On Phil and my
November trip to the north of the Province on 21 November, we stopped at Jabal
Nayriyyah to see if we could see Desert Larks and Eastern Morning Wheatear that
are regularly see there. We did not see either species but I did find a
Finsch’s Wheatear below one of the Jebals. It was very flighty and would not
allow close approach but following it about for some time and careful study
showed it to be this species, with the white down the back and the ‘T’ like tail
pattern diagnostic. This was only the second time I have seen the species in
Saudi Arabia and it was a new bird for Phil so we were very happy with the
stop. Very little else was seen here apart from an Asian Desert Warbler and an
Isabelline Wheatear along with a Red-tailed Wheatear. I have only seen
Red-tailed Wheatear in one site before in Saudi Arabia and this was my local
‘patch’. Finsch’s Wheatear is a rare to uncommon
winter visitor to the Northern Hejaz, Tabuk, Northern Deserts, Summan Plateau and
the northern part of the Eastern Province.
