Arnold Uy was at Shubaily very early one
morning and saw two Eurasian Spoonbills flying over. He managed to get a photograph
that he kindly sent to me for use on my website for which I thank him. The
status of the species has changed over the years in the Eastern Province, with
it being regarded as a rare and irregular visitor usually involving immature
birds until the end of the 1980’s. Records occurred from November to December
and April and June with most on the coast at Taraut Bay, Qatif, Abu Ali and Al
Khobar. The only inland record was one at Abqaiq 30 September to 1 October
1976. Today it is an uncommon visitor in all months to the province. In Central
Saudi Arabia the status of the species has also changed with the List of Birds
of Saudi Arabia (Jennings 1981) saying there were no inland records for the
country. By the mid 1980’s the Birds of the Riyadh Region (Stagg 1994) stated
that prior to 1987 the Spoonbill was a rare autumn visitor. Since then it made
frequent appearances along the Riyadh watercourse and became a spasmodic spring
and autumn passage migrant and a regular winter visitor in growing numbers.
Wintering birds arrived occasionally in November but mainly January and were
seen thereafter until May with the largest group 11 on 23 November 1990. In the
late 1990’s the species was not recorded at all by the local birders and is
still regarded as a scarce bird in the area. The main stronghold for the
species in Saudi Arabia is the Red Sea where it is a common resident breeder.
Largest numbers are seen in the southwest near Jizan but birds have been
recorded all along the coast to north on Yanbu.
