Whilst birding the local farms at Zulfi on 21
November Mohammad Al Mohatresh found a Fieldfare Turdus pilaris and managed to get a couple of photos of it which he
has very kindly allowed me to use on my website. Fieldfare is a rare winter
visitor to Saudi Arabia with the following records the only ones I know of: In
the north of Saudi Arabia they have been seen at Harrat al Harrah Reserve a
winter visitor in November. In the northwest one was in a small park in Yanbu
16 December 1988 and two 6 January to 23 February 1989. One was in a small park
in Yanbu 29 March 1990 and one was seen near Tabuk. In the Eastern Province one
was at Dhahran 23 November until 19 December 1973 one 23 January 1976 and two 5
March 1976. One was at Jubail near the Holiday Inn on 3 December 1991. One
Dhahran Hills spray fields 26-27 April 2014. The timing of Mohammad’s record
fits in nicely with those from at Harrat al Harrah Reserve so it appears that
November in the north of the Kingdom is the best bet for finding the species
although records have been so few it will probably take someone looking a long
time to turn one up? I thank Mansur Al Fahad for sending me the details and for
getting permission from Mohammad to use his photos. Mansur and Mohammad are
turning up some very good birds in their area showing that if you put in the
effort and have the knowledge you can find good birds throughout the Kingdom –
well done guys.
