Whilst ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl 23
February 2018 we trapped and ringed two Savi’s Warlers. These birds were the
earliest ones we have ringed in Saudi Arabia with the previous records
including eight birds from 20 March until 18 April and six in the autumn from
23 September until 24 October. Savi’s Warbler previously had a status, until
this ringing project, as a scarce passage migrant but our ringing records show
the species is in fact an uncommon passage migrant through the Eastern Province
of the Kingdom at least. The subspecies fuscus we get in the Eastern
Province of Saudi Arabia is darker coloured, has more obvious under-tail covert
tips and some streaking/spotting on the throat making it look more like a River
Warbler than the nominate subspecies. The throat markings are not as dark and
well defined and the undertail coverts more warm toned than in River Warbler
and the supercilium is more obvious behind the eye. This record shows Savi’s
Warblers occur on spring migration from late February onwards and this is
backed up by a record of mine of three heard reeling in late February 2016.
