Birds of Saudi Arabia: Birding Aqua Park

Phil Roberts and I went to Aqua Park to see if the cold weather had brought any birds down. We arrived at first light and walked to the end of the park where we saw a Eurasian Sparrowhawk in an aerial battle with a Common Kestrel. We also saw a Western Marsh Harrier in the same area along with two Common House Martins. We then went to the waterside where I saw a Pied Kingfisher flying down the estuary as well as a Striated Heron, an unusual bird in the Eastern Province. Also flying over the water were a few Slender-billed Gulls, a Squacco Heron and a Western Great Egret. On the water itself were three Greater Flamingo and three Eurasian Spoonbill. Further down the park in a tree on the edge of the water we found four Pied Kingfisher along with presumably the same Striate Heron as seen earlier in flight. A small group of Spanish Sparrow were in the reeds along with Clamorous Reed Warbler. At least one but probably two Masked Shrike was in the park as were two Eurasian Hoopoe.