At the end of December, we visited Haradh in the hope of seeing some good birds on the pivot irrigation fields. This are used to have hundreds of green pivot fields but the government restriction on water usage has shut many of the fields down with only about ten fields being green and all growing either grass or wheat. The lack of suitable habitat for birds has caused a significant drop-in activity with very few birds seen. Desert and Isabelline Wheatear are still both common as is Crested Lark which is probably the commonest species of all. We saw seven harriers in a field in the late afternoon, four Pallid Harriers (immature and three adult males) but also a Montague’s Harrier and a male and female Western Marsh Harrier. The best birds seen were two Meadow Pipits, a Spur-winged Lapwing and a Greater Hoopoe-Lark. The area is not attractive to birds now and thus makes the long three hour journey each way not a good use of time and money anymore and I will be restricting my visits to the area in future.
Sunrise - Haradh 
Sunrise - Haradh
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| Western Marsh Harrier - male |
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| White Wagtail |
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| Crested Lark |
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| Crested Lark |
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| Crested Lark |
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| Crested Lark |
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| Desert Wheatear - male |
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| Desert Wheatear - male |