26 July 2012

Breeding plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits - Dammam / Al Khobar Wader Roost south

High tide at the Dammam / Al Khobar Wader Roost south is not easy to judge. The tide times give you the timings but as the water is so shallow the wind and height of the tides have a major impact on when the tide covers the mud. I arrived during the week almost two hours before high tide and was just in time to see the waders being pushed into shore. A group of really smart breeding plumage Bar-tailed Godwits was present with a single adult Crab Plover amongst them. Nine Whibrel were in the flock of Eurasian Curlew and six Common Redshanks were also present. A group of three Eurasian Oystercatchers was feeding at one end with some Slender-billed Gulls and Gull-billed Terns. Smaller waders consisted of 12 Terek Sandpipers, one Ruddy Turnstone, seven Curlew Sandpipers 100+ Greater Sand Plovers and 25+ Lesser Sand Plovers. A single adult Greater Flamingo looked a little out of place a considerable distance from shore.

Slender-billed Gull - adult


Gull-billed Tern



Crab Plover


Greater Sand Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover