Birds of Saudi Arabia: Western Osprey & more at Sabkhat Al Fasl

Phil Roberts was birding Sabkhta Al Fasl the other weekend when he came across a Western Osprey siting on the tarmac road near the power station. The bird flew before he could get too close but luckily flew around and came back right overhead before flying off. Western Osprey is uncommon at the location and is a regular passage migrant as well as resident breeding species in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Birds breed on islands and all coasts of the Kingdom where they are also a migrant sometimes occurring far inland. Birds of the Riyadh Region by Stagg 1994 mentions it is a passage migrant and winter visitor, in small numbers, that passes from March to April then again in September and October. Phil also saw eight European Bee-eaters, one White-throated Robin (his first record for the site), one Northern Wheatear, five Common Redstarts, one late Daurian Shrike, two Turkestan Shrikes, one Common Quail, 41 Tree Pipits, seven Red-throated Pipits, two Western Ospreys, four Common Snipes, 35 Little Terns, 14 White-winged Terns, one Whinchat, one Western Cattle Egret and an Arabian Red Fox a species that is not commonly seen at the location. Phil kindly sent me a few of his photos taken whilst there and has allowed me to use them on my website.