The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. A number of different subspecies occur, often together with Jubail being a particularly good area for seeing large groups. The first subspecies to occur are Black-headed Wagtailsfeldeggand these are then followed normally bybeema. […]
Wheatears and late winter visitors – Jubail
Birding the Jubail area continued turning up migrants and winter visitors with plenty of Great Cormorants staying in the area later this year than previously. They used to be seen rarely in the area but have now started winter in large numbers. Wheatears have been common with Pied Wheatears the commonest although a few Eastern […]
Halcón peregrino (Peregrine Falcon) Falco peregrinus
Pensar que hace mas de 8 años que estoy fotografiando aves y ayer por la mañana en el Arroyo Itá tuve la suerte de poder ver a un Halcón peregrino perchando en el árbol seco de la vereda del costado de la reserva. Con las aves no hay nada escrito, solo es cuestión de conicidir […]
The why, what, and how of deforestation
Forests are a key component of life on earth. In addition to providing shelter for 80% of land-dwelling species, they play an essential role in the carbon cycle, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. It is no exaggeration to say that deforestation is a threat to life on earth. A massive 15 billion trees are lost […]
Steppe Buzzard – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area recently I came across a single Steppe Buzzard Buteo Buteo vulpinus. This is the first time I have seen the species in the area so was very pleased with the sighting. Steppe Buzzard is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that pass in March and April and again in […]
Champions of the Flyway – final days
After all COTF teams handed in their lists and we got everything sorted for the awards ceremony, I had time for few hours of sleep. But I could not sleep in on my last morning in Eilat, especially with so many sites I had no time to visit this week. Dawn found me in Holland […]
Checking In On The Heron Rookery
We are very fortunate to have a large heronry or heron rookery as it’s more commonly called. There are dozens of Great Blue Heron nests and often in excess of 100 herons at its peak. The location used to be a secret only known by a few but now all the local birders and photographers […]
Migrants arriving in good numbers – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area in late March, it became obvious a good number of migrants had arrived. There were a good number of Tree Pipits scattered around, several late Water Pipits and a single Spotted Crake wandered out onto dome vegetation near the edge of a wet area, briefly. More than ten birds of […]