SAUDI ARABIA TOUR REPORT 2024

8 - 16 May 2024

by Hannu Jännes

This was Birdquest’s first tour to Saudi Arabia, a part of the world that has only recently been opened to tourists and currently, with Yemen not accessible to visitors, the only country where you can see the SW Arabian endemics and near-endemics in complete safety in a rapidly modernizing land. Our very successful nine-day tour made a brief visit the vast deserts near Riyadh, enjoyed the rich birdlife of the stony upland plateau, the magnificent escarpments and lush forested wadis of the Sarawat Mountains and the avian attractions of the hot and humid Tihamah (coastal plains) and shores and islands of the Red Sea. Key species seen were the endangered Asir Magpie (endemic to Saudi Arabia), all the strict SW Arabian (shared with Yemen) endemic Philby’s Partridge, Arabian Woodpecker, Yemen Warbler, Yemen Thrush, Rufous-capped Lark, Arabian Waxbill, Arabian Serin and Yemen Linnet and the southern Arabian endemic Arabian Partridge, Arabian Scops Owl, Arabian Eagle-Owl, Arabian Wheatear, Arabian Sunbird, Yemen Serin and Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak. Added to which was a rich supporting cast of more widespread regional specialties including Nubian Nightjar, White-cheeked and Saunders’s Terns, White-eyed Gull, Desert Owl, Crab-plover, Sooty Falcon, Black Scrub Robin, Buff-breasted Wheatear, the exquisite Arabian Golden Sparrow and a number of ‘African’ species from Harlequin Quail and Diederik Cuckoo to Gambaga Flycatcher and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and you will understand why Saudi Arabia has become such a popular birding destination in recent years. In general, Saudi Arabia is a safe, well-developed country with good infrastructure and friendly, helpful people, where travelling and birding as a tourist is a pleasure without (almost) any major hassle.

The tour began early in the morning at a hotel near Riyadh airport from where we headed to the desert areas north of the city for a half day birding session. Our main target was Arabian Lark (a recent split from Dunn’s Lark), a partially nomadic and difficult to get bird anywhere in its range, which we unfortunately failed to see despite much hard work and many miles of walking in the hot and windy desert. This wasn’t a totally unexpected result as the two, or perhaps three, individuals Pete and I had seen on our recce the day before were very mobile and didn’t show any sign of territorial behaviour. However, we did see other desert birds, including singing and displaying Greater Hoopoe Larks, which is positively common here, several Bar-tailed Larks and a few Brown-necked Ravens. Other birds sighted during this morning included Namaqua Doves, the only White-eared Bulbuls of the tour, migratory Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Barn Swallows and Sand Martins. In the afternoon we flew from Riyadh to Abha arriving at dusk. So far everything had gone smoothly, but now we were suddenly faced with Saudi bureaucracy, which, combined with the rather unhelpful (or incompetent) staff at the car rental office and later at the hotel, delayed our progress for some hours and it wasn’t until late in the evening we were able to finally occupy our rooms in the Abha hotel.

Abha, situated in the Asir region of the southwest corner of Saudi Arabia, is an ideal base to explore the surrounding stony upland plateau, magnificent escarpments and lush forested wadis of the Sarawat Mountains. Our birding began in the Al Habala area, where, at its famous playground, we quickly came across our target, the Rufous-crowned Lark, and saw Long-billed Pipits and the only Garden Warbler, a migrant here, of the trip. Our next stop was an escarpment, where Yemen and Arabian Serins, Buff-breasted Wheatear, Fan-tailed Ravens and Tristram’s Starlings entertained us. Then we went to a small patch of upland forest, where we saw a great selection of new birds including Jacobin Cuckoo, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Graceful Prinia, Barred (for the leader only) and Arabian Warblers, Arabian Babbler, Violet-backed Starling, Gambaga Flycatcher, which was surprisingly common here, Arabian Wheatear, Rüppell’s Weaver and many Cinnamon-breasted Buntings. After a good lunch in a roadside restaurant, we visited the magnificent high altitude juniper forests west of the city, where we encountered several new birds. The most interesting were the endemic Yemen Warbler, Yemen Linnet and Yemen Thrush, all of which were confiding and gave us great views. In addition, we also saw several Brown Woodland Warblers, Abyssinian White-eyes, Little Rock Thrushes, African Stonechats, Palestine Sunbirds and Dusky Turtle Doves, all new for the list. Our last birding site of the afternoon was a wide valley, where a calling Arabian Scops Owl was quickly located and gave brilliant daytime views. Another target bird and an important SW Arabian endemic, Philby’s Partridge, took some finding, but in the end we had good scope views of three calling birds. African Grey Hornbill and Streaked Scrub Warbler, both new birds for us, were also seen here.

The new day found us in Raidah Nature Reserve where we birded the very steep forest clad slopes between 1300 and 2600 meters asl. One of the first sightings of the morning was a pair of Arabian Partridges, a South Arabian endemic, which showed very well. Other new birds encountered during what was a beautiful morning were Peregrine Falcon of the form pelegrinoides (Barbary Falcon), a confiding White-browed Coucal, our only African Olive Pigeons of the tour, two Bruce’s Green Pigeons, Black-crowned Tchagras and most importantly a few Arabian Sunbirds, including a beautiful adult male, which seems to be rather tricky to find outside this valley. The drive back to the ridge top along the very steep mountain road was a bit of a challenge for my vehicle and the engine overheated, but after stopping and letting the engine to cool down properly, everything was fine again, and the car climbed up the slope with ease. Above the valley, we spent time searching for the small flock of Arabian Waxbills that had been seen by Miles and found a splendid Arabian Chameleon, a Short-toed Eagle and Oriental Honey Buzzard in the process. Next stop was at a small creek where we all finally managed to connect with the Waxbill and had great views of singing and displaying African Paradise Flycatchers too. After lunch we headed north through the scenic mountains towards Al Namas, where we would spend the next three nights. Our first stop was in a small village surrounded by large stands of juniper forest, which the Asir Magpies call home. We had our first magpie as soon as we turned off the main highway and later enjoyed multiple views of the species around the village itself. This species, the only strict Saudi Arabian endemic bird is highly threatened by habitat destruction, as its native forests are not regenerating, with tourist development and climate change also posing a threat. Only 100 annually breeding pairs (200 mature individuals) are known to survive in the wild, and the number is declining. Another good bird here was a pair of Arabian Woodpeckers, another much wanted SW Arabian endemic, feeding their chicks in a nest hole. We also found a confiding Little Owl, of the form Lilith, here.

This morning, we made an early start for the Khairah Forest Park, 200 kilometres north of Al Namas. The visit was not included in the original itinerary as it is so much off route, but as soon as we heard the news that this site was producing regular sightings of the near mythical Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak, it became obvious that we needed to go there. Due to the long drive, we reached the site only rather late in the morning, and at first things didn’t look very promising. Luckily Pete glimpsed an interesting looking passerine flying away from a tiny water source and after waiting for some time a Grosbeak landed in a tree on the slope above it and allowed decent scope views for all. Phew, that was close! Back in Al Namas at dusk we headed for Al Mehfar park, an excellent birding site, for a couple of hours of owling. Our first target, Arabian Eagle-Owl was soon located and gave us good scope views over the course of the evening. The other target species, Desert Owl, took a bit more finding, but in the end, we had decent enough views of a calling bird with another individual calling in the background. We also heard Montane Nightjar here but couldn’t get close enough to see it.

Next morning we were back in Al Mehfar park and another park nearby seeing some good birds, which included singing African Pipit (of the subspecies eximius, Yemen Pipit (a potential split), a photogenic pair of Arabian Woodpeckers, both Arabian and Philby’s Partridges, very close encounters with flying Alpine Swifts, a brilliant Diederik Cuckoo singing its heart out, the only Griffon Vulture of the tour and Yemen Serins and Linnets. In the afternoon we revisited the “Magpie Village” for more views, and better images, of the rare Asir Magpie.

It was now time to leave the pleasantly cool mountains behind and descent down to the very hot and humid Tihamah (the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula) at Jazan for a three night stay. On the way we stopped at a large reservoir, where we soon connected with Blackstarts and saw our first Desert Larks, Nile Valley Sunbirds and White-throated Bee-eaters, all new birds for us. It was also good to see Arabian Waxbills, two Jacobin Cuckoos and Arabian Sunbird here. The reservoir itself held a selection of mostly new birds for us including Red-knobbed Coot, Little Grebe, Black-winged Stilt, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Squacco Heron and Pink-backed Pelican. Next came a visit to a small village, where most of the recent observations of the nomadic and often difficult to find Arabian Golden Sparrow had been made. We knew that the timing of our visit was not ideal, but we still wanted to recce the site for future visits. As expected, there were no Golden Sparrows to be seen so late in the day, but we did find Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks and African Silverbills. Arriving at the Red Sea coast we checked a narrow belt of mangroves and soon located Common Reed (of the form avicenniae) and Clamorous Reed Warblers and African Collared Doves, but there was no sign of our main target, the range restricted, isolated mangrove living, form of Abyssinian White-eye. The coastal mudflats also held a few Kentish Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Terek Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Gull-billed, Caspian, Lesser Crested and Little Terns, Sooty and White-eyed Gulls, Black-crowned Night Heron and Western Reef Heron, all new for us. It was now getting very hot and humid, and we decided to drive to our hotel for a late lunch and short siesta. Late in the afternoon we were back in the field and checked a radio tower in the middle of a town, where a pair of Abdim’s Storks with three chicks were breeding. Then we visited farmland where we walked a pivot field hoping to find quality birds. Our main targets, Common Buttonquail and especially Harlequin Quail proved more difficult than expected, but in the end, we had good views of the first and a brief flight view of the latter. Other new birds seen were White-winged Tern, Singing Bush Lark, Zitting Cisticola and Red-throated Pipit.

Early the next morning we were back at the Golden Sparrow village, where we soon connected with two of these amazing looking birds in a mixed flock with House Sparrows. Unfortunately, they were quite flighty and soon disappeared, leaving us wanting more, and even better, views. In addition to these sedentary birds, we saw several small flocks of Arabian Golden Sparrows, totalling maybe 150 birds, flying past the village and disappearing into the semidesert! We then revisited the same coastal mangroves where we had been the previous day, and finally, after a long walk in the mid-morning heat, connected with the isolated mangrove living form of the Abyssinian White-eye. The walk also produced a summer plumaged Tibetan Sand Plover, several Greater Hoopoe Larks, which looked quite different compared to the ones we had seen earlier in the deserts of Riyadh. We still had time in our hands before lunch, so we paid a short visit to the coast near Jazan, where we saw the only Saunders’s Tern of the trip, had magnificent close-up views of Crab-plovers and added Grey Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit and Ruddy Turnstone to our bird list. In the afternoon we headed for the Jazan Dam Lake, a large reservoir near the city of Abu Arish. The reservoir proved to be a birdy area and we saw a number of new species including Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Red-eyed Dove, Spur-winged Plover, Collared Pratincole, Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Whiskered Tern, Pacific Golden Plover, Black-headed Heron plus a number of commoner wetland species we had already seen earlier on the tour. When dusk fell, we heard the calls of a distant Helmeted Guineafowl and soon after several Nubian, and a single Plain, Nightjar started vocalising. The Nubians were common and easy to see well, but the single Plain Nightjar only sang for a short period of time and never showed.

The next day was all about terns, gulls and Sooty Falcons as we spent the day visiting various islets around the Farasan Island situated 50 kilometres west of Jazan. The island visit was not in the original tour itinerary, but fresh information about the available boat services was to hand, and our success in achieving our target birds on the mainland, made it possible to dedicate one full day to sea birding. Visiting Farasan Island involves paperwork, but thankfully all this was done by our captain Yasser and his team, so we just needed to show up at the ferry in Jazan in good time. Our four-hour boat trip visited various islets, where Brown Noddy, Bridled, White-cheeked, Lesser and Greater Crested Terns and Sooty and White-eyed Gulls were common and offered brilliant views and great photo opportunities. In addition, the sea was full of Brown Boobies demonstrating their fishing skills or just lazing on buoys. The boat trip ended with a visit to an islet with higher cliffs, where we had an amazing encounter with perhaps ten Sooty Falcons flying around and sitting on the rocks!

The last morning of our tour saw us back in the Golden Sparrow village to try for more time with the sparrows, which we succeeded in doing as a couple of rather sizeable flocks landed in the village and allowed better views and even some photographs to be taken. Fully satisfied we moved on to an agricultural area, where we checked another pivot field. This time we had a brilliant pair of Common Buttonquails walking around in the field, but unfortunately the Harlequin Quails didn’t co-operate, and we again had to make do with brief flight views. An Abyssinian Roller sitting on the irrigation system offered amazing close-up views and was a new bird for the tour. Next we visited a wetland south of Jazan, which was thronged with birds including several hundred Greater, and smaller numbers of Lesser, Flamingos, Pied Avocets, Common Ringed Plovers, Marsh Sandpipers, Ruffs, Little Stints, a single Broad-billed Sandpiper and a European Honey Buzzard – all new birds for the trip. The last stop before returning to our hotel was at the Jazan Heritage Village, where we were entertained by some Crab-plovers and a single Eurasian Curlew, yet another addition to the bird list. Back in the hotel it was time to pack, eat lunch, do the bird list and then our final navigate through the rather chaotic, fast, impatient Saudi traffic, to the airport, from where we took a flight back to Riyadh, where it was time to say our goodbyes, and to thank everyone for their excellent company, which, together with all the wonderful birds and exciting places, combined to make this such a memorable trip.

BIRDS OF THE TOUR

1. Arabian Golden Sparrow
2. Desert Owl
3. Philby’s Partridge
4. Common Buttonquail
5. Sooty Falcon

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR

Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g., it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species).

The species names and taxonomy used in the bird list follows Gill, F., Donsker, D., & Rasmussen, P.(Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v14.1).

Where the subspecies seen is/are known, these are often given in parentheses at the end of the species comment.

BIRDS

Garganey Spatula querquedula One at Jazan Dam Lake.

Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata Two at Jazan Dam Lake.

Northern Pintail Anas acuta One at Jazan Dam Lake.

Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris Heard only at Jazan Dam Lake. The status of this species in Saudi Arabia is unclear. The population may represent an undescribed relict subspecies rather than being introduced/feral origin.

Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei Two sightings of flushed birds at pivot fields north of Jazan.

Arabian Partridge ◊ Alectoris melanocephala Small numbers on three days with some brilliant views. Endemic to southern Arabia.

Philby’s Partridge ◊ Alectoris philbyi Small numbers on three days with some good scope views. Endemic to SW Arabian Peninsula.

Nubian Nightjar ◊ Caprimulgus nubicus Common and easy to see after sunset at Jazan Dam Lake

Montane Nightjar ◊ (Abyssinian N) Caprimulgus [poliocephalus] poliocephalus Heard only near Tanomah.

Plain Nightjar Caprimulgus inornatus Heard only at Jazan Dam Lake.

African Palm Swift Cypsiurus [parvus] parvus Fairly common in the lowlands around Jazan.

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba Noted in the highlands with excellent close-up views.

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Small numbers in the south.

Little Swift Apus affinis Noted in the highlands.

White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus Great views in Raidah Sanctuary. Several were heard elsewhere.

Jacobin Cuckoo (Black-and-white C) Clamator jacobinus A total of four birds with great views.

Diederik Cuckoo (Didric C) Chrysococcyx caprius A total of four birds with great views.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus Seen on two days along the coastal plain.

Rock Dove (introduced) (Feral Pigeon) Columba [livia] domestica

African Olive Pigeon (Rameron P) Columba arquatrix Three in Raidah Sanctuary

Dusky Turtle Dove Streptopelia lugens Rather common in the northern highlands.

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

African Collared Dove ◊ Streptopelia roseogrisea Common along the coastal strip.

Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata Only noted at Jazan Dam Lake.

Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis Widespread.

Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Seen in the Riyadh area and again along the coastal plain.

Bruce’s Green Pigeon Treron waalia A handful of birds in the highlands.

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata One at Marabah dam.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 400 at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor 50 at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Common Buttonquail (Small B, Little B) Turnix sylvaticus Sighted on two days with brilliant views (and photo ops) at pivot fields north of Jazan.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Small numbers in the wetlands along the coastal plain.

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Two at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Grey Plover (Black-bellied P) Pluvialis squatarola A few seen along the coast.

Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva One at the Jazan Dam Lake.

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Six at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus

Tibetan Sand Plover Anarhynchus atrifrons Two seen along the coast.

Greater Sand Plover Anarhynchus leschenaultia One on the coast.

Kentish Plover Anarhynchus alexandrinus Small numbers on the coast and at the Jazan Dam Lake.

Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Small numbers along the coast.

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata A single bird at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Small numbers at the coast.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa A handful of birds at a coastal wetland south of Jazan and 30 at the Jazan Dam Lake.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus A handful of birds along the coast.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos One seen in the Jazan area.

Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis A handful of birds at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 15 at the Jazan Dam Lake and a singleton elsewhere.

Common Redshank Tringa totanus  One along the coast.

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Three birds were noted.

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Two encounters of a single bird.

Ruff Calidris pugnax Two at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus One at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 30 at a coastal wetland south of Jazan and a singleton elsewhere.

Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii Two at the Jazan Dam Lake.

Little Stint Calidris minuta 40 at a coastal wetland south of Jazan.

Crab-plover Dromas ardeola Small numbers with great views along the coast south of Jazan.

Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Two at the Jazan Dam Lake.

Brown Noddy Anous stolidus 20 or so with great views on our boat trip at Farasan Island.

Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus Commonly encountered on our boat trip to Farasan Island.

Little Tern Sterna albifrons One in the mangroves north of Jazan and three at Farasan Island.

Saunders’s Tern ◊ Sternula saundersi One on the coast near Jazan.

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Sighted on three days with 50 at the Jazan Dam Lake being the highest count.

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Seen on three days along the coast.

Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 50 at the Jazan Dam Lake.

White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Noted on three days in the Jazan area.

White-cheeked Tern ◊ Sterna repressa Commonly encountered on our boat trip to Farasan Island.

Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis Commonly encountered on our boat trip on the Farasan Island. Small numbers elsewhere along the coast.

Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii Small numbers were encountered on our boat trip to Farasan Island and there was a singleton on the coast near Jazan.

Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei A few noted along the coast.

Sooty Gull ◊ Ichthyaetus hemprichii Common along the coast and on Farasan Island.

White-eyed Gull ◊ Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus Rather common along the coast and on Farasan Island.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Steppe Gull) Larus [fuscus] barabensis Two birds at a pool just outside our hotel in Jazan.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Heuglin’s Gull) Larus [fuscus] heuglini Two birds at a pool just outside our hotel in Jazan.

Abdim’s Stork Ciconia abdimii A nest with two adults and three chicks north of Jazan, and two birds elsewhere.

Brown Booby Sula leucogaster A common sight on our trip to Farasan Island and two birds on the coast near Jazan.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Small numbers in the wetlands along the coastal plain.

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Small numbers in the wetlands along the coastal plain.

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax One seen along the coastal plain.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta Small numbers in the wetlands along the coastal plain..

Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis Small numbers along the coast.

Striated Heron Butorides striata A few in the mangroves north of Jazan and a handful of birds from the boat.

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Sighted at Marabah Dam and Jazan Dam Lake, where around 50 were noted.

Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Rather common on the coastal plain.

Great Egret (Western G E) Ardea [alba] alba Fairly common at Jazan Dam Lake. Only one elsewhere.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Common at Jazan Dam Lake. A few elsewhere.

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea A few at Jazan Dam Lake.

Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala One at Jazan Dam Lake.

Hamerkop Scopus umbretta One in the highlands near Tanomah and a handful of birds at Jazan Dam Lake.

Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens Noted daily in the south.

Osprey (Western O) Pandion [haliaetus] haliaetus Handful of birds, most of them on Farasan Island..

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Two birds were noted.

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Ten on Farasan Island.

European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus One near Jazan.

Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus One in the highlands north of Abha.

Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus One in the highlands near Tanomah.

Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus One in the highlands north of Abha.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus One in Khairah Forest Park in the north.

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus One in Khairah Forest Park in the north.

Little Owl Athene noctua One in the “Magpie Village” in the highlands.

Arabian Scops Owl ◊ Otus pamelae Great daytime views of one near Abha. A few were heard elsewhere. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

Arabian Eagle-Owl ◊ Bubo milesi Great views of one near Tanomah. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

Desert Owl ◊ Strix hadorami Great encounter with a pair near Tanomah.

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

African Grey Hornbill Lophoceros nasutus Noted on three days.

Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus Two in the agricultural area north of Jazan.

Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala Widespread.

White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis Sighted on two days in the south.

Arabian Green Bee-eater ◊ Merops cyanophrys Widespread.

Arabian Woodpecker ◊ Dendrocoptes dorae A pair with nest near the ”Magpie Village” and a showy pair near Tanomah. Endemic to southwestern Arabian Peninsula.

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Common in the highlands.

Sooty Falcon ◊ Falco concolor Ten or so on Farasan Island with really excellent views.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus One in Raidah Sanctuary. Ssp pelegrinoides.

Black-crowned Tchagra (B-headed T) Tchagra senegalus Two encounters with good views in the highlands.

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus One near Abha.

African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis A handful of birds in the highlands.

Great Grey Shrike (Arabian G G S) Lanius [excubitor] aucheri Only one in the coastal strip near Jazan.

Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor A few in the desert area near Riyadh and two near Abha. A migrant here.

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Twenty or so in the desert area near Riyadh and small numbers in the highlands on three days. A migrant here.

Asir Magpie ◊ Pica asirensis Endemic to Saudi-Arabia. Common and easy to see in the “Magpie Village” south of Tanomah. Also noted by Werner along the main highway.

House Crow (introduced) Corvus splendens Common in the coastal lowlands.

Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis Small numbers in the desert area near Riyadh and one in the highlands.

Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus Rather common in the highlands.

Greater Hoopoe-Lark ◊ Alaemon alaudipes Positively common in the desert area near Riyadh and four along the coast north of Jazan.

Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti Encountered at Marabah Dam.

Bar-tailed Lark ◊ Ammomanes cincture Seen in the desert area near Riyadh.

Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps Rather common in the coastal lowlands.

Singing Bush Lark Mirafra javanica Common in the pivot fields north of Jazan.

Crested Lark Galerida cristata Widespread, noted daily.

Rufous-capped Lark ◊ Calandrella eremica Excellent views around the playground near Abha.

Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla One for some in the desert area near Riyadh.

White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis Two near Riyadh.

White-spectacled Bulbul ◊ Pycnonotus xanthopygos Widespread.

Sand Martin Riparia riparia Noted on four days.

Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne obsoleta Rather common in the highlands.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Small numbers were noted on six days.

Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Good numbers in the highlands.

Streaked Scrub Warbler ◊ (Levant S W) Scotocerca [inquieta] inquieta Small numbers were noted on three days in the highlands.

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Just a handful of birds.

Brown Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens Faily common and easy to see in the highland forests.

Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus Noted in coastal mangroves.

Common Reed Warbler ◊ (Mangrove R W) Acrocephalus [scirpaceus] avicenniae Noted in coastal mangroves.

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Just a few were seen.

Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis Small numbers almost daily.

Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Rather common in the highlands, and a singleton in the south.

Garden Warbler Sylvia borin One in the highlands south of Abha.

Barred Warbler Curruca nisoria One in the highlands south of Abha for Hannu only.

Yemen Warbler ◊ Curruca buryi Noted on three days in the highlands. A brilliant bird! Endemic to southwestern Arabia.

Arabian Warbler ◊ Curruca leucomelaena Noted on three days in the highlands.

Common Whitethroat Curruca communis Seen on two days in the highlands.

Abyssinian White-eye ◊ (Mangrove W-e) Zosterops abyssinicus It took a lot of searching but in the end we had great views of this taxon in the mangroves north of Jazan.

Abyssinian White-eye ◊ Zosterops [abyssinicus] arabs Common in the highlands.

Arabian Babbler ◊ Argya squamiceps Common and widespread.

Common Myna (introduced) Acridotheres tristis Common in the south and one near Riyadh.

Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Small numbers were noted in the highlands. What a bird!

Tristram’s Starling ◊ Onychognathus tristramii Common in the highlands.

Yemen Thrush ◊ Turdus menachensis Common in the highlands. Endemic to southwestern Arabia.

Black Scrub Robin ◊ Cercotrichas podobe Small numbers in the south on three days.

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Just a few migrants were noted.

Gambaga Flycatcher ◊ Muscicapa gambagae Common and confiding in the highlands offering great views.

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Three in the highlands near Abha.

Little Rock Thrush ◊ Monticola rufocinereus Rather common and easy to see in the highlands.

African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Ten or so in the highlands.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe One non-leader bird in the Abha area.

Buff-breasted Wheatear ◊ Oenanthe bottae Small numbers with excellent views in the highlands.

Blackstart ◊ Oenanthe melanura Small numbers noted.

Arabian Wheatear ◊ Oenanthe lugentoides Rather common and easy to see in the highlands. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

Nile Valley Sunbird ◊ Hedydipna metallica This stunner was locally common in the south.

Palestine Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris osea Common and easy to see in the highlands.

Arabian Sunbird ◊ Cinnyris hellmayri Six with great views at Raidah Sanctuary and a singleton at Marabah dam. Quite localised bird along this itinerary. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus Noted daily.

Arabian Golden Sparrow ◊ Passer euchlorus Good numbers of this stunner in a small village north of Jazan.

Rüppell’s Weaver ◊ Ploceus galbula Widespread.

African Silverbill Euodice cantans Noted on three days in the south.

Arabian Waxbill ◊ Estrilda rufibarba Small numbers were noted in the highlands and there was a pair at Marabah dam. Endemic to southwestern Arabia.

Western Yellow Wagtail (form unidentified) Motacilla flava Heard only at the pivot fields north of Jazan.

African Pipit (Grassland P) Anthus cinnamomeus Two with great views near Tanomah. The subspecies encountered eximius is restricted to SW Arabia and sometimes called Yemen Pipit. A future split?

Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Small numbers in the highlands.

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Two at the pivot fields north of Jazan.

Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak ◊ Rhynchostruthus percivali Decent scope views of one at Khairah Forest Park. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

Arabian Serin ◊ (Olive-rumped S) Crithagra rothschildi Small numbers were noted on three days in the highlands. Endemic to southwestern Arabian Peninsula.

Yemen Serin ◊ Crithagra menachensis Small numbers were noted on two days in the highlands. Endemic to southern Arabian Peninsula.

Yemen Linnet ◊ Linaria yemenensis Good numbers of this handsome bird were noted on four days in the highlands. Endemic to southwestern Arabian Peninsula.

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Emberiza tahapisi Fairly common in the highlands.

MAMMALS

Red Fox Vulpes vulpes One for the leader only in Raidah Sanctuary.

Unidentified Dolphin One on our trip to Farasan Island.

Hamadryas Baboon Papio hamadryas Common in the mountains.