Whilst
birdwatching the Jubail area at the end of March I saw a lot of good birds and
plenty of migrants. Unfortunately the weather was very poor and photography was
difficult so most species remained un-photographed. The weather this winter has
been very wet and windy and the morning drive to Jubail was through a huge
thunderstorm with plenty of rain. Luckily on arrival the rain stopped but the
light remained poor. Good migrants seen included four Collared Pratincoles, a
Wryneck, four Savi’s Warblers, a male Pallid Harrier, male Lesser Kestrel,
Baillon’s Crake, Spotted Crake and plenty of Pallid Swifts, Barn Swallows and
Sand Martins. The Lesser Kestrel was a new site species for me, which was
great. Waders seen included Pied Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Common
Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Common
Snipe and Little Stint. There were still at least four Greater Spotted Eagles
and ten plus Western Marsh Harriers but these species should be moving off in
the next week or two. Herons were common with Squacco Herons, Grey Herons,
Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and a single Purple Heron seen. A number of pipits
were located at several sites mainly Red-throated and Tree Pipits and Turkestan
and Daurian Shrikes were still common.
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| Common Sandpiper |
 |
| Little Ringed Plover |
 |
| Little Tern |
 |
| Turkestan Shrike |
 |
| Blue-headed Wagtail |
 |
| Squacco Heron |
 |
| Squacco Heron |