On 17 May Dave visited Jabal Nariyah, then drove south past Nariyah to As-Sarrar. “There was a Pharaoh Eagle Owl at the Jabal, and a trio of Brown-necked Ravens. Apart from that, the birding was quiet. The pivot fields at Qaryat Al-Olaya are far more accessible and the large lakes had dried out already. I did see my first Arabian Spiny-tail Lizard though, so I was happy”.
 |
| Pharaoh Eagle Owl |
A couple of weeks ago Dave went to Ash Sharqiyah Development although it was very windy. Dave did not see a single raptor, and there was nothing on the lakes. “There were a lot of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and I saw a single European Bee-eater (though very unlikely to have been alone), which was a first for me at the farm. Some of the less-common birds were a Masked Shrike, a flock of Wood Sandpipers on a pivot field, and a single Yellow Wagtail. There was a pair of European Rollers, and a Blackcap and a Redstart. I confirmed that the sparrows nesting are Spanish Sparrows, much quieter now and not carrying nest material so I presume they are brooding. I got a photo of a Common Quail (well, it’s head at least) and a Willow Warbler.
 |
| Common Quail |
 |
| Willow Warbler |