Whilst Arnold Uy was birding the Al
Asfar Lake area of Al Hassa he saw a Short-toed Snake Eagle. The bird was seen
hovering and later perched on some power lines. This is a good record as in the
Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia the species is a scarce migrant and winter
visitor and has only been recorded since 1979 although birds have been seen in
all months of the year except July and August. Most records have occurred in
March and October & November suggesting most birds just pass through the
area although single records in December to February show some birds may winter
here. Birds have been seen from the Dibdibah, Nariya and Manifa in the north to
Haradh and Jawb on the edge of the Rub’ al-Khali in the south. I have seen a
few birds whilst being in Saudi Arabia in the Eastern Province including a
second calendar year, Dhahran Hills, 31st March 2011, two juveniles, Dhahran
Hills, 22nd October 2011, a second calendar year, Dhahran Hills, 11th February
2012 and a second calendar year, Dhahran Hills, 26th March 2013 and one Ash
Shargiyah Development Company Farm, near Jubail on 11 September 2015. I thank
Arnold for allowing me to use his photographs shown below on my website.
