Whilst
ringing at Sabkhat Al Fasl we caught and ringed a Little Ringed Plover. This is
the first time we have caught this species in Saudi Arabia and was a new
ringing species for Nicole. We caught the bird in a small 12 metre double panel
mist net set for pipits, in a relatively open area, and the bird was
accidentally flushed into the net as I was walking to see what was in the triple
18 metre five panel nets set over the water. The bird was in a small wet area
near to the small net and flew fast a low straight into the net when flushed.
At first I thought it was a shrike as it was so white on the underside but as I
got closer to the net it became obvious it was a wader and a Little Ringed
Plover. We had probably seen the same bird earlier in the morning sitting on top
of the mound of sand I park by when we arrive at the location. Little Ringed
Plovers are early passage migrants occurring in February, with some birds staying
to breed in the area.
