The last few weeks have seen numbers of both
Lesser Sand Plover and Greater Sand Plover building in the Jubail area. The Lesser
Sand Plover Charadrius altifrons is a
winter visitor and passage migrant that is common along the coast from August
through May with very small numbers of non-breeding immatures in June and July.
It is very rare away from the littoral with larger numbers on passage from late
July to September and more especially in March and April showing
characteristics of altifrons. The Greater
Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii is
a passage migrant and winter visitor: Regular arrival of juveniles in late June
and July where they remain common until September both on the coast and inland.
From October they become scarce away from the coast but become regular again in
April and May suggesting birds are on passage.
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| Lesser Sand Plover |
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| Lesser Sand Plover |
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| Lesser Sand Plover |
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| Greater Sand Plover |