Isabelline Wheatear Returning - Sabkhat Al Fasl

Yesterday we went to Sabkhat Al Fasl and this time there was more water in the area as they had been filling it up for more than a week through two very large water pipes. The additional water was very attractive for waders and a good selection of species were seen including, Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Dunlin, Little Stint, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and a Single Marsh Sandpiper which was a new species for me in Saudi Arabia. Whilst scanning the waders we located an Isabelline Wheatear on the mud, which is the first retuning wheatear I have seen this autumn. We looked for the Egyptian Nightjar again in the same place but without luck today but on the way there we did see a Western Osprey with a large fish in its talons and a Caspian Tern flying over both of which were new species for me in Saudi Arabia. We also saw a juvenile Namaqua Dove indicating the species has bred in the area this year.

 Terek Sandpiper

 Terek Sandpiper

Ruddy Turnstone

Isabelline Wheatear

 Caspian Tern

 Namaqua Dove (Juvenile)