food and have a lifespan of approximately eight years.

Arabian Magpie in Tanoumah – Records by Ahmed AlKassim

The taxonomic position of Arabian Magpie is currently uncertain, although it is generally regarded as a subspecies of Eurasian Magpie. The latest IOC World Bird List regards it as such, though, however, there is a caveat saying “MtDNA phylogeny suggests that Eurasian Magpie comprises several potential species including Asir Magpie P. asirensis”. In a number of recent publications, however, P. p. asirensis has been listed as a separate species P. asirensis due to isolation within a very restricted range and differences in vocalizations and structural features suggested that treatment as a separate monotypic species is warranted. Arabian Magpies are sedentary and localised and occur especially in the juniper forest zone, often in well vegetated upland valleys and wadis, of the Asir highlands 1850–3000 m asl. Many of these areas are remote and difficult to access so the exact numbers of birds is difficult to assess but the estimated breeding population has been noted as a minimum of 135 pairs and a maximum of 500 pairs (Jennings 2010). The spcies has a very restricted range in southwest mountains from Abha to An Numas north of Tanoumah. Birds are regularly seen in the Tanoumah area and Ahmed AlKassim managed to photograph two on the top of a juniper bush. Ahmed has very kindly allowed me to use his photo on my website which is shown below, the copyright of which remains with Ahmed.

Yellow-bellied House Gecko – Dhahran Hills

I have had a Yellow-bellied House Gecko living in the house for a few months now but managed to catch it without hurting it and released it outside after taking a few photos. They occur through parts of the Arabian Peninsula including Saudi Arabia as well as Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan and Somalia and can vary their body colour depending on the time of day, being greyish, olive or brown, patterned with indistinct bands on the back and yellowish on the underside. During the day, the gecko is usually much darker in colour, with contrasting, chevron-shaped bands on the body with the toes having broad pads and small claws. They are associated with man-made structures such as houses, but during the day, they retreat to undisturbed crevices and other such hiding places coming out at night to feed primarily on insects. They can climb vertical walls and walk on ceilings which is achieved by having specialised toe pads, which are covered in small scales called ‘scansors’ which can have up to 150,000 microscopic, highly branched, hair-like structures, known as setae, which form hundreds of saucer-shaped ‘end plates’. This gives the Gecko an enormous surface area in relation to its body size, enabling it to grip all kinds of surfaces. This species of Gecko has particularly large and sensitive eyes, with pupils which open-wide at night to let in maximum amounts of light, giving it excellent vision in the dark. The pupils contract to vertical slits during the day to protect the retina from harsh sunlight, while the eyelids are fused to form a transparent cover for additional protection. Any dust or debris in the eye is licked away by the gecko’s extremely mobile tongue, which must have been useful recently as the weather has been very windy causing large amounts of dust to be blowing around.