Birding the football and cricket fields in Dhahran Hills recently produced the first five Water Pipits of the winter. Numbers should now build up into February when up to fifty have been seen on these sites. This species is a common winter visitor occurring from October until April and the birds were happily feeding on the short grass of the fields. Although they are common in the Eastern Province, most records in Dhahran are of less than five. As I could drive the car close to the football pitch, I was able to get close to one bird with the others much further out on the fields.
