Malaki Dam Lake
Malaki Dam (also known as Malakiyah, Wadi Jizan Dam or Hakima Dam)
is probably the largest and most variable expanse of freshwater habitats in the
southwestern provinces of Saudi Arabia. This area is a large lake (17 04.72N,
42 97.88E) at the edge of the Asir foothills, 15km east of Abu Arish. It is fed
by four main wadis and at high water levels the lake spreads to over ten square
kilometres and has a large catchment area extending south into Yemen. The
reservoir is bordered to the north by basaltic lava plains and to the south several
rocky outcrops which form the edge of Wadi Juwwah, another excellent birding
At last there is a forecast of warm southerly airflow for this weekend, a rare thing indeed this spring. This should unlock the floodgates and we should see a mass arrival of summer visitor and the exodus of any remaining winter visitors it could be a busy weekend.
The last week has seen the continuation of a cold northerly airflow which is still holding up migrants further south. Most long-distance species are now here but in much smaller numbers than we would expect for this time in the spring. However, the weather is set to change over the weekend with a long-overdue warm southerly airflow moving in, which should see the floodgates open it could be a busy latter half of the weekend, particularly at migration watchpoints and Bird Observatories.