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09 November 2013

Winter visitors building in numbers – Dhahran Hills


Birding is still quite slow this autumn and it is now getting late in the season. As a result winter visitors are still building in numbers with daily increases in the numbers of both Water Pipits and White Wagtails. Most of these birds are seen around the perimeter of the settling pond, in the spray fields and on the grassy playing fields. Over 100 birds of each species can now be seen whereas a month ago the first returning birds had not arrived. Mixed in with these birds are a few lingering Yellow Wagtails, birds that will depart soon to other areas.
Water Pipit
White Wagtail

Very few other migrants / winter visitors were seen with the exception of waders. Five Ruff are still on the settling pond with six Little Stints. Three Sand Martins were still catching insects over the settling pond and two Turkestan Shrikes were on the spray heads in the spray field.