05 September 2017

Waders and Terns – Jizan Corniche

Whilst birding the southwest of Saudi Arabia in July I spent a few hours looking at Jizan Corniche. This is an excellent area for birding and has a fantastic small inlet which waders and other water birds get pushed up at high tide. Good views of the birds can also be had here and we saw plenty of species including Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Terek Sandpiper, Eurasian Spoonbills some in breeding plumage and Pink-backed Pelican. The commonest birds seen here were Crab Plover and Bar-tailed Godwits although a few Ruddy Turnstones and Greater Sand Plovers were also present. Indian Reef Herons were along the shore and a couple of Striated Herons were also present. A few gulls were also seen with Baltic Gull, Sooty Gull and White-eyed Gull being commonest. A Western Osprey was on a post out at sea, several Saunder’s Terns and one or two Gull-billed Terns were also out to sea.
African Collared Dove
Crab Plover
Crab Plover
Crab Plover
Crab Plover
Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian Spoonbill
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican