Whilst birdwatching the bottom valley of the Raydah Escarpment in the Asir Mountains of southwest Saudi Arabia, I came across and photographed a Common Three Ring Ypthima asterope. It is also known as the African ringlet and is a species of Satyrinae butterfly found in most dry areas of Africa and Asia. The wingspan is […]
Author: Jem Babbington
Jem Babbington is a keen birder and amateur photographer located in Dhahran, Eastern Saudi Arabia where he goes birding every day. Jem was born in England and is a serious local patch and local area birder who has been birding for almost forty years and has birded in more than fifty countries. Jem is learning to ring birds in Bahrain as a perfect way to learn more about the birds of the area. Saudi Arabia is a very much under-watched and under-recorded country.
Could Squacco Heron be Breeding? – Jubail
During the last few summer trips to Jubail I have found a few Squacco Herons in full breeding plumage as well as some is less pristine plumage. The species is very common here on spring and autumn migration as well as in the winter but is scarce in summer. Birds do occur here year round […]
Indian Reef Heron – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area recently we came across a good number of Indian Reef HeronEgretta gularis. The species is a common, mostly resident coastal breeder that can be seen in good numbers. Most birds seen are white morph birds but about 10% are of the grey or black morph. They occur on all coasts […]
Summertime birding – Jubail
Birding the Jubail area in June gave a few surprising migrants including Whinchat, European Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, Barn Swallow and Sand Martin. A Western Cattle Egret was also a surprise as they are a winter species that has normally departed by this time of year. A few summer plumage Squacco Herons were also present showing […]
Yemen Rock Agama – An Namas
Whilst birdwatching the An Namas area of the Asir Mountains, 150 kms north of Abha, I came across a Yemen Rock AgamaAcanthocercus yemensis. The Yemen Rock Agama occurs in northern Yemen and adjacent Saudi Arabia, but the limits of its distribution in Saudi Arabia are currently not well known, although I have seen it as […]
Arabian Woodpecker – An Namas
Whilst birding the An Namas area of the Asir mountains, 150 kms north of Abha recently I photographed a pair of Arabian Woodpecker Dendrocopos doraeat at their nest hole. The hole was positioned in the trunk or major branch of a large tree about five metres above ground level and comprised of a small freshly […]
Little Owls – An Namas
Whilst birding the An Namas area of the Asir mountians 150 km north of Abha we came across two Little Owl Athene noctua. This was a new species for me in the Kingdom and both birds were found sitting on dry stone-walls where one bird entered when disturbed. The second bird did not allow close […]
Asir (Arabian) Magpie – Tanoumah and An Namas
Whilst in the southwest on the Kingdom in May I saw at least five Asir (Arabian) Magpie at two different locations. Old nests were discovered near Tanoumah and near An Namas with adults and at least one juvenile seen near the nests. These birds remain very difficult to photograph and are constantly on the move […]