Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti is a common resident in rocky deserts and outcrops of all areas except the juniper summits of the Hejaz and Asir and probably the sand seas of the Empty Quarter and Nafud Desert. The best place to see the species close to Dhahran where I live is the Shedgum Escarpment so […]
Tag: saudi arabia
Good numbers of Caspian Terns – Jubail
Caspian Tern is a common sighting in Jubail where they can be seen in almost any wetland area from the coast inland to flooded sabkhat areas like Sabkhat Al Fasl and Khafra Marsh. Although common numbers seen rarely exceed ten although late in the summer, around September, numbers can exceed 150 birds mainly out on […]
Five Citrine Wagtails – Jubail
An early morning trip to Jubail was rewarded with the sighting of five different Citrine Wagtails in various different places. They varied in plumage from washed out to full adult males in breeding plumage but the bird I managed to photograph was somewhere in between. Citrine Wagtail is a regular though local winter visitor to […]
Last remaining Western Cattle Egrets – Dhahran Hills
The number of Western Cattle Egrets around the camp seems to dropping from a high point of over 100 birds with many of the birds coming into full breeding plumages. Good views can still be had of the birds as they feed along the roadside grass verges finding insects in the soft ground after the […]
Blue Rock Thrush and Eastern Black Redstart – Qatar
Vinu Mathew went to Qatar recently and visited a farm called Mekaines farm. Vinu said it was an amazing site with a lot of species there. Unfortunately he only spent only two hours there but there were Blue Rock Thrush, Eastern Black Redstart, Stonechats, lots of butterflies, lots of Shrikes, Gulls and Lapwings, Vinu mentioned […]
Sociable Lapwings in Saudi Arabia
Phil Roberts has written an excellent personal account of the finding of 18 Sociable Lapwings in Haradh in February 2016. The account is on the Birdlife website The Amazing Journey under this link http://www.birdlife.org/sociable-lapwing/2016/03/three-on-the-move-and-news-from-saudi-arabia/ This excellent website also shows where some of the Sociable Lapwings cross Saudi Arabia on route to and from their breeding […]
Blandford’s Agama – Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm
Whilst birding Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm, near Jubail Phil saw a Blandford’s Agama Trapelus ruderatus resting in the top of a small bush. We have seen the species here on a previous visit but they are not often seen. They range from northeast Jordan and southern Syria, through northern and eastern Saudi Arabia, Iraq, […]
Wintering Masked Shrike still present – Deffi Park
I found a wintering Masked Shrike a few weeks ago in Deffi Park, Jubail that has been seen every weekend since by various birders and photographers. The bird has kept faithful to a very small area of the park, and is also very vocal, making it easier to see. The Masked Shrike is an uncommon […]