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17 February 2016

Wintering White-throated Kingfisher still present – Deffi Park, Jubail

Phil and I went to Deffi Park, a large municipal park in Jubail on 12 February 2016. The park is an area of mature trees and nice grass areas but is popular with locals during the day. As a result we always arrive just before first light and look around and have found a few good birds over the years. The last time we visited on 22 January we found a White-throated Kingfisher in some trees next to a small stream and the bird was still present and calling loudly on 12 February, so appears to be wintering in the park. White-throated Kingfisher is a scarce bird to the Eastern Province of the Kingdom although they breed at Al Hair, Riyadh and appear to be coming more common in recent years. Other birds seen in the park included Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kingfisher, two Common Greenshanks and five Indian Reef Herons. Looking around the trees and grass areas of the park produced a number of wintering Chiffchaffs as well as a single Lesser Whitethroat.
White-throated Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank