Western Marsh Harrier - Sabkhat Al Fasl

A trip to Sabkhat Al Fasl was fairly quite bird wise. There are plenty of White-cheeked Terns at the site this year indicating they have had a good breeding season, with hundreds of adults and plenty of juveniles. Last year only a few birds were seen. Probably the best bird of the day was a female Western Marsh Harrier seen sitting in the reeds at the back of the site. Eight White-winged Terns were seen at two different places with three at the back of the site and five on the main sabkhat area. No Egyptian Nightjars were seen today which is the first time for a month but, hopefully, more will be seen in the next few weeks.


White-cheeked Tern - juvenile



White-cheeked Tern - adult



Western Marsh Harrier  female

 There were a few more waders today than normal, with my first Marsh Sandpiper of the year. There were many more Lesser Sand Plovers and over 50 Terek Sandpipers which is a very high count. Four Green Sandpipers were on the main scrape with a Little Ringed Plover and a few Little Stints and a Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin was seen at the edge of the main reed bed, in an area where it may well have bred as I have seen one in this area over the entire summer. Migrants included two Eurasian Hoopoes & ten Barn Swallows. A few Little Grebes & Purple Swamphens were scattered around and a Little Bittern was seen flying over the reeds but very little else was seen.


Little Ringed Plover



Little Stint

Little Grebe