I went birding to Jubail in mid-November
and came across a number of winter visitors most of which I failed to photograph.
I saw hundreds of Greater Cormorants of a flood sabkha area. This species was
previously uncommon in Jubail but the last few years thousands of birds winter
here and on the coast. Other winter visitors seen for the first time this
winter included small numbers of Eurasian Starlings, Black Redstart (a first
for the site for me), Eastern Stonechat and Water Pipits. Wintering Great White
Egrets are building in numbers with over a hundred birds seen in various areas
and this combined with Pied Kingfisher, Greater Spotted Eagles, Greater
Flamingos, Western Marsh Harriers and a European Robin seen by Mohammed AlRuqaya, but unfortunately not me, all made for a wintery
feel especially as the temperature did not get above 14 degrees Centigrade all
morning. As always at this site a few Grey-headed Swamphens were seen some
giving very good views.
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| Great Cormorants |
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| Western Great Egrets |
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| Greater Flamingo |
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| Greater Flamingo |
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| Greater Flamingos |
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| Eastern Stonechat |
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| Grey-headed Swamphen |
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| Grey-headed Swamphen |