20 September 2016

Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers – Jubail

The last few weeks have seen numbers of both Lesser Sand Plover and Greater Sand Plover building in the Jubail area. The Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius altifrons is a winter visitor and passage migrant that is common along the coast from August through May with very small numbers of non-breeding immatures in June and July. It is very rare away from the littoral with larger numbers on passage from late July to September and more especially in March and April showing characteristics of altifrons. The Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii is a passage migrant and winter visitor: Regular arrival of juveniles in late June and July where they remain common until September both on the coast and inland. From October they become scarce away from the coast but become regular again in April and May suggesting birds are on passage.
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Greater Sand Plover