Birds of Saudi Arabia: Striated Herons and more

Whilst birding Al Qahma Mangroves on 28 – 29 June 2015 I saw plenty of good resident water birds. Al Qahma is between Al Shuqaiq and Al Birk on the Red Sea coast and is north of Jizan. The area is an extensive mangrove forest and is a place where I have previously seen Collared Kingfishers. This time was no different with a minimum of six birds seen as well as heard calling. Birds call from the mangroves at the side of the bay just as it is getting light but continue calling intermittently all through the day. Birds also fly inland and can be seen sitting in the tall mangroves away from the lagoon at times. The other bird of note seen were two Mangrove White-eyes, a new location for this as yet name bird that is either a mangrove dwelling version of Abyssinian White-eye or a new species to science. A few other interesting birds were seen in the mangroves including Mangrove Warblers, Clamorous Reed Warblers, Ruppell’s Weavers and African Collared Doves and Yellow-billed Kite and Black-crowned Sparrow Lark were seen on the Sabkha nearby. Along the water edge I also saw six Crab Plovers, Common Redshanks, Sooty Gulls, Pink-backed Pelicans and Striated Herons including adults and juveniles.