Whilst birding Khafra Marsh in December we came across a small wet ditch which held a few interesting birds including a number of Water Pipit and a smart Citrine Wagtail that flew up and landed in a nearby tree allowing good views and some photographs to be taken. Citrine Wagtail is a regular though local winter visitor to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia that was not seen until 1975. I have seen quite a few in the last few years indicating the species is becoming more common in the region, particularly as they are not so difficult to identify in full breeding plumage. They are almost always found near water and favour feeding on wet roadside puddles, but are not the easiest species to photograph as they are quite nervous and flighty and rarely stay still for long. March appears to be a month when passage occurs through the region as more birds are seen during this month than any other although they can be seen at any time from autumn through winter until spring. Water Pipit is a common wintering species in the area and occurs widely throughout the Kingdom. Birds generally arrive in late October and stay until April. They also favour wet areas and can be locally common.
 |
| Water Pipit |
 |
| Citrine Wagtail |
 |
| Citrine Wagtail |
