Birds of Saudi Arabia: Plenty of birds caught whilst ringing

The last two weekends we have caught plenty of birds at Sabkhat Al Fasl and are now averaging well over thirty birds per session with 43 caught and ringed on 27 March. Most birds, as always, were common reed loving species such as Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warblers, Caspian Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers but we also caught a few scarcer species such as five Savi’s Warblers and a Common Grasshopper Warbler on 27 March, indicating a small fall of Locustella warblers had occurred. As mentioned previously the Savi’s Warbler previously had a status as a scarce passage migrant but we have now caught nine different birds in just over a year ringing at this site showing the species is in fact an uncommon passage migrant through the Eastern Province at least. We are still catching small numbers of Common Chiffchaff, Red-spotted Bluethroat and Common Kingfisher, three wintering species that will be leaving the region in the next few days/weeks. Passage migrants are also being caught including both, Daurian and Turkestan Shrikes, the first Willow Warbler of the spring on 27 March, Meneteris’s Warbler and Eurasian Blackcap. Other birds caught are breeding residents such as Little Bittern, House Sparrow and Graceful Prinia.