Pages

23 November 2016

Western Osprey at Al Asfar Lake – Records by Arnoly Uy

Arnold Uy was birding at Al Asfar Lake near Al Hassa when he came across a Western Osprey. Birds are most often seen near the ocast but this record was well inland. Western Osprey is uncommon at the location and is a regular passage migrant as well as resident breeding species in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Birds breed on islands and all coasts of the Kingdom where they are also a migrant sometimes occurring far inland. Birds of the Riyadh Region by Stagg 1994 mentions it is a passage migrant and winter visitor, in small numbers, that passes from March to April then again in September and October.