Good numbers of pipits - Dhahran Hills

The 'patch' was devoid of all the good birds from yesterday with no sign of the five Greater Spotted Eagles or the two Ferruginous Ducks at the pond. The pond did have a couple of birds of prey with a single Western Osprey and one Eurasian Sparrowhawk present. The only other birds of interest on the pond were a Squacco Heron, one Great Crested Grebe, one Slender-billed Gull and three Mallards. The spray fields were quiet but I had really nice views in the late evening of a Corn Bunting at the side of the fields, which is an uncommon to scarce bird in the area. The best area recently has been the settling ponds where good numbers of waders have been present with one Common Greenshank, one Common Redshank, five Little Stints, four Wood Sandpipers and three Common Snipes. The rough area just outside the fence to the settling pond had 50+ Water Pipits and a Red-throated Pipit along with 10+ White Wagtails and the Water Pipits (at least 70) were seen going to roost in the reeds at the percolation pond in the late evening.

Water Pipit - A. s. coutelli