Birds of Saudi Arabia: Birding Sunbah Farms

Whilst in the southwest of the Kingdom recently we visited Sunbah Farms, a large set of pivot irrigation fields that hold a lot of very good birds. We did nkt enter any of the fields as crops were growing but still saw a lot of good birds in the pivor irrigation tracks and surroundings. A pair of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse were seen near a small amount of water where one seemed to be wettings its breast feathers. Small numbers were also seen flying over at different places. Western Cattle Egret were very common with one very large flock of several hundred birds following behind a tractor cutting the crops where they could easily catch the disturbed insects. A few White-winged Tern were catching insects next to the pivot spray bars and Singing Bush Lark were common around the field edges and in song flight. A pair of Arabian Green Bee-eater were sitting nicely to photograph next to one field and two Black-winged Kite, were seen one of which was a juvenile. Several Barn Swallow were seen catching insects over the fields suggesting they are breeding in the area and Ruppell’s Weaver were common with a few nests found.