SAUDI ARABIA DAY 9

Our last day in Saudi Arabia saw us visit Corniche Park just a couple of minutes away from our hotel. What a good move it turned out to be as we found at least 3 Barred Warblers, Great Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, a few Garden Warblers, several Blackcaps, Greater Whitethroat (4), a Thrush Nightingale, Rufous Bush-Robin, Tree Pipit, Woodchat, Lesser Grey (3) and Red-backed Shrike (7). 

Barred Warbler

This Great Reed Warbler looked quite interesting to begin with...

Lesser Grey Shrike

Rufous Bush-Robin

Seeing all of these migrants with 4 Abdim’s Storks patrolling the lawns and White-eyed Gulls out in the bay made for a great session. Returning to the hotel for breakfast we were amazed to see a few White-eyed Gulls loafing around our swimming pool…! 

Abdim's Stork

Afterwards we drove to a few sites around Jizan, notching up first class views of Crab-Plovers, a flock of 6 Broad-billed Sandpipers, Eurasian Curlew (trip tick), Terek Sandpiper, White-winged Terns and plenty of previously seen species. 

Broad-billed Sandpipers

The one and only Crab-Plover

We returned to the hotel before 1pm, had lunch and a rest before leaving for the airport at 4pm and our flight back to Riyadh and the conclusion of a very successful tour. To have seen 194 species in 9 days in Saudi Arabia is pretty good going.

SAUDI ARABIA DAY 8

At 5.45am we were stood in an open landscape of green fields at one of the many farms around Sabya, where we heard a few Harlequin Quails calling, and saw 3 flyover Black-headed Herons, a songflighting Singing Bushlark, African Palm Swifts, and a couple of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in flight as we drove there. Moving on to Subya Pivot Fields there were numerous Black Scrub-Robins and Nile Valley Sunbirds. 

Black Scrub-Robins

Then we visited Either Mangroves and nailed Mangrove White-eye (just an Abyssinian White-eye but it’s distinctive, lives in the mangroves year-round unlike the highland Abyssinian White-eye it is lumped in) and had further views of Mangrove Reed Warbler (avicenniae subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler), along with a Crab Plover, 2 Broad-billed Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpiper, Western Reef Heron and some other commoner shorebirds. In the park an Eurasian Golden Oriole looked odd in this desert environment, and there were a few Red-backed Shrikes, 15 Western Yellow Wagtails of various races (thunbergi and flava mainly), a few Spotted Flycatchers, a few Isabelline Wheatears, a Marsh Warbler, several Greater Whitethroats and a Red-throated Pipit. So we left here in the 42 degrees centigrade heat and returned to the hotel to shower, stopping to view a Crested Honey Buzzard en-route, and have lunch, before packing and heading back into Jizan where we’d be spending our last night.

 

We drove south of Jizan to JWTP Mangroves and enjoyed a cracking session of shorebird watching, where most of the birds were in fine breeding dress. At the first stop I drove out along a narrow track between tidal pools and we had birds either side of us. To our right we enjoyed a gathering of terns that held one small individual, which unfortunately turned out to be just a Little Tern, an Osprey flew in but I was mesmerized by the Crab Plovers that just looked so crisply black and white and we even saw one pair mating. Ooh err Mrs! Meanwhile, to our left was a large gathering of Lesser Sandplovers complete with bright red chest bands. There were also many stunning Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints, and even the Common Ringed Plovers looked fantastic in the sunny weather. 

 

Leaving here we drove a bit further down the road where a large gathering of Greater Flamingo’s usually hold some Lessers - well today they didn’t. A flock of 15 White-winged Terns were comprised of mostly breeding adults as well, and there was also Slender-billed Gull, Sandwich Tern, 2 Pied Avocets and all the regular shorebirds. We drove further out to the park along the beach where more shorebirds were seen, plus Greater Hoopoe Lark as well.

 

We ended the day back at Jazan Heritage Village scanning the Red Sea and enjoying 100+ White-cheeked Terns milling about, as well as several Common Noddy and Brown Booby before we headed to our posh hotel for an early finish.

SAUDI ARABIA DAY 7

We drove just 25 minutes to Al Saad Lake, one of the best birding sites in south-west Saudi Arabia at 5.15am and began scanning the southern end of the lake from a viewpoint. We had a nice view over several arms of the lake, which was nicely fringed by reeds and bushes. 

There's some nice habitat at Al Saad Lake

There were lots of new birds for the trip including Little Bittern, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Purple Heron, Red-eyed Dove, White-browed Coucal and several Nile Valley Sunbirds. With a supporting cast of Pink-backed Pelicans, Glossy Ibis, Spur-winged Lapwings, White-winged Terns, many Namaqua Doves, and other commoner species.

 

We then drove around trying to find other access points to different parts of the lake, which proved problematical to say the least as my intended route was flooded and impassable unless you had a dinghy! However, we did see our one and only covey of Helmeted Guineafowl, as well as several White-throated Bee-eaters, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, more White-browed Coucals, several Black Scrub-Robins, Arabian Babbler, Zitting Cisticola, and many Graceful Prinias. 

White-browed Coucal

Along the lake shore a Clamorous Reed Warbler was an expected find, but a migrating Marsh Warbler had us perplexed for a minute or two, and there were plenty of Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes dotted around the landscape.

Gabar Goshawk

We headed around to the northern shore seeing a Gabar Goshawk and Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, but the water level was too high to find anything interesting around this part of the lake, although an Arabian Eagle-Owl at a day roost was pretty cool. 

With temperatures soaring to 41 degrees centigrade we returned to the hotel for lunch and a rest before checking out some fields this for tomorrow morning’s quail hunt. Along the way 2 White-tailed Kites, more White-throated Bee-eaters and a few Abdim’s Storks were seen.

 

Then we drove to Jazan Heritage Village for another cracking Saudi birding session. The first pools held 15 Crab Plovers, along with summer-plumaged Lesser Sandplovers, Ruddy Turnstones, Terek Sandpipers, and many Curlew Sandpipers in fine breeding refinery. 

Lesser Sandplovers

Terek Sandpipers

A ‘Mangrove’ Reed Warbler gave itself up without too much hassle, 5 Pink-backed Pelicans and a Caspian Tern were also seen. A quick drive just around the corner and along the coast took us to a good seawatching point with a strong onshore breeze producing a stunning sighting of a Sooty Shearwater flying up the Red Sea, along with 50+ Common Noddy, 25 Brown Booby, many White-cheeked Terns, and surprisingly lots of Common Terns heading north.

Common Noddy

Seawatching at Jizan

An inland pool here also held Striated Heron, Eurasian Spoonbills and a Western Reef Heron as well to end the day.

SAUDI ARABIA DAY 6

Began the day at Al Soudah Creek but couldn’t walk down into the wadi as it was flooded, so we stayed on the road and saw a few nice species including 5 Dusky Turtle Doves, a Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Yemen and Arabian Warblers, Gambaga Flycatcher, Little Rock-Thrush, and yet again, Arabian Waxbills. Moving on to another wadi a close and confiding Diderik Cuckoo was the highlight, but African Stonechat and 2 Buff-breasted Wheatears were also cool. 

African Stonechat

We also called in to Abha Dam but it was very quiet, so we collected our luggage at the nearby hotel and drove just over 2 hours to Either Mangroves north of Jizan. Along the way we passed a small lake with 1500+ Cattle Egrets just stood around in the midday heat. At Either Mangrove Park we searched for the previously reported Wattled Starlings without luck, but found a good selection of migrants. Highlights include a Thrush Nightingale, 2 Barred Warblers and Icterine Warbler (a rarity here), with a fine supporting cast of 8 Red-backed Shrikes, several Garden Warblers, Blackcap, Red-throated Pipit and the only Ortolan Bunting of the tour. 

A stonking Icterine Warbler

Various races of Western Yellow Wagtail were also present...

Moving on to Corniche Park we found another Thrush Nightingale, 6 Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins hopping around the lawns, African Pipit, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, many Red-backed, Lesser Grey and Woodchat Shrikes, and a few White-eyed Gulls were on the rocks along the shoreline with Heuglin’s and Baltic Gulls. 

Red-backed Shrike

White-eyed Gull

As it was only half an hour to our hotel in Abu Arish we drove there and checked-in before heading out immediately to Al Saad Lake, arriving just before dusk where we had crippling views of a Nubian Nightjar, which at one point was scared away by a Plain Nightjar that flew in and almost landed on top of it to round off a great day!

Nubian Nightjar

Plain Nightjar

SAUDI ARABIA DAY 5

Just after first light we were in place at our viewing point in one of our favourite wadis, overlooking a nice habitat of rocky hills, scrub, Junipers and small pools. We spent the next hour watching a constant stream of activity beginning with a nearby Arabian Wheatear, followed by several Eurasian Hoopoes, a cracking little Scrub Warbler (buryi), 4 Grey-headed Kingfishers (one pair watched nest-building in a sandy bank), flyover Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, a close Arabian Woodpecker, stunning African Paradise-Flycatcher, Arabian Warbler, and several  Violet-backed Starlings. 

Arabian Wheatear

A short walk into the wadi gave us a close Long-billed Pipit, Sand Martin, closer Violet-backed Starlings, Yemen Thrush, even closer Yemen Warbler, Gambaga Flycatcher, more Arabian Waxbills, Arabian Serins, Yemen Linnet and some Cinnamon-breasted Buntings.

Long-billed Pipit

One of many Violet-backed Starlings this morning

Yemen Warbler

Cracking views of Scrub Warbler this morning

Moving on to Mahfar Park we well and truly nailed African Pipit with stunning views, whilst some raptor watching proved to be successful with at least 5 Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Verreaux’s Eagle for Jonathan and a female Western Marsh Harrier. Other species included a large flock of European Bee-eaters flying around constantly during our visit, and all the usual commoner species.

African Pipit

Leaving here we returned to our nice hotel, collected our luggage and drove 90 minutes to Abha where we went straight to Habala for Rufous-capped Lark, many of which were seen amidst the rocky plateau. They just weren't around on my January visit and it seems they undertake an altitudinal migration during the winter months and no-one knows where they go. So I was very pleased to finally catch up with this species.

Buff-breasted Wheatear

A few Red-backed Shrikes were sen this afternoon

Rufous-capped Lark is a key target for any Saudi trip

The rocky Habala plateau is the place to find the larks...

We looked for Yemen Serin at the cliff tops - but no joy....

We also saw a few Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes here, as well as a pair of cracking Buff-breasted Wheatears. So not a bad day at all. We enjoyed a fine and lavish Arabian dinner tonight in a good restaurant right next to our hotel to round off the day’s events in fine style!

Dinner - Saudi style....