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22 February 2017

Winter visitors and passage migrants – Haradh

Phil Roberts and I went to Haradh recently and found plenty of good birds despite the temperature being 1 degrees Celsius the coldest day for many years in the region as well as a bitingly cold northerly wind. Some birds were winter visitors such as Mallard, Northern Lapwing, Desert Wheatear, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Tawny Pipit whilst others were spring migrants such as Common Redstart, Common Chiffchaff, Mauryan Grey Shirke. We also saw a few interesting resident species such as Long-legged Buzzard, Spur-winged Plovers that appear to have colonized the pivot irrigation and farm areas of Haradh in recent years as well as Spanish Sparrows and Namaqua Doves. A few winter harriers were still present including Marsh Harrier and Pallid Harrier and there were plenty of Common Kestrels as well.
Mauryan Grey Shrike
Mauryan Grey Shrike
Desert Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Eastern Imperial Eagle
Eastern Imperial Eagle
Greater Hoopoe Lark
Greater Hoopoe Lark
Mallard
Mallard
Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Tawny Pipit
Tawny Pipit