12 September 2016

World Shorebirds Day – Dammam Wader Roost

The World Shorebirds Day was created with the following aims:
To raise public awareness about the need to protect shorebirds and their habitats throughout their life cycles;
To raise public awareness about the need for ongoing shorebird research;
To connect people with shorebirds through important shorebird sites around the world;
To get shorebird enthusiasts to introduce shorebirds to more birdwatchers;
To raise awareness about the need for increased funding for shorebird research, monitoring and conservation.

World Shorebirds Day is held every year on the 6th of September or the weekend closest to this date. All waders are counted and sent in for collating with hundreds of different sites in different countries being counted on the same day. Phil Roberts and I count the waders along the Dammam seafront near to the Dammam Wader Roost where a reasonable number of waders can be counted. This year the commonest wader was Dunlin with good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits and Lesser Sand Plovers also seen. The largest flock of Ruddy Turnstones I have seen in the Eastern Province was counted with 45 birds present. Waders counted in single figures included Ruff, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover and Pied Avocet and unusual bird for this area although commoner in Jubail to the north.
Dunlin
Dunlin
Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruff
Ruff