A good days
birding was had at Sabkaht Al Fasl last Friday with a scattering of migrants
and the highest ever Saudi Arabian count of Egyptian Nightjars (see previous
post). A flock of 20 Garganey flew over, along with three Northern Shoveller,
but the commonest migrants were Barn Swallows and Sand Martins with tens of
each. Small groups of European Bee-eaters passed over most of the morning and
two Great Reed Warblers were also seen at the edge of the reed beds and nearby
scrub. The majority of birds seen were herons and waders with good numbers of
Squacco Heron, Grey Heron and Indian Reef Heron and a group of eleven Eurasian
Spoonbills, a very large group for the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Waders
included 2000+ Black-winged Stilts, 1000+ Kentish Plovers, 1000+ Little Stints
and 100+ Curlew Sandpipers. Lesser numbers of Common Ringed Plovers, Greater
Sand Plovers, Lesser Sand Plovers, Marsh Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plovers and
Dunlin were seen as were a single Temminck’s Stint, one Pied Avocet and one
juvenile Collared Pratincole. A single Sanderling was also seen a new species
for the site for both Phil and I along with large numbers of Little Terns,
Caspian Terns and Gull-billed Terns. A good return of scarce and unusual
species were seen making it a very good days birding especially as it is only
mid-August.
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| European Bee-eater |
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| Great Reed Warbler |
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| Greater Sand Plover |
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| Greater Sand Plover |
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| Pied Avocet |
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| Sanderling |
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| Caspian Tern |