The average annual rainfall in the mountains is 300 to 500 millimetres, which is up to ten times more than the interior deserts.  With a warm climate, typically in the 10-30<C range, the year-round weather is similar to that of a Mediterranean spring and early summer. Few tropical plants are found here and both the fauna and flora have many Mediterranean and Eurasian affinities.  Some of the bird life also clearly reflects this Mediterranean feel.  For example, both the unmistakable hoopoe and elegant red-rumped swallow are summer visitors to Mediterranean countries, but make their homes throughout the year in these wonderful mountains. 

Especially along the escarpment rim, vegetation can be rich and trees found here include extensive juniper as well as occasional wild olives and some acacias.  The idea of woodlands may seem strange anywhere in Arabia, but the junipers form open woodlands in a band around the escarpment rim.  Because the woodland is open, there are also many flowering plants to be found between the trees.  This unique habitat also holds its special birds; there are ten full species that are endemic to Arabia ذ that is, they are found nowhere else on earth.  As we discovered on this particular trip, there are also other forms of unique wildlife, including the Arabian wall butterfly.   

Taif is a well-known summertime destination.  When we arrived in late May, we learned that the area had recently enjoyed significant rain over an extended period of about three weeks.  This presented the exciting prospect of an even greener mountain environment, as well as flowing water in some of the wadis.  After spending a night at Taifصs luxurious Massarah Inter-Continental Hotel, we drove west through the city, early in the morning, heading for Shafa.  At the lower elevation around the city itself, fresh grass growth was apparent on all the hillsides as well as profusely flowering, annual plants.  The thorny acacia trees had also responded well ذ their small, yellow, rounded flowers attracting many insects including several butterflies.  Shafa, at an altitude of 2,500 metres, is situated on the escarpment rim and although it is only about 25 kilometres south of Taif, the gradual change in vegetation was very apparent during our short ascent.  As we climbed steadily into the higher mountains, the acacias were gradually replaced by junipers, the dominant tree of the escarpment rim zone.

We explored Wadi Thee Gazal, a very picturesque valley just off the main road before the final ascent to Shafa.  Stopping by a bridge, we were instantly rewarded with stunning views of a handsome male African rock bunting in full song.  Walking along the wadi, we connected with several more bird species including two of the Arabian endemics ذ the Yemen thrush and Arabian serin.  The supporting cast of other great birds soon included a little swift, red-rumped swallow, African rock martin, Palestine sunbird and South Arabian wheatear.  The flatter parts of this valley are cultivated and pomegranate trees flourish here.  Its flowers are an attractive, deep red and some small pomegranates had already begun to form.  In an adjacent arable field, we saw the first hoopoe of our weekend trip, while at the edge of this field, a superb singing male Arabian warbler showed itself perfectly in the clear morning light.  In just over an hour, we had enjoyed some really special birdwatching.

Our first views from the escarpment rim at Shafa were impressive enough, though it was already becoming hazy even before 8 am.  On a side road, just off the Shafa loop road, we stopped to admire and photograph some wildflowers. First, was an attractive yellow-flowered euryops arabicus shrublet, a common plant in these mountains.  The old, terraced fields hinted at an ancient history of cultivation in these mountains.  The idea of a wildflower meadow anywhere in Arabia will seem very strange to many, but that is exactly what we were treated to nearby, as a beautiful mass of wild asphodels were at peak flower.  With the aid of Sheila Collenetteصs Illustrated Guide to the Flowers of Saudi Arabia, I identified these attractive white flowers as asphodelus aestivus.  While I enjoyed photographing this remarkable wildflower display, my co-driver connected with two new birds for our trip, the Arabian babbler and long-billed pipit.  The latter clearly had a nest with young nearby, as two adults with food in their bills were cautiously perched on a telegraph wire, waiting until we moved away from their breeding territory.

Driving back through Taif, we took the high road towards al-Baha.  In many places this excellent route skirts the escarpment rim, affording some breathtaking views of the wild wadis way below.  We stopped for a snack about 60 kilometres south of Taif.  The country to the east of the mountains is considerably drier here, presumably due to a rain shadow effect.  Driving off road, we found an attractive stand of thorny acacia trees and parked in the shade of one to enjoy our first break of the day.  While we enjoyed a drink, a bright bird caught my eye nearby.  This was soon confirmed as a little green bee-eater, a striking bird that is common over much of the drier parts of the peninsula.  Caper white butterflies were feeding on the flowering acacia trees and we also sighted our first flycatcher of the trip - a delicate-looking gambage flycatcher - a summer breeding visitor to Arabia from Africa.

We made another stop beneath the mighty Jabal Ibrahim (2,604 metres), the second highest mountain in the Kingdom, where we took a few photographs of the farmland and dramatic scenery.  Arriving at the striking escarpment overlook at Bani Yazid by early afternoon, we rested in the welcome shade of a large, old, acacia tree, which attracted two gambage flycatchers, feeding from the upper branches.  After relaxing for around an hour, we then began exploring along the escarpment rim and within the extensive juniper woodlands.  Close to the magnificent cliffs, we soon enjoyed striking views of two barbary falcons: the male bird performed an extremely agile aerobatic courtship flight, strongly suggesting that these birds were a probable breeding pair.

Walking along a woodland trail, my companion spotted something move in a small juniper shrub: we soon confirmed that this was a chameleon, only the second I have ever seen in Arabia, or anywhere else for that matter.  Although there was a heat haze on the mountains when we arrived, later in the afternoon the light quality improved, enabling us to get better quality pictures of this awesome, rugged scenery. The residents of the nearby village must really enjoy these wonderful, moody mountains, especially those with homes situated close to the escarpment rim.  The vertical drop from the awesome cliffs was difficult to estimate, but a fairly conservative guess would be that it falls in the range of 500-1,000 metres.  During our walk, we also sighted several other excellent birds that are particular specialities of these mountains, including the brown woodland warbler, Yemen linnet and Palestine sunbird.  Another raptor, an impressive long-legged buzzard, was also added to our trip list.  Later by the rim, we also saw a huge griffon vulture glide effortlessly above the cliffs.

Close to the superb escarpment road, we stayed overnight at the Al Hokair resort.  This interesting development comprises hemispherical chalets spread around a juniper-clad hilltop that directly overlooks the fabulous escarpment rim.  This is really a summer resort, one that had just opened for the season when we arrived.  Consequently, we virtually had the place to ourselves and next morning were up early, eager to fit in some birdwatching within the grounds: birds seen easily and well included Yemen thrush, Yemen linnet and African rock bunting.  Before 6 am, the cool mountain air was a real delight.  From here, the panorama of the serried mountains extending west beyond the rim was superb: the dramatic isolated pinnacles of Jabal Shada were very clear in the dawn light.  I framed a wide-angle shot of this scene and waited until the rising sun highlighted a small juniper in the foreground, all the while enjoying the delightful early morning bird song.

At the escarpment rim, the temperature was around a cool 20<C, but during an exciting 30-minute descent to Dhi Ain, the temperature climbed rapidly to 32<C. This descent, via an excellent road, provides some exciting vistas of these wonderful mountains.  Dhi Ain is a remarkable oasis and old village, where various crops such as bananas and papayas are cultivated beneath the shade of a tall date palm and fig trees.  Of course, all this greenery depends on a regular supply of water, which comes from a perennial stream that is diverted to feed a network of irrigation channels.  Dhi Ain, in Arabic, literally means a place with a spring and to see small waterfalls beneath the shade of old fig trees is both refreshing and surprising.  In addition to the valuable crops carefully cultivated here, Dhi Ain forms an amazing sub-tropical habitat that attracts a diverse range of wildlife, much with a distinctive African feel.  In the two hours we spent exploring this wonderful location, we enjoyed superb views of strikingly coloured birds such as the grey-headed kingfisher, shining sunbird and Bruceصs green pigeon. The green pigeon has a bright yellow belly and lower breast, with greyish-green upper parts, plus a purple shoulder patch that is visible when the bird is seen well.  However, since they blend in perfectly within the fig trees in which they are normally found, they can be tricky to see and photograph. We also heard the distinctive piping call of grey hornbills further up the wadi beyond the waterfalls.   Hamadryas baboons are also found in the area.