Birds of Saudi Arabia

Birds on the Lake - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-30T04:00:00.030+03:00

The Waste Water Lake has been attracting a number of Common Black-headed Gulls in the early morning which have been coming and resting with the resident Great Cormorants on the lake. Duck are still regularly being seen with Ferruginous and Tufted Duck seen on every visit and once three Pochard were seen, a more unusual species but still one seen every year at this location. Herons include Western Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Western Great Egret, Squacco Heron and Western Reef Heron. Waders have been thin on the ground but a Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers are resident the last month or so.

Western Reef Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Common Pochard

Ferruginous Duck

Common Sandpiper

Common Black-headed Gull

Pallid Swift still – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-28T04:00:00.047+03:00

Numbers of Pallid Swift have dropped significantly over the last few weeks with only five birds being seen in recent days. These are still allowing good photos to be taken of them, however. House Crow numbers are increasing again with tens being seen on every visit. The scrub now has Lesser Whitethroat and Graceful Prinia calling continually with several Red-spotted Bluethroat doing the same. A minimum of five Eastern Stonechat are present around the lakeside vegetaion and tens of resident White-eared Bulbul are also making lots of noise calling to each other.

Pallid Swift

Eastern Stonechat

Great Cormorant

House Crow

White-eared Bulbul

Black-tailed Godwit – Dhahran Hills

2024-12-26T04:00:00.007+03:00

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills area in early December I came across a single Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa on a concrete bunded area with some water in the bottom of it. This is the forst time I have seen this species in Dhahran for about five years. It flew after seeing me and landed on the percolation pond, some distance away. In Dhahran this species is a scarce passage migrant and winter visitor occasionally seen on the percolation pond, where it has been recorded July–September and in December. In Saudi Arabia as a whole, it is a scarce migrant and winter visitor to all areas of the Kingdom. Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) says the species is an autumn passage migrant and winter visitor in variable numbers that passes from late August through to April. Winter birds are present between late December and early March. Birds of the Eastern Province (Bundy 1989) says the species is a winter visitor to the Eastern Province that is scarce and irregular away from Dammam. Birds have been seen in all months but mainly between August to June with most being seen in Tarout Bay. Birds of the Tihamah coastal plains in the southwest of the Kingdom says the species is locally abundant where it is seen both inland and on the coast.

Common Black-headed Gulls returning – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-24T04:00:00.000+03:00

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake in the very early morning in mid-November I saw a group of seven Common Black-headed Gulls drop in and wash in the waste water lake. Although I have seen a few elsewhere in the Eastern Province over the last three weeks these are the first for Dhahran this winter. This species is an uncommon passage migrant, very common winter visitor and erratic summer visitor. It is most common on the coasts in winter from November to March, and in recent decades has become a common and widespread winter visitor to inland water bodies such as the Dhahran Waste Water Lake where it is now seen every winter in good numbers. Most birds are adults, but a few younger birds also occur. Birds mainly stop off in the early morning to catch small fish and bath at the lake but are often seen flying over in the morning and evening to their main feeding and roosting areas.

Northern Lapwing - Dhahran Hills Football Fields

2024-12-22T04:00:00.013+03:00

The confiding Northern Lapwing found by Alma and Eric a week or so ago remained on the football fields for some days and allowed very close views and occasionally came close to the edge of the fields allowing good photos to be taken. This bird has behaved very differently to the previous birds seen on the same fields that flew even if another bird approached them. As mentioned in previous posts Northern Lapwing is a very scarce bird in the camp with this year being exceptional, with this bird possibly the eighth individual. All previous years they have been seen there has only ever been one. The Birds of the Eastern Province 1989 mentioned Northern Lapwing were a scarce and somewhat irregular visitor with records from November to early April but chiefly from November through January. In 1979-71 up to 15 wintered in Dhahran but this proved to be exceptional, showing how large this flock was at that time. Elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, high counts have been at 425 at Haradh 5 February 2016, at Al Safi Dairy farm, Central Province, where at least 111 individuals were seen 25 January 2001. Birds of Thumamah 1988-1994 said maximum numbers were 100 in the winter 1992/1993. Its status in the Kingdom is as an uncommon winter visitor to all areas north of a line from Hofuf, through Riyadh to Hail and onwards to the Red Sea coast. Good numbers are also now being seen in the extensive pivot fields in the Tabuk and Sakaka areas.

Winter birding – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-20T04:00:00.048+03:00

The Waste Water Lake in Dhahran has now started to get some regular winter species. The land around the lake is well vegetated but has been seriously lacking birds in the last couple of months. Now a few wintering species are turning up with Bluethroat and Daurian Shrike seen on every visit. Indian Silverbill are busy collecting nesting material and Graceful Prinia are singing loudly again after being quiet for a few months. Two Western Marsh Harrier are using the reeds for resting in and a minimum of three Eastern Stonechat are around, all in one small area with the regular Eurasian Sparrowhawk busy trying to catch any of the unwary birds. The lake itself has a few water birds with a juvenile Purple Heron, Western Cattle Egrets and Western Great Egret present. A few Gull-billed Tern are still present and Common Black-headed Gull drop in in very small numbers each day. Eurasian Collared Dove are again common in the area after reducing in number during the summer months.

Daurian Shrike

Eastern Stonechat

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Purple Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Western Great Egret

Western Marsh Harrier

Crested Honey Buzzard - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-18T04:00:00.006+03:00

Just after first light I saw a Crested Honey Buzzard fly over the Dhahran Waste Water Lake, quite close to me and was able to take a couple of photos shown below. This bird has been around since mid-September in Dhahran a location where they have spent the last ten years at least wintering with some occasionally staying through the summer as well. Most birds in Dhahran are seen over the golf course but the Waste Water lake is another regular location although they are seen here much less often. The species has a status in Saudi Arabia of an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that also occurs scarce in summer. Regular summer records from the highlands around Abha and north suggest birds probably breed there now.

Blue-spotted Arab - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-16T04:00:00.005+03:00

Whilst birdwatching the Waste Water Lake in Dharhan recently, I came across two Blue-spotted Arab Colotis phisis. The Blue-spotted Arab is a small butterfly occurring from Africa to India. The upper-side of the males forewing has a pale salmon-pink ground color. Base arrogated with bluish-grey scales that extend outwards and a black spot on the underside of the forewing. Back wings much paler, and light or no spot. Clubbed antennae. Rolled up proboscis. Wingspan 20mm. They breed during the warmer parts of the year with the female laying several eggs that are bottle shaped with ribs down the sides and are generally white but turn pale blue. Pupae stage last several days. When adult emerges, it takes a few minutes to harden the veins in the wings. The larva feeds on Salvadora persica (toothbrush bush).

Northern Shoveler – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-14T04:00:00.015+03:00

Whilst birdwatching at the Dhahran Waste Water Lake over the last couple of weeks there has been varying numbers of Northern Shoveler ranging from a single bird to over fifty. Northern Shoveler is one of the commonest ducks in Saudi Arabia and is regularly seen at this location. In Saudi Arabia it has bred rarely but is mainly a common passage migrant and common winter visitor from October to March, where it occurs widely across the Kingdom.

Tufted Duck – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-12T04:00:00.011+03:00

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills area recently I saw seven Tufted Duck. This is an unusual visitor to Dhahran where it is one of the rarer of the regularly occurring duck species. The species has migratory populations breeding in Iceland and northern Europe across most of Russia and wintering 6,000 km south in northern and eastern Africa and southern Europe through India to Japan and south into the Arabian Peninsula. In Saudi Arabia it has a status as a scarce passage migrant, uncommon winter visitor and very erratic summer visitor. They are mainly seen between October and February on large, open wetland sites, particularly with pools lacking surface vegetation, such as reservoir lakes, the Riyadh River and ornamental lakes. The Dhahran Waste Water Lake is an ideal place to see them and one where they are now seen annually.

Adult Black-winged Kite - Qaryat Al Ulya

2024-12-10T04:00:00.025+03:00

Whilst birding Qaryat Al Ulya in late November Phil and I came across a Black-winged Kite perched on the overhead wires. This is the first time we have seen this species at this locality and shows the continuing spread of this once rare bird. The first record of Black-winged Kite for the Eastern Province was only found on 17 April 2012, but since then has become more common with a current status as an uncommon breeding resident. This bird like all others seen in the Eastern Province is Elanus caeruleus vociferous, the subspecies that occurs from Pakistan east to southern & eastern China, Indochina and the Malay Peninsula. Whilst in this area of large pivot fields we also saw a few Corn Bunting a species not seen often in the areas we birdwatch, as well as a single Steppe Eagle flying over just south of this location. The best bird seen was a very close Shikra perched on a wire fence but unfortunately it flew before any photos were taken. This species is becoming commoner in the Eastern Province like is the case in the UAE.

Black-winged Kite

Corn Bunting

Another Northern Lapwing - Dhahran Hills Football Fields

2024-12-08T04:00:00.010+03:00

A different Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus was seen on the Football Fields recently where it stayed feeding for a number of days. This bird had longer crest and more yellow on the vent than previous birds and was also much less timid allowing closer approach and better photographs. The previous week I saw five birds fly over and land on the percolation pond and a single bird was seen in this location for a few days before disappearing. As we have seen a few Northern Lapwing in the camp this winter Phil and I went to Qaryat Al Ulya pivot fields to see if there were any there but we only managed to see two in this area despite looking at numerous pivot fields.

Adult Indian Roller – Dhahran Hills

2024-12-06T04:00:00.011+03:00

An Indian Roller was found on 19 November 2020 at the Dhahran Waste Water Lake and has returned each winter for the last five years and has been seen again this winter. The bird is very elusive and we have not found the area where it stays for most of the day, which may well be the out of bounds golf course. The bird is often seen flying into the trees or perching on the floodlights of the cricket field and football fields in the late evening before flying off to roost. As a result, I have not obtained any good photos of the bird, but in late November Eric kindly sent me a close-up photo of it, so I asked where he had seen it. He said Alma and he had seen it a few minutes before and the bird was frequenting a small park next to the football fields. As it was the weekend and I live very close to this area, I went down and saw the bird after a while. It was not very obliging and although I saw it on a post close to the road with a car passing very close by the time I got there it had flown. I stayed for a couple of hours trying to locate it again and obtain good photos as it was mid-afternoon and light was good. Eventually I saw it again and managed to get a few photos of it in a palm tree and on a light post and once some good photos of it in flight as it flew close to me from a post where I had crept up to it on foot behind a palm before it saw me a flew. These are easily the best photos I have of the bird so was happy with my afternoon trip. Indian Roller has a status as a rare winter visitor, with the only recent records I know being an adult, Mansouriyah, Riyadh, 21 December 1989; an adult, Thumamah, Riyadh, 8 October 1999 until 17 February 2000 and an adult at Ras Tanura 12 February 2021.

Nothing unusual – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-04T04:00:00.056+03:00

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake the last few weeks I have been seeing the same species and not much different. Flyovers include the winter first Crested Honey Buzzard and two Wester Marsh Harriers as well as a few Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawks. Common species such as Common Myna and Rose-ringed Parakeet are seen daily as are House Crow. Birds on or over the lake include good numbers of Pallid Swift and Great Cormorant and increasing numbers of Grey Heron, Western Cattle Egret and Squacco Heron. The maximum number of Gull-billed Tern reached eleven and a single Isabelline Wheatear was seen on the edge of the pond one day.

Common Kestrel

Common Myna

Common Sandpiper

Great Cormorant

Grey Heron

Gull-billed Tern

Pallid Swift

Squacco Heron

Squacco Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Steppe Buzzard – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-12-02T04:00:00.007+03:00

Whilst birding the Dhahran Waste Water Lake 30 November I came across a single Steppe Buzzard Buteo Buteo vulpinus. I did not see the bird as it was sitting on the ground behind some scrub, but as it took off I got a few relatively close photos of it in flight, although it was into the sun slightly so not the best photographs. This is the first time I have seen the species in November as they normally occur on migration. It has a status in Saudi Arabia of an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that passes in March and April and again in September and October, merging with the occasional winter visitors which may appear in any months between the autumn and spring movements. I do not see this species often on my local patch but this is the second one this year after a bird in May 2024.

Ferruginous Duck numbers increasing – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-11-30T04:00:00.013+03:00

Whilst birding the Waste Water Lake in the very early morning, I located eleven Ferruginous Duck an increase from the seven seen recently. The birds were sitting on the lake and hiding in the reeds but were disturbed by two Western Marsh Harriers hunting and flew around a little before settling again on the lake. This allowed me to take a few photos in flight as they circled deciding if it was safe to land back on the water. Four of these birds have been around for almost two months with the others joining over the last couple of weeks.

Arabian Red Fox – Dhahran

2024-11-28T04:00:00.001+03:00

When out walking around the edge of Dhahran Hills Waste-Water Lake recently I came across a single Arabian Red Fox, in a very deep depression area with large trees. The fox saw me immediately and ran away up the steep bank but I managed to get one in focus phot below. They are relatively common in Dhahran and can be seen most weeks of the year if you look in the right areas, particularly around Dhahran Hills golf course. They have very large ears to help dissipate the heat they encounter living in the hot climates of the Middle East as well as more fur between their toes to help them overcome heat issues associated with the ground the walk over.

Pipits on the Cricket & Football Fields – Dhahran Hills

2024-11-26T04:00:00.014+03:00

The numbers of Water Pipit have been building nicely over the last couple of weeks and now up to thirty can be seen on a single visit. They are not shy at all and allow very close approach even on foot. In the last few days a small number of Red-throated Pipit have joined them but these are not so tame and fly quickly when you try to approach them. A single Tawny Pipit was also seen, but not photographed, on a single day and they should become more common over the next few weeks.

Water Pipit

Red-throated Pipit

Now two Northern Lapwing - Dhahran Hills Football Fields

2024-11-24T04:00:00.001+03:00

The Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus that has been seen on and off on the Football Fields for a week has been joined by a second bird, but they remain very timid and fly as soon as anyone or anything gets close to them. Last weekend I managed to get a few more photos but again the birds stayed at the far side of the football field and flew when a Western Marsh Harrier flew over. They disappeared in the direction of the percolation Pond / Lake Lanhardt, where I saw one of the birds at the back of the lake. We have been wondering where the birds goas they only spend a few minutes each day on the football fields, so maybe they go to the lake regularly, as Eric and Alma saw at least one there at a different time to me. The Golf course is another area they may send time as this is off limits and can’t be checked properly.

Black-winged Kite – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-11-22T04:00:00.005+03:00

Whilst birding Dhahran Waste Water Lake in November I came across a Black-winged Kite in the very early morning sitting on the overhead power lines. The first record of Black-winged Kite for the Eastern Province was only found on 17 April 2012, but since then has become more common with birds seen in almost every month and every year since the first record and it is now regarded as a scarce visitor to the province. All birds sub-specifically identified in the east of the Kingdom are the eastern subspecies Elanus caeruleus vociferous a subspecies that occurs from Pakistan east to southern & eastern China, Indochina and the Malay Peninsula.

Some waders & gulls – Al Uqair

2024-11-20T04:00:00.000+03:00

Whilst birding at Al Uqair in November I photographed a few Greater Sand Plover on the edge of the Arabian Gulf. In Saudi Arabia it is an extremely rare breeding migrant, common passage migrant, common winter visitor occurring widely throughout Saudi Arabia on migration (Feb–Apr, Aug–Sep), especially on the coasts. A few Kentish Plover were also present along with a dark Phase Western Reef Heron. Apart from a few Socotra Cormorants about the only other birds were several Slender-billed Gull. A little further down the beach were Lesser Sand Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling and a few more Greater Sand Plover and Kentish Plover.

Slender-billed Gull

Kentish Plover

Greater Sand Plover

Heuglin’s Gulls – Al Uqair

2024-11-18T04:00:00.011+03:00

Whilst birding the Uqair in early November I went to an area of public beach where a few gulls have been seen in the last few years. Although initially there only appeared to be a few waders present we managed to locate six Large White-headed Gulls that appeared to be mainly Heuglin’s Gulls. One of the Heuglin’s Gulls was much darker plumaged than the others in the group but was not a Baltic Gull which would be even darker, typically showing no contrast between upperparts and primary ground colour. Heuglin’s Gull almost always shows extensive neck streaking and are in primary moult at this time of year. This is not the commonest Gull in Saudi Arabia, with about 8% to 10% of all LWHG being this taxon, with the majority being Steppe Gull.

Pallid Swifts increasing – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

2024-11-16T04:00:00.000+03:00

The number of Pallid Swift are still increasing in Dhahran, where now well over fifty birds are present in the early morning before moving off elsewhere as the day heats up. Pallid Swift is a migratory species that breed in southern Europe and northern Africa through Arabia to southern Iran and winter 3,000 km south and southwest in western Africa, from Senegal to South Sudan. In Saudi Arabia it is an uncommon breeding migrant that is common during certain periods. They are a northern breeding species in Saudi Arabia where birds occur north of Al Bahah and vacates its breeding areas mostly in June, but its subsequent movements, including its wintering destinations, are unknown. They feed by catching small flying insects, including ants, termites, flies, mosquitos and beetles and drink by dipping into water in flight.

First Water Pipits of winter – Dhahran Hills

2024-11-14T04:00:00.009+03:00

Birding the football and cricket fields in Dhahran Hills recently produced the first five Water Pipits of the winter. Numbers should now build up into February when up to fifty have been seen on these sites. This species is a common winter visitor occurring from October until April and the birds were happily feeding on the short grass of the fields. Although they are common in the Eastern Province, most records in Dhahran are of less than five. As I could drive the car close to the football pitch, I was able to get close to one bird with the others much further out on the fields.

Hypocolius – Al Uqair

2024-11-12T04:00:00.012+03:00

I went to Al Uqair in early November in the hope of seeing Hypocolius, a species that has wintered in the area the last few years. I saw over fifty birds with initially the birds being few and far between but as the sun rose they started flying in from other areas. They appeared to be mainly coming to drink from a small area of pools by the sea, where presumably there is some fresh water. Birds would gather in the trees near the water edge and then fly down to drink briefly before flying off. A few birds were continually calling their soft calls whilst in the trees. Hypocolius have been recorded at this location for the last four winters with the highest counts being 300 plus birds in December 2023.