Whilst birding the NADAC Farm area of
Haradh 20 October I saw plenty of Harriers including at minimum of two
Montagu’s Harriers over the pivot irrigation fields. Male Montagu’s Harriers
are easily identified by their upperwing pattern amongst other details but
Juvenile and female Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers are difficult to identify
with certainty at times and good views are needed. Face pattern and neck collar
amongst other features are useful for identification on perched birds where the
underwing cannot be seen. The birds were mainly at some distance but luckily one
was found under a bush resting from the still very high temperatures. Normally the birds fly well before getting close to them but this one stayed and allowed close approach but as it was in the shade the light was not too good for very good photos. Birds are
uncommon passage migrants in the Eastern Province mainly from April to May and
from September to October with a few birds apparently wintering and up to eight
seen in a day at Haradh in September. Birds of the Riyadh Region by Stagg 1994,
says they are a common passage migrant and increasingly frequent winter visitor
that passes March and again late August to mid-October. Since 1988, winter
visitors have taken up residence around alfalfa fields south of Riyadh during
December and January. Other records have come from all areas from the southwest
to the northeast of the Kingdom although the species is not common anywhere.
