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13 October 2023

Juvenile Western Osprey – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Dhahran Waste Water Lake in September and October I came across a juvenile Osprey a few times and eventually managed to get a few decent photographs of the bird. Initially it was seen perched at the ned of the lake but would not allow close approach, with the photos taken below at a time when it was fishing for Talapia. Osprey is uncommon at the location but is a regular passage migrant as well as resident breeding species in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Birds breed on islands along all coasts of the Kingdom where they are also a migrant sometimes occurring far inland. Birds of the Riyadh Region by Stagg 1994 mentions it is a passage migrant and winter visitor, in small numbers, that passes from March to April then again in September and October.