Whilst birding Deffi Park I came across a White-throated Kingfisher a species that has now become resident in very small numbers in the Jubail area. White-throated Kingfisher was recently classed as a vagrant to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (Bundy et al 1989) with only two records, one at Dhahran 4-5 October 1984 and one overwintering at the Dhahran Hills percolation pond early November 1985 until March 1986. Since then, there have been many records in various places in the Eastern Province, including Deffi Park, with most birds seen in the Jubail to Dhahran areas. Birds now almost certainly breed in nearby Sabkhat Al Fasl, but they remain scarce and only a few records have been recorded from Deffi Park. This bird was seen by me a few weeks ago, so may well be wintering in the park.
