Whilst birding in Jubail at the
weekend Phil and I saw a Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus possibly the
same bird that has been about most of the winter, although has not been seen
for a month or more. Long-legged Buzzard is an uncommon breeding resident in
all areas of the Kingdom. In the Riyadh area it is a scarce resident as well as
a migrant and winter visitor. It is not seen as often as it has been as it has
retreated for breeding to remoter areas as urbanisation and farming have
expanded. It remains a breeding resident in small numbers and sightings suggest
a big increase in the winter population, with more sightings in the last few
years than previously during this period. In the southwest it is regarded as an
uncommon resident seen in all months except January. There is one recent record
from the Empty Quarter of a bird coming to drink at an irrigation pipe at GOSP
2 although the bird is a resident of the Rub al Khali. In the Eastern Province
it is a breeding resident, which is thinly distributed in small numbers.
