The winter has been very poor in Saudi Arabia for
birds so far with my last few visits to Sabkhat Al Fasl producing very little.
The trip Phil and I made last weekend was a better days birding, although we
failed to find anything significant. We had six Greater Spotted Eagles which
although a low number for recent winters is the highest number I have seen at
the site this winter. Most birds were distant but one bird flew right overhead
giving good views. Other birds of prey included two Eurasian Sparrowhawks and
10+ Western Marsh Harriers including a fine adult male.
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| Greater Spotted Eagle |
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| Greater Spotted Eagle |
Clamorous Reed Warblers were singing loudly at every
patch of reeds we passed and must have a very high breeding density here.
Plenty of Common Chiffchaffs were seen and heard in the reeds and a male
Daurian Shrike was also hunting from the tall reed stems. A few terns were
flying over the reed beds with most Caspian Terns but one Gull-billed Tern was
also seen.
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| Clamorous Reed Warbler |
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| Clamorous Reed Warbler |
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| Common Chiffchaff |
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| Daurian Shrike |
Down by the scrape area we had a couple of Song
Thrushes one of which stayed long enough for a distant photo. This is the first
time I have photographed the species at this location as although I have seen
them there before they are shy and retiring birds. In this same area a couple
of European Stonechats and two North Caspian Taxon Stonechats were seen and
hundreds of Water Pipits were also present. About four Bluethroats were seen
with one being a fine Red-spotted male and all were seen above ground level in
the red beds.
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| Song Thrush |
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| North Caspian Taxon Stonechat |
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| Red-spotted Bluethroat |
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| Water Pipit - coutelli |
Other birds seen included a large number of Western
Great Egrets (20+), two Common Kingfishers, four Common Snipe, twenty Squacco
Herons, 14 Western Cattle Egrets, 20+ Little Egrets, one Kentish Plover, one
Green Sandpiper and a couple of Little Grebes. Approximately 5000 Greater
Flamingos were present on the flooded sabkha which is still at a very high
level after all the winter rain. The Flamingos, as can be seen from the
photograph below, are wading in the water up to their bellies which is an
unusual sight.
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| Greater Flamingo |