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.
