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25 November 2015

Some good birds - Sabkhat Al Fasl

A days birding at Sabkhat Al Fasl rather than ringing, as the ringing was canclled due to strong winds, produced a number of good birds. A few interesting waders were seen but numbers were quite low. Dunlin was probably the most common with some birds feeding on small wetland pools well away from the main flooded sabkhat area. Little Stints were also seen in reasonable numbers with Marsh Sandpipers and Grey Plovers in single figures. Resident birds seen included Grey-headed Swamphens, a species that is guaranteed at this location but at no other in the Kingdom and Long-legged Buzzard a breeding resident that is rarely seen at the site. There has been one seen hanging around for the last few weeks with the bird I saw presumably the same bird. European Stonechats were seen in a couple of places with plenty of Western Great Egrets on the main flooded sabkha. A male Northern Pintail was seen but soon disappeared with plenty of Squacco Herons also in the wet areas where the Northern Pintail was seen. I also saw a couple of small flocks of 20+ Spanish Sparrows, birds that have started occurring in small groups in the winter at this site in the last three years.
Dunlin
Dunlin
Little Stint
Little Stint
Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
Grey Plover
Grey Plover
Grey-Headed Swamphen
Grey-Headed Swamphen
Northern Pintail - male
Northern Pintail - male
Western Great Egret
Western Great Egret
Long-legged Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Squacco Heron
Squacco Heron
Spanish Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow