There have been a number of records from various birdwatchers of Common
Sandpipers passing through the Eastern Province in the last week or so. The
Common Sandpiper is a common migrant and winter visitor to all areas of the
Kingdom including inland with large migrant flocks of up to 250 birds have been
present in Riyadh from June to August. Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994)
mention it as a passage migrant and winter visitor in variable numbers; has
been recorded in every month of the year. Passage mainly March to May and again
from July to late October when numbers markedly reduce. In the Eastern Province
of the Kingdom it is a common passage migrant and uncommon winter visitor:
Small numbers winter along the littoral and pools nearby. Migrants occur in
April and September and there are three June records but it is usually absent
between early May and late July. It has even occurred in the Empty Quarter with
one migrant at Jawb, Rub’ al-Khali in early September. The below photos were
taken in Jubail in late April.
