Phil and I went to
some extensive palm groves in a little village called Al Khafah near Nairyah
looking for Hypocolius a species I am yet to see in Saudi Arabia. We had no
luck with the Hypocolius but found a nice Eastern Black Redstart in the palm
plantation. The bird was calling continuously with another calling nearby and
although quite difficult to see I managed a single photograph of the bird where
it can be seen in is an Eastern Black Redstart a species that is not commonly
seen by us. This was in fact Phil’s first record for the Eastern Province and I
have only seen then twice in Dhahran. Phil did, however, find another one in
Dhahran the next day. The species is regarded as an uncommon migrant and winter visitor most areas of Saudi
Arabia that is a common winter visitor to the western mountains of Hejaz and
Asir. Most records are of the eastern race Eastern Black Redstart P.
o. phoenicuroides although Western Black Redstart also occurs in very small
numbers.
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| Eastern Black Redstart |
Other birds seen included a female Desert Wheatear, two Siberian Stonechats and a very late Quail flushed from the rank grass growing under some palms. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk flushed all the roosting doves from the plantation at one stage but very little else was seen.
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| Desert Wheatear - female |