Al Ha'ir, Saudi Arabia

Another trip out to the pivot fields with Rob Tovey but almost as interesting was that on the way we found the Riyadh landfill site south-east of the city and tried unsuccessfully to get inside and bird. Although we were turned away we were told it would be possible if we got written permission which we now intend to do particularly as while talking to the site manager our eyes were drifting towards what appeared to be several large vultures (lappet-faced?) perched on the edge of the tip area.

Long-billed pipit

At Ha'ir pivot fields a count of 13 squacco heron was a welcome addition to the records as was a fine citrine wagtail picking around the edge of the pools at the edge of the pivot fields. Both new records for my KSA list as were common sandpiper, wood sandpiper and barn swallow.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FULL LIST _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

13 Squacco heron

1 Cattle egret

4 Purple heron

12 Grey heron

12 Mallard

8 Greater spotted eagle

12 Marsh harrier

10 Kestrel

25 Moorhen

2 Coot

30 Northern lapwing

15 Common snipe

4 Wood sandpiper

3 Green sandpiper

1 Common sandpiper

100 Collared dove

50 Laughing dove

30 Namaqua dove

50 Pallid swift

3 White-breasted kingfisher

2 Common kingfisher

30 Little green bee-eater

2 Hoopoe

80 Crested lark

1 Barn swallow

20 Pale crag martin

60 Tawny pipit

2 Long-billed pipit

80 White wagtail

1 Citrine wagtail

120 White-cheeked bulbul

3 White-spectacled bulbul

2 Black bush robin

5 Bluethroat

1 European stonechat

2 Isabelline wheatear

6 Desert wheatear

1 Chiffchaff

1 Desert lesser whitethroat

1 Steppe grey shrike

2 Southern grey shrike

2 Daurian shrike

2 Turkestan shrike

45 Brown-necked raven

30 Common mynah

100 House sparrow

5 Spanish sparrow

5 Avadavat