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14 November 2020

Birding the Farasan Islands

Birdwatching on the Farasan Islands was excellent with very close views of birds possible due their lack of fear of humans. Great views of the common Greater Hoopoe Lark and Black-crowned Sparrow Lark were obtained with the views of the Sparrow-Lark probably better than anywhere else in the Kingdom I have seen them. The shoreline had numerous wader species in very good numbers with Crab Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Whimbrel and Kentish Plover seen. Other species seen included Sooty Gull, Pink-backed Pelican, Western Reef Heron and Western Osprey. Inland and in the mangroves were Purple Heron, Barn Swallow, Egyptian Vulture, Common Cuckoo, Graceful Prinia and Black Scrub Robin.
Bar-tailed Godwits
Bar-tailed Godwits
Black-crowned Sparrow Lark
Black-crowned Sparrow Lark
Black Scrub Robin
Black Scrub Robin
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Crab Plover
Crab Plover 
Graceful Prinia
Graceful Prinia
Greater Hoope-lark
Greater Hoope-lark
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Pied Oystercatcher
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Purple Heron
Purple Heron
Western Osprey