Philby’s Partridge Alectoris philbyi is a rare resident of the south-west highlands. The best sites for locating the species are the terrace fields near Tanoumah, the dry scrub covered hillsides on Jebal Souda plateau and the area around Al Baha. They prefer juniper dominated habitats where rocky knolls & clearings occur and ocurs from 1500 […]
Tag: saudi arabia
Ringing Grey-headed Swamphen – Jubail
Whilst ringing in Jubail we caught a Grey-headed Swamphen in a mist net. This is quite a feat as they are large and heavy birds that seldom fly. It had managed to fly into the net and was caught in the bottom shelf but as we place these shelves well above the water to stop […]
Wintering Greater Spotted Eagles – near Jubail
At least seven Greater Spotted Eagles Clanga clanga were recorded at a wetland site near Jubail in mid-November. Birds winter at a number of sites in Saudi Arabia with the Jubail area the best for the species in the Eastern province. In winter birds are almost always near wetland areas with large areas where they […]
Arabian Waxbill in Wadi Thee Gazelle – Taif
The Arabian Waxbill is an endemic species of Arabia and occurs in the south and west of the country where it is one of the most difficult endemics to see. Phil Roberts and I managed to see up to ten birds in a wadi in Wadi Thee Gazelle, where the birds were initially seen on […]
Arabian Scops Owl at Al Mehfar Park – Tanoumah
Whilst birding the Al Mehfar Park area of Tanoumah, I heard a number of Arabian Scops Owls calling just after dark. A minimum of six birds were calling in a relatively small area suggesting the species is common in the correct mountain habitat. I managed to see one bird hunting in a relatively open position […]
Yemen Rock Agama at Al Mehfar Park – Thanoumah
Whilst birdwatching the Al Mehfar Park area of Tanoumah I came across a Yemen Rock Agama Acanthocercus 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. It occurs from around 2,000 to 3,000 metres above sea level […]
Yellow Wagtail – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area I found two Yellow Wagtails. I am not certain of their subspecies but they may have been poorly marked beema or flava? The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant with various subspecies occurring with the most common being Black-headed Wagtails of the race Motacilla flava feldegg which are the […]
Water birds around Jubail
Whilst birding Jubail recently I came across a nice selection of water birds some of which I have not seen so often this year. Terns are always common in Jubail and Caspian Tern has been seen in numbers up to 100 birds in some visits. It is a local breeding species and can often be […]