There are well preserved mangroves through which a wide stream out of a waste water treatment plant flows into the sea creating a sort of pseudo-estuary.
The birding was extremely good. Unfortunately we soon discovered this was a restricted area. Nevertheless through talks with the coastguard we were kindly allowed some time there but not as long as we would have wanted.
The restricted nature of the place (and so quiet) as well as the habitat contribute to the excellence of the area for birding.
common shelduck. photo courtesy of Bernard Bracken
On the coast in front of the mangroves, there were many hundreds of birds especially waders. Given our shortage of time there we concentrated on viewing the larger birds.
It was only the second place in Saudi Arabia I have seen common shelduck and previous views have been at great distance but all birds here were tamer than usual. The common shelduck were asleep. Next to them were tens of common greenshank.
oystercatcher and bar tailed godwit
Near by were a large group of oystercatcher with an even larger group of bar-tailed godwit. A few ruddy turnstone were there too.
common redshank, black tailed godwit, black headed gull & whimbrel
A few metres further away were over 100 common redshank with a few black-tailed godwit in among them. Gulls were both slender-billed gull and lesser black headed gull with a small number of steppe gull. There were Caspian tern there as well.
whimbrel
In among the 20 or so whimbrel were two Eurasian curlew.
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| flamingo |
great cormorant, reef heron, little egret
The heron family was well represented too. At least 15 western reef heron were on the sea front with a couple of little egret among them. Several grey heron were on show and larger numbers of great cormorant, some of which were in breeding plumage. All these birds were very approachable.
great cormorant in breeding plumage
Time on the sea front was short but we also had some time inland at the inland side of the mangroves.
great cormorant
Here the numbers of birds was much less though still interesting.
dark morph western reef heron (eastern) in the mangroves
It was here we saw a great white egret, the first I had seen this winter.
great white egret
Moorhen were an obvious find.
moorhen
At least two marsh harrier were patrolling over the mangroves.
marsh harrier
Other more land oriented birds included white eared bulbul.
white eared bulbul
There were two warblers observed. These were graceful prinia and clamorous reed warbler.
graceful prinia
I come across Daurian shrike in eastern province in winter in a wide variety of habitat including one on the edge of the mangroves.
Daurian shrike
Laughing dove were common.
laughing dove
Few waders were seen away from the coast though two redshank and a green sandpiper were in a pool on the edge of the mangroves.
common redshank and green sandpiper
The only other waders seen away from the coastal strip were several Kentish plover on some flat sands and next to them twenty five common ringed plover which were absolutely exhausted and presumably recent arrivals on passage.
a tired flock of ringed plover
We surely missed several species. I have absolutely no doubt this is one of the best coastal sites in eastern Saudi Arabia but also one of the least accessible.
It would be good to get permission for a longer visit.
Birds seen at north Tarout based on a list prepared by Bernard Bracken
Moorhen
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Grey Plover
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Mallard
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Green Sandpiper
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Common Shelduck
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Terek’s Sandpiper
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Marsh Harrier
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Eurasian Curlew
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Flamingo
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Whimbrel
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Little Egret
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Bar Tailed Godwit
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Great Egret
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Black tailed Godwit
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Little Bittern
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Oystercatcher
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Western Reef Heron
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Black Winged Stilt
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Grey Heron
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Collared Dove
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Great Cormorant
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Laughing Dove
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Lesser Black Headed Gull
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Pallid Swift
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Slender Billed Gull
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Bluethroat
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Caspian Tern
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Clamorous Reed Warbler
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Greenshank
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Graceful Prinia
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Redshank
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Daurian Shrike
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Ruddy Turnstone
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Crested Lark
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Ring Plover
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Water pipit
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Kentish Plover
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House Sparrow
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