I went to Al Asfar Lake near to Hufuf recently and saw over fifty Western Marsh Harriers. I managed to get a number of reasonable photographs with a couple of two birds playing in the air together. The Western Marsh Harrier is a winter visitor to Saudi Arabia and they always occur in areas of […]
Tag: saudi arabia
African Grey Hornbill – Raydah Escarpment
Whilst birding the bottom of the Raydah Escarpment I saw up to ten African Grey Hornbills Tockus nasutus together. This is the largest group I have recorded in Saudi Arabia. They only occur at the bottom of the Raydah Escarpment and are not seen higher up. The birds were located in the large wadi system […]
Plain Tiger – Raydah Escarpment
The below photograph of Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus was taken in the bottom valley of the Raydah Escarpment in the Asir Mountains of southwest Saudi Arabia. This butterfly was first depicted in an Egyptian tomb 3,500 years ago, making it the first ever butterfly to be recorded in history. Its striking tawny-orange colouration serves as […]
Rare and unusual birds seen in Saudi Arabia in first half of 2017
An adult and juvenile Bewick’s Swan Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii near Al Jawf 14-15 December 2016 with three more adults in the north of the Kingdom 19 December 2016 being only the third to seventh records of the species for the Kingdom. Four See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis, including a calling male, were at a remote desert […]
White-eared Bulbul – Dhahran Hills
Whilst birding Dhahran I came across a White-eared Bulbul with a very large grub in its beak. It was in the trees at the edge of the golf course, but would not come out fully into the open. White-eared Bulbul is a very common species in Dhahran with the birds appearing to be of the […]
Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters – Jubail
This autumn there have been large numbers of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters passing over Jubail as well as many other areas of the Eastern Province. The species is a common passage migrant through the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with good numbers of birds passing in the spring as well as the autumn. Numbers are commoner in […]
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater – Jubail
Whilst ringing in Jubail in November we trapped and ringed a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, a new ringing species for me. This was my 60 species ringed in Saudi Arabia. Birds are common in the area of our nets at the right time of year but as they are generally high-flying birds we seldom if ever catch […]
Female Montagu’s Harrier – Haradh
Whilst birding the NADAC Farm area of Haradh 20 October I saw plenty of Harriers including at minimum of two Montagu’s Harriers over the pivot irrigation fields. Male Montagu’s Harriers are easily identified by their upperwing pattern amongst other details but Juvenile and female Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers are difficult to identify with certainty at […]