Whilst birding Jubail
with Phil we came across two juvenile Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor a locally common
breeding resident of all scrub desert areas, but a species not often seen due
to its habitat preferences. This was the first time I had seen the species in
Jubail although Phil had seen them there once before. They occur throughout
Saudi Arabia and in the Eastern Province, where I live, and breed in the
northern plains and on the Dibdibah north of 27 degrees N, preferring lightly
vegetated gravel and stony desert. During January and February a northerly
movement takes place across a broad front and in July to early September post
breeding dispersal occurs with juveniles accompanying adults in small flocks.
Nine were seen together at the edge of Dammam Airport Pools on 8th July 2011.
