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12 April 2020

Black-winged Kite – Mulayjah

On the 13 March 2020 Phil and I found an adult Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus, at Mulayjah near Nayriyah which was only the six record for the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The first two birds were also adults present at Dhahran Hills from 29 March to 17 April 2012, Dhahran Hills 20 April 2014, Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm, Fadhili, near Jubail 4 September 2015 with the other records from Khafra Marsh in the last two years. Its status in Saudi Arabia as a whole is a rare visitor and this bird was initially seen sitting in some trees. It did not stay long and then flew off towards a group of date palms and could not be relocated. The light was bad by the time we saw the bird as it was early afternoon with the below photos the best I managed.
Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite