Whilst birding the Sarrar area at then end of February
I found a singing Corn Bunting. I could hear the bird singing but could not
locate it, but after some time and moving around to try to pinpoint it I saw it
at the edge of a large pivot irrigation field sitting on the ground. The Corn
Bunting is an uncommon and irregular winter visitor to the Eastern Province and
a bird I see infrequently. Although I have seen birds in Dhahran I mostly see
them in the large pivot fields to the north around Qaryat Al Ulya Qaryat. This
bird was well south if these fields showing that they can be found around any
pivot field in the winter if conditions are right. The bird was very happy
singing and allowed close approach and was even in the same place thirty
minutes later when I went past the area again.
