Winter birding – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

The Waste Water Lake in Dhahran has now started to get some regular winter species. The land around the lake is well vegetated but has been seriously lacking birds in the last couple of months. Now a few wintering species are turning up with Bluethroat and Daurian Shrike seen on every visit. Indian Silverbill are busy collecting nesting material and Graceful Prinia are singing loudly again after being quiet for a few months. Two Western Marsh Harrier are using the reeds for resting in and a minimum of three Eastern Stonechat are around, all in one small area with the regular Eurasian Sparrowhawk busy trying to catch any of the unwary birds. The lake itself has a few water birds with a juvenile Purple Heron, Western Cattle Egrets and Western Great Egret present. A few Gull-billed Tern are still present and Common Black-headed Gull drop in in very small numbers each day. Eurasian Collared Dove are again common in the area after reducing in number during the summer months.

Daurian Shrike

Eastern Stonechat

Eastern Stonechat

Eastern Stonechat

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Purple Heron

Western Cattle Egret

Western Cattle Egret

Western Great Egret

Western Great Egret

Western Great Egret

Western Marsh Harrier

Crested Honey Buzzard - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Just after first light I saw a Crested Honey Buzzard fly over the Dhahran Waste Water Lake, quite close to me and was able to take a couple of photos shown below. This bird has been around since mid-September in Dhahran a location where they have spent the last ten years at least wintering with some occasionally staying through the summer as well. Most birds in Dhahran are seen over the golf course but the Waste Water lake is another regular location although they are seen here much less often. The species has a status in Saudi Arabia of an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor that also occurs scarce in summer. Regular summer records from the highlands around Abha and north suggest birds probably breed there now. 

Blue-spotted Arab - Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching the Waste Water Lake in Dharhan recently, I came across two Blue-spotted Arab Colotis phisis. The Blue-spotted Arab is a small butterfly occurring from Africa to India. The upper-side of the males forewing has a pale salmon-pink ground color. Base arrogated with bluish-grey scales that extend outwards and a black spot on the underside of the forewing. Back wings much paler, and light or no spot. Clubbed antennae. Rolled up proboscis. Wingspan 20mm. They breed during the warmer parts of the year with the female laying several eggs that are bottle shaped with ribs down the sides and are generally white but turn pale blue. Pupae stage last several days. When adult emerges, it takes a few minutes to harden the veins in the wings. The larva feeds on Salvadora persica (toothbrush bush).

Northern Shoveler – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birdwatching at the Dhahran Waste Water Lake over the last couple of weeks there has been varying numbers of Northern Shoveler ranging from a single bird to over fifty. Northern Shoveler is one of the commonest ducks in Saudi Arabia and is regularly seen at this location. In Saudi Arabia it has bred rarely but is mainly a common passage migrant and common winter visitor from October to March, where it occurs widely across the Kingdom.

Tufted Duck – Dhahran Waste Water Lake

Whilst birding the Dhahran Hills area recently I saw seven Tufted Duck. This is an unusual visitor to Dhahran where it is one of the rarer of the regularly occurring duck species. The species has migratory populations breeding in Iceland and northern Europe across most of Russia and wintering 6,000 km south in northern and eastern Africa and southern Europe through India to Japan and south into the Arabian Peninsula. In Saudi Arabia it has a status as a scarce passage migrant, uncommon winter visitor and very erratic summer visitor. They are mainly seen between October and February on large, open wetland sites, particularly with pools lacking surface vegetation, such as reservoir lakes, the Riyadh River and ornamental lakes. The Dhahran Waste Water Lake is an ideal place to see them and one where they are now seen annually.

Adult Black-winged Kite - Qaryat Al Ulya

Whilst birding Qaryat Al Ulya in late November Phil and I came across a Black-winged Kite perched on the overhead wires. This is the first time we have seen this species at this locality and shows the continuing spread of this once rare bird. The first record of Black-winged Kite for the Eastern Province was only found on 17 April 2012, but since then has become more common with a current status as an uncommon breeding resident. This bird like all others seen in the Eastern Province is Elanus caeruleus vociferous, the subspecies that occurs from Pakistan east to southern & eastern China, Indochina and the Malay Peninsula. Whilst in this area of large pivot fields we also saw a few Corn Bunting a species not seen often in the areas we birdwatch, as well as a single Steppe Eagle flying over just south of this location. The best bird seen was a very close Shikra perched on a wire fence but unfortunately it flew before any photos were taken. This species is becoming commoner in the Eastern Province like is the case in the UAE.

Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite

Corn Bunting