Sabkhat Al Fasl

Another very early trip to Sabkhat Al Fasl and luckily there were no shooters present today. Maybe they knew something as the number of birds were considerably less than normal although there was still plenty to look at. The first bird I saw, as is often the case, was a juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle sitting on one of the street light posts. There were quite a few birds of prey about today with another two Greater Spotted Eagles both of which were adults, two adult Steppe Eagles and 10 Western Marsh Harriers. A few passerines were about with a Red-throated Pipit and two Water Pipits being the first of each species I have seen this autumn in Saudi Arabia. 20+ Blue-cheeked Bee-eater were making short work of the really annoying Horse Flys that frequent Sabkhat, four Daurian Shrike, two Turkestan Shrike, one European Stonechat, 10 White Wagtail and two Yellow Wagtail. Waders included 500+ Dunlin, 1000+ Little Stint, 200+ Black-winged Stilt, 50+ Common Redshank and 20+ Common Ringed Plover. Three Caspian Tern and a single Gull-billed Tern were flying about and at least six Common Kingfisher were seen.

 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

 European Stonechat

 Common Kingfisher

 Common Kingfisher

 Common Morehen

 Purple Swamphen

Squacco Heron