The World Shorebirds Day was created with the
following aims:
To raise public awareness about the need to
protect shorebirds and their habitats throughout their life cycles;
To raise public awareness about the need for
ongoing shorebird research;
To connect people with shorebirds through
important shorebird sites around the world;
To get shorebird enthusiasts to introduce
shorebirds to more birdwatchers;
To raise awareness about the need for increased
funding for shorebird research, monitoring and conservation.
World Shorebirds Day is held every year on the
6th of September or the weekend closest to this date. All waders are counted
and sent in for collating with hundreds of different sites in different
countries being counted on the same day. Phil Roberts and I count the waders
along the Dammam seafront near to the Dammam Wader Roost where a reasonable
number of waders can be counted. This year the commonest wader was Dunlin with
good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits and Lesser Sand Plovers also seen. The
largest flock of Ruddy Turnstones I have seen in the Eastern Province was
counted with 45 birds present. Waders counted in single figures included Ruff,
Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover and Pied Avocet and unusual bird for this
area although commoner in Jubail to the north.
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| Dunlin |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Lesser Sand Plover |
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| Pied Avocet |
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| Ruddy Turnstone |
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| Ruff |