Whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl we saw a Western Marsh Harrier trying to pick up what looked like a dead fish from the side of the flooded sabkha. This spectacle was very interesting so we stopped and took a few photos of the proceedings. As the bird was interested in the prey it was […]
Tag: sabkhat al fasl
Wintering Purple Herons – Sabkhat Al Fasl
Whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl recently I have been seeing a number of Purple Herons. This species is not common in winter at the site but has been common this winter. In the Eastern Province the Purple Heron is a locally common passage migrant and winter visitor seen from August through April with the […]
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area 12 February, Phil Roberts and I saw a Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus. This was a new species for the Eastern Province for me although Phil had seen one previously. They are a common and widespread breeding resident on the Tihamah and southern Red Sea coastlands, less common in the Northern […]
Four Pied Kingfishers wintering – Sabkhat Al Fasl
The major influx of Pied Kingfishers into eastern Arabia this winter has resulted in at last four Pied Kingfishers wintering at Sabkhat Al Fasl. These birds have taken up residence in a couple of different locations with birds being seen at the two sites each visit in 2016. The birds are extremely beautiful and are […]
Wintering Masked Shrike and other good birds – Deffi Park, Jubail
Phil and I went to Deffi Park, a large municipal park in Jubail. The park is an area of mature trees and nice grass areas but is popular with locals during the day. As a result we always arrive just before first light and look around and have found a few good birds over the […]
A second calendar year Eastern Imperial Eagle – Sabkhat Al Fasl
Whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl in January I saw and photographed a second calendar year Eastern Imperial Eagle. The species is rarely seen at Sabkhat Al Fasl although the Greater Spotted Eagle is seen almost every visit during the winter. The Eastern Imperial Eagle is an uncommon winter visitor to Saudi Arabia with most […]
Spanish Sparrows a ringing ringing species for me in Saudi Arabia – Sabkhat Al Fasl
Whilst ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl on 8 January with Nicole we trapped and ringed a male and two female Spanish Sparrows. This is the first time either Nicole or I have ringed the species and made two new site species for the day after the Jack Snipe. I had seen a small group of […]
A retrapped and returning Red-spotted Bluethroat – Sabkhat Al Fasl
Whilst ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl on 8 January I trapped a male Red-spotted Bluethroat that we had previously trapped in January 2014. This bird had presumably been back to its breeding grounds in the far north and then returned to spend its winter in exactly the same small area of Sabkhat Al Fasl as […]