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09 September 2015

Collared Pratincoles – Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm (Fadhili)

Whilst birding the Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm near Jubail, Phil and found two small flocks of Collared Pratincoles in the newly cut alfalfa fields. The first flock had one adult and four juveniles and the second flock four juveniles. Later we presume we saw the same birds altogether in the filed the first flock had been found, as there were eight juveniles and an adult there. The Collared Pratincle Glareola pratincola is an uncommon passage migrant to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, with a similar status in the Riyadh area where they occur from late March to May and in August and September. During the remaining summer months and in October it tends to be scarce and irregular. Often seen well inland with flocks hawking insects at Haradh in spring and autumn an area similar to the farm where we saw our birds. Records are more common in the autumn than spring in Riyadh with autumn movement from late July to late October, peaking late August to early September, when flocks of 40 plus (mainly juveniles) are regularly encountered. In the southwest, west and northwest of the country records are more common mainly at freshwater inland areas where flocks of over 100 have been recorded at Tabuk.
Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole