Whilst birding the Haradh area I found a Pied
Wheatear. The bird was very tame suggesting it was a tiered newly arrived
migrant and it spent most of its time busily catching insects. There were
plenty of other migrants seen in the same area meaning the strong winds and
very cod weather may have persuaded a few birds to start their spring migration
early. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
is a common spring migrant that is less common in autumn. Most years birds are
recorded in spring between early February and Mid-May, peaking in March and in
autumn from late August to mid-November commonest in second half of September. The
Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) stated they were a common spring
migrant, less common in autumn. Passes early January to early April and again
from September to early November. The spring movement peaks during late
February and early March then reduces to a trickle. Occasionally recorded in
December.
