Lorna sent me a weekly update from KFUPM in Dhahran saying “Not too much in the way of news this past week on campus, like you more female than male Red-backed Shrike and still a fair number of Warblers around. Less Spotted Flycatchers and indeed lower numbers of passage migrants generally. More Swifts than Swallows and still Bee-eaters from time to time, I saw eight on 18 May. The Golden Orioles though have continued to be a presence here over the past week, greatly diminished in numbers but I have seen them every day, every time I've been out in fact. Most days between two and six birds at a time, 14 passing over my head one evening a few days ago. All I can say with certainty recently is that there is one male who has been singing each morning”.
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Red-backed Shrike - male |