September on the Cricket Field – Dhahran Hills

September is a good month to check the cricket fields in the evening as they are watered thoroughly and the soft ground attracts numerous species of birds. A female Common Kestrel was around for most of the month, normally perched on the floodlights but occasionally dropping down to feed on the ground. Much more common species were Eurasian Collared Dove and Crested Lark with tens of birds scattered around the playing area. Waders were made up of Eurasian Whimbrel & Ruff whilst flyovers of note included a few groups of Rose-ringed Parakeet and an Osprey that was only ever seen as the sun was setting.

Common Kestrel

Common Kestrel

Crested Lark

Eurasian Collared Dove

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

Ruff

Osprey

Osprey

September waders – Jubail

My last visit to Jubail turned up a few waders, but nothing unusual was in amongst them. It is a great location for getting close to the birds, but the harsh sunlight makes getting good photos a challenge, as I normally go to this location after having spent the best early morning hours looking for migrants. The number of waders feeding along the edge of the sabkha was not too high compared to the numbers in August but there were plenty of Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover & Little Stint, with a couple of Dunlin and a single Ruddy Turnstone. On the way to the location, I saw a photographed a single Eurasian Curlew, but the light was not good, although the bird was close. 

Black-winged Stilt

Eurasian Curlew

Eurasian Curlew

Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover

Little Stint

Little Stint

Little Stint

Ruddy Turnstone

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

Western Cattle Egret – Dhahran Hills

The first returning Western Cattle Egrets around the camp occurred in late August with up to five now present in September. Good views can be had of the birds as they feed along the roadside grass verges, or on the cricket field or football pitches, finding insects in the soft ground after the grass has been watered. You can get close to the birds on foot but if you stay in the car they often walk very close by. The species is a common passage migrant and winter visitor to Saudi Arabia with numbers increasing markedly over the last twenty years. Birds at this time of year are mainly in winter plumage although as can be seen in the below photos not all birds are like this. 

Collared Pratincoles – Dhahran Cricket Field

Below are a few photos of the three Collared Pratincoles that have frequented the cricket field in the last few days. Originally only a single bird was present, but it was joined by two juveniles on its second day, all of which stayed for a few days before departing. I tried to get photos of birds on the ground as well as in flight to check the wing pattern, especially the underwing and pale trailing ende to the secondaries, to confirm as Collared Pratincole. The birds were quite tame and allowed reasonably close approach, only walking off slowly when approached. Occasionally one would hop or fly a short distance to catch an insect (mainly beetle) and on two occasions one flew a greater distance when disturbed by a runner. My flight shots did not turn out too well, and I did not want to disturb them to get more, so will need to wait till another occasion for the good flight photo.

Yellow Wagtails – Dhahran Hills

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills Cricket Field in mid-September I found a few Yellow Wagtails allowing close views and photos to be taken. They varied in plumage considerably and there was more than one sub-species present. The Yellow Wagtail is a common passage migrant with various subspecies occurring but they are much commoner in the spring than the autumn. Autumn numbers are still relatively high with tens of birds generally seen during the migration period from late August until late October. This is the first time I have seen so many on the Cricket Field and will keep looking over the next few weeks to see if anything interesting turns up amongst them.