Common Kingfisher near Tabuk – Bird records by Viv Wilson

Viv has taken a nice series of photographs of Common Kingfisher from the main wetland near Tabuk that he has sent to me and kindly allowed me to use. The species is not easy to photograph from my experience and Viv has done well to capture the images shown below. The Common Kingfisher is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor to all coasts in Saudi Arabia. Most birds are seen at marshy and reed fringed freashwater sites close to the coast with most of the inland records from the Tabuk and Riyadh areas. I have not seen this species on my local ‘patch’ although a few records have been noted. They are common at Sabkhat Al Fasl and we have caught and ringed a number of birds there this year including birds wintering in February and the first trapped returning birds for winter 2014-2015 in October.