The Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolusis a common migrant and winter visitor to coastal areas in Saudi Arabia. Autumn movement commences early with family groups moving through the region from the third week in June, continuing until September. In the Eastern Province it is mainly a winter visitor and passage migrant. In the 1980s it was abundant along the coast from August through May with smaller numbers of non-breeding immatures in June and July but now it is less common although still seen in good numbers. A count in January & February 1986 was estimated at 28,000 with the ICBP/NCWCD Waterbird Survey (November to December) 1991 - Mainly in Tarut Bay, counting a maximum of 2332 at Zur on 26 November. Kingdom wide it has the following status: Common migrant and winter visitor to the Gulf coast where a few are present throughout the summer. Uncommon migrant and winter visitor to the Red Sea coast. The only inland records are from Riyadh and Tabuk. I saw the below bird near Jubail in late August and it appears to resemble C. m. pamirensis in plumage which according to HBW occur from western Tien Shan, Pamirs and Karakoram to west Kunlun Shan and winter in south and east Africa to W India.
