The Red-spotted Bluethroat is an uncommon wintering species in Saudi Arabia with birds wintering at Sabkhat Al Fasl each year, where it is locally common. The first birds return to Sabkhat Al Fasl around the same time and appear to be females with ringing data suggesting they first return in mid-October. A week or so […]
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.
First winter White Wagtails – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area on 21 October I came across the first winter White Wagtails for me. Birds will arrive in good numbers in the next few weeks and stay for the winter. White Wagtail records occur from Mid-September to April with the majority of birds arriving in October and only occasional records in […]
Desert birds and migrants – Haradh
Whilst birding the NADAC Farm area of Haradh 14 October I saw some good desert birds and migrants. One of the first birds seen was an Eastern Morning Wheatear, which was good as birds have only just started returning for the winter and I have not seen one at this location before. Other migrants included […]
Passage of Spotted Flycatchers – Eastern Province
This year has seen a good autumn passage of Spotted Flycathcers through the Eastern Province with numbers seen from Dhahran to Jubail. The Spotted Flycatcher is a common passage migrant. Recorded between mid-March and mid-June but peaking in May in spring and mid-August to late October in autumn with a peak in September. Birds have […]
Waders and Herons – Jubail
Whilst in the Jubail area recently we saw plenty of species of waders and many kinds of herons. There were hundreds of Grey Herons present as well as the largest number of Little Egrets I have seen at the site, well over 200 birds. A few Little Bitterns and Squacco Herons were also present along […]
Flava Yellow Wagtail – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area I found a few Yellow Wagtails with one bright example giving very close views. I am assigning this bird to flava but the Yellow Wagtail complex is as it name suggests – complex. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant with various subspecies occurring but they are much commoner […]
Lesser Sand Plovers – Dammam Wader Roost
The Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius altifrons is a common migrant and winter visitor to coastal areas. Autumn movement commences early with family groups moving through the region from the third week in June, continuing until September. In the Eastern Province.It is a winter visitor and passage migrant. In the 1980s it was abundant along the […]
Last of the Egyptian Nightjars – Jubail
The last few Egyptian Nightjars are still present in Jubail although I suspect this will be last time I see them this year. I saw five birds in different locations during the day, but they normally leave in early September. Wader numbers continue to build with large numbers of Common Ringed Plovers seen and smaller […]