We packed up and left the rather drab building that had pretensions of a hotel and drove for about an hour to a nice valley with a few houses dotted around. It was really like going back in time with small grassy fields and hedges and the valley was full of birdsong. We were hoping for Arabian Partridge but drew a blank on that, but we found some really great birds starting with an African Olive Pigeon perched on telegraph wires.
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| My phone scoped effort at an Olive (Rameron) Pigeon |
A White-browed Coucal was picked up by Keith and was scoped, as were 4 Red-throated Pipits on telegraph wires and a Marsh Warbler took a while to reveal its true identity (if you get my meaning??). There was also another Levant Sparrowhawk, a couple of Ortolan Buntings and all the usual suspects. On the way out there were two Bruce's Green-Pigeons on telegraph wires over the road.
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| Bruce's Green-Pigeon |
Leaving here we then drove a couple of hours to Tanomah and continued on to Wadi Dahna, where our two targets of Yemen Warbler and the Saudi endemic Asir Magpie were seen easily.
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| Asir Magpie |
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| Yemen Warbler |
There was also a female Violet-backed Starling, many Blackcaps and Common Redstarts moving through on migration, European Bee-eaters flying over, and both Flava & Feldegg Yellow Wagtails.
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| Record shot of a male Violet-backed Starling |
After checking in to the hotel we headed to Al Mahfar Park and waited until dark when an Arabian Eagle Owl duly showed very well, We heard several Montane Nightjars and a Desert Owl in the distance too. So we returned to the hotel for dinner after a thoroughly enjoyable day with a great group and chew over the day's sightings.
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