As mentioned in a previous post Phil Roberts and I
travelled to Haradh an area of extensive pivot irrigation fields three hours
drive from Dhahran and found some access to some very good looking fields in
various stages of growth from ploughed to fallow to newly growing. We
eventually came across two very damp newly ploughed fields that had a single
Northern Lapwing in it, but as we got closer more and more birds flew out. The
birds turned into a flock of over two hundred and at one stage we saw an even
bigger flock in flight over the second field making a total count of at least
425 birds. This is the largest flock ever in the Kingdom and is probably due to
the exceptionally cold weather we have had recently with temperatures at 4
degrees Celsius the day we were at Haradh and even colder in the Hail area
where it was minus three degrees Celsius. The Birds of the Eastern Province 1989 mentioned they were a
scarce and somewhat irregular visitor with records from November to early April
but chiefly from November through January.
In 1979-71 up to 15 wintered in Dhahran but this proved to be exceptional,
showing how large this flock was. Elsewhere in Saudi Arabia high counts have
been at Al Safi Dairy farm, Central province, where at least 111 individuals were
seen 25 January 2001. Birds of Thumamah 1988-1994 said maximum numbers were 100
in the winter 1992/1993. It status in the Kingdom is as an uncommon winter
visitor to all areas north of a line from Hofuf, through Riyadh to Hail.
