Whilst birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl on 4 July we found
two male Black-headed Wagtails and a female. This is an unusual time of year to
see the species in Saudi Arabia and indicates the birds may be breeding or attempting
to do so at the site this year? Per Anders Bertilsson found a breeding pair of
Yellow Wagtails in July 2000 at The Al Safi Dairy Farm, near Riyadh when he saw
3 recently fledged juveniles, being repeatedly fed by adult birds. This was the
first known breeding of Yellow Wagtail in Arabia (Phoenix Number 20 January
2004). It will be great if we seen juveniles here during the next couple of
months and can prove breeding here. Black-headed Wagtails breed near water
throughout their breeding range, so Sabkhat Al Fasl is a suitable breeding
site. A possible breeding occurrence happened in the Eastern Province at a
sewage lagoon when birds were seen in late May and June. Elsewhere in Arabia the only other breeding record occurred in Dubai, so this will be a good record if it can be proved. The below photographs show both the male birds seen. Adult birds remained being seen at the site until 18 July at least with the birds seen this date the last two photographs.
