Whilst birding the Jubaul area recently I came across lrge numbers of
Ruff on a flooded area of sabkha. One bird was a smart male white-headed
individual that is shown below. Although Isee birds like this rarely in each
year I have not untuil now managed to get any photogrpahs. Ruff Philomachus
pugnax is a common migrant and uncommon winter visitor with high counts of over a
thousand being recorded occasionally in the Riyadh area during the spring. In
the Eastern Province they are often common
on pools inland and recorded in all months but mostly in October through March.
High counts of 600 at Dammam Marsh in winter 1980 and similar counts from
inundated fields at Dammam Second Industrial City in late 1980’s are the
biggest counts for the province so my record of 300-400 birds was a good number
for the area.
