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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| Pallid Harrier |
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| Pallid Harrier |
Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia
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24 February 2018
Winter Harriers - Haradh
Whilst birding the NADAC Farm area of
Haradh recently 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
and good views are needed. Montagu’s Harrier 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. Pallid Harrier is a much more common species than Montagu’s
Harrier with the species an uncommon passage migrant from late February to
early May and again from September through November. Haradh is the best
locality for seeing the species and previously during winter almost all records
refer to adult males over cultivated fields, although now females appear to
outnumber males.