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27 June 2015

Dideric Cuckoo a new Saudi Arabian species for me – Raydah Escarpment

Whilst birding with Phil in the farm area at the bottom of the Raydah Escarpment I heard a Dideric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius calling nearby. Luckily I had the window open and knew the call so we stopped the car and started looking for the bird. As it was very vocal we soon located it sitting high in a tree but it soon moved to a more convenient lower bush allowing some good photos to be taken of it. The Diderick Cuckoo is a summer visitor to southwest Saudi Arabia where it parasitizes Rüppell's weaver. They were thought to be vagrants to the area but recently birds have been seen near Tendaha dam 5 July 2010, Abha area 20 July 2010, As Sudah 5 July 2013 and Wadi Jaw June 2015 so are probably a scarce summer visitor to the high mountains of southwest Saudi Arabia. This was a new species for me in Saudi Arabia and this combined with the fact I got some good photographs made for a rewarding sighting.
Dideric Cuckoo

Dideric Cuckoo

Dideric Cuckoo

Dideric Cuckoo

Dideric Cuckoo