Birds of Saudi Arabia: The typical fare

23 March 2015

The typical fare – Sabkhat Al Fasl

Whilst ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl we caught and ringed the normal fare but in greater numbers than normal. We caught 44 birds which was the highest number we have caught in a single ringing session either in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia so we were happy with the results. We set eight 18 metre five panel nets, two 15 metre five panel nets and two 12 metre two panel nets making a total of 198 metre of nets. We caught two re-trapped Red-spotted Bluethroats from early January and a re-trapped Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warbler from November 2014 all of which were ringed by us at the same site. The birds were a selection of resident, wintering and migrants and included resident Graceful Prinia, House Sparrows and Indian Reed Warblers, wintering Red-spotted Bluthroats, Water Pipits and Common Kingfishers and passage migrants such as Caspian (Eurasian) Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers. Sedge Warblers are true passage migrants whilst Caspian Reed Warblers stay through the summer to breed. Most Common Kingfishers we catch are females as was the case this time but we did catch a single male bird as well. The Bluethroats as well as the Water Pipits are coming into nice spring plumage at the moment and hopefully they will stay for a few more weeks until they are in really good plumage.