Dave Kilmister saw a White-throated Kingfisher at Sabkhat Al-Fasl on 27 December 2013. He was in excellent condition, but timid as always and was perched on a reed in a pond under some power-lines; all I could see was the red bill. He flew off before I could get a photo, but then perched on the power lines overhead for me where I took a photo (see below). Dave has kindly allowed me permission to use his photo on my website. There were also a flock of six Common Shelducks on the first, recently filled, evaporation ponds under the power-lines, which are a regular winter visitor to this site but rare elsewhere in Saudi Arabia.
This is the third sighting of White-throated Kingfisher at this site with the first on 31 August and the second in November. As the species is rare in the Eastern Province these sightings may all refer to the same bird wintering at the site which has happened in previous years. Dave also saw one at Qaryat Al-Oraya on 27 September 2013.
