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10 April 2017

Beema Yellow Wagtail – Jubail

Whilst birdwatching the Jubail area recently I came across a very pale headed Sykse's  Yellow Wagtail beema amongst a number of Eastern Black-headed Wagtails. This bird is the palest headed beema I can remember seeing and was very active feeding along the edge of the flooded sabnha. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant through the whole of Arabia with many thousands passing through the Eastern Province alone. A number of different subspecies occur, often together, with Jubail being a particularly good area for seeing large groups. The first subspecies to occur are Black-headed Wagtails feldegg and these are then followed normally by Eastern Yellow Wagtail melanogrisea and then beema. This year has been no different with the first Black-headed Wagtails occurring in January and the first beema in early March. Numbers should now increase with more and more birds and subspecies occurring. Yellow Wagtails are quite confiding but trying to get really good photos is challenging as they are fast moving and you have to get the light in the correct position as well as try to get some catch-light in their eyes otherwise their dark eyes look ‘dead’. If you can manage this then they make great subjects as they are very beautifully plumaged birds.
beema Yellow Wagtail

beema Yellow Wagtail

beema Yellow Wagtail