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.
