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<\/a>Whilst birding at Jubail I found a female Eversmann\u2019s Redstart, a new species for me. Birding up to that point had been rather poor due to the overcast and windy conditions but it was made up for with this bird. I noticed a redstart on the track between the large reed beds and it almost immediately flew up into the reed bed but luckily stayed on the edge. Initially I could only see it through the windscreen of the car making views poor but it looked very interesting due to the pale panel in the closed wing.<\/p>\n
I moved the car slightly to get a view through the window and got a few photos of to look at when I got home but the combination of wing markings and covert edges made the identification as a female Eversmann\u2019s Redstart look very positive.<\/p>\n
I have never seen this species and on checking details in books and photos on the internet combined with Yoav Perlman\u2019s confirmation of my identification I was happy I had found a very good vagrant for Saudi Arabia as well as another new species for my Saudi Arabian list. This was the third new species I had found in ten days after Black-throated Thrush and Redwing. The only records I know of for Saudi Arabia are as follows:<\/p>\n
Five at Ras Tanurah in December 1970 until January 1971 – Eastern Province<\/p>\n
One Haradh 31 January 1980 – Eastern Province<\/p>\n
One Kurais 14 November 1980 – Eastern Province<\/p>\n
One at Dhahran from 21 January to 28 February 1982 – Eastern Province<\/p>\n
A male at Thumamah, Riyadh, in alfalfa fields 8 December 1990 to 11 January 1991 – Central Province<\/p>\n
Two at Jubail near the Holiday Inn on 17 November 1991 one remaining until 19 November 1991 – Eastern Province.<\/p>\n
A female was found on 27 January to 9 March 2000 at Thumamah – Central Province<\/p>\n <\/p>\n