Se: BR I | EH WN < jaa} eal = (a) B = jaa} a, =! ae O > im PI O) O nN = Y oe) O aI O ae Fe Z, ~ ©) CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA OSME OSME was founded in 1978 as the successor to the Ornithological Society of Turkey. Its primary aims are: ¢ To collect, collate and publish data on all aspects of the birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia. e To promote an interest in ornithology and bird conservation throughout the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia. e To develop productive working relationships with governmental and non- governmental organizations with an interest in conservation and/or natural history in the region. PUBLICATIONS OSME publishes a scientific journal, Sandgrouse, containing papers, news and features on the ornithology of the OSME region. MEETINGS An Annual General Meeting is held at which guest speakers provide new perspectives on ornithology in the region. PROJECTS The Conservation & Research Committee grants funds to valuable projects that further knowledge and conservation of birds in the region. Priority is given to projects involving nationals from the OSME region. MEMBERSHIP OSME is open to all. For details of membership, subscription fees and how to join see www.osme.org. MEBIRDNET This is a discussion and information group moderated by OSME. To join see www.osme.org. POSTAL ADDRESS OSME c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SE19 2D, WK: ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, Py . CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA VICE PRESIDENTS (ASAT JULY 2008) Ali Adhami Mirhosseyni Dan Alon Ali bin Amer Al-Kiyumi Imad Atrash Akram Eissa Darwish Sherif Baha El Din Ramaz Gokhelashvili Samer Mouasher Ghassan Ramadan Jaradi Mona Ramadan Jaradi Sergey Sklyarenko COUNCIL (AS AT JULY 2008) Michael Blair Richard Bonser Jan Harrison « Secretary secretary@osme.org Sharif Al Jbour Guy Kirwan Chris Lamsdell Richard Prior ¢ Publicity publicity@osme.org Colin Richardson Mark Thomas « Advertising ads@osme.org Effie Warr « Sales & Distribution (co-opted) sales@osme.org John Warr ¢ Treasurer & Membership (co-opted) treasurer@osme.org Geoff Welch ¢ Conservation & Research crf@osme.org ¢ Chairman chairman@osme.org OSME CORPORATE MEMBERS Avifauna Greentours NHBS Rockjumper Birding Tours Sarus Bird Tours Sunbird Registered charity no 282938 ©2008 Ornithological Society of the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia. — WwWW.OSME.OFrg - SANDGROUSE VOLUME 30 (2) 2008 114 litle, 125 134 138 140 144 146 150 15S. 161 164 166 190 201 The status of European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Guy M KirwAN & JOHN M Bates The natural history of the Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus in Israel. Yoav PERLMAN Birds of the Badia region of Jordan. Mick Green & CHRIS THOMAS Barn Owl Tyto alba breeding success in man-made structures in the Jordan Rift valley, Israel. Kosi Meyrom, Yossi LesHeM & MOTT! CHARTER Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata — a new species for Egypt. Ka\ GAUGER & CHRISTOPH VOLLM Storks and frogs at Lake Uluabat, Turkey. Georr & HILARY WELCH The first records of Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Black Tern Chlidonias niger in Kuwait. ABDULRAHMAN AL-SIRHAN Habitats and foraging of Hooded Wheatears Oenanthe monacha in Jordan. Fares KHouRY & MARC | FORSCHLER Anthropogenic impacts on the Desert Larks Ammomanes deserti of Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi Emirate. P| Cowan Bird Sites of the OSME Region 5 — Birdwatching in the Meri¢ delta in NW Turkey. Otiviek DocHy The occurrence of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and its status in Central Asia. MANUEL SCHWEIZER & MAXIM MITROPOLSKIY A case of polygamy or co-operative breeding in the Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus in Israel. Mott CHarter, Yossi LESHEM, IDO IZHAKI & SHAY HALEVI Turkey Bird Report 2002-06. Guy M Kirwan, METEHAN OZEN & BARBAROS DEMIRC! (COMPILERS) Recent surveys of resident breeding birds in the St Katherine Protectorate, south Sinai, Egypt. MattHew LJ Wuite, ALAA El MOHAMMED, Nico S DAUPHINE, FRANCIS S GILBERT, SAMY ZALAT & HILARY GILBERT First winter record of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus for Israel MikoLA) Koss, Noam Weiss & REUVEN YOSEF Photospot — Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi. Reviews. OSME News. KEITH BETTON News & Information. DAWN BALMER (COMPILER) Around the Region. DAWN BALMER & KEITH BETTON (COMPILERS) Photo above: Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos, regularly encountered in the Jabal Akhdar, Oman (see Reviews). © Hanne & Jens Eriksen Cover photo: Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus. © Lior Kislev 113 The status of European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola in the Islamic Republic of Iran GUY M KIRWAN & JOHN M BATES Despite much interest amongst taxonomists and amateur birdwatchers in the systematics and field identification of the Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus complex of taxa in recent years, the most recent checklist of Iranian birds (Scott & Adhami 2006) merely records as a footnote that representatives of two forms have been recorded in the country. Following some recent treatments of the complex (eg Wink et al 2002), but contra, eg, Collar (2005), we consider S. torquatus as a superspecies comprising at least four species-level taxa: S. rubicola (European Stonechat), S. maurus (Asian Stonechat; a name that we prefer over the more established Siberian Stonechat, because the latter is a misnomer), S. torquatus (African Stonechat) and S. tectes (Réunion Stonechat). Urquhart (2002) mapped S. maurus armenicus as a breeder in north-west Iran south to the head of the Persian Gulf and through the southern Caspian region as far as the eastern province of Khorasan, with some records of S. m. variegatus (which breeds in the eastern Caucasus and northern Caspian) either on passage or wintering (eg specimens in The Natural History Museum, Tring, the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). In addition, Schweizer (2003) reported a sight record of European Stonechat S. rubicola in winter (March 2001) from Semnan Province in northern Iran. Interest in the ornithology of Iran currently appears to be burgeoning, with increasing numbers of both nationals and foreigners working on the country’s avifauna, reflected in a great many publications in recent years and a revised checklist of the country’s birds (Scott & Adhami 2006). As demonstrated by both Kratochwill & Kirwan (2004) and Kirwan (2007), it therefore is doubly surprising that so little attention is being paid to the considerable resources on the Iranian avifauna available in museum collections. Amongst this material is the outstanding collection from many areas of southern Asia, including Iran, of Walter Norman Koelz, an American naturalist and agriculturist. This latter material was extensive- ly studied by Koelz (1939, 1950, 1954) and Charles Vaurie (numerous publications, eg 1949) for both novelties (including the subspecies Saxicola maurus excubitor from Iran, considered a synonym of S. m. armenicus; Peters 1964), and data concerning geographical variation in passerines and non-passerines. Koelz’s specimens are housed at the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNRH), in Chicago; the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor (UMMZ); and the American Museum of Natural History, in New York. We examined 64 Iranian specimens of Saxicola torquatus sensu lato from the FMNH. The majority (52) of these relate to the form S. m. armenicus, as might be expected, given that this taxon is the widespread breeder in the country. Given only the single previous record of S. rubicola, it is somewhat surprising that we found nine females and three males refer- able to this form from Iran (see Table 1). All were collected, by Koelz, in winter to early spring (between late December and mid March) in the north-western and western provinces of Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Kermanshahah and Lorestan, and Kerman in the central-south of the country, thus hinting that eastern populations of rubicola winter regu- larly across western, northern and perhaps even southern Iran at this season. Most of Kerman province lies due north and inland of the Strait of Hormuz, whilst Tomogaon (the collection locality in question) is just south-west of Bam, and thus rather further east than other localities (see map on p xvi of Koelz 1983). Identification of rubicola specimens was based on mensural data (see Table 1 and comparative data in Urquhart 2002), as well as the amount of white in the rump patch (most had none or virtually none), the amount of dark 114 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) spotting in the same region, the extent of the orange on the underparts (which in both sexes is usually far more extensive in rubicola than in armenicus or other eastern races), tail pat- tern and, in males, the extent and degree of contrast presented by the white half-collar (generally more extensive and contrasting in armenicus and other races of Saxicola maurus). UMMZ holdings include 42 specimens of S. torquatus sensu lato from Iran, not including two specimens (181400—401) labelled as being S. maurus (sensu stricto) that were not exam- ined, all taken by Koelz. This series was principally taken in September—March, with two from April, four from July and one from August. Of the total, 17 specimens relate to S. rubi- cola, and these were principally taken in late September to late March, and again are indicative of relatively widespread occurrence in western Iran at this season, with records Table I. Iranian specimens of Saxicola rubicola collected in Iran by Walter N Koelz. FMNH = Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. UMMZ = Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Place name spellings, where possible, follow the Times Atlas of the World (eighth edn, 2000), or are as the relevant specimen labels. Measurements (mm) as follows: wing = flattened chord; bill = to skull. Specimen no. Sex Locality Province Date Wing Tail Bill FMNH 238699 female Dow Rud Lorestan 23 January 1941 6| 42.5 14.65 FMNH 238706 female Borujerd Lorestan 21 January 1941 63 43 14.09 FMNH 238708 male Qarishirin Kermanshahah 28 December 1940 65 42 13.96 FMNH 238715 male Tomoagaon Kerman 4 February 1940 64.5 4| 13.98 FMNH 238723 female Dow Rud Lorestan 23 January 1941 64 44 15.08 FMNH 238726 — female Dow Rud Lorestan 15 March 1941 64 45 14.71 FMNH 238727 male Borujerd Lorestan 20 January 1941 65 47 14.29 FMNH 238733 female Qarishirin Kermanshahah 3! December 1940 63 43 13.93 FMNH 238735 female Qarishirin Kermanshahah | January 1941 64 42 14.9] FMNH 238756 female Miandowab Azarbayjan-e Gharbi 2 December 1940 65 4| 14.84 FMNH 238758 female Qarishirin Kermanshahah | January 1941 64 40.5 14:37 FMNH 238829 — female Dow Rud Lorestan 9 March 1941 64 45 3.72 UMMZ 181368 male? Marageh Azarbayjan-e Gharbi 2 December 1940 68 47 12.38 UMMZ 181369 male ? Kermanshahah 26 December 1940 68 46 14.61 UMMZ 181370 male Qarishirin Kermanshahah 28 December 1940 66 44.5 13.09 UMMZ 181371 male Qarishirin Kermanshahah 30 December 1940 66 45 14.66 UMMZ 181372 — female Qarishirin Kermanshahah 3! December 1940 64 44 broken UMMZ 181373 male Qarishirin Kermanshahah 3! December 1940 65 44.5 14.64 UMMZ 181374 — female Qarishirin Kermanshahah | January 1941 64 44 12.5] UMMZ 181375 ~— male ~ Qarishirin Kermanshahah 2 January 1941 64-4555 13.02 UMMZ 181376 = male = Kermanshahah 14 January 1941 66 ~ 43.5 13.55 UMMZ 181377 . male Dow Rud Lorestan 23 January 1941 64 42 13.2 UMMZ 181378 male Dow Rud Lorestan 25 January 194! 67 44 broken (UMMZ 181379 — male Dow Rud Lorestan 25 January 1941 65 44 14.98 UMMZ 181380 male Dow Rud Lorestan 3 March 1941 65 49 15.08 UMMZ I18138I = male Dow Rud Lorestan 9 March 1941 65 44 14.98 UMMZ 181383 — male Dow Rud Lorestan 20 March 1941 64 45 14.72 UMMZ 181398 female Borujerd Lorestan 27 July 1942 64 46 14.46 UMMZ 135295 — female unknown unknown 31 October 1945 65 - 43.5 11.55 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 115 from Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Kermanshahah and Lorestan (see Table 1). A female from Lorestan, taken in July, is also a rubicola (UMMZ 181398), thereby suggesting that this form might also breed, albeit presumably very locally and in small numbers, in the country. The remaining 25 are S. maurus armenicus or S. m. variegatus. Urquhart (2002) noted the relative lack of knowledge of the wintering ranges and pas- sage routes of stonechats in the Middle East, including Iran, but given that rubicola is a regular winter visitor to adjacent parts of Iraq (Urquhart 2002, and references therein) and is also reported to be a summer visitor at low density throughout Armenia, including on the border with Iran (Adamian & Klem 1999), that it should also winter across western Iran is perhaps unsurprising. Further work should also seek to confirm or reject the possibility, first mooted here, that rubicola might breed in the country. General references on the migra- tion of European birds reveal that relatively few species’ populations are currently known to move in such a predominantly south-eastern direction; examples include Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus and Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocepha- Ia (eg Moreau 1972, Elphick 2007). Thus, either European Stonechats breed more extensively into western Asia than we currently realise (based on maps in Urquhart 2002), or migration patterns in European Stonechats and possibly other species may include an easterly component to wintering grounds in Iran and Iraq. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Financial support from the Ornithological Society of the Middle East and the Field Museum of Natural History enabled GMK’s studies of Middle Eastern and Socotran birds in ornithological collections in North America. We thank Janet Hinshaw, at UMMZ, for expediting the loan of their Saxicola torquatus material from Iran, to the Field Museum. Steve Goodman, at FMNH, assisted with some bibliographic material on Koelz. GMK is grateful to staff members at the Natural History Museum, Tring, for permission to examine specimens of Saxicola in their care and for access to relevant library facilities: Robert Prys-Jones, Katrina Cook, Alison Harding and Mark Adams. Emily Cline and Barney Coates helped with specimen measure- ments. Dr Alan Knox and James Siddle made several pertinent comments on the submitted manuscript. REFERENCES Adamian, MS & D Klem. 1999. Handbook of the birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia, Oakland, CA. Collar, NJ. 2005. Turdidae (thrushes). In: del Hoyo, J, A Elliott & DA Christie (eds). Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol 10. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, pp 514-807. Elphick, J (ed). 2007. The atlas of bird migration. The Natural History Madsen London. Kirwan, GM. 2007. Two specimens of Red-necked Stint from Iran. Dutch Birding 28: 92-93. Koelz, W. 1939. New birds from Asia, chiefly from India. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 52: 61-82. Koelz, W. 1950. New subspecies of birds from southwestern Asia. American Museum Novitates 1452: 1-10. Koelz, WN. 1954. New birds from Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Contributions of the Institute of Regional Exploration 1: 1-32. Koelz, WN. 1983. Persian diary 1939-1941. Anthropological Papers, Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, no 71, Ann Arbor. Kratochwill, K & GM Kirwan. 2004. Some corrections to, and comments on, recent papers on Iranian bird distributions. Sandgrouse 26: 149-151. Moreau, RE. 1972. The Palearctic-African bird migration systems. Academic Press, New York. Peters, JL. 1964. Check-list of birds of the world. Vol 10. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, MA. Schweizer, M. 2003. A European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola in northern Iran. Sandgrouse 25: 146-147. Scott, DA & A Adhami. 2006. An updated checklist of the birds of Iran. Podoces 1: 1-16. Urquhart, E. 2002. Stonechats: a guide to the genus Saxicola. Christopher Helm, London. Vaurie, C. 1949. Notes on some Ploceidae from western Asia. American Museum Novitates 1406: 1-41. Wink, M, H Sauer-Gurth & E Gwinner. 2002. Evolutionary relationships of stonechats and related species inferred from mitochondrial-DNA sequences and genomic fingerprinting. British Birds 95: 349-354. Guy M Kirwan, 74 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS, UK. GMKirwan@aol.com John M Bates, The Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA. jbates@fieldmuseum.org 116 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) The natural history of the Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus in Israel YOAV PERLMAN The Nubian Nightjar is critically endangered in Israel, mainly due to habitat destruction. It is currently found only in the Kikar Sdom region south of the Dead Sea. The main ecological requirements for Nubian Nightjar territories are a patch of at least 50 ha of salt marsh, preferably near water sources, and adjacent open areas for foraging. Several new and _ previously undocumented aspects of the breeding cycle, courtship and food are presented. INTRODUCTION The Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus Lichtenstein 1823 (Plates 1&2), is the smallest nightjar in the Middle East, weighing only 45-55 g. The species is relatively widespread in the arid parts of eastern Africa, though regarded as uncommon. In the Middle East it is much scarcer, with localized populations along the Rift Valley, from Israel in the north to the Red Sea coast of the southern Arabian peninsula (Cleere 1999, Holyoak 2001). Over most of its range in Africa, the Nubian Nightjar is regarded as resident, but the northern populations of the Middle East are thought to be mostly summer visitors, which migrate south to east Africa for the non-breeding season (Shirihai 1996, Holyoak 2001, Kirwan 2004). In Israel, until the mid-1980s, it was a localized but widespread breeder along the Rift Valley from the Beit She’an valley in the north to Eilat in the south, in suitable habitat. The local subspecies tamaricis is strongly associated with non-coastal salt marshes dominated by Tamarix and Suedea bushes and stands of Phragmites, with some open water sources— springs, oases etc. During the last two decades, this type of habitat in Israel has all but disappeared primarily due to the rapid development of agriculture, which consists mainly of greenhouse crops such as peppers and tomatoes. As a result, Nubian Nightjar numbers in Israel have dropped dramatically. Only 5 pairs were found in a 1999 national census cov- ering all potential sites along the Rift Valley in Israel (Shirihai 2000). Four of these pairs were in Kikar Sdom region south of the Dead Sea, near the small settlement of Ne’ot Hakikar. This heavily land-mined area had been left untouched along the Israeli/Jordanian border, which prevented agricultural development and preserved natural habitats (Plate 3). Another pair was found at a water reservoir c20 km north. Currently, the Nubian Nightjar is regarded as critically endangered in Israel (Alon & Mayrose 2003). Plate | (left). Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus adult (individual | in Table 1), Ne’ot Hakikar, Israel, August 2004. © Yoav Perlman Plate 2 (right). Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus adult, Ne’ot Hakikar, Israel, March 2008. © Yoav Perlman Sandgrouse 30 (2008) LAA, The main aims of my study on this little- known species were to determine the actual status of this species in the Kikar Sdom region and to describe its breeding biology, habitat use, food and other aspects of natu- ral history there. METHODS The Kikar Sdom region (30° 57’N, 35° 23’E), south of the Dead Sea, includes the settle- ments of Ne’ot Hakikar and Ein Tamar and is at an elevation of c350 m below sea level. SS The climate at Kikar Sdom is hot and dry. Plate 3. Breeding habitat of Nubian Nightjars in Israel, The average annual rainfall is 40 mm, occur- March 2005. © Yoav Perlman ring only during winter, and _ varies considerably between years. Daytime air temperatures are high in summer, often exceed- ing 40°C; winter minimum night time air temperatures are relatively low, often below 10°C (Jaffe 1988). During August 2004—July 2006 I spent approximately 300 nights in the field following and studying Nubian Nightjars. About 100 nights were dedicated to locating breeding pairs in suitable habitats. The birds were located either visually or vocally, using their dis- tinctive calls and very vocal nature during the breeding season. On bright moonlit nights, it was possible to observe this species with binoculars or on darker nights, I used night vision goggles. I videoed the courtship behaviour of the nightjars using a Sony DRC-HC62 camcorder, manually attached to night vision goggles. I trapped 7 adult Nubian Nightjars, during August 2004—July 2006, using mist nets (or a hoop net after spotlighting a bird sitting on a gravel road). Each nightjar was fitted with a 0.6 g or 1.5 g temperature-sensitive radio transmitter (Holohil Systems®, Ontario, Canada), and was ringed with a standard Israeli aluminium bird ring. An additional, juve- nile, bird was trapped and ringed in June 2006 but was not fitted with a transmitter. Length of the closed wing (Stiles & Altshuler 2004) and tail measurements were taken to + 0.5 mm and body mass measurements were taken to + 0.5 g. _To track the nightjars in the field I used a model R1000 telemetry receiver (Communications Specialists Inc., Orange, CA). I used a Biotrack® Linflex 3™ flexible 3-ele- ment Yagi antenna for bearing determination, and an omni-directional Biotrack® model LM150 car mounted antenna. Nightjar activity was recorded from one hour before dusk until half an hour after dawn. Location of each individual was noted continuously during the whole night, using stan- dard triangulation techniques if two observers were present or by me moving fast from one point to another and obtaining quick fixes. To avoid disturbing the birds I kept a minimum of 30 m away and always observed them from within a car, keeping quiet and dark. When possible, I maintained visual contact in order to record the location of the birds to a resolu- tion of a few metres and to note their behaviour. Location, habitat type and activity were recorded for each nightjar. Activities noted were: resting (when the bird was stationary, inside cover); foraging; and territorial behav- iour (calls heard and courtship displays seen). Foraging bouts were easily detected from changes in the intensity of the broadcast radio signal; signal strength rises rapidly as the nightjar sallies from the ground into the air (White & Garrott 1990). Permits for trapping and radio tagging were obtained from the Nature and Parks Authority. 118 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Home ranges of the nightjars were calculated with ArcGIS® software using the Adaptive Kernel Home Range method, which describes the relative use of habitats by an organism in its home range. This method provides a graphical representation of how the animal occupies space with isopleths delineating areas in which the animal can be found with a given probability, reflecting the amount of time an animal spends in each area (Worton 1989, Seaman & Powell 1996). To calculate the home range of a nightjar, I used all data points recorded for it over the whole period it was tracked. It is worth noting that there was little dependence, if any, between consecutive locations taken during different foraging bouts, as the nightjars often behaved as central-place foragers, returning to their roost sites before changing foraging site. To estimate a robust home range, | calculated both 90% and 95% isopleths. The 90% isopleth gives a good estimate of home range, with low variance and less statistical bias than the commonly used 95% isopleth (Borger et al 2006). I analyzed nightjar pellets by soaking them in 65% alcohol solution for a few minutes, examining the composition of the pellets by microscopy, and estimating the biomass of each taxon. This procedure is commonly used in bat faecal analysis (Whitaker 1988). RESULTS General I tracked each radio-tagged nightjar for 5-15 nights, including only full nights of tracking (Table 1). Of the seven nightjars tracked, two were males, two were females, and three could not be sexed. Cleere (1999) and Holyoak (2001) mentioned slight morphological dif- ferences between sexes of this species but I was unable to distinguish between the sexes on this basis in the population I observed in Israel. I identified sex of four birds by their terri- torial behaviour in the field—males were very vocal, and exhibited courtship displays. Individuals 2 and 3, and 5 and 6 were pairs occupying overlapping territories, and were trapped in the same respective locations. The other individuals were trapped in three dif- ferent locations within a circle of approximately 3 km radius. Status and habitat use I found 21 pairs of Nubian Nightjar in the Kikar Sdom region and another two pairs at a water reservoir c20 km north of Kikar Sdom (at the same site where they were seen in 1999). All the pairs I found seemed to be involved in territorial activity during the breeding season. The cores of the territories of all pairs were in patches of salt marsh larger than 50 ha. In these sites the nightjars roosted year-round. They were not found roosting in open areas. Table |. Monitoring periods and biometrics of seven adult Nubian Nightjars. Number of full nights relates to the number of nights | tracked an individual and obtained a complete data set. Number of partial nights relates to nights for which | obtained only partial data. These nights were excluded from analysis. Individual Date Sex Length of Body No. of No. of closed wing mass full partial (mm) (g) nights nights | August 2004 Unknown 158.5 61 5 2 Jos March 2005 Female 149 50 14 4 3 March 2005 Male 156 SI 7 3 4 June 2006 Unknown 160 50 10 | 5 March-April 2006 Female 153 50 15 0 6 April-May 2006 Male 155 48 14 | 7 June 2006 Unknown 154 50 8 0 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 119 Most pairs seen were near some sort of water source, usually a spring or irrigation canal. The nightjars apparent- ly avoided the centres of large, homogeneous’ salt marsh patches, and preferred the edges of these patches. Foraging took place always in open areas, either along the edges of salt marsh patches, or over agricultural fields. The specific choice of for- aging site depended on habitat i he tu WOR 6 3 v iy, structure. In periods when the [jee Foraging, agricultural fields were cov- —eaeae = Ree canal ered by plastic greenhouses : Sale march (polytunnels) or when the & fields were totally dry after "thas Cae wadi (salt marsh) 500 being ploughed, the nightjars_ f . aes ee eee] MECKES foraged NTL peep oa canon Figure 1. 95% isopleth home range of a female Nubian Nightjar and irrigation canals or at the Caprimulgus nubicus at Ne’ot Hakikar during March 2005 (8.4 ha). Each edges of salt marsh patches. In location is marked with a solid yellow circle; the home range is circled with yellow. For each location, usage (foraging or roost) and habitat are contrast, during May and noted. © Yoav Perlman June, after the plastic was taken off the fields and before the fields were ploughed, the nightjars foraged mainly over the productive agricultural fields. I calculated the kernel home range of six nightjars (a representation of one home range is in Figure 1). I excluded the August 2004 bird from the analysis, as I only recorded five nights of data for it. The average home range size using the 90% and 95% isopleths was 7.4 ha (SD = 1.25, n= 6) and 8.43 ha (SD = 1.14, n=6) respectively. The smallest salt marsh patch used by nightjars was 50 ha. The nightjars were usually quite sedentary, and moved rather short distances at night between foraging sites. The farthest foraging sites were 1300 m away from the roost site, but almost 80% of the foraging time was spent within a radius of 300 m from the roost site. Natural history Contrary to the published literature (Shirihai 1996, Holyoak 2001), the Nubian Nightjars in Israel appear to be resident and not summer breeding visitors. I regularly observed the nightjars in winter, though they were much less active then compared to other seasons, as they foraged for very short periods of the night and were silent. The low activity levels in winter are presumably attributable to the capacity to use energy-saving mechanisms, such as torpor (regulated hypothermia) (Reinertsen 1996), like many other Caprimulgiformes (eg McKechnie & Lovegrove 2002). The nightjars responded strongly to the lunar cycle. On nights with a full moon, with high nocturnal light intensity levels, the nightjars foraged through most of the night. On dark nights with no moon, the nightjars foraged only during the twilight of dusk and dawn. 120 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Plate 4. Impression of Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus courtship flight, Ne’ot Hakikar, Israel, March 2006. © Amir Balaban The breeding cycle of the Nubian Nightjars began in early March, when the birds became very vocal and apparently strictly maintained their _ territories. Courtship was noted in mid-late March (25-27 March 2005, 15-17 March 2006). It was always linked to periods of full moon. I documented and videoed the courtship behaviour of the Nubian Nightjar. The courtship took place in open areas, near the breeding sites. The courtship included two main activity types that lasted several min- utes each. In the first, the male and female Plate 5. Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus newly- Bothcst on the ground, Ecedeeacmothee pace sha Ne’ot Hakikar, Israel, May 2007. © Yoav spread their wings and tails showing the big white wing patches and tail corners, and called in great excitement. In the second activity the male flew about 1 m behind the female, both exhibiting a unique, buoyant and slow, flight, with the wings raised in a shallow V-shape, calling to each other in flight (Plate 4). After several sessions both birds disappeared into the vegetation, and possibly mated. Then they returned to the courtship arena and continued with the display. The longest courtship display I observed lasted about two hours, which included several possible mat- ing events. During several sessions I observed the male perched on a tree or a greenhouse, about 2 m above the ground. These were the only instances in which I observed Nubian Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 121 Nightjars perched on an elevated object and not on the ground as they normally do. I noted newly-fledged juveniles being fed by their parents in late April and early May 2007 (Plate 5). This is about 7 weeks after the predicted courtship period of early March (in 2007 I was not able to observe courtship). I observed three different fami- lies: two with two young and one with three young. Both parents were seen feeding the juveniles on the ground, just outside of the salt marsh patch where they had nested. On 25 June 2006 I trapped a fully grown, inde- pendent juvenile (Plate 6). I documented a difference in call between males and females. In the litera- ture, both sexes are described as having a similar call, a double or triple ‘koww-koww’ or ‘koww-koww-koww’ (Holyoak 2001) or ‘ow-wow’ (Cleere 1999), which they seem to use for all interactions. However, by having fitted radio tags to birds, I could relate the differ- ent calls I heard from pair members to specific birds and by observing the behaviour of the birds determine their sexes. The call of the males was clearer and higher-pitched, while the females had a lower-pitched and hoarser call. Apart from the calls, I noted no morpholog- ical differences between sexes, contrary to published literature (Holyoak 2001). Both sexes showed similar wing and tail measurements, and a similar size and sharpness of the white wing patches. Plate 6. Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus juvenile, Ne’ot Hakikar, Israel, June 2006. © Arnon Tsairi Food There are few references to the food of the Nubian Nightjar. Jackson (2000) mentioned stomach analyses of nine Nubian Nightjars, which contained mostly Lepidoptera (moths), but also Coleoptera (beetles), Orthoptera (grasshoppers), Dictyoptera (mantids) and Hemiptera (true bugs). Further details were not given. Cleere (1999) and Holyoak (2001) mentioned moths as being the main food and also noted grasshoppers, beetles and mantids. In August 2004 and March 2005 respectively, I located the diurnal roost sites of two indi- viduals that had shed their transmitters while the batteries still had power. In both cases I flushed the nightjars from their roost sites and found large numbers of faecal pellets, implying that both had roosted in exactly the same spot day after day for long periods. I collected 30 pellets from the August 2004 roost site and three from the March 2005 site. The faecal pellets I examined contained mainly wing scales of noctuid moths, but also other hard parts that allowed identification of several taxa. Moths accounted for 88% of the total biomass on average. Other taxa that were identified were beetles, earwigs (Dermaptera), ants (Hymenoptera), bugs (Heteroptera) and flies (Diptera). The latter four taxa have not been described before as food of the Nubian Nightjar (Table 2). DISCUSSION This study describes the general ecological characteristics of Nubian Nightjars and their territories in Israel. The nightjars breed and roost in salt marshes and forage in open areas, either over agricultural fields or near water canals and springs. Their foraging habits sure- 122 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Table 2. Composition of 19 Nubian Nightjar faecal pellets. The percentage composition of each pellet is given for each insect group. UI = unidentified particles. Pellets |—16 belonged to the August 2004 individual. Pellets |7—19 belonged to the March 2005 male. The large Tamarix flower was contained in a pellet. Pellet Lepidoptera Coleoptera Dermaptera Other Ul Remarks | 80 0 10 10 0 2 90 0 6 4 0 3 70 20 0 0 10 4 95 0 5 0 0 5 80 20 0 0 0 6 90 0 0 10 0 7 80 0 10 0 10 8 25 0 0 0 5 Large Tamarix flower be) 95 5 0 0 0 10 95 5 0 0 0 11 90 0 10 0 0 12 90 5 5 0 0 Many Coleoptera eggs 13 100 0 0 0 0 14 85 5 10 0 0 15 99 0 0 | 0 16 TIS) 25 0 0 0 17 75 20 0 5 0 18 92 0 0 8 0 19 100 0 0 0 0 Average 88.2 | 5.53 2:95 2.00 1.32 ly reflect a foraging technique of visually locating flying insects against the sky, and a need for open skies. Further, the nightjars require intermediate light intensities for foraging. They cannot locate their prey on totally dark nights, but avoid foraging before dusk or after dawn when light intensities are higher. They also avoid foraging near human light sources (eg street lights), unlike many other nightjar species that often exploit the higher insect den- sities near such light sources (Holyoak 2001, Frank 1988). The Nubian Nightjar in Israel requires a heterogeneous habitat, with dense salt marsh patches of at least 50 ha for breed- ing and roosting, and adjacent open areas for foraging, especially near water sources. Further, it is important that there are no artificial light sources near the nightjar territories. My finding that the Israeli nightjar population is apparently resident, and not migrant as was previously thought, fits well with the conclusion reached by Kirwan (2004). He sug- gested that the different subspecies of Nubian Nightjar cannot be safely separated, and the differences between different individuals might represent responses to local climatic or geomorphologic conditions. Therefore, I suggest that specimens of tamaricis that were col- lected in east Africa might have been misidentified birds of local forms. During my research | found 23 pairs of Nubian Nightjar in Israel. This is a large increase compared to the 5 pairs found in 1999. However, I suspect that this increase does not rep- resent a true increase in population size but reflects, rather, the larger amount of time I spent searching compared to the previous work, and the fact that I could separate between neighbouring pairs using radio telemetry and identify them in the field. My study population probably extends to the rich habitats on the Jordanian side of the border and perhaps represents a small part of a larger population. I heard several pairs call- ing from across the border on many occasions, and from observations and study of aerial photographs of the relevant area in Jordan, it seems that appropriate habitat is relatively extensive there. This should be surveyed for nightjars in the near future if possible. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 123 The small population in Israel has a high risk of becoming extinct. The economic and social processes that led to the expansion of the agricultural lands along the Rift Valley in Israel have not slowed down, and the demand for more agricultural land is ever growing. The habitats where the nightjars breed and roost are not protected. However, as a result of my research, the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority has started work on creating a protect- ed nature reserve that will preserve this important habitat type and its nightjars and protect the water sources of the Kikar Sdom region. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank both of my MSc advisors, Professors David Saltz and Berry Pinshow of the Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, for their dedication, support and advice. Prof Saltz also commented on earlier versions of this paper, together with Zev Labinger. I thank Dan Alon, director of the Israeli Ornithological Centre, for his ongoing support for the project. I thank the many people who helped me carry out the strenuous field work, especially Yair Delbar and Zeev Shachar. I thank Arnon Tsairi, whose intimate knowledge of the nightjars and the Ne’ot Hakikar region and his motivation to protect them were invaluable. I thank the residents and farmers of Kikar Sdom, and especially Ehud Tsairi, for their help and hospitality. Financially, OSME contributed a research grant, the Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology sup- ported my graduate studies, and the Gidi Zakkay family fund donated money. This is the 618th publication of the Mitrani Department. REFERENCES Alon, D & A Mayrose. 2003. [Avifauna]. In: Dolev A & A Perevolotzky (eds). [The Red Book of Vertebrates in Israel]. NPA & SPNI publications, Jerusalem, [in Hebrew]. Borger L, N Franconi, G De Michele, A Gantz, F Meschi, A Manica, S Lovari & T Coulson. 2006. Effects of sampling regime on the mean and variance of home range size estimates. Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 1393-1405. Cleere, N. 1999. Nubian Nightjar. In: Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott & J Sargatal (eds). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 5: Barn Owls to Hummingbirds. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Frank, KD. 1988. Impact of outdoor lighting on moths: an assessment. Journal of the Lepidopterological Society 42: 63-93. Holyoak, DT. 2001. Nightjars and their Allies. Oxford University Press, UK. Jackson, HD. 2000. The food of afrotropical nightjars. Ostrich 71: 405-408. Jaffe, S. 1988. Climate of Israel. In: Yom-Tov, Y & E Tchernov (eds). The Zoogeography of Israei. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands. Kirwan, GM. 2004. Remarks on Nubian Nightjar taxonomy. Bulletin of the African Bird Club. 11: 117-125. McKechnie, EA. & BG Lovegrove. 2002. Avian facultative hypothermic responses: a review. Condor 104: 705-724. Reinertsen, RE. 1996. Physiological and ecological aspects of hypothermia. In: Carey, C (ed). Avian Energetics and Nutritional Ecology. Chapman & Hall, New York, pp125-157. Seaman, DE & RA Powell. 1996. An evaluation of the accuracy of kernel density estimators for home range analysis. Ecology 77: 2075-2085. Shirihai, H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London. Shirihai, H. 2000. Results of Nubian Nightjar national census, 1999. Israeli Ornithological Center internal pub- lication, Tel Aviv. Stiles, FG & DL Altshuler. 2004. Conflicting terminology for wing measurements in ornithology and aerody- namics. Auk 121: 973-976. White, GC & RA Garrott. 1990. Analysis of Wildlife Radio-Tracking Data. Academic Press, San Diego. Whitaker, JO. 1988. Food habit and analysis of insectivorous bats. In: Kunz, TH (ed). Echological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats. Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, pp171-189. Worton, BJ. 1989. Kernel methods for estimating the utilization distribution in home range studies. Ecology 70: 164-168. Yoav Perlman, Israeli Ornithological Center, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, 2 Hanegev St, Tel Aviv 66186 & Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boger Campus, 84990 Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel. yoav.perlman@gmail.com 124 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Birds of the Badia region of Jordan MICK GREEN & CHRIS THOMAS We visited the Badia region of northern Jordan in spring in both 1996 and 1997. We recorded birds systematically in a range of habitats across the region, but we also made casual records. The range of species in our systematic list suggests that the conservation importance of this little studied area is considerable. The Badia region in the north of the Kingdom of Jordan comprises the Basalt desert, Ar | Ruwayshid desert and the limestone hamma- da and chalk cliffs of the Eastern desert (Andrews 1995) (Figure 1). Access is not easy, and the absence of easily identified ‘sites’ has meant that the region has received less atten- tion from birdwatchers than other areas of Jordan. Multi-disciplinary studies pertinent to the development of the region have been undertaken since 1992 under the manage- ment of the Jordan Badia Research and Development Programme (Dutton & Shahbaz 1999). As part of this programme, a series of studies of the biodiversity of the region was undertaken, funded by the UK Government ‘Darwin’ Initiative, of which | Syria ornithological studies formed a part. This paper aims to provide a basic checklist of the bird species found during the studies in this infrequently visited part of the Kingdom. Study Area Jordan Figure |. Location of study area in Jordan | Wadi Hashad | Wadi Selma | Marrib Selma | Marrib Suweid | Safawi | Jordan | | : M E T H @) D S | ; Wadi al Quattafi | We visited the region in spring 1996 from 28 February to 22 March and in spring 1997 from 25 March to 7 April. From our base in Safawi (Figure 2), we carried out transect- based bird surveys in a variety of sites and 3 habitats (qv) across the region in order to Figure 2. Badia region of Jordan assess the bird communities associated with differing habitats (Thomas & Green in prep). We walked our transects at a slow but steady pace across areas of habitat, recording birds in two distance bands — up to 50m and 50-100 m from the transect centreline, to allow for subsequent calculation of densities. This methodology is regarded as being the most efficient of all general bird survey techniques in terms of data gathered per unit effort (Bibby et al 1992). In large areas of habitat, several observers walked parallel transects. The length of transects varied according to each site’s habitat and geography. We kept casual records of all additional observations made around our base and when travelling between sites throughout each period. All records have been combined in the following systematic list. The weather in 1996 was dry with cold nights. In 1997 there had been significant rainfall before our visit, producing standing water in many of the gas and thick vegetation across many of the marribs. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) =125 HABITATS AND SITES 3 The Badia comprises a large and significant part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Allison et al 1998). It lies in an arid climatic zone, rainfall being erratic. The land ranges from c1150 m asl in the northwest, to c400 m along the Saudi Arabia border. Much of the large central area around Safawi, at a mean altitude of 700 m, consists of basalt lava flows, or Harrat, of varying ages. Erosion has produced habitats dominated by small broken boul- ders, interspersed by drainage channels or larger wadis. There is little vegetation over much of the area. Towards the area’s southeast, around Dakhikya, near the Saudi Arabia border is an area of tertiary sediments, mainly limestone and marls. This is an area of high cliffs separated by flat landscapes and some quite large areas of scrub habitats. The eastern section is a mixture of tertiary sediments, overlain in places by recent alluvial deposits of sands and gravels, and includes the Al Ruwayshid desert area of rolling red sands. The general flow of the extensive wadi system that drains the area is from the north to the south and southwest. Much of the water from the area ends up in the Azraq basin. Associated with the wadi system are two further geomorphological features of fine grained water-lain sediments. The first of these, the qas, are fed by wadis but have no major out- ward drainage; consequently, many qas are saline and possess little vegetation. Marribs, the second feature, are areas where water from the wadis tends to spread out over larger areas before continuing downstream, leaving fine sediments that can hold considerable vegetation especially in wetter years. Some marribs are utilised for agricultural planting, mainly cereals. The wadis, whether rocky or more open, and associated qas and marribs, are a mosaic of habitats suitable for many bird species. Figure 2 indicates the general location of the main sites we visited during the study, namely: e Safawi: our project base was at As Safawi, which was surrounded by basalt desert. There were some trees around the buildings. e Wadi Selma, a deep wadi through the basalt, generally rocky habitat with some vegeta- tion — small bushes and seasonal grasses and herbs. It is partially protected as a reserve which has reduced grazing. © Qa Selma (not shown in Figure 2): large open qa at the south end of Wadi Selma - open ground with little vegetation. e¢ = Marrib Selma: large marrib area of scrub and open, partially vegetated ground. ¢ Qa ‘Selma Road’ (not shown in Figure 2): small qa between Safawi and Wadi Selma. e Wadi Hashad: wadi in basalt area similar to Selma. e Marrib Suweid: large marrib, particularly well vegetated in 1997, grazed and holding some small agricultural areas. | e Burqu’ pool: ancient pool in the edge of the Basalt desert — the only permanent water in the region. e Wadi Al Quattafi: rocky wadi in red sand area — possesses a variety of rocky habitats in the wadi, surrounded by open sand desert. e Dakhikya: large area of chalk cliffs and open desert floor with some scrub habitat. e Hazeem: cultivated area of date palms and other crops. e Wadi es Sibhi: rocky wadi ¢ The wadi south of el Mormada Qa, a rocky wadi. ° Qa We’ah: area of open ga, having some vegetated areas. 126 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) e Pipeline (not shown in Figure 2): track following the pipeline across the centre of the region, which is mainly basalt, crossed by several wadis. In 1997, the area held some ephemeral pools. SYSTEMATIC LIST All records are given, except where species were commonly seen across the region. For these species the main habitats where they occurred are given. Where only one year is men- tioned, we had no records from the other year of the survey. Our two relatively short visits were outside the main breeding season and so we did not ascribe status such as ‘resident’ or ‘passage’ to species. Key: m = male, f = female, imm = immature. Date convention is day/month. Chukar Alectoris chukar. 1996: 1 Wadi es Sibhi 12/3. 1997: Pairs displaying near Wadi Al Quattafi and Wadi es Sibhi. Sand Partridge Ammoperdix hey. (NB: possible confusion with See-See Partridge A. griseogularis, Andrews et al 1999). 1996: singles at Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, south of el Murmada 14/3, pipeline 15/3. 1997: Pairs at Wadi Selma, Wadi es Sibhi and Wadi Al Quattafi. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix. 1997: Individuals flushed from patches of crops across the area: a maximum of 5 at Qa We’ah. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos. 1996: 1, Burqu’ pool 1/3. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata. 1996: 9 Burqu’ pool 10/3. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3 Northern Pintail Anas acuta. 1996: 17, Burqu’ pool 10/3. Garganey Anas querquedula. 1996: Several, Burqu’ pool 18/3. 1997: 3m & 2f Burqu’ pool 29/3. Common Teal Anas crecca. 1996: 38, Burqu’ pool 10/3. Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia. 1997: Recorded from several qas: 4+ at Marrib Selma, 14 at Oa Selma Road and 38 at Qa We’ah. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax. 1997: 2 adults at Safawi base on 29/3; after leaving their roost next day, joined by 6 other adults. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. 1997: 2 on roadside seasonal pool, 10km south of Burqu’ pool 29/3. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea. 1996: one in flooded ga near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3. Little Egret Egretta garzetta. 1997: 2 at Burqu’ pools 29/3. Raptor spp. There was a much more noticeable movement of raptors across the area in 1997 during our second visit, which was later in the year. Most movement was observed in the last few days of March and the first week in April, the peak time as recorded by Andrews (1996). A large movement (80+ birds), thought mainly to be Steppe Buzzard B. b. vuipinus, but accompanied by other species including unidentified eagles and a probable Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis, took place over Wadi Al Quattafi on 1 April 1997. The records overall indicate a broad movement of raptors across the region. Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni. 1997: 1 at Qa Selam road 28/3, 1f Marrib Suweid 29/3, c10 Qa We’ah 29/3, 3 roosting at Safawi 4/4. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) = 127 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. 1996: Pair, Dakhikya 8/3, 1 near Safawi 10/3, 1 south of El Murmada 15/3, 1 Dakhikya 16/3. 1997: Pairs breeding at Dakhikya and Safawi, 1m Wadi Selma 26/3, 6 Qa We’ah 29/3, 1 near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4, 1 Wadi es Sibhi 7/4. Black Kite Milvus migrans. 1996: 1, Burqu’ pool 18/3. 1997: Up to 7 birds in study period, all moving northwards. Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus. 1996: 2 on pylons south of Safawi 17/3. 1997: One at Dakhikya 2/4. Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus. 1996: m & f Qa We’ah 6/3, m just south of El Murmada 15/3. 1997: 1 imm Wadi Selma road 28/3, 3m Qa We’ah 29/3, Im Safawi 8/4, 4m & 1f Oa We’ah 7/4. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus. 1996: Single ringtail (f), Qa We’ah 6/3. 1997: 1 Qa We’ah 29/3, 1 near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. 7 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus. 1996: 1m Marab Selma 3/3, 1m Qa We’ah 6/3. 1997: record- ed many sites in a variety of habitats, mostly singles, but up to 7 at Qa We’ah on 29/3 and 7/4. | Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus. 1997: Recorded at a variety of sites as part of a gener- al movement of raptors between 29/3 and 7/4. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus. 1996: Singles at Qa We’ah 6/3, near Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, south of el Murmada 15/3, pipeline 15/3 and Wadi Selma 19/3. 1997: Singles at Safawi 25/3, Oa Selma road 25/3, Oa Selma 28/3 and near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos. 1996 and 1997: Breeding pair south of study area had estab- lished site with 3 alternative nests within 0.5 km separation. The active nest was decorated with rags including a complete headscarf draped across front of nest. Common Crane Grus grus. 1996: 5 Dakhikya 8/3, 30 overhead, climbing thermals, Wadi es Sibhi 13/3, 7 at flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3, 12 Qa Selamr 16/3. 1997: Two flocks of 14 and 8 over Wadi Selma 26/3, 14 feeding at Qa Selma 28/3. Wader spp. Many records refer to the permanent open water at Burqu’ pool, but waders also were seen in temporary pools in the desert, especially in 1997 when rains had left more areas of standing water. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus. 1996: 5 Burqu’ pool 18/3. 1997: 1 Qa Selma 27/3, 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3. Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus. 1997: 1 Dakhikya 3/4. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius. 1996: 1 Burqu’ pool 1/3. 1997: 2 Burqu’ pool 29/3, 1 flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus. 1996: Burqu’ pool 3 on 1/3, 7 on 10/3 & 5 on 18/3. 1997: Pair near Safawi 25/3, 10+ Burqu’ pool 29/3, some paired and displaying. Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. 1996: 6 Burqu’ pool 1/3. Several, flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3 Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii. 1997: 5+ on pool near Wadi AI Quattafi 1/4. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3. 128 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus. 1996: 1 on flooded ga near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia. 1996: 2 Burqu’ pool 10/3. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus. 1996: 4 Burqu’ pool 10/3, 1 at flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3. 1997: 1 Qa We’ah 29/3, 2 near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola. 1996: 2 at flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3, 1 Qa We’ah 29/3. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos.1996: 2 on small roadside pool near Safawi 10/3. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3 Little Stint Calidris minuta. 1996: Burqu’ pool 1 on 1/3, 5 on 10/3, 1 on 18/3. 1997: 2 on pool near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Dunlin Calidris alpina. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3. 2 near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Ruff Philomachus pugnax. 1996: Burqu’ pool, 1 on 1/3, 3 on 10/3, small flock at flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 15/3. 1997: 1 Burqu’ pool 29/3, 6 flooded qa near Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor. 1996: 1 Wadi es Sibhi 12/3. 1997: Total of 4 birds noted when driving between sites, mainly on harrat habitat, plus 1 Qa We’ah 29/3. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus. 1996: 1 Burqu’ pool 18/3. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata. 1996: 26 Qa We’ah 6/3. 1997: much more movement late March/early April, including: Safawi — 3 flocks totalling 9000 birds westwards morn- ing 26/3; Wadi Selma — 2200 heading NE late afternoon on 26/3; 3000+ southwards between 06.00 and 10.00 h on 27/3, returning from 15.00 until sunset; Marrib Selma and Qa Selma — 100s flying over morning 28/3. Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis. 1996: 2 Qa We’ah 18/3. Rock Dove Columba livia. Common but patchily distributed where suitable habitat of cliffs or buildings. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto. Recorded around palm groves and human set- tlement, but not elsewhere. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis. Recorded around palm groves and human settle- ment but not elsewhere. Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo. Recorded both years from steep sided rocky wadis or cliff areas across the region. At least 5 pairs found. Two nests located, one at top of a sand talus slope at the base of a cliff (2 eggs on 17/3/96) and one deep in a boulder crevice. All individuals clearly observed were pale and small — probably the race ascalaphus. Little Owl Athene noctua. Seen across the region in steep sided wadis and cliff areas. Frequently encountered in daylight. All individuals seen were very pale. Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba. 1996: 1 Dakhikya 8/3. 1997: 2 Qa We’ah 7/4. Common Swift Apus apus. 1996: 1 14/3 south of el Murmada. 1997: 1 Marrib Selma 28/3, 4 Wadi Al Quattafi 30/3, 1 Dakhikya 3/4. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus. 1996: 1 Hazeem 9/3. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 129 Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops. Encountered throughout the area mainly in marrib and wadis: frequently in pairs. Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla. 1996: 1, Safawi 19/3. 1997: Safawi: 1, 25/3; 2, 30/3; 1, 2/4; 1, 7/4: 1 Wadi Selma 26/3, 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 31/3. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus. 1997: 1f Dakhikya 3/4. Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor. 1996: 1 Dakhikya 8/3, 1 Hazeem 9/3. 1997: 1 Dakhikya 9/4. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator. 1996: 1 Marib Selma 3/3, 1 Wadi Selma 3/3, 1 Safawi 16/3. 1997: Singles at Safawi, Wadi Selma, Qa We’ah and Wadi Al Quattafi. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis. Breeding on pylons across the region and in cliff habitats at Dakhikya. Sand Martin Riparia riparia. 1997: 1 Dakhikya 3/4, 12 Qa We’ah 7/4. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. 1996: Several near Safawi 10/3, many over Burqu’ pool 10/3 & 18/3, 1 Safawi 20/3. 1997: Seen in small numbers across the region throughout, the largest movement being 60+ birds between 06.00 and 07.00 h on 7/4 at Wadi es Sibhi. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica. 1997: 1 Qa We’ah 29/3,.1 Wadi es Sibhi 5/4. Common House Martin Delichon urbicum. 1997: 2 Qa We’ah 29/3, 1 Dakhikya 3/4. Greater Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes. 1996: 2 south of el Murmada 15/3, 1 Qa We’ah 6/3, 1 Hazeem 9/3. 1997: 1 Dakhikya 3/4. 3 near Wadi es Sibhi 3/4. Thick-billed Lark Ramphocoris clotbey. 1997: 1m near Safawi 25/3, pair Wadi Selma 27/3, 2m Wadi Hashad 28/3, 1m Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4, lm Dakhikya 3/4. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra. 1997: 2 Wadi Hashad 28/3. Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata. 1996: Several small flocks Qa We’ah 6/3, 20 Dakhikya 8/3. 1997: c50 Qa Selma 28/3, 8 Burqu’ pool 29/3. ° Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura. Seen throughout the region in open country. Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti. Common across the basalt desert. Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla. 1997: 2 Safawi 25/3, 4 Qa Selma 27/3. Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens. Seen throughout the region and usually asso- ciated with vegetated areas. Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunnt. 1997: 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. Crested Lark Galerida cristata. Seen throughout the region, always associated with vegetat- ed areas. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis. 1996: 2 Marrib Selma 3/3, 1 Dakhikya 8/3. Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha. Seen throughout the region; like all the other common larks, always associated with vegetation. Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta. 1996: Wadi Selma 2, 2/3; 6, 3/3, 1 Hazeem 9/3, Wadi es Sibhi 2 pairs 12/3. 1997: 2 pairs + pulli, Wadi Selma 27/3, 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 31/3, 1/4. Graceful Warbler Prinia gracilis. 1997: 1 Wadi Selma 27/3, 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. 130 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. 1997: 1 Safawi 2/4. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus. 1997: Single birds from 31/3-4/4. Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita. 1996: Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, Safawi 16/3 & 20/3. 1997: Records from various sites from 25/3-7/4. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis. 1997: 1 Dakhikva 4/4, 1 Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix. 1997: 1 Wadi es Sibhi 6/4, 1 Qa We’ah 8/4. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla. 1997: 1m Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. 2m Satawi 7/4. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca. 1996: 1 Dakhikya 8/3, 2 Hazeem 9/3, 1 Safawi 20/3. 1997: Many records across region — most movement first week in April. Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana. 1996: 2 south of el Murmada 15/3. Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis. 1996: 1 Wadi Selma 2/3, 1 Marrib Selma 3/3, 1 Safawi 16/3. 1997: 2 Safawi 30/3, 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 31/3, 1 Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4. 1 Wadi Hashad 6/4. Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata. 1996: 1 Wadi Selma 3/3. 1997: 1 Wadi Hashad 28/3. Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala. 1997. Single males at Safawi & Wadi es Sibhi, Meénetries Warbler Sylvia mystacea. 1997: Safawi lf 2/4 & 4/4, Dakhikya 1m 3/4, 1f 4/4, 2m & 1f Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Rtippell’s Warbler Sylvia rueppelli. 1996: Wadi Selma 19/3, Safawi 20/3. 1997: 2 Safawi 30/3. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. 1997: Safawi; 25 on 25/3, 75 on 26/3. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos. 1996: 1 near Safawi 10/3. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica. 1996: 1 Safawi 16/3, 1 Burqu’ pool 18/3. 1997: Safawi: 1 on 25/3, 4 on 26/3, 1 on 29/3, 4 on 30/3, 1 on 2/4, 2 Oa We’ah 29/3. Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos. 1996: 1 Safawi 20/3. 1997: 1 Safawi 20/3, 8+ Wadi es Sibhi 6/4 Western Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros. 1996: 1m Wadi Selma 3/3, 1m near Safawi 10/3, Im Wadi es Sibhi 12/3. 1997: 1£ Safawi 29/3. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus. 1997: 1m Safawi 29/3 & 2/4. 1m & 1f Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra. 1996: 1 near Safawi 10/3, 1 Wadi es Sibhi 12/3. 1997: 1 Qa We’ah 7/4. Stonechat Savxicola torquatus. 1996: 1 near Safawi 10/3, 1m Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, 1 Hazeem 9/3. 1997: 1m Safawi 25/4 Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta. 1996: pair, south of el Murmada 14/3. 1997: Single male singing — unnamed location 6/4. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina. 1996: 1 Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, 1 south of el Murmada 15/3. 1997: Singles noted at several sites also at locations between sites. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 131 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe. 1996: Im Marrib Suweid 11/3, 2m south of el Murmada 15/3, 2f Safawi 20/3. 1997: Seen at various sites, males only until 20/3, then both sexes. Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna. 1996: Territorial pair south of El Murmada 15/3. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka. 1996: 2m pipeline 15/3. 1997: Safawi 25/3, 26/3, 29/3, 30/3. Wadi Al Quattafi 1/2. All of the several observers involved were confident of these all being Pied Wheatear, but we did not take formal descriptions and note the occurrence of and possible confusion with Cyprus Pied Wheatear O. cypriaca (Andrews et al 1999). However, we consider migration of Pied Wheatear across the eastern desert is likely given its breeding range (Hollom et al 1988). Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica. 1996: 2 pipeline 15/3. Safawi 20/3. 1997: 3m Safawi 25/3, 1m Wadi Al Quattafi 1/4, Im Dakhikya 2/4. A few birds thought to be females noted at 2 sites on 6/4. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti. 1996: 1m Wadi Selma 3/3, Im south of el Murmada 15/3, 1m Burqu’ pool 18/3. 1997: 5+ near Safawi, pair Wadi Selma, 1 Marrib Selma, pair Wadi Al Quattafi, 1 Wadi es Sibhi. 3 Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens. Seen in many locations in harrat habitat and many rocky wadis. Most records dark phase. 1 record of dark and light phase males together in Wadi Selma 3/3/96. Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschi. 1996: 1m Marrib Suweid 11/3. 1997: Im Wadi Hashed 7/4. Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha. 1996: 1 Dakhikya 8/3. White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga. 1996: 1 pipeline 15/3, 1 Wadi Selma 3/3. 1997: Singles at Wadi Selma and Wadi Al Quattafi. Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis. 1997: 1m Qa Selma 27/3. Im Dakhikya 3/4. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius. 1996: 1f Dakhikya 8/3, 1m near Safawi 10/3, im Wadi es Sibhi 12/3, 1m Wadi Selma 3/3. 1997: 1f Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Eurasian Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. 1997: Singles at Safawi 4/4 & 7/4, Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis. 1997: 2 Wadi es Sibhi 6/4. Safawi 4/4, 7/4 & 8/4. Unnamed location 6/4. House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Always present around human habitation. Desert colonies in cliff habitats such as Dakhikya. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis. 1997: up to 10 birds at Safawi. Pale Rockfinch Carpospiza brachydactyla. 1997: c50 Qa Selma 25/3, c30 Marrib Selma 28/3. Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava. 1996: 1 Safawi 19/3. 1997: 30+ Qa We’ah 29/3, 100+ Oa We’ah 7/4. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola. 1997: 1f Qa We’ah 8/4. SZ Sandgrouse 30 (2008) White Wagtail Motacilla alba. 1996: flock at Safawi 19/3. 1997: Seen at several sites in small numbers. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris. 1997: Noted in small numbers at several sites from 26/3. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis. 1997: one at Wadi Al Quattafi 31/3. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis. 1997: as for Tawny Pipit, noted in small numbers at several sites from 26/3. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus. 1997: 2 Qa We’ah 29/3, 50+ moving through Qa We’ah 7/4. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta. 1997: 1 Qa We’ah 29/3. Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina. 1997: 1, several days Safawi, 1 Wadi es Sibhi 7/4. Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus. Seen throughout the region — associated mainly with rocky areas with some vegetation. Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoletus. 1996: 1 Wadi es Sibhi 12/3. 1997: Safawi — maximum count 5. Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra. 1996: 68 near Safawi, near rainwater pools. 1997: 10+ and 6+ coming to freshwater pools near Safawi, singles at Wadi Al Quattafi 31/3 and 1/4. Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana. 1997: 2 Qa We’ah 7/4. Cretzschmar’s Bunting Emberiza caesia. 1996: 1 Wadi Selma 19/3. 1997: Several records (max 10) Safawi. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala. 1996: 1m Safawi 19/3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Our visits to Jordan were funded by a UK Government ‘Darwin’ Initiative award coordinated by the Centre for Overseas Research and Development (CORD), University of Durham, UK. We are most grateful to the Jordan Badia Research and Development Programme directors, Mohammed Shabaz of the Jordan Higher Council for Science and Technology and Roderick Dutton of CORD for their support and continued encour- agement. Many thanks to Sultan Mashaqbah and Kevin Brown, co-ordinators of the Darwin Project, and all the staff and researchers at Safawi centre. Fieldwork was carried out by the authors with assistance from Larry Griffin, Robin Ward and Chris Coles whilst they were at Durham University. REFERENCES Allison R, D Higgit, A Kirk, J Warburton, A al-Homoud, B Sunna & K White. 1998. Geology, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Groundwater and Physical Resources. In: Dutton R, J Clarke & A Battikhi (eds). Arid Land Resources and Their Management — Jordan's Desert Margin. Kegan Paul, London. Andrews, IJ. 1995. The Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Andrews, Musselburgh, UK. Andrews, IJ. 1996. Preliminary data on raptor passage in Jordan. Sandgrouse 18(2): 36-45. Andrews, IJ, F Khoury & H Shirihai. 1999. Jordan Bird Report 1995-97. Sandgrouse 21(1): 10-35. Bibby, CJ, ND Burgess & D Hill. 1992. Bird Census Techniques. Academic Press. London. Dutton, R & M Shahbaz. 1999. The Badia Programme: defining and overcoming constraints on sustainable development. Applied Geography 19: 275-281. Hollom, PAD, RF Porter, S Christensen & I Willis. 1988. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. T & AD Poyser, Calton, UK. Thomas C & M Green. In prep. Bird Communities and Habitat Associations in the Badia Region of Jordan. Mick Green, Bronhaul, Pentrebach, Talybont SY24 5EH, Wales. mick@gn.apc.org Prof Chris Thomas, Institute of Rural Sciences, University of Wales, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth SY23 3AL, Wales. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 133 Barn Owl Tyto alba breeding success in man-made structures in the Jordan Rift valley, Israel KOBI MEYROM, YOSSI LESHEM & MOTTI CHARTER The Barn Owl is one of the most widespread (Burton 1984) and researched owls in the world, but information on its breeding success in the Middle East is limited (Kahila 1992). Barn Owls are obligate cavity nesters that nest in a wide variety of natural cavities such as in holes in trees and caves (Taylor 1994) and in abandoned Hamerkop Scopus umbretta nests in Africa (Wilson et al 1986, Fry et al 1988). There is also a long history of Barn Owls using buildings and other man-made structures as nest sites; eg in roofs of houses, towers and castles, on silos, water tanks, in barns, even in wells and of course in nest boxes (de Bruijn 1984, Petty et al 1994, Taylor 1994). The Barn Owl is one of the commonest owls in Israel (Shirihai 1996) but little information has been published of basic biology other than diet- related aspects (Dor 1982, Kahila 1992, Pokines & Peterhans 1997, Yom-Tov & Wool 1997, Tores & Yom-Tov 2003, Tores et al 2005, Charter et al 2007), although data are available on breeding success (Kahila 1992). Since 1983, Barn Owls have been used as biological pest control agents of rodents (Aviel et al 2003) in fields and plantations of kibbutzim (Israeli col- lective communities) in the Jordan Rift valley. The number of nest sites there increased after the erection of nest boxes throughout the valley and in other areas. Currently around 250 nest boxes are available there and some 1500 in Israel overall. Within the kibbutzim bound- aries, aS an expansion of the project, pairs of Barn Owls breeding in man-made structures other than nest boxes were also monitored. The main objectives were firstly to discover the breeding success of Barn Owl pairs breeding in these man-made structures, other than nest boxes, in the Jordan Rift valley and then to compare their breeding success with pairs breeding in nest boxes in fields. The climate of the study area (combined area= 10 km?) is hot/continental arid, the max- imum and minimum mean daily temperatures being 32:3°C and 16.7°C respectively (during the March to July breeding season), and the average yearly rainfall being 267 mm (2001-2006 inclusive, Michael Hyman pers comm). The elevation of the study area is 150-250 m below mean sea level. All the kibbutzim are surrounded mainly by crop fields and date plantations, whose combined area is 65 km*. The crops comprise fodder (wheat, sweetcorn, alfalfa, clover, vetch and oats), grain (wheat and sweetcorn), spices and herbs (oregano, hyssop, basil and dill). METHODS The study site comprised 21 nest locations, all “cavity-type” nests, located in 9 kibbutzim situated in the Jordan Rift valley, Israel (32°25’N, 35°31’E) (Figure 1). The kibbutzim and their respective number of nest sites were: Tirat Tsvi (N=7), Maoz Haim (N=4), Nir David (N=2), Kfar Ruppin (N=2), Reshafim (N=1), Neve Eitan (N=1), Sde Nakhum (N=2), Mesilot (N=1), and Shlukhot (N=1). Some nest sites occupied by Barn Owls had been noted as early as 1984. The 21 nests were in four different types of locations, all being in man-made struc- tures: 15 were in guard towers, three in grain silos, two in water towers and one in an irrigation well. Guard towers are 4.5 m high, their internal dimensions being 2 m tall and 2 m in diameter (Plate 1). We visited the nests during each breeding season, from 2002 to 2006 inclusive, to con- firm which were active. Those nests we did not visit yearly were omitted from occupation 134 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) breeding success calculations. We calculated the number of young fledged (number of nestlings ringed minus the number found dead in the nests post-fledging) per breeding attempt (defined as a nest in which eggs were laid, Steenhof 1987), and the occupation rate (number of breeding attempts/number of years the nest location was available during the period of the study). As had been found for Barn Owls in the USA (Taylor 1990), Barn Owls in Israel are very sensitive to disturbance during incubation and will abandon clutches, and so clutch size for most pairs was not established. The four nests that we were only able to visit late in the study were excluded from the breeding success calculations because some nestlings had already fledged, and so we could not be certain of the total number of nestlings in them. Within each kibbutz, some Barn Owls bred high under inaccessible roofs or in delicate Mexican fan palms Washingtonia robusta, making it impossible to monitor these nests. Data are presented as mean values + Standard Error. All statistical tests were two-tailed and all tests were non-parametric. Descriptive breeding data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and _ Kruskal- Wallis Multiple Comparisons. Fisher’s exact test was used for comparing nest occupation. Levels of significance were set at P < 0.05. Statistical analyses were per- formed using Statistica 8.0 software. Netanya Tel-Aviv & Figure 1. Location of the study site, Jordan Rift valley, Plate 1. An example of a guard tower of a kibbutz in the Israel. © Desh Institute (SPNI’s Open Landscape Institute) Jordan Rift valley, Israel. © Motti Charter and reproduced with permission. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 135 RESULTS : During the 5 breeding seasons, 2002-06, 40 breeding attempts by Barn Owls were moni- tored, of which 38 (95%) succeeded in fledging at least one young. Twenty-one breeding attempts were recorded in guard towers, 10 in grain silos, 7 in water towers, and one in an irrigation well. The number of young fledged per breeding attempt pair was 4.94 + 0.33 (36). Significant difference was found in the number of fledged young during 2002 to 2006 (Kruskal-Wallis, ,,= 11.8, P < 0.05) with greater number of young fledged in 2004 than 2005 (P < 0.05; Kruskal-Wallis Multiple Comparisons) (Table 1). The number of young fledged was similar in all four types of nest location; guard tow- ers (5.1 + 0.5, N= 19), grain silos (5.1 + 0.7, N=10), water towers (4.8 + 0.7, N=6) and the irrigation well (6.0 + 0.0, N=1). Only two nests (both in guard towers) failed to raise young; the clutches both being abandoned for reasons unknown. One pair that bred in the irriga- tion well laid a second clutch after fledging an unknown number of nestlings (the nest was not visited early enough), but the eggs did not hatch. The rate occupation of the nest sites differed yearly between 2002 to 2006 (Fisher’s exact test, P< 0.05) (Table 1). On average, 59% of available nest locations were occupied every year. Overall, guard towers were occu- pied 45% of the 5-year period, grain silos 89%, and the water tower and the irrigation well 100%. TABLE |. Breeding success (mean + SE) of Barn Owls Tyto alba nesting in man-made structures other than nest boxes in the Jordan Rift valley, Israel, in the five-year period 2002 to 2006. Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Number of available nests 7 di 17 2| | Number of nests used | (14%) 3. (43%) 13 (77%) 14 (67%) 8 (38%) Mean number of young 6.0 + 0.0 ial ae Dae C204 Shes OK: 3.43) 0:6 DISCUSSION Barn Owls bred successfully in all four of the man-made structures at least once and on only two occasions (5%) failed to fledge young. While the data from this study were drawn from a relatively small number of nests, the number of young per nest was higher than that found in most studies (range 1.9 to 4.6 nestlings) in Europe (Pikula et al 1984, Baudvin 1986, Muller 1989, Taylor 1994, Martinez & Lopez 1999), USA (Otteni et al 1972, Klaas et al 1978, Marti & Wagner 1985), Asia (Lenton 1984) and Africa (Wilson et al 1984), but similar to one study only in the USA (Marti 1994). The occupancy rate of nest sites by Barn Owls in this study was similar to that of pairs breeding in purpose-designed nest boxes in the same region (56%, N = 186, Kobi Meyrom unpub), but more young per nest fledged from nests in the present structures than did from the purpose-designed boxes (4.9 vs 4.0 young respectively, N = 157). Our findings are at variance with those of de Bruijn (1984), who found that the success of pairs breeding in nest boxes was higher than in other types of nest locations. : It is interesting to note that in addition to hunting small mammals, mainly rodents, in fields up to 300 m from the nests, the pairs breeding in kibbutzim also fed more often on birds, probably caught within the kibbutzim, than did the pairs breeding in the nest boxes in the fields (Motti Charter unpub). Almost all the kibbutzim and other villages in the Jordan Rift valley have guard towers that were erected when they were settled. Long before the signing of the 1994 peace agreement between Israel and Jordan, the guard towers had fallen into disuse, but had not been dismantled, thus providing Barn Owls and other 136 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) species such as pigeons with a place to nest. The use to which these towers are now put, Barn Owl conservation, we hope is a symbol for the future. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks go to David H Johnson (Executive Director- Global Ow] Project) and Shaul Aviel (Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu) for comments and Naomi Paz for editorial help. We would like to thank the Israel Ornithology Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature, Israel for their assistance and the Desh Institute (SPNI’s Open Landscape Institute) for assistance with and permission to use the map at Figure 1. REFERENCES Aviel, S, Y Motro, G Bar-el-Kahila & Y Leshem. 2003. [The Barn Owl as a biological pest control of rodents]. Billet Studios Press, Tel Aviv. [In Hebrew. ] Baudvin, H. 1986. La reproduction de la Chouette Effraie, Tyto alba. Le Jean e-Blanc 25: 1-125. de Bruijn, O. 1994. Population ecology and conservation of the Barn Owl, Tyto alba in farmland habitats in Liemers and Achterhoek (The Netherlands). Ardea 82: 1-109. Burton, JA. 1984. Owls of the world. Tanager Books, Dover, NH. Charter, M, I Izhaki, L Shapira & Y Leshem. 2007. Diets of Urban Breeding Barn Owls, Tyto Alba in Tel Aviv, Israel. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 119: 484-485. Dor, M. 1982. The Barn Owl—An Aid to Science. Torgos 2: 29-35. Fry, CH, S Keith & EK Urban. 1988. The birds of Africa. Vol 3. Academic Press, London. Klaas, EE, SN Wiemeyer, HM Ohlendorf & DM Swineford. 1978. Organochlorine residues, egg shell thick- ness, and nest success in Barn Owls from the Chesapeake Bay. Estuaries 1: 46-53. Lenton, GM. 1984. The feeding and breeding ecology of Barn Owls, Tyto alba, in peninsular Malaysia. Ibis ID6s551=579: Marti, CD. 1994. Barn Owl reproduction: Patterns and variation near the limit of the species distribution. Condor 96: 468-484. Marti, CD & PW Wagner. 1985. Winter mortality in common Barn Owls and its effects on population densi- ty and reproduction. Condor 87: 111-115. Martinez, JA & G Lopez. 1999. Breeding ecology of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in Valencia (SE Spain). Journal fiir Ornithologie 140: 93-99. Muller, Y. 1989. Fluctuations d’abondance de la Chouette effraie Tyto alba en Alsace- Lorraine de 1977-1988. Aves 26: 131-141. Otteni, LC, EG Bolen & C Cottam. 1972. Predator-prey relationships and reproduction of the Barn Owl in Southern Texas. Wilson Bulletin 48: 434-448. Petty, SJ, G Shaw & DIK Anderson. 1994. Value of nest boxes for population studies and conservation of owls in coniferous forests in Britain. Journal of Raptor Research 28: 134-142. Pikula, JM, M Beklova & V Kubik. 1984. The breeding bionomy of Tyto alba. Acta Scientarum Naturalium Academuae Scientiarum Bonemicae Brno 18(5): 1-53. Pokines, JT & JK Peterhans. 1997. Barn Owls Tyto alba taphonomy in the Negev Desert, Israel. Israel Journal of Zoology 43: 19-27. Shirihai, H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London. Steenhof, K. 1987. Assessing raptor reproductive success and productivity. In: Giron Pendleton, BA, BA Millsap, KW Cline & DM Bird (eds). Raptor management techniques manual. National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC, pp 157-170. Taylor, I. 1994. Barn Owls: predator-prey relationships and conservation. Cambridge University Press, UK. Tores, M & Y Yom-Tov. 2003. The diet of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in the Negev Desert. Israel Journal of Zoology 49: 233-236. Tores, M, Y Motro, U Motro & Y Yom-Tov. 2005. The Barn Owl—a selective opportunist predator. Israel Journal of Zoology 51: 349-360. Wilson, RT, MP Wilson & JW Durkin. 1986. Breeding biology of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in central Mali. Ibis 1283. 81—90. Yom-Tov, Y & D Wool. 1997. Do the contents of Barn Owl pellets accurately represent the proportion of prey species in the field? Condor 99: 972-976. Kobi Meyrom, Kibbutz Nir David, Bet Shean Valley, Israel. Yossi Leshem & Motti Charter, George S Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, IL-69978 Tel Aviv, Israel. charterm@post.tau.ac.il Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 137 Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata—a new species for Egypt KAI GAUGER & CHRISTOPH VOLLM From 16 August to 24 October 2006, while studying migration in the area, we stayed in the holiday resort of El Gouna (27°23’N, 33°40’E) on the Red Sea coast of Egypt, c20 km north of Hurghada (Figure 1, Gauger & Vollm 2008). El Gouna has lagoons and gar- dens and in contrast to the rest of the region, is rather green, well-structured and there- fore attracts birds. On the evening of 2 October, we discovered the bird on the Steigenberger golf course, whose plant cover comprises not only the course greens, but also hedges, bushes, more open sandy stretches dotted with rocks and succulents and also fruit-bearing date palms Phoenix Figure |. Map showing the location of El Gouna. © Kai dactylifera. At first glance we thought it was poe i one of the black-and-white wheatears Oenanthe spp, but then realised it was a Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata. Early on 3 October, we found the bird again, and observed it clearly at distances of less than 10 m. It remained within a small area of the golf course, close to the seventh hole, where there was a bushy strip about 40 m in length. There were a few dates and succulents on the ground. Usually the bird sat on the lower branches, but it also used a rocky slope dotted with Aloe sp and other succulents, where it showed on rock tops (Plates 1-3). It was strongly attracted to this very small area, coming back to ‘its’ strip of bushes, even when we accidentally disturbed it. We tried but failed to trap the bird, but did catch six other birds, amongst which were Bluethroat Luscinia svecica and Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus. However, the Pied Bushchat eventually flew over the lagoon and landed in the garden of a villa, which is where it was last seen. Sagat ie eee P te fe ey a a Plate I (left). Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata, El Gouna, Egypt, 3 Oct 2006. Note the extension of white on the belly, the worn brown remiges and the brownish tinge to the plumage, especially on the chest and belly. © Kai Gauger Plate 2 (right). Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata on a date palm, El Gouna, Egypt, 3 Oct 2006. Note the white fringes to the primary coverts and alula and the extremely worn lesser coverts. Renewed dark, almost black, outer greater secondary coverts are conspicuous and indicate that this is a first-year bird. © Christoph Voilm 138 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) | , | es and rapidly raised and lowered its tail ~ us when we approached to take photos. The | } DESCRIPTION The bird called often, uttering a loud ‘peeu’ resembling the call of Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius and also made rasping sounds. This is noteworthy, because most other migrants were silent and cautious. It undertook short flights with hovering phas- when it perched. It was not shy, but aware of bird’s size and shape resembled Eurasian , Stonechat Saxicola torquatus. It was dull Plate 3. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata in typical alert Blacle@werall) with a brownish: tinge,‘espe- Pose E! Gouna, Egypt, 3 Oct 2006. © Kai Gauger cially on the wings, belly and front. Only the vent, undertail-coverts, rump, lower belly and inner greater and lesser secondary coverts were pure white. The uppertail-coverts showed blackish tips. The faded brown primaries, secondaries, primary coverts, alula and outer lesser wing-coverts were very conspicuous. The primary coverts even had pale fringes. However, some outer greater and lesser second- ary coverts were fresh black. After studying the photos and comparing our information with the literature, we identified the bird as a male in first year plumage. Adult males lack not only the pale fringes, but also the contrast between extremely faded and fresh wing feathers and the extensive brown tinge in the body plumage. DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE The Pied Bushchat, an Asiatic species, breeds (mostly S. c. rossorum in the OSME region) from Kazakhstan (rare, Wassink & Oreel 2007), Turkmenistan (Bukreev 1997) and Iran (rare, Scott & Adhami 2006) eastwards to Southeast Asia and several islands of the Pacific ocean, including Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. It is polytypic with 16 sub- species (Urquhart 2002). Only the westernmost subspecies, rossorum, is fully migratory —our record refers to this subspecies. Previously, the species has been recorded as a vagrant west to Cyprus (two sightings) and Israel (six). The present record is the first for Egypt. According to Urquhart (2002) and JP Smith and Israel Rarities & Distribution Committee (www.israbirding.com) the records for Cyprus and Israel are: © ‘Cyprus: 1 male, Larnaca, 3-11 Nov 1986, 1 female, Paphos, 23 Nov 1997. e Israel: 1 male, Eilat, Jan 1979, 1 first-winter male, Beeroyatim, 28 Oct 1994, 1 male, Eilat, 4-7 Nov 1996, 1 first-winter female, Kibbutz Lotan, 4 Nov 1997, 1 male, Kibbutz Shizzafon, 18-22 Oct 2000, 1 adult female, Eilat, 20 Nov 2001 to 29 Mar 2002. REFERENCES _ Bukreev, SA. 1997. [Ornithogeography and wildlife protection in Turkmenistan]. Pensoft, Sofia & Moscow. [In Russian] Gauger, K & C Vollm. 2008. Bird Sites of the OSME Region—4. el Gouna, near Hurghada, Egypt. Sandgrouse 30: 104-108. Scott, DA & A Adhami. 2006. An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Iran. Podoces 1 (1/2): 1-16. Wassink, A & GJ Oreel. 2007. The Birds of Kazakhstan. Arend Wassink, Cocksdorp, Texel, Netherlands. Urquhart, E. 2002. Stonechats, a Guide to the Genus Saxicola. Christopher Helm, London. Kai Gauger, Gedser Ring 4 B, 17493 Greifswald, Germany. kai_gauger@yahoo.de Sandgrouse 30 (2008) = 139 Storks and frogs at Lake Uluabat, Turkey GEOFF & HILARY WELCH Lake Uluabat is a 13 000 ha shallow, eutrophic lake situated c30 km west of Bursa in north- west Turkey. The lake is an Important Bird Area, Key Biodiversity Area and Ramsar site, primarily because of its breeding and wintering bird populations. Following the site’s dec- laration as a Ramsar site in 1998, a management plan was prepared and came into effect in 2002. However, three of the lake’s key stakeholders, the State Water Authority (DSI), the Municipality of Gélyazi and the fishermen, are not participating in the implementation of the plan and the lake is under increasing threat from a range of issues including water qual- ity, changes in the hydrological regime, introduced fish species, over-exploitation of natural resources and habitat loss. The most comprehensive breeding bird survey of the site had been carried out by our- selves in May-June 1998 (Welch & Welch 1998) for DHKD (then the BirdLife partner in Turkey). In the villages we counted the nesting Western White Storks Ciconia ciconia and learned that locals are afraid to have storks nesting on their houses because they believe that the snakes which birds sometimes bring into the nest can escape and end up in their houses. In many villages, birds have thus been discouraged from nesting on roofs (as per Plate 1) and a very high proportion now nest on electricity poles. This brings the birds into renewed conflict with local residents as the nests can short-circuit the power supply result- ing in black-outs and fires which are disastrous for the storks, damaging to local property and expensive for the electricity company to repair. Collision with power lines is also a major cause of mortality in both breeding and migrating storks. In our report we therefore included a recommendation to provide nesting platforms for White Storks. In the lake’s management plan, this idea was developed into a Stork-Friendly Villages activity. In November 2003 a committee was established to begin to implement the management plan, and the Stork-Friendly Villages project was soon initiated, master-minded primarily by committee members Franziska and Ismet Arici. The project has seven aims. These are to: e Count the breeding White Stork population annually. e Determine the problems facing storks. e Find conservation solutions to those problems. e Enhance the environmental awareness of local residents. Plate | (left). Nest of Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia on an old house in Karaoglan, Lake Uluabat, May 2006. © Geoff & Hilary Welch. Plate 2 (right). Platform-building with unperturbed Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia, Golyazi, Lake Uluabat, May 2004. © Franziska Arici. Note — this method of platform attachment proved to be unstable and has since been modified. 140 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Plate 3.Western White Stork Ciconia ciconia on nest platform, Uluabat, Lake Uluabat May 2007. © Geoff & Hilary Welch e Improve the quality of life in the villages around the lake by preventing electrical black- outs and fires caused by storks. e Reduce the repair costs of the electricity company. e Promote an additional source of income for the local residents by attracting tourists to the stork villages. | In 2004, working in three pilot villages together with a range of locals and the electrici- ty company TEDAS, the project replaced 3.5 km of standard cable with insulated cable (which makes the cables easier for the storks to see), one section of cable (particularly dan- gerous to migrating pelicans) was re-routed to run at low level alongside the bridge in Golyazi, and 19 nesting platforms were erected (Plates 2 & 3). The storks immediately took to the platforms and the effect on breeding success has already been extremely encourag- ing with good chick productivity and a dramatic reduction in collisions with power lines. However, conflicts with locals - many of whom remain very negative about the storks — still occur, and the process of replacing cables and erecting platforms continues. By 2007 the number of nesting platforms erected had increased to 70. The project held its first Stork Festival in 2005 in the village of Eskikaraagag and attract- ed several hundred visitors who were able to see and hear about the work that had taken place, to learn more about storks and to buy a variety of locally made products, several with a stork theme. In addition to raising the profile of the work at Uluabat, the festivals are increasingly being used as a forum to bring together people working on storks through- out Europe. In 2007, the third festival was preceded by a workshop in Bursa, organised by the Niliifer Yerel Giindem 21 (Local Agenda 21) and funded by the Municipality of Niltifer, to discuss the problems of the lake. This was attended by over 60 people including academ- Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 141 Plate 4. International representation at the Stork Plate 6. Richard Griffiths, Hilary Welch and Franzi Arici, Festival, Eskikaraagac, Lake Uluabat May 2007. © Geoff & Lake Uluabat May 2007. © Geoff & Hilary Welch Hilary Welch EK» | pl say! 5 Plate 5. Stork Festival banner, Eskikaraaga¢, Lake Uluabat May 2007. © Geoff & Hilary Welch ics, local and national Turkish government staff, conservation and environmental NGOs, students, and stork workers from Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Slovenia, many of whom are involved in the European Stork Villages initiative - see www.euronatur.org for more details (Plate 4). Since our survey in 1998 there have been worrying changes at the lake, including an apparent disappearance of the normally very numerous and vocal frogs (a local variant of Rana ridibunda) in 2005. Research revealed that this may well have been a result of massive 142 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) commercial collecting of frogs for export to Europe and elsewhere, but because of all the other influences on the lake, such as water quality deterioration, it was considered that this and possibly disease might also be contributory factors. Because amphibians are a major food source for storks and many heron species at Uluabat, it is important to understand what is going on in the food chain. Thus, with a grant from OSME’s Conservation and Research Fund, Dr Richard Griffiths, a specialist in amphibian ecology from the Durrell Institute for Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Canterbury, UK, attended the 2007 Stork Festival (Plates 5 & 6) and gave a presentation at the workshop on the impor- tance of amphibians in wetland ecosystems. DICE is at the forefront of providing training and assistance for linking local capacity building and research to conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable development — for more information see www.kent.ac.uk/anthropology/ dice/. At the end of the workshop those attending agreed that the priority issues to be tack- led at the lake are pollution, changes in hydrology and habitat destruction, all issues for which there are already agreed activities in the lake’s management plan. Finding a way to ensure the management plan is effectively promoted and used is the key to solving the lake’s major problems. Active championing of the management plan needs to focus on ensuring the active participation of all stakeholders, education (at all levels), monitoring of key indicators (possibly including amphibians), and further small-scale conservation activ- ities such as those already initiated by the stork project and which have already proved to be so valuable. To achieve this local capacity must be increased. For example, in order to carry out the monitoring, a local biology graduate and past leader of the University Bird Group, Asuman Aydin, has been encouraged to apply and has been successful in obtaining a place on the Conservation Biology Masters course at DICE. Finding the funding for her course is next. Locally, further small-scale conservation initiatives continue to be developed, one of which is to provide good amphibian habitat (and hence improve stork food supplies) at Eskikaraaga¢ and Uluabat. Thus, after the main formalities of the festival a small group including Richard Griffiths and ourselves made a site visit to an area of wet grassland and reedbed near Eskikaraagac¢ to discuss what could be done. Richard’s knowledge proved invaluable for outlining comparatively simple excavation and reprofiling works which he was confident would provide the improved breeding habitat needed. Since then funding has been obtained from the EU-REC fund to enable the work to be carried out in the spring/summer of 2008. The Uluabat stork project is an excellent example of what can be achieved by volunteers with vision and determination working only with encouragement and a small or non- existent budget; the success to date is entirely due to the hard work and determination of Franziska and Ismet with small amounts of financial support cajoled from friends, col- leagues and local business. The support of the Provincial Directorate of the national electricity company, TEDAS, has also been instrumental to success. It is hoped that, using storks as the flagship for the lake, sustainable support will finally be forthcoming to solve Uluabat’s more fundamental water problems. Then the lake can become a prime example of cooperation between local communities, government, business and NGOs in the partic- ipatory management of an internationally important wetland. REFERENCE Welch, G & H Welch. 1998. Breeding bird survey of Uluabat Golii Ramsar site - 15 May to 20 June 1998. Unpublished report to DHKD, Turkey. G & H Welch, 54 Sovereigns Quay, Bedford MK40 1TF, UK. geoff.welch@rspb.org.uk hilary.welch@dkm.org.tr Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 143 The first records of Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Black Tern Chlidonias niger in Kuwait ABDULRAHMAN AL-SIRHAN Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea This species was first recorded in Kuwait, a single bird, by ST Spencer and CWT Pilcher at Jahra Bay on 26 May 1995. There was no further record until 22 May 2005 when I found and photographed (Plate 1) a single bird on the shore by the Jahra East waste- water Outfall. It was an adult Arctic Tern in summer plumage: the bird had an overall red bill with no dark tip, very short red legs and long white tail streamers projecting beyond the primaries. Compared with a > == . very close Common Tern Sterna hirundo, the Plate 1. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, Kuwait. Arctic Tern had a shorter and thicker dark © A>dulranman af sirhan. red bill, very short red legs and long tail streamers. What was presumably the same bird was seen and photographed again on 5, 11 and 22 June 2005 at the same site, suggesting it may have over-summered. The third record for Kuwait was on 12 June 2006 when I observed and photographed five Arctic Terns at Jahra East Outfall, four adults and one first summer. All three records were accepted by the Kuwait Ornithological Rarities Committee, KORC. Arctic Tern, a first-summer bird, was first recorded at Eilat in Israel on 2 July 1982. Subsequent records there, about 20 in all, occurred chiefly from late May through to August from 1983-1990 and some were photographed in 1996 (Shirihai 1999). Two first- summer birds were photographed in mid-July 1996 off Egypt’s Tawila Island, Red Sea (Shirihai 1999). The species has also been recorded at least three times in Oman off the north coast of Masirah, an adult on 22-29 July 1989, up to three 9-14 July 1990 and up to six (three adults and three immatures) 18 July through 2 August 1991 (Eriksen et al 2003). There is one record from United Arab Emirates: Al Wathba Lake, 24 April 1997 (www.tommypedersen.com). It is a vagrant to Cyprus and Turkey (Porter et al 1996). Biack Tern Chlidonias niger Since first seeing and photographing White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus in May 2003, I knew that the occurrence of Black Tern C. niger in Kuwait required confirmation. I learned the differences between the two species, always checking every White-winged Tern in any flock and concentrating on birds that have less white on the wing. I checked the underwing coverts of every bird that I could for over two years without success. On 11 June 2005, as I was driving along the seashore, leaving Jahra East Outfall just behind me, I saw what I was sure was a Black Tern Chlidonias niger. It certainly looked dif- ferent from all the previous birds that I had thought might have been this species. I took my initial photographs from c200 m range. Close to the bird were a Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, three Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea, a Slender-billed Gull 144 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) i pete | | Larus genel, two Common Terns, two Little Terns Sternula albifrons, a Saunders’s Tern S. saunder- si, two Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybrida and a White-winged Tern. «I approached the bird very slowly to obtain better photographs (Plate 2), which I obtained from 20 m range. The bird then took wing enabling me to pho- ' pea el : Plate 2. Black Tern Chlidonias niger, with two Little Terns Sternula albifrons, ery € UNGerwiNns — Kywait. © Abdulrahman al-Sirhan. coverts. Description: From field observation and photographs the bird appeared to be an adult in summer plumage proba- bly a female. It had dark grey upperparts including mantle, the head appeared darker than the breast and underparts. The vent and undertail coverts were white; tail and rump were pale grey. The tail appeared obviously forked when the bird took wing. The legs were dark red, although they were in the shade. The bill was all black, the upper mandible being down-curved, and was stouter and longer than that of the nearby White-winged Tern (which had a dark red bill). The underwing was pale dusky. The Black Tern is designated in Cramp (1985) and Snow & Perrins (1998) as accidental in Kuwait, without citation. However, Gregory (2005) mentioned: “PR Haynes (1979) stat- ed that there were ‘One or two records’ of this species in Kuwait. However, no details are accessible, and confusion with White-winged Tern (C. leucopterus) or Whiskered Tern (C. hybridus) is possible for these records”. On 4 June 2006 I saw an adult Black Tern flying over South Doha Nature Reserve, the second record for Kuwait. The third record was a bird seen on 8 June through 10 July 2007 at Jahra East Outfall, which was photographed by me and later by Rashed Al-Hajji. On 3 August 2007 Mike Pope saw and photographed the fourth record, an adult moulting to winter plumage. The fifth record of Black Tern for Kuwait was a single bird seen by K Haataja, V Jouhki and Pekka Fagel, on 7 December 2007. All five records were accepted by KORC. There are eight accepted records from United Arab Emirates of Black Tern (www.tommypedersen.com), and seven records from Oman (Eriksen ef al 2003, www.birdsoman.com). In Bahrain it is considered a vagrant (www.hawar-islands.com). REFERENCES | Cramp, S (ed).1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 4. Oxford University Press, UK. Eriksen, J, DE Sargeant & R Victor. 2003. Oman Bird List, Edition 6. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. Gregory, G. 2005. The Birds of the State of Kuwait. Gregory, Skegness, UK. Porter, RF, S Christensen & P Schiermacker-Hansen. 1996. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East. T & AD Poyser, London. Shirihai, H. 1999. Fifty species new to Israel, 1979-1998: their discovery and documentation, with tips on identification. Sandgrouse 21: 45-105 Snow, DW & CM Perrins (eds). 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edition. Oxford University Press, UK. Abdulrahman al-Sirhan, PO Box 49272, Omartya, Kuwait 85153. alsirhan@alsirhan.com Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 145 Habitats and foraging of Hooded Wheatears Oenanthe monacha in Jordan FARES KHOURY & MARC I FORSCHLER Wheatears (genus Oenanthe) are the most characteristic insectivorous passerines in the deserts of the Middle East. A few studies have focused on the ecology including interspe- cific interactions and ecological segregation (Cornwallis 1975, Panov 2005, Kaboli et al 2007a,b) and phylogenetic relationships (Tye 1989, Aliabadian et al 2007) of a number of wheatear species. However, the Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha remains one of the least known species within its genus as it is difficult to locate and observe for the follow- ing reasons: it has a discontinuous distribution and often occurs at low densities across its range, which extends from NE Africa to Pakistan. Secondly, it is usually restricted to inac- cessible habitats of the desert, where it moves constantly over large distances across its huge territories (Panov 2005). The Hooded Wheatear’s morphology stands out among other members of its genus in having a slimmer body, comparatively lower body mass, a longer tail, a longer beak and weaker feet, with short, slender tarsus and toes (Tye 1989, Plate 1). These morphological traits represent probably adaptations. to catching flying insects (Cornwallis 1975, Panov 2005, Kaboli et al 2007b) and possibly to utilising large and structurally complex territories. In Jordan, the Hooded Wheatear is a thinly eibured resident of arid rocky terrain in the lower parts of the rift margins, from the Wadi Mujib area south to the Aqaba moun- tains, and in the Rum desert (Andrews 1995). It is rare to uncommon along the lower rift margins eg at Mujib and Dana reserves (RSCN 1995, 2001), but appears to be more frequent at Wadi Rum (RSCN 2000). It has also been recorded in adjacent, low-lying flat areas, eg near the shores of Agaba and the Dead Sea and in sandy/stony plains and dry salt marshes in Wadi Araba (Andrews 1995, Khoury pers obs). We summarize observations on the Hooded Wheatear carried out in three terri- tories in SW Jordan that shed some light on the little known aspects of habitat selection and usage in this species. Plate I. Female adult Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha, trapped in August 2007, Wadi Rum. © Marc METHODS AND STUDY AREA Forschler. Direct observations were carried out at three territories after one or more birds were locat- ed and observed holding territory or lengthily feeding at a site. Foraging birds were followed and observed from a distance by the observers who covered an area of 2-3 km? per site. During an observation, a foraging bird was observed for periods ranging from 10 minutes to 1 hour. Habitat description was carried out in terms of topography, vegetation and distribution of rock-outcrops and boulders. The first territory was in the low-lying rift margins of the Dana reserve and adjacent part of Wadi Araba (30°45’N, 35°15’E), at the mouth of Wadi Mhash (territory 1, Table 1) at an altitude of 50-100 m below sea level. The two other territories (territories 2 & 3) were located in the Wadi Rum reserve (29°35’N, 35°25’E) at an altitude of c1000 m asl. Territory 2 (Table 1) was located at Jebel Hubeila (Plate 2), near the entrance of the reserve, while ter- ritory 3 was close to Khazali (Plate 3; see RSCN 2000 for map). Both areas are hyper-arid 146 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Table |. Description of three feeding habitats of Hooded Wheatear in Jordan. + present, — absent. Territory | Territory 2 Territory 3 Mhash-Wadi Araba Hubeila-Rum Khazali-Rum Number of birds 2 (pair) 3 (ad 0”, 2 imm) 2 (pair) Date 12 May 1995 22-24 August 2007 25 August 2007 Plain a ~ t Broad wadi bed + + — Water runnels ~ + — Slope [7] 0-5 0-10 0-5 Rock cover [%] 10 15 | Stone cover [%] 10 55 | Gravel cover [%] 10 10 S Sand cover [%] 70 20 93 Dwarf shrubs [%] 25 20 (patchy) 30 Shrubs [%] 5 | | desert with an average annual precipitation below 100 mm and average yearly tempera- tures of 22—24°C (National Atlas of Jordan 1984). They are characterized by a variety of habitats including rocky, steep slopes and mountains (sandstone, granite), as well as plains of flat sand dunes and/or broad wadi beds and stone-covered alluvial fans. The study areas lie within the botanical Sudanian penetration zone, and the vegetation of flat, sandy areas is dominated by the dwarf shrub Hammada salicornica, and the shrubs Haloxylum persicum and Retama raetam (Albert et al 2004). RESULTS Topography The three territories studied were similar in topography, containing a combination of steep, barren, rocky hillsides containing cliffs, and flat plains and/or wide wadi beds (Plates 2 & 3). The steep areas and cliffs were used for nesting as indicated by birds carrying food in the first territory (Dana reserve), and for roosting as indicated by the daily activity of birds at the two other territories (Wadi Rum): after sunrise or before sunset, birds were seen leav- ing or heading to the steep, rocky hillsides and cliffs. Feeding habitat and foraging behaviour All feeding activity appeared to occur in flat areas (plains or wide wadi beds) adjacent to the steep hillsides and cliffs, which were covered mainly by sand or stones and contained a moderate cover of dwarf shrubs but no or very low cover of shrubs higher than 1 m (Table 1, Plates 2 & 3). In the five individuals observed in Wadi Rum, both ground foraging (perch and pounce) and aerial pursuits after flying insects were observed. Especially when forag- ing among dwarf shrubs, aerial pursuits were frequent and usually consisted of flying after grasshoppers close to the ground, during which the birds showed remarkable manoeuvra- bility and persistence. Vertical aerial pursuits to a height of up to 30 m were also observed several times. During the rapid flights around solitary small bushes, the birds often flushed their prey into the open space where they were easily taken by sudden sharp turns remi- niscent of a swallow or bee-eater in flight. The individuals we observed while foraging at the two territories in Wadi Rum were virtually in constant motion, systematically search- ing an area by moving from one stone/small rock or dwarf shrub to the next, rarely perching at one point for longer than 20 seconds and rarely returning to the same perch. In one case a female also foraged by hopping over a longer distance along a small sandy water Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 147 Plate 2. Habitat of Hooded Wheatear, Jebel Hubeila, Plate 3. Habitat of Hooded Wheatear, Khazali, Wadi Rum Wadi Rum reserve. © Marc Forschler. reserve. © Marc Forschler. j runnel in a wadi bed, scanning small bushes and gravel for grasshoppers and other prey. This behaviour was observed before sunset and was possibly linked to a decrease of active flying insects. Individuals sharing the same territory (Table 1) were widely spaced, ie feed- ing solitarily, keeping a distance of over 100 m between them. When disturbed by an observer or for other reasons the wheatears changed their foraging area by flying a consid- erable distance away. Each bird apparently covered an area of up to 1-2 km? per foraging session (morning or afternoon), with considerable overlap between individual feeding areas within the same territory. Interspecific interactions Each of the three territories overlapped with or included at least one territory of White- crowned Wheatear O. leucopyga, which were usually along piedmonts and on gentle slopes and rock boulders between the foot of a steep hillside or cliff and the adjacent plain or wadi bed. Encounters were rare, probably because Hooded Wheatears tended to over-fly pied- monts when moving between steep hillsides/cliffs and the feeding areas. On one occasion, in territory 2, the two species met along the flat bed of a wadi, close to the piedmont. The approach of a White-crowned Wheatear resulted directly in the retreat of the adult male Hooded Wheatear further into the broad wadi bed. Panov (2005) observed a Hooded Wheatear male that was challenged and then pursued by a territorial White-crowned Wheatear. DISCUSSION The extensive territories of Hooded Wheatear, which appear to be larger than 2 km? (as indicated by the area used by feeding birds only), combine rocky, steep hillsides and cliffs with sandy plains and/or broad river beds. Cliffs and rocky, steep hillsides are used for nesting and probably are important for thermoregulation as they offer extra shade during the hot hours around midday. The extensive flat areas are required for feeding as they usu- ally contain higher densities of arthropods than the barren and unproductive hill sides (Cornwallis 1975). The view that Hooded Wheatears select the most barren deserts (Cornwallis 1975, Snow & Perrins 1998) due to exclusion from more vegetated habitats by other, more dominant, wheatear species could not be confirmed as the feeding sites in Jordan contained a moderate cover of dwarf shrubs. Piedmonts within the studied territo- — ries with more dominant species, particularly White-crowned Wheatear, appeared to be avoided by over-flying. Interspecific competition may have been a selective force leading to divergence in morphological and behavioural traits related to territory size and use (cf Kaboli et al 2007a,b), as well as food items and feeding techniques of the two species. According to Panov (2005), the Hooded Wheatear occupies the same ecological niche 148 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) among desert birds as bee-eaters, although it also obtains food on the ground. Furthermore, it seems to be more tolerant to hot conditions than the White-crowned Wheatear, apparently changing later to shady areas. In our study sites, they stayed in the sunny and hot wadi bed an extra hour or two during the late morning than other wheatears. The Hooded Wheatear has a small range and is therefore of conservation importance (Evans 1994). The former view of this species as being restricted to inaccessible habitats, which are rarely affected by human development, may lead to a lack of conservation action. Although quantitative ecological data is still required, including seasonal variation, our observations suggest that the species needs extensive, flat feeding sites within its terri- tory, which may experience destruction and degradation by man. Grasshoppers and other large insects such as butterflies and dragonflies play an important role in the species’ diet (Panov 2005, pers obs) and may be affected by degradation of desert vegetation. One of the most positive developments in the Wadi Rum protected area, since its establishment in 1999, was the control of off-road driving and subsequent decrease in disturbance and the regeneration of the natural vegetation in the sandy wadis and plains adjacent to the sand- stone mountains. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the staff of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, particularly Ibrahim Al-Hassani and Abdel-Razaq Al-Hmoud for their field assistance and logistic support. We are grateful to the staff of the Wadi Rum reserve for their support and encouragement. REFERENCES Albert, R, A Petutschnig & M Watzka. 2004. Zur Vegetation und Flora Jordaniens. In: Waitzbauer, W, R Albert, B Petutschnig & G Aubrecht (eds). Reise durch die Natur Jordaniens. Biologie zentrum der Oberosterreichischen, Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria, pp133—220. Aliabadian, M, M Kaboli, R Prodon, V Nijman & M Vences. 2007. Phylogeny of Palearctic wheatears (genus Oenanthe) — Congruence between morphometric and molecular data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42: 665-675. Andrews, I. 1995. The Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Andrews, Musselborough, UK. Cornwallis, L. 1975. The comparative ecology of eleven species of wheatears (genus Oenanthe) in SW Iran. PhD the- sis, Oxford University, UK. Evans, M. 1994. Important Bird Areas in the Middle East. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK Kaboli, M, M Aliabadian, C Thevenot, C Guillaume & R Prodon. 2007a. Ecological segregation between Iranian wheatears. Zoology in the Middle East 39: 41-58. Kaboli, M, M Aliabadian, A Guillaumet, C Roselaar & R Prodon. 2007b. Ecomorphology of the wheatears (Genus Oenanthe). Ibis 149: 792-805. National Atlas of Jordan. 1984. Climate and Agriclimatology. Jordan National Geographic Center, Amman. Panov, E. 2005. Wheatears of the Palearctic. Ecology, behaviour and evolution of the genus Oenanthe. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia. RSCN. 1995. Dana Nature Reserve, Phase I] Bird Survey. Unpublished report to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan. RSCN. 2000. Baseline Bird Survey of Wadi Rum Protected Area. Unpublished report to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan. RSCN. 2001. Bird Survey of Mujib Nature Reserve. Unpublished report to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan. Snow, D & C Perrins. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edition. Vol. 2. Oxford University Press, UK. / Tye, A. 1989. Superspecies in the genus Oenanthe (Aves, Turdidae). Bonner Zoologische Beitrage 40: 165-182. Fares Khoury, Department of Biological Sciences, The Hashemite University, PO Box 150459, Zarga 13115, Jordan. avijordan2000@yahoo.com Marc I Forschler, Institute of Avian Research, “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, 26441Wilhelmshaven, Germany. marc.foerschler@ifv.terramare.de Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 149 Anthropogenic impacts on the Desert Larks Ammomanes deserti of Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi Emirate P J COWAN Jebel Hafit lies partially in easternmost Abu Dhabi Emirate, straddling the border with Oman. It is an isolated desert mountain situated just to the south of Al Ain city, is aligned in a north/south direction, is c17 km long by 4 km wide, reaches almost 1300 m asl and rises very steeply on all sides, its summit consisting of a series of deeply-incised crags of similar height. That part of Jebel Hafit in Abu Dhabi is subject to considerable human impact. A modern highway was constructed to the summit, ensuring, with its breath-taking views and summit car park and café, that the mountain became a popular recreational and tourist attraction. A Mercure hotel and a palace are on the western flank of the summit ridge whilst the extensively lawned Mubazzarah hot springs resort, ‘Green Mubazzarah’, is but one of several developments at its foot (Drew 2003, Hornby 2004, Kirkham 2004). Aspinall (2004) stated that the Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti is a characteristic bird of arid areas of the Middle East and North Africa though regarded its name as a misnomer “...since the species occurs exclusively in mountains and upland areas, on scarps, rocky coastal outcrops and similar settings.” Robinson & Chapman (1992) raised a false dichoto- my: “The Desert Lark is a bird of the mountains as opposed to the deserts...” Rather, the species is a true desert bird (Cowan 1997) with a predilection for rocky slopes. Jebel Hafit has a large population of Desert Larks, considered to exceed 1000 pairs, occurring abun- dantly from its base to the summit ridges and is the commonest bird species on the mountain (Aspinall 2004). Pedersen (www.tommypedersen.com, in litt) considers that the Desert Larks on Jebel Hafit are of the subspecies A. d. taimuri, based on Dickinson (2003). Aspinall (2004) noted that there are three populations in the UAE, the birds on Jebel Hafit being intermediate in plumage colouration “between the pale sandy ‘morph’ found in the small population of western Abu Dhabi [Emirate] and the greyest birds of the higher hills of Ra’s al-Khaimah.” I stayed on Jebel Hafit 26 July to 3 August 2007 and was impressed with the ease of observation of this species in the summit car park during periods of low human distur- bance. Richardson & Aspinall (1998) noted the sparrow-like behaviour of Desert Larks in the car parks of Jebel Hafit and I concur. These larks appear to be feeding on insects and edible picnic detritus (Plates 1-4), which it should be straightforward to confirm using video. In their book on the birds of southern Arabia, Robinson & Chapman (1992) stated that in mountainous areas Desert Larks “seem to fill the gap left by the absence of House Sparrows [Passer domesticus], though the latter species can be seen foraging in Jebel Hafit’s summit car park (Aspinall 2004, pers obs). Indeed, House Sparrows only moved up Jebel Hafit once the habitat (car parks with discarded chips and bread crumbs etc) was created and the Desert Larks presumably learnt quickly about the availability of scraps and are thus opportunistic (Simon Aspinall in litt). Cramp (1988) stated the diet of the Desert Lark to be seeds and insects, though noted picking bits of meat from gazelle (Gazellinae) bone, eating moths (Lepidoptera) discarded by H Geyr von Schweppenburg and taking grain dropped on roads. The presence of discarded food might enhance the survival of apparently handicapped individuals. An albino/leucistic Desert Lark (white plumage, yellow bill, dark eye) was observed and photographed by Hanne & Jens Eriksen on 16 December 2006 at Green 150 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Mubazzarah (in litt, www.birdsoman.com, www.tommypedersen.com). Most of the time it - foraged around a shaded picnic table and then flew up the mountain, out of sight. Dave Clark (in litt) observed presumably the same bird in spring and again mid-September 2007, at this base of mountain site. Huw Roberts photographed a Desert Lark with a consider- ably overgrown upper mandible at Green Mubazzarah on 16 November 2006 (www.tommypedersen.com). However, feral domestic cats (Felis catus) do occur on the - mountain, including the summit car park (Drew & Drew 2004, pers obs). A feature of the road leading up Jebel Hafit and its car parks is their overnight illumina- tion by street and car park lighting. I was interested in whether the Desert Larks would make use of this illumination to forage at night (thus avoiding some of the daytime summer heat and perhaps feeding on attracted insects). My observations at nightfall and later in the evening were thwarted by the many car occupants making use of the cooler temperatures. On 1 August I reached the summit car park at 03.00 h but was dismayed to discover it was still ‘party-time’. By 04.15 h, however, it was much quieter, there being mine and one other vehicle. The natural lightening of the sky in the east was evident at 05.10 h though haze pre- vented determination of the time of sunrise (calculated time of sunrise, using the Astronomical Applications Department, US Naval Observatory http://aa.usno.navy.mil _ website for that date and the local latitude/longitude coordinates, was 05.46 h). The artificial car park illumination switched off in stages from 05.35—05.45 h. I saw two foraging Desert Larks at 05.50 h and by 06.30 h there were eight to ten Desert Larks foraging in the car park. Simon Aspinall (in litt) has not noticed activity by this species after it is properly dark. Dave Clark (in litt) found a Desert Lark nest on 9 June 2006, only a few hundred metres from a developed area at Green Mubazzarah. The nest was in a shallow hole in a near- vertical rock face (photo with attendant adult on the Pedersen website) and included a wall of stones presumably supplied by the adults. An unpublished photograph by Dave Clark, taken on the same day, shows an adult in the hole with apparent nest building material in its beak. Cramp (1988), in contrast, described the nest of this species as being on the ground, cae foie. = bh tN ce eee Eds aes DR Oe noe oe " ee: : yo tea _] Plates 1&2. Foraging Desert Larks Ammomanes deserti in the summit car park, Jebel Hafit, July/August 2007. © Elaine Cowan Plates 3&4. A foraging Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti in the summit car park, Jebel Hafit, March 2008. © Gary Brown Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 151 usually in shelter of tussock or stone, with a rim or ramp of stones around the nest or on the exposed side. Jennings (1995) added that the pebble pavement is sometimes built up to form a wall supporting the nest whilst Bundy et al (1989) stated that the nest is usually placed in a hollow below a projecting piece of stone and does not always have a pebble ramp. The Desert Larks of Jebel Hafit do have the possibility of access to water for drinking. After rainfall, temporary pools sometimes form and several near-permanent small pools are located in the lower reaches of a shaded wadi on the western flank of the mountain (Brown & Sakkir 2004). Irrigation high up on Jebel Hafit in the grounds of the Mercure hotel and at the base of the mountain at Green Mubazzarah and elsewhere, provides the possibility of a year round supply of water (Hornby 2004). Aspinall (2004) noted that Jebel Hafit’s Desert Larks will visit waterholes when available and Robinson & Chapman (1992) described this species being attracted by a small artificial pool near the top of the mountain where “Up to 10 birds [Desert Larks] at a time were alighting at the pond, taking a drink and flying off in search of food or shade.” Shade is easily found on the mountain (eg Brown & Sakkir 2004). On a visit to Jebel Hafit in a previous year, I was surprised to see this species foraging on a lawn at the Mercure hotel. In fact, Hanne & Jens Eriksen (in litt) informed me that the Desert Lark is common on the hotel’s lawns, presumably having got used to people and traffic, and have photographed the species on a lawn there (www.birdsoman.com, www.tommypedersen.com). : Clearly, Jebel Hafit provides an excellent opportunity for a prolonged study of the Desert Lark and its interaction with man, as well as allowing more opportunistic observations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Elaine Cowan took the photos of the foraging Desert Larks of Plates 1&2. Simon Aspinall, Gary Brown (who took the photos of Plates 3&4), Dave Clark, Hanne & Jens Eriksen, Tommy Pedersen and Colin Richardson commented on the ms. REFERENCES Aspinall, S. 2004. The birds of Jebel Hafit. In: Aspinall, S & P Hellyer (eds). Jebel Hafit, a Natural History. Emirates Natural History Group (ENHG), Abu Dhabi, pp187—220. Brown, G & S Sakkir. 2004. Flora and vegetation of Jebel Hafit. In: Aspinall, S & P Hellyer (eds). Jebel Hafit, a Natural History. ENHG, Abu Dhabi, pp65-93. Bundy, G, RJ Connor & CJO Harrison. 1989. Birds of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. HF & G Witherby, London. Cowan, PJ. 1997. What is a desert bird? Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 117: 299-303. Cramp, S. (ed). 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. 5. Oxford University Press, UK. Dickinson, EC (ed). 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd edition. Christopher Helm, London. Drew, C. 2003. A Report on a Preliminary Ecological and Environmental Survey of Jebel Hafeet. TERC, Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency, Abu Dhabi. Drew, C & L Drew. 2004. The mammals of Jebel Hafit. In: Aspinall, S & P Hellyer (eds). Jebel Hafit, a Natural History. ENHG, Abu Dhabi, pp169-186. Hornby, R. 2004. Introduction. In: Aspinall, S & P Hellyer (eds). Jebel Hafit, a Natural History. ENHG, Abu Dhabi, pp10-14. Jennings, MC. 1995. An Interim Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, Riyadh. Kirkham, A. 2004. The geology of Jebel Hafit. In: Aspinall, S & P Hellyer (eds). Jebel Hafit, a Natural History. ENHG, Abu Dhabi, pp15-35. Richardson, C & S Aspinall. 1998. The Shell Birdwatching Guide to the United Arab Emirates. Hobby Publications, Liverpool. Robinson, D & A Chapman. 1992. Birds of Southern Arabia. Motivate Publishing, Dubai. PJ] Cowan, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman. desertlark@hotmail.com ih52 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Bird Sites of the OSME Region 5— Birdwatching in the Merig delta in NW Turkey OLIVIER DOCHY LOCATION OF THE MERIC DELTA The Merig delta is huge and lies along the westernmost land border between Greece and European Turkey, the Merig¢ river draining into the Aegean. The Greek section is better known as the Evros delta (Figure 1). It appears that few European birdwatchers have looked for birds on the Turkish side, however, the area is easy to explore and is only about 350 km west of Istanbul. Birdwatching opportunities are very good throughout the year, even on short visits. Here I suggest some parts to visit. Any information about the birds of the delta is highly welcomed, eg by Doga Dernegi (www.dogadernegi.org) for conservation purposes. Threats, actual and potential, to the natural wealth of this site unfortunately are numerous. Excessive water use, eutrophication and pesticide pollution, all related to industrial agricultural practices, are main threats. Furthermore, the freshwater lakes are liable to silt up and suffer salt water intrusion in dry summers, a contributory cause being excessive water uptake by irrigation. These problems not only have affected the natural values of the area but are also implicated in the collapse Legend wees VWieri¢ (main) river = Meri¢ oxbow lake or canal == Toad f// border of alluvial plain - - reedbed ... lake/sea Hm town GREECE © 4" «* Gt TELA [NUN pn TURKEY 7 =, ey — Aegean Sea Figure |. General map of the Meri¢ delta. © Olivier Dochy Sandgrouse 30 (2008) £53. — -= — eee -~ _~ GREECE. ~_ — H} Track to Gala Gélu_ -7 ee Ne nes be 0 =, fo Kes 22.5; AEGEAN. SEA : TURKEY z= = Figure 2. Map of the Merig¢ river mouth near the town of Enez, with birdwatching locations indicated (yellow circles). The road to the lagoons west of town is a dirt track. © Olivier Dochy : of the local fishing industry since the 1990s (www.birdlife.org, www.inweb.gr). As can be seen from websites such as www.enez.gov.tr and www.watersee.net and from my own experience, there is urgent need for active and effective conservation management on both sides of the border. On the Greek side intensive hunting pressure appears to be an addi- tional problem (www.ornithologiki.gr). The Meric/Evros delta is listed as two adjacent Important Bird Areas (IBA) (BirdLife International 2005, Heath & Evans 2000), the respective designations being TROO1 and GRO06. In the Merig delta, 2369 ha of TROO1 are designated as a Nature Reserve and 7000 ha as SIT, a protected area defined under the 1983 national Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets. In the Evros delta, some 4600 ha of GRO006 are designated a Wildlife Refuge, 9267 ha are a RAMSAR Site and 9218 ha as a Special Protection Area. Little ornithological information for visitors appears to be available, or at least widely distributed, about the Turkish part of the delta, and I was unable to find any useful trip reports. In mid April 2006 and at the end of April and early May 2007, I was in a group of Belgian birdwatchers visit- ing the Meric delta. I hope that our experiences can help birdwatchers and conservationists alike. NATURAL HABITATS IN THE MERIC DELTA The delta is a broad floodplain, about 10 km wide, of which half is in Greece, the other half in Turkey. On the Turkish side, most of the area was once covered with floodplain (gallery) forests and marshes. The forest has nearly completely vanished as has much of the marsh- land, which has become paddyfields, producing about 25% of all Turkish rice. However, at the southern edge of the floodplain, large natural marsh areas containing extensive 154 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) reedbeds still remain, such as the lakes Gala Gol and Pamuklu Golt. The floodplain fills every year but inconsistently so, depending on precipitation upstream as far as the Bulgarian mountains. In spring 2006, the Bulgarian mountains had received enough snow to thoroughly inundate the plain in April, but the next year there was no inundation, with only the lakes holding water. Near the river mouth, the tamarisk-covered marshland extends into the salt marshes towards the Aegean sea—the marshes contain many lagoons, large and small, around the town of Enez (Figure 2). To the south of the delta there is a hilly area, mostly covered by broadleaved forests on the steepest hillsides, the rest being semi-open Mediterranean scrub grazed by various kinds of livestock. We didn’t visit the true remnant forest, but such patches are probably worth exploring for forest birds and breeding raptors. In April, all these habitats, save the bare paddyfields, are very rich in bird life, but we concentrated on the Gala Golu marshes inland and the Enez lagoons at the coast. Typical habitats are at Plates 1-6. BIRDS OF THE MERIC DELTA Useful data on the site can be obtained from Birdlife International (2005). The numbers in Table 1, extracted from Heath & Evans (2000), give an indication of how rich this site is. I suggest you also check these websites: www.cevreorman.gov.tr (in Turkish) and www.birdwatchingtoursturkey.com. Of course, the Greek side has a very similar bird community, making the delta one of the best birdwatching areas in Europe. Our own observations on 21 and 22 April 2006 and on 30 April to 1 May 2007 in the Gala Golu area included these maxima (2006/2007): Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus (60/2), Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus (20/50), Purple Heron Ardea purpurea (50/50), Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (20/75), Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia (5/5), Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (42/250), Black Stork Ciconia Table |. Important species and their numbers in the Meri¢ delta (Heath & Evans 2000). Species Season Year Max Mute Swan Cygnus olor Non-breeding 1999 8900 VW hooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Non-breeding 1998 1200 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca Non-breeding 1999 12400 Common Pochard Aythya ferina Non-breeding 1996 15528 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Breeding . 100 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Breeding - 40 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Breeding - 50 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Breeding - 200 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Breeding 1997 300 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Breeding 1997 100 Great Egret Ardea alba Non-breeding 1993 260 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Breeding 1994 470 Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus Non-breeding 1998 610 Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus Non-breeding 1998 20000 _ Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Non-breeding 1999 9300 Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Non-breeding 1989 10 | Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Non-breeding 1999 31300 | Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Breeding 1994 350 Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Breeding 1994 200 Little Gull Larus minutus Passage - 700 Little Tern Sternula albifrons Breeding - 200 _ Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Breeding 1993 500 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 155 Plate I. Reed and inundated agricultural habitat at Plate 2.Same area as Plate | but no inundations, 2007 © Gala Golu, Meri¢ delta, Turkey, looking west, 2006 © Olivier Dochy Olivier Dochy - +. “ E po meaty re oR Cy ~ Reece ry 4 dian ao ~~ ee ati ~TY-— a Oa = Ss = : ° a Plate 3. Wetland habitat at Gala Golu, Meri¢ delta, Plate 4. Grazed scrub habitat, Gala Golu, Meri¢ delta, Turkey, 2007 © Koen Lepla Turkey, looking east, 2006 © Olivier Dochy Plate 5. Small-scale fishing activities in water courses Plate 6. Habitat near Enez at Bucurmene lagoon, Meri¢ near inundated rice fields, Meri¢ delta, Turkey, 2006 © delta, Turkey, 2006 © Roland Vannieuwenhuyze Koen Vandepitte nigra (2/1), Mute Swan Cygnus olor (470/8), Garganey Anas querquedula (230/0), Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (2/25), Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus (1/0), White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (2/2, breeding), Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina (0/1), Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola (20+/0), at least 2000 Little Gulls Larus minutus in a continuous migration stream in a NE direction in 2006, only 6 in 2007, Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia (6/15), Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica (25/5), Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida (50+/150+), White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus (15/40), Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus (0/2 on lake sandbar) and Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus (0/40). Other species included Isabelline Oenanthe isabellina and Black-eared O. hispanica Wheatears (both common), Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius, Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris, Northern Raven Corvus corax, Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis 156 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) ee ae a ae (hundreds on active migration), Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor (1 in 2007) and Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana (6/3). In the Enez lagoon area on the same dates we saw a few Black-necked Podiceps nigricol- lis and Great Crested P. cristatus Grebes, Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris (1 heard in 2006), Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (0/250), Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons (1ad/0), Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna (15/8) and 13 species of waders including Little Stint Calidris minuta (5/100), Curlew Sandpiper C. ferruginea (15/400), Dunlin C. alpina (0/10), Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta (10/2), Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostrale- gus (4 breeding in 2006), Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola (1/9), Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (15/0) and Spotted Redshank T. erythropus (3/1). Spur-winged Lapwing was not encountered in 2006, but in 2007 we found 7 birds at 3 locations around the lagoons (3-4 _ breeding pairs, judging by alarm calls). Also, we recorded Slender-billed Gull Larus genei (1/0), Mediterranean Gull L. melanocephalus (colony of c2000 birds in 2006, but although no _ breeding evidence in 2007, 5000 roosted on Dalyan lagoon at night), Gull-billed Tern (3/1), Little Gull (50/0), Little Tern Sternula albifrons (6/10), Common Tern Sterna hirundo (colony of c200 birds in 2006, but only 20 birds around in 2007), Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calan- dra and Skylark Alauda arvensis (in saltmarsh). With more time to explore this huge area, our bird list would have been much longer. A few species are illustrated at Plates 7-12. Specialities such as Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus and Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis (winter) and Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga might well be - around (even Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris?), and so might almost any _ imaginable migrant . .. The numbers of cormorants and pelicans we observed were rather | low. Is this due to the depleted fish populations in the lakes? Especially for the pelicans, _ this delta has always been an important migration stopover site, because suitable lakes are scarce and very much needed for these large birds. Urgent action backed by research seems _ needed to remedy the situation. For a detailed list of all butterflies (Lepidoptera), dragon- flies (Odonata), amphibians (Amphibia) and other wildlife, check our trip reports (detailed _ below). WHERE TO GO See Google Earth for good detailed satellite maps, but for general guidance, see Figures 1 and 2. _ Gala Golii and surroundings (mid-western part) _ When you arrive at Enez from the south, you come to a bridge just before the city. Turn _ right before the bridge and then right again. This road will take you to Gala Golu. To avoid official sensitivities, it is best not to stop here or to use binoculars and cameras before pass- ing the military border area. Follow the north side of the low hills that border the alluvial _ plains on the dirt road. Shortly you will see the immense reed beds of Gala Golu (Figure 1). _ At many places it is possible to walk up the slope of the hills to overlook the marshes in excellent light conditions (the sun is behind you). The slopes are grazing pastures inter- mixed with scrub and are teeming with songbirds, reptiles, dragonflies and butterflies. If you continue along this road as far as you can go, you will finally reach Pamuklu Golu, which is also part of the National Park. In between, there is a minor road leading north through the reedbeds. In neither year did we succeed in reaching Pamuklu Golu, because this route passes very interesting habitats holding so many birds that we never finished exploring it! Keep an eye out for raptors over the forested hills too, and for migrating birds following the valley. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 157 Plate 7. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea, Gala Golu, 2007 Plate 8. Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus, Enez © Koen Lepla 2007 © Koen Lepla Plate 9. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea flock, Enez 2007 © Koen Lepla Enez area (western part) Near Enez, there are more bird-rich lagoons. Drive into the town (over the bridge men- tioned above), follow the main road and you'll arrive at the town centre. Continue on this main road, which turns left beyond the main square. You then reach the Bucurmene (brack- ish water) and Tasalti lagoons (salt water) and Dalyan lake (fresh water). To search out where the birds are, you can drive along the road or walk a little further through the salt marshes (Figure 2). The pools south of Tasalti lagoon are especially good for resting waders. We found Spur-winged Lapwing here and also at the pools between Dalyan lake © and Bucurmene lagoon. There are probably many mosquitoes here on warm evenings, so take insect repellent. You can easily spend a day just around here checking all lagoons and their shores. To the east of the village of Yeni Karpuzla, there is a fairly large dam lake, Sigirci Golu (Figure 1). The lake shores are mostly bare and at first sight don’t look very interesting for 158 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Plate 10. Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus flock, Tasalti lagoon, near Enez 2007 © Koen Lepla marsh birds, but it could be worth checking for waterfowl in winter, or if you have spare time in any other season. TRANSPORT Moving around is easiest by 4WD. We had a minibus, but a normal car would cope if the tracks are dry, but during rainy weather or for some time after, the muddier tracks should be considered impassable without 4WD—the very interesting track on the south side of Gala Golu is in this category. There are no detailed printed maps available as far as we know, but there are internet sources with detailed satellite photographs (for personal use only) that mostly show every path in the area. You can follow links from the BirdLife web- site. If you can obtain authorised prints of satellite maps, you will find they are simply the best help you can get, useful for informing your notes as you can distinguish every single tree on them! For other directions we used the map ‘Marmara Bolgesi’ (Marmara region map, 1:375 000) from Mapmedia (fairly easy to find in Turkey itself). It mentions most of the small villages and gives good indications of directions, but you will need some ‘intu- ition’ in town centres. Where you most need a map is when you are leaving Istanbul after your arrival in Turkey to navigate the spaghetti of highways. Access to the delta area is possible via two main centres: either from the west through Enez for the western half of the delta, or from the east through the border town of Ipsala, negotiating the villages bordering the delta, especially Yeni Karpuzla, to visit the paddy- fields, dam lakes and scattered marshy areas. There are currently extensive large-scale drainage and flood-control works that have rendered some minor roads impassable, such as the direct route from Yeni Karpuzla to Enez. As these works progress, different areas will be affected and so you should check with local people before planning your day. At present, to reach Enez from Ipsala even if time is short, it is advisable to detour via Kesan and from there take road 22-51 to the west (86 km in total). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) = 159 Plate I1. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida fl flock, Gala Plate 12. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris, Enez dunes 2007 — Gol 2007 © Koen Lepla © Koen Lepla WHERE TO STAY We stayed at Ipsala, the border town just before entering Greece. There is only one hotel, Sebat Otel (sebatotel@ttnet.net.tr, tel. (+90) (0) (284) 616 15 61). The receptionist did speak some English. We paid c9 € /person /night, but without breakfast (15 TL). For birdwatch- ers, a nice attraction is surely the c25 Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni breeding on the hotel and nearby buildings! Shops abound in Ipsala for your daily picnic goodies and drinks. Most shops in Turkey are open by 7am and close at 9pm or even later. The town of Enez at the river mouth has a simple hotel at the town centre (Hotel Ege, tel. (0-284)811 60 86, sim- itimo@hotmail.com). Staying here would save you a long drive westwards in the morning. BORDER POLICE This is a sensitive border area between Greece and Turkey, with many military installations and police controls. You are not allowed to drive along border tracks or to take photo- graphs here, but on most other roads you can roam freely. FURTHER INFORMATION We made a detailed report of our trip in April 2006 when we also explored the interesting and nearby Gallipoli peninsula. This report and the 2007 extension are available through www.osme.org. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank Ozkan Uner for his useful information about where to go. I would also like to thank the other members of the trip crew for their exploration spirit and good laughs: Johan Debuck, Wim Declercq, Regy Goemaere, Ignaas Robbe, Koen Lepla, Ludo Momerency, Koen Vandepitte and Roland Vannieuwenhuyze. REFERENCES BirdLife International. 2005. BirdLife’s online World Bird Database: the site for bird conservation. Version 2.0. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. (www.birdlife.org). Heath, MF and MI Evans. 2000. Important Bird Areas in Europe. Priority sites for conservation. Vol 2. Southern Europe. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. Olivier Dochy, Wolvestraat 17, B-8980 Zonnebeke, Belgium. olivier.dochy@inbo.be 160 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) _ Asia to the Philippines, Borneo, _The occurrence of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and its status in Central Asia MANUEL SCHWEIZER & MAXIM MITROPOLSKIY Crested Honey Buzzard _ Pernis ptilorhyncus has two distinct groups of KAZAKHSTAN populations. The southern one, of five different subspecies, is mainly seden- tary and breeds from Pakistan over the Indian subcontinent and southeast Chokpak Pass @ : Sumatra and Java. The northern popu- lations, subspecies orientalis, breed in southern Siberia east to Amurland, on Sakhalin, and south to Manchuria, Japan and possibly Korea. In autumn, these northern populations migrate south to winter on the Indian subcon- tinent, in southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines (del Hoyo et al 1994, Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). However, there is also a western kilometres migration route passing through Figure |. Map of localities with Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis Kazakhstan, where it has been record- ed from the Altai, the Alakol region, south of Lake Balkhash, and at the Karatau and western Tien Shan mountains. Along this route in Kazakhstan, Crested Honey Buzzard is a rare to scarce passage migrant from late April to mid-June and late August to mid October (Wassink & Oreel 2007, Gavrilov & Gavrilov 2005). The largest numbers have been recorded at the Chokpak Pass (Figure 1) which is well south and over 10° west of the known western breeding limit (Ferguson- Lees & Christie 2001). Our recent observations of Crested Honey Buzzard in Uzbekistan have led us to review its status in Central Asian (Middle Asian) countries other than Kazakhstan (Plate 1). Only few published records of Crested Honey Buzzard in these other countries exist, mainly in the Russian literature and solely in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Table 1 shows these published Pass. records together with the recent observations from Uzbekistan. There are 13 records from Uzbekistan and three from Tajikistan, ptilorhyncus records listed in Table | and position of the Chokpak Plate 1. Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus, Chimgan, Uzbekistan, May 9 2006. © Daniel Kreuzberg of altogether 62 individuals. Eight records refer to spring migration, eight autumn migra- tion. Although Crested Honey Buzzard has apparently not been recorded in Turkmenistan or Kyrgyzstan, the record of two juveniles migrating at Kosmostanzyi in the Ili-Alatau national park of Kazakhstan (Wassink & Oreel 2007) was only about 15 km from the Kyrgyz border (Arend Wassink in litt). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 161 DISCUSSION : The recent observations from Uzbekistan show that the Crested Honey Buzzard may migrate regularly through this country. All records are from the vicinity of the Chatkal range, the north-western end of the Tien-Shan mountains. Crested Honey Buzzards observed here consist most probably of the same birds that migrate through the Chokpak Pass in southern Kazakhstan (Figure 1). The Chokpak Pass lies between the Zhabagly Tau and the Boroldai ridge (Karatau range) and birds in spring flying to the north along the western end of the Chatkal range would reach one of these mountain ranges and birds crossing the Chokpak Pass on their way south in autumn would reach the Chatkal range. The Central Asian migration route of this species could be the result of an unrecorded westward breeding-range expansion or might be part of a migration route around and per- haps through the Tien Shan and Hindu Kush evolved to avoid crossing the Himalayas (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). However, there are only two certain records of Crested Honey Buzzard from Afghanistan so far, one juvenile bird on 12 September 2007 at Ishkashim (Badakhshan, 36°42’ N 71°34’ E) and one adult on 21 September 2007 at Nakhchirshitk (Great Pamir valley, Wakhan, 37°12’ N 72°57’ E) (Raffael Ayé, Wildlife Conservation Society/USAID, in litt). Additionally, a sight record of 29 European Honey Buzzards P. apivorus in NE Afghanistan on 15 May 1978 by Thiollay (1978) might refer to Crested Honey Buzzard, according to Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). European Honey Buzzard is a scarce passage migrant in Kazakhstan, and also migrates over Chokpak Pass and through Uzbekistan (Wassink & Oreel 2007, pers obs), and Crested Honey Buzzards might be caught up in migrating flocks of European Honey Buzzards in autumn and then spend the non-breeding season with them in Africa (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). In the United Arab Emirates, Crested Honey Buzzard has become a regular winter visitor in very small numbers to Abu Dhabi island in recent years and there are 10 records from elsewhere in the country (Pedersen 2007). In Kuwait, after the first record in 2001, Crested Honey Buzzard is considered a scarce passage migrant with three records in September and one each in April, May and October (Gregory 2005). In recent years, there have also been the first six records of Crested Honey Buzzard in Iran and it may be a scarce but almost regular winter visitor and passage migrant in the southern part of this country (Sehhatisabet et al 2006, Duquet & Richardson 2000, Raffael Ayé in litt). There are also seven records of Crested Honey Buzzard in Oman, more than 20 from Israel and it has also been found in the Caucasus, Turkey and Egypt (Eriksen et al 2007, Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). Given the comparatively low ornithological coverage of Uzbekistan and especially Tajikistan, Crested Honey Buzzard may be a much commoner migrant than the records suggest and may have a similar status as in Kazakhstan. Hopefully, the true status of Crested Honey Buzzard in all countries of Central Asia can be clarified in the near future. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For their help in the field or during preparation of this article, we are grateful to Raffael Ayé, Samuel Bachmann, Dick Forsman, Roman Kashkarov, Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina, Daniel Kreuzberg, Oleg Mitropolskiy, Steve Rooke and Tobias Roth. Arend Wassink and Geoff Welch made valuable comments on the submitted ms. REFERENCES Abdusalyamoy, IA. 1971. [Fauna of the Tajik SSR, Birds. Vol. 19. Part 1]. Donish, Dushanbe. [In Russian]. del Hoyo, J, A Elliot & J Sargatal (eds). 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2 New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Duquet, MC & C Richardson. 2000. First and second records of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus in Iran. Sandgrouse 22: 133-134. 162 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) —————————— Eriksen, J, DE Sargeant & R Victor. 2007. Additions and Corrections to the Oman Bird List, Edition 6, SQU 2003. www.birdsoman.com. Ferguson-Lees, J & D Christie. 2001. Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London. Gavrilov, E & A Gavrilov. 2005. The Birds of Kazakhstan. Abridged edition. Tethys Ornithological Research 2: 3-222. Gregory, G. 2005. The Birds of the State of Kuwait. George Gregory, Skegness, UK. Mitropolskiy, M. 2002. [New and rare birds of the Western Tien-Shan (Uzbekistan)]. [Biodiversity of the Western Tien-Shan. Protection and sustainable use]. Chinor ENK, Tashkent, pp156—157. [In Russian]. Mitropolskiy, M. 2007. Autumn migration of the Crested Honey Buzzard and the Great Spotted Eagle in the Tashkent Vicinities. Raptors Conservation 9: 66-67, http://ecoclub.nsu.ru. Mitropolskiy, OV, ER Fotteler & GP Tretyakov. 1987. [Birds of Uzbekistan]. Fan, Tashkent. [In Russian]. Ostapenko, MM. 1960. [About the occurrence of the Crested Honey Buzzard in Uzbekistan]. [Uzbek Biological Journal] 5: 70. [In Russian]. Pedersen, T. 2007. Birds of the United Arab Emirates — an annotated checklist. www.tommypedersen.com. Popov, AV. 1950. [Observations of the Crested Honey Buzzard in Tajikistan]. [Reports of Academy of Science of Taj USSR] 22: 35-36. [In Russian]. Rasmussen, PC & JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia. 2 vols. Smithsonian Institution/Lynx Edicions, Washington DC/Barcelona. Sehhatisabet, ME, SB Musavi, P Bakhtiari, D Moghaddas, N Hamidi, B Nezami & A Khaleghizadeh. 2006. Further significant extensions of migrant distribution and breeding and wintering ranges in Iran for over sixty species. Sandgrouse 28: 146-155. Thiollay, JM. 1978. Précisions nouvelles sur le statut de certains rapaces en Afghanistan. Alauda 46: 98-100. Wassink, A & GJ Oreel. 2007. The Birds of Kazakhstan. De Cocksdorp, Texel, Netherlands. Manuel Schweizer, Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, CH-3005 Berne, Switzerland. schw@bluewin.ch Maxim Mitropolskiy, Qara-Qamish 2/3, h. 1. f. 32, Tashkent, 700175, Uzbekistan. max_raptors@ronl.ru Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 163 A case of polygamy or co-operative breeding in the Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus in Israel MOTTI CHARTER, YOSSI LESHEM, IDO IZHAKI & SHAY HALEVI Raptor polygamy, although suspected in many species, has rarely been reported (Newton 1979, Hiraldo et al 1991, Tella et al 1996). The biology of the Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, typically monogamous, is well-known throughout most of Europe (Village 1990). However, cases of polygamy have been recorded: adult males pairing with two females at different nests (Korpimaki 1988, Village 1990) and two males and a female at one nest (Packham ES z ee Fer ig saints | ear Pears 1985). Plate I. Nests occupied by Common Kestrel Falco In late March 2006, two females and one tinnunculus (foreground) and Hooded Crow Corvus cornix (background), 2.5 m apart. The Hooded Crow pair built adult male Common Kestrel were observed goth nests. © Shay Halevi usurping an active Hooded Crow Corvus cornix nest in a tipu tree Tipuana tipu in the village Ram On, Israel (32°31'55”N, 35°15’25”E). In mid-April, the Hooded Crows built another nest in the same tree, 2.5 m from the first nest (Plate 1), and started incubating thereafter. Of the three Common Kestrels at the usurped nest, one female always remained at the nest while the other female and the male hunted, mainly in fields within 500 m of the nest. Since no other Common Kestrel nest in Israel was known to contain two females and a male, the nest was observed intensely to verify that it was indeed occupied by two females and one male. Even though Common Kestrels are not over-territorial in Israel, nest-separation dis- tances sometimes being as little as 30 m, females do guard the immediate nest site and chase away any other females or males that approach within 5 m (MC pers obs). Because all three Common Kestrels in this case were observed together at the nest many times and because, later, both females were observed feeding the nestlings together, there is no doubt that all three birds participated in raising the nestlings during the breeding period. The female incubating and guarding the nest did not leave it until the other female, and male, returned, so there was always a female at the nest. Unlike this dutiful threesome, the own- ers of most other Common Kestrel nests observed in Israel frequently left eggs unguarded for various periods throughout the day, when females were seen to eat away from the nest and to preen their feathers. The clutch size of the threesome remained unknown because of its high location in the tree. However, telescope observations revealed two nestlings 10 days old. Incubation lasts 28 days (Cramp & Simmons 1980), putting the date of laying of the first egg at 4 April. When prey was brought to the nest, often both females would feed the nestlings together, | but because they were not colour marked, we cannot be certain how the nest duties were divided between them, nor do we know whether both females laid eggs in the nest. If they had, the behaviour is classed as polygamy, whereas if only one female had laid, it would be co-operative breeding, an event found in many Falconidae, albeit rarely (Kimball et al 2003). 164 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) The Hooded Crows abandoned their second nest on 28 May and shortly thereafter the Common Kestrel nestlings started moving around the tree, visiting both their own and the abandoned crow nest. These two young fledged successfully in the second week of June. The extra food that a second hunting Common Kestrel provides to the nest may be advan- tageous in an environment where there is a shortage of food. Forty-six regurgitated pellets collected below the kestrel nest were analyzed at Tel Aviv University and contained a total of 49 prey specimens. Rodent remains being found in all pellets (94% of the prey specimens by number), mostly of the Levant vole Microtus socialis guentheri (47% of prey specimens by number). Local farmers informed us that large populations of this rodent inflicted great damage in 2006 in fields surrounding the village. Levant voles also formed the main prey species of Long-Eared Owls Asio otus at the same village (MC unpubl), despite the avail- ability of other prey (passerines, reptiles and insects). Voles formed the main prey of the kestrels presumably because of the high vole abundance (other prey found in the pellets: one passerine sp, a starred agama Laudakia stellio and Coleoptera sp). However, the three- some raised only two nestlings, leading us to believe that the only benefit to the females on this occasion was the increased protection that two females could offer against predation by Hooded Crow. There was always one female kestrel protecting the nest. Korpimaki (1988) noted that, in 9 examples of polygyny in Common Kestrels in Finland, secondary females (females that laid after the first female) fledged smaller broods (a mean of 2.4) than primary females (a mean of 4.6), suggesting that polygyny may be advantageous to Common Kestrel males, but not to all females, and Village (1998) pointed out that up to 12% of Common Kestrel pairs were bigamous, more frequently so in northern populations during peak vole years. Previous studies of polygamy differed in that seemingly they described 2 females in separate nests ‘close’ together (Macdonald 1973, Korpimaki 1988, Village 1990). Ours is the first report of polygamy or co-operative breeding in the Common Kestrel where two females and one male bred, or participated in the raising of young, in only one nest. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank Rob Bijlsma for contextual advice and Anthony van Zyl for comments on this note. REFERENCES Cramp, S & KEL Simmons (eds). 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 2. Oxford University Press, UK. Hiraldo, F, JJ Negro & JA Donazar. 1991. Aborted polygyny in the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (Aves, Falconidae). Ethology 89: 253-257. Kimball, RT, PG Parker & JC Bednarz. 2003. Occurrence and evolution of cooperative breeding among diur- nal raptors (Accipitridae and Falconidae). Auk 120: 717-729. Korpimaki, E. 1988. Factors promoting polygyny in European birds of prey — hypothesis. Oecologia 77: 278-285. Macdonald, MA. 1973. Bigamy in Kestrel. British Birds 66: 77-78. Newton, I. 1979. Population Ecology of Raptors. Buteo Books, Vermilion, South Dakota. Packham, C. 1985. Bigamy in the Kestrel. British Birds 78: 194. Tella, JL, JJ Negro, M Villarroel, U Kuhnlein, F Hiraldo, JA Donazar & DM Bird. 1996. DNA fingerprinting reveals polygyny in the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni). Auk 113: 262-265. Village, A. 1990. The Kestrel. T & AD Poyser, London. Village, A. 1998. Falco tinnunculus Kestrel. BWP Update 2(2): 121-136. Motti Charter & Yossi Leshem, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, IL-69978 Tel Aviv, Israel. charterm@post.tau.ac.il Ido Izhaki, Department of Biology, University of Haifa at Oranim, 36910 Tivon, Israel. Shay Halevi, Moshav Ram-On Israel 19205. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 165 Turkey Bird Report 2002-06 ~~ - GUY M KIRWAN, METEHAN OZEN & BARBAROS DEMIRCI (COMPILERS) This report, covering the years 2002-06, has been produced jointly by GMK, MO and BD, and is the second such to be co-edited by an Anglo-Turkish team, following the last report (Sandgrouse 25: 8-31). The increase in the number of in-country birdwatchers submitting records to the report, first noted in the last compilation, encouragingly has been main- tained, as has the number of records of rarities being documented photographically. In contrast, reports from visiting foreign birdwatchers, although frequently posted on the internet, are now rarely submitted. These latter are still welcome, as some areas of the country (and seasons) are still arguably better covered by visiting, rather than resident, observers. ; Highlights of the present report include the first records in Turkey of the following 12 species: Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor, Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos, Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (one unconfirmed previous record), Namaqua Dove Oena capen- sis, Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella, Blackstart Cercomela melanura, Black-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis atrogularis, Plain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus neglectus (apparently breeding in extreme eastern Turkey), Arctic Warbler P. borealis (one unconfirmed previous record), Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris (one unconfirmed previous record), Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus and Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus (one unconfirmed pre- vious record). The first reports of the following species—Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis, Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus and Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum—were also received, but insufficient documentation is available to advocate their acceptance onto Turkey’s bird list. Furthermore, the following additional records of interest are presented here: the third record of Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis, the 5—9th records of Eider Somateria mollissima, a confirmed breeding record of Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis, the discovery of large numbers of the globally threatened Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarius on passage and wintering in eastern Turkey, the second to fourth records Black Sea Mediterranean — Figure |. Map of Turkey showing the seven regions used in the Turkey Bird Report. | Black Sea Coastlands, 2 Thrace, 3 Western Anatolia, 4 Southern Coastlands, 5 Central Plateau, 6 South-East, 7 East. 166 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) _ of Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius, the sixth record of Great Skua Stercorarius skua, the second and third records of Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis, the sixth record of Arctic - Tern S. paradiseaea, confirmation that a small population of Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylo- _ nensis persists in southern Turkey, the third record of Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura, the first winter records of Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola, an influx of Bohemian Waxwings Bombycilla garrulus, the third records of White-crowned Oenanthe leucopyga and Mourning Wheatears O. lugens, two new records of Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus ~ dumetorum, the sixth record of Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax, the discovery of a breeding population of Spectacled Warbler S. conspicillata in south-east Turkey, the second ~record of Nutcracker Nucifraga caryoctactes, the 4—8th records of Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis, and the third modern record of Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos. The following species, formerly of staple appearance in these reports, do not appear in this compilation for a variety of reasons, as follows: Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea (temporal status and geographical distribution now well known), Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula (winter distribution well known; no summer records during the period), Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (a considerable upsurge in records, albeit largely from previously known to be occupied areas), Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae (that the species wanders widely across Turkey in the pre-breeding season is well established; breeding or suspected breeding sites will not be published here); Little Crake Porzana parva (status now well established, as a reasonably common and widespread passage migrant and localised, but probably also widespread breeder in smaller numbers), Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri (introduced species; records now available from many parts of the coun- try, albeit still principally confined to major city strongholds), Grey-headed Picus canus and White-backed Woodpeckers Dendrocopus leucotos (ranges within Turkey now reasonably well known), Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti (occurrence well established at Birecik, but virtually unknown elsewhere, and no records from other sites during the period), Cyprus Pied Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca (no records during the period) and Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus (core range largely elucidated). We have also elected to omit the List of Observers, which has been a feature of past reports, in the interests of space and also because the vast majority of records are now being generated by Turkish observers whose records are also stored on KusBank (www.worldbirds.org/v3/turkey.php). We will continue to list observers’ names beside all records, wherever they are known to us. Figure 1 is a map of Turkey showing the seven regions employed in the Turkey Bird Report. A more detailed map is in Kirwan & Martins (1994, 2000) and Kirwan et al (2003). The next report will cover the period 2007-2011 and records are now requested. Photographs for inclusion would be especially welcome. Contributors may either send photographs with records or list those species for which they are available so that they may be requested at a later date. Material should be sent to any one of the three editors or preferably to: Turkey Bird Report, OSME, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK, or by e-mail to: gmkirwan@aol.com. Caucasian (Black) Grouse Tetrao mlokosiewiczi A locally scarce or not uncommon resident at subalpine elevations i in the Pontic mountains, eastern Black Sea Coastlands. Apparently most common on, and perhaps primarily _ restricted to the northern slopes of the north ridge (which receives most precipitation). | | Distribution is centred on slopes with substantial dwarf Rhododendron scrub cover below alpine herb zone (Atkinson et al 1995). Western limits of range unclear although recently slightly extended (Atkinson et al 1995). Many new sites recently discovered through target- Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 167 ed fieldwork (Isfendiyaroglu et al 2007) and computer modelling has also been used (Gottschalk et al 2007) in an attempt to more accurately delimit the species’ range and potential population in Turkey. The Turkish population is impacted, and perhaps threat- ened, by habitat dereliction and cover reduction through grazing. There is insufficient historical information to assess whether the population is stable. Records away from well- known sites of Sivrikaya and Cam Gegidi are presented. Black Sea Coastlands: Karcal Dag1, 17 Oct 04 (DT Kilig et al). 17, Yusufeli, 27-28 Apr 05 (E Kartal et al). 6, Yenikoy Yaylasi, Ardahan, 9 Sep 05 (G Welch et al; Sandgrouse 28: 95). Camurlu Yaylasi: 7, 19 May 06 (M Bahsi et al); 3, 22 Sep 06 (M Ozbek et al). Caspian Snowcock Tetraogallus caspius Not uncommon but localised resident in montane areas (generally above 2400 m in sum- mer) in eastern third of Turkey, west to main Taurus, but precise limits there unclear. Only records away from regularly visited Sivrikaya (Black Sea Coastlands) and Demirkazik/Aladaglar (Southern Coastlands) areas are presented. Black Sea Coastlands: 7, Vercenik Yaylasi, 29 Jul 02 (S Eksioglu). Kilig Dag1, 22-23 Jun 06 (C Mroczko). Hatila Vadisi National Park, 17 Jun 04 (S Isfendiyaroglu). 12, Karcal Dag1, 17 Oct 04 (DT Kilig et al). Camurlu Yaylasi, 24 Oct 04 (O Cirik). Max. 3, between Yusufeli and Ispir, 9 Apr-31 May 05 (E Kartal et al). pane le 6 May 05 (e Bacak et al). 2, Yavuzkoy, 18 Jun 05 (E Bacak et al). Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus First recorded in 1983 and now apparently regular winter visitor, usually in very small numbers, in the western two-thirds of Turkey. Records from all regions except South-East. Black Sea Coastlands: 9, Uzungol, 1 Feb 05 (S Isfendiyaroglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Thrace: Gala Golt: 20 Jan 2003 (B Akyildirim et al; Sandgrouse 25: 80); 68, 15 Jan 05, with 3 until 4 Feb (Caglayan et al 2005; Sandgrouse 28: 191); 3, 4 Feb 06 (O Uner et al). Western Anatolia: 2, Marmara Golu, 3 Jan 2003 (KusBank). 22, Kocaeli Bay 25 Jan 06 (B Bilgen et al; Sandgrouse 28: 190). Buyukcekmece, Istanbul: 3, 3 Dec 06 (S Bekir); 3, 9 Dec 06 (C Dalyan). Southern Coastlands: Burdur Golii, 13 Jan 02 (Demirci 2002). Up to 9, Géksu Delta, 4 Jan—16 Feb 05 (Caglayan et al 2005). Central Plateau: Sariyar Reservoir: 52, 27 Jan 02 (Demirci 2002; Sandgrouse 24: 159, where erroneously listed for 22 Jan); 34, 18 Jan 04 (J Tavares et al; Sandgrouse 26: 167); up to 31, 13 Nov 04-11 Jan 05 (Sandgrouse 27: 95, where listed only for 19 Dec; M Ozen, I Richardson); 5, from 2005 until at least 21 Jan 06 (B Demirci, KA Boyla, S Bekir; Sandgrouse 28: 191, where full dates not listed). 6, Balikdam1, 7 Mar 04 (G Welch & H Welch). 9, Egirdir Golu, 11 Feb 06 (KA Boyla, E Yogurtcuoglu). Hirfanl Reservoir: 36, 16 Jan 2005 (DT Kilig et al); 3, 27 Nov 05 (C Bilen et al); 2, 26 Nov 06 (R Giil, B Demirci); 10, 26 Dec 06 (M Ozbek et al). East: 18, northern Van Golu, 1 Feb 05 (G Welch, DT Kuilic). Bean Goose Anser fabalis Vagrant or perhaps an irregular and scarce winter visitor, principally to wetlands in- Western Anatolia, Southern Coastlands and Central Plateau, occasionally in large numbers. Sixteen modern (post-1966) reports, most within the period January—March, with one old (1933) and four recent April records. Thrace: 2, Bityiikcekmece, Istanbul, 11 Feb 06 (M Ozen et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). 168 §Sandgrouse 30 (2008) | | Central Plateau: Kulu Golu, 22 Feb 02 (I Richardson; Richardson 2003, Sandgrouse 24: 159). 2, Seyfe Golu, 23 Feb 03 (I Richardson; Sandgrouse 25: 158). Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus Vagrant. The seventh and eighth modern records in Turkey (OST 1967, Kasparek 1988, Kirwan & Martins 1994, 2000, Kirwan et al 2003). East: Hacli Golu, 20 Nov 04. Another passed through the country whilst moving from the environs of the Turkey/Iran/Azerbaijan border to Al-Hassakah, north-east Syria, between 30 Nov and 03 Dec 06; tracked by satellite but not seen in the field (Morozov & Aarvak 2004). Barnacie Goose Branta leucopsis Vagrant, but neither of the earlier two records was documented. Recently photographed in Iran (Winkel & de Weerd 2007), the only other record in the Middle East. Thrace: Biiyiikcekmece, Istanbul, 5 Jan 03 (E Caglayan, B Akyildirim; Sandgrouse 25: 158), was well described; the first post-1966 record. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Rare winter visitor to western two-thirds of Turkey, sometimes in very large numbers. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta: 26 Dec 04 (K Erciyes et al); 2 Feb 06 (OMUKUS). 38, Golkent Golt, 5 Feb 06 (B Bilgen et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Thrace: Buyuk¢ekmece: 80, 19 Jan 02 (A Atahan et al; Sandgrouse 25: 80); up to 320, 27 Jan-18 Feb 06 (E Tabur et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191, where full dates not given). Golbaba, Edirne, 28 Jan 06 (UN Basaran). Western Anatolia: Aliaga, Izmir, 4 Feb 02 (EKGT). Gediz Delta: 119, 26 Jan 02 (O Onmus et al); 4 Feb 02 (EKGT). Gulluk Delta, 25 Feb 06 (BW Stoneman et al). Tuzla Gol, Cukurova, 10 Feb 06 (BW Stoneman et al). Southern Coastlands: Burdur Golu: 5, 30 Dec 01 (see Kirwan et al 2003), of which 3 remained until 13 Jan 02; 11 Feb 06 (O Kocyigit et al). Up to 39, Goksu Delta, 5-7 Jan 02 (C Sekercioglu, M Ullman et al; Sandgrouse 25: 80). 9, Tuzla Gol, Cukurova, 5 Jan 02 (C Seker- cioglu; Sandgrouse 25: 80). Up to 6, Akyatan Golu, Cukurova, 3-8 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al, C Sekercioglu). Central Plateau: Nallihan Kuscenneti, Sarryar Reservoir: 57, 27 Jan 02 (J Tavares et al; Sandgrouse 25: 80); 18 Jan—18 Feb 04 (Sandgrouse 26: 167); 5, 21 Jan 06 (B Demirci et al); 21, 16 Feb 06 (B Susever et al); 18 Mar 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Balikdami, 29 Jan 05 (G & H Welch; Sandgrouse 27: 175). Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus Occurrence unproven. Details supplied, but the occurrence seems insufficiently well sub- stantiated to serve as the first record for Turkey. South-East: Male, Birecik 23 May 02 (I Weiss), has been submitted to the German rarities committee. Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris Local breeder in moderate numbers in lowland wetlands of Southern Coastlands, and in small numbers, but perhaps declining, in some wetlands on Central Plateau and in East. Mainly a summer visitor but has overwintered. Status uncertain in peripheral localities. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 169 Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta: 2, 5 Jan 02 (M Ullman et-al); 21, 13 Jun 02 (H & J Eriksen); 2, 12 Aug 03 (M Siol et al); 7 Apr 04 (KusBank); 10 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al); 4, 22 Apr 04; 4, 1 May 04 (E & S Durand); 5, 31 Jul 04 (R Bonser et al); 6, 13 May 05 (KM Olsen et al); 2,21 May 05 (GM Kirwan, N Blackwood); 2, 23 May 05 (KM Olsen et al); 2 Jun 05 (P Altun); 29 Apr 06 (B Bilgen et al); 7, 14 May 06 (KM Olsen et al), 3-4, 3 Jun 06 (5S Holmstedt et al); 2, 30 Sep 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu). 2, Cukurova University, 6 May 05 (M Bahsi et al). Akyatan Golu, 1 Jun 05 (P Altun). Central Plateau: Kulu Golu, 31 May 02 (S Holmstedt et al). Sultan Marshes, 1 Jun 02 (S Holmstedt et al). 2, Mogan Golu, 3 Oct 04 (G Gencoglu, E Yogurtcoglu). | South-East: 3, Karkamis, 8 Apr 04 (N Ozbaédatli). East: Celebibag1 Marshes, 27 Jun 05 (DT Kuilic et al). Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Local and uncommon breeder in all regions of Turkey, ain strongholds in the central Black Sea Coastlands, Western Anatolia, Southern Coastlands and Central Plateau, smaller num- bers in East, and very local in Thrace and South-East. Population recently estimated at 500-600 pairs (Kirwan 1997). Formerly wintered in substantial numbers, but many fewer recorded in 1980s and first half of the 1990s. Only records from the latter season are pre- sented here. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta: 13 Dec 02 (C Mroczko); 26 Dec 04 (K Erciyas et al). 7, Giresun, 25 Jan 06 (S Dizdar). 2, Poyrazlar Golu, 5 Feb 06 (B Bilgen et al). Thrace: Kartal Oto Pazani, Istanbul, 21 Jan 05 (B Bilgen). Buyukcekmece, 25 Dec 05 (E Bacak). 2, Mert Golii, 6 Dec 06 (O Necipoglu). Western Anatolia: 4, Bafa Golu, 7 Dec 03 (A Sezer). 10, Marmara Golu, 17 Dec 05 (O Gill). Azap Golu, Aydin, 14 Dec 03 (A Atahan, O Bilge). 3, Manyas Golt, 13 Dec 06 (F Seyhan). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta: 2, 6 Jan 01 (C Sekercioglu; not previously mentioned in these reports); 15, 5 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al); 12 Jan 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Tuzla Golu, Cukurova: 2, 26 Jan 01 (KusBank; not previously mentioned in these reports); 4, 27 Jan 02 (KusBank). 3, Gulluk Delta, 14 Feb 06 (BW Stoneman). Central Plateau: Present throughout the period in small numbers at Mogan Golu. Sariyar Reservoir, 12 Feb 06 (B Suseven). South-East: 28, Dicle Baraji, Sep 2001 (R Karakas et al; precise date unavailable). 8, Karkamis Reservoir, 20 Jan 02 (DicleKus). Inekli Gélii, Adiyaman; 17, 9 Apr 06 (M Erturhan et al); 11, 12 Mar 06 (H Kilinc et al). East: 2, Karakaya Reservoir, 30 Dec 06 (M Erturhan). Greater Scaup Aythya marila Uncommon winter visitor, principally to coasts, in western two-thirds of the country. Rarely inland, but recorded once in East in late spring. Unusually Bree numbers were pres- ent in Jan—Feb 2006. Black Sea Coastlands: 2, Sakarya Delta 29 Jan—5 Feb 06 (C Dalyan et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Thrace: Isneada: 12, 23 Jan 03 (M Bozdofgan et al; Sandgrouse 25: 158); 2, 1 Jan 05 (O Cirik et al; Sandgrouse 27: 95). Terkos Golti: 2, 5-12 Feb 02 (B Bilgen et al); mid-Feb 06 (exact date unavailable; Sandgrouse 28: 191). 2, Biiyiikcekmece, Istanbul, 26-29 Jan 06 (E Bacak et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). 6, Kucitikgcekmece, Istanbul, 12 Feb 06 (I Celikoba; Sandgrouse 28: 191). 2, Catalca, Istanbul, 12 Feb 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). 170. ~— Sandgrouse 30 (2008) - Western Anatolia: 5, Canakkale, Feb 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191; precise date unavailable). 2, _ Kepez, Canakkale, 16 Feb 06 (I Sevim; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Common Eider Somateria mollissima Vagrant. Fifth to ninth records in Turkey. All records have been since 1975, when the species first bred on the Ukrainian Black Sea coast; the population reached over 1000 pairs in the mid-1990s and was still increasing and expanding in 2000 (Dutch Birding 23: 354). Black Sea Coastlands: Riva, north-east mouth of the Bosphorus: eclipse male and two immatures, 8-14 Sep 02 (KA Boyla, B Demirci; Sandgrouse 25: 158, where listed solely for 8 Sep); 2, 3 Jan 04 with one until 22 Mar 04 at least (S isfendiyaroglu et al; Sandgrouse 26: 167); nearby, 25-26 Sep 05 (E Yogurtcuoglu, B Bilgen; Sandgrouse 28: 95). 3, Kizilirmak Delta, 16-17 Dec 2005 (S Bekir, N Yavuz; Sandgrouse 28: 191, where listed only for 17 Dec). Thrace: Terkos Golii, 8 Dec 02 (M Bozdogan, $ Isfendiyaroglu; Sandgrouse 25: 158). Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Vagrant. The ninth and tenth records in Turkey. Recorded four times in spring/summer on Van Golu (East); all other records in winter. Black Sea Coastlands: Sakarya River mouth, 18 Feb 04 (S Isfendiyaroglu et al; Sandgrouse 26: 167). Firtina River mouth, Rize province, 26 Feb 06 (N Yavuz, S Bekir; photographed; Sandgrouse 28: 191, where no date listed). Goosander Mergus merganser Rare winter visitor in very small numbers to wetlands in the western two-thirds of Turkey. Has been recorded in spring and early summer in East, but no evidence of breeding. Black Sea Coastlands: 2, Golkent Golu, 17 Feb 02 (S isfendiyaroglu et al; Sandgrouse 26: 167, where listed as involving one bird). Kizilirmak Delta: 3, 15 Jan 05 (A Gursoy ef al; Sandgrouse 27: 176); 18 Feb 06 (K Erciyas et al). Thrace: Kiictikcekmece, Istanbul: 27 Dec 02 (E Caglayan; Sandgrouse 25: 158); 9, 13 Feb 06 (E Kartal et al). 5, Buytikgcekmece, Istanbul, 28 Dec 06 (C Dalyan et al). Terkos Golu, 12 Feb 06 (B Bilgen et al). Central Plateau: Egirdir Golu, 20 Jan 05 (O Mulayim, B Demirci; Sandgrouse 27: 176). Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata Previously considered a very rare winter visitor to Black Sea, Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Recent observations suggest it is regular but uncommon in winter _ along Black Sea coast (Hales 1996, Welch & Welch 1998). Has occurred inland in East. Black Sea Coastlands: Sakarya Delta: 18 Feb 04 (A Kucukala et al); 3, 1 Jan 06 (E Yosurtcuoglu); 3, 29 Jan 06 (Al Tireli et al); 22 Feb 04 (A Atahan et al). 7, Sarp, 7 Dec 05 (A Abuladze). Eastern Black Sea coast, 17 Feb 06 (S Bekir, N Yavuz). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 5 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al). Tuzla Golu, Cukurova, 3 Feb 04 (S Isfendiyaroglu et al). - Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus | | / | Very scarce winter visitor, with c20 records, mainly in the north-west of the country. | Black Sea Coastlands: Riva, north-east mouth of the Bosphorus, 12 Dec 04 (O Uner, M Bozdogan; photographed; Sandgrouse 27: 95). Findikli, Rize province, 3 Feb 06 (A Abuladze). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) = 171 Thrace: Mimarsinan, west of Istanbul 1 Jan 98 (M Freedman; videotaped; not previously mentioned in these reports). Meri¢ Delta, 16 Jan 05 (B Bilgen, O Mulayim; Sandgrouse 27: 175). Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, 28 Jan 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). Sariyer, Istanbul, 30 Jan 06 (S Armagan). Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis Hypothetical. Western Anatolia: cl10, Sea of Marmara, 7 Sep 03 (M Warren); the record is supported by a description, but the details appear insufficient to establish a first country record for such a potentially difficult-to-identify species. Gannet Morus bassanus Scarce and irregular visitor offshore along Mediterranean coast in winter and spring, with occasional records in autumn. Recently recorded in the Black Sea in winter. The species is apparently severely under-recorded. Almost all records involve immatures. Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 22 Apr 04 (E & S Durand). Cukurova Deltas: Apr 2004 (B Susever; exact date unknown); 3, 11-15 Jan 06 (O Uner et al); 6 Feb 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). Milleyha, Antakya: 19 Mar 05 (G & H Welch); 28 Nov 03; 14 Jan 06; 21 Aug 06 (A Atahan; Sandgrouse 28: 191; 29: 14). Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor Vagrant. The first record for Turkey. Central Plateau: Adult, Eregli marshes, 10-16 Apr 06 (N Sullu, E Yogurtcuoglu; pho- tographed; Sandgrouse 28: 190). Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Vagrant, with 12 previous records (Shirihai et al 2000, Kirwan et al 2003). The species has apparently recently colonised parts of Iraq (Salim 2002) and Iran (Scott & Adhami 2006, Sehhatisabet et al 2006). Southern Coastlands: Second-year, Goksu Delta, 24-25 Apr 06 (P Vantieghem; pho- tographed; Dutch Birding 28: 170, 174). South-East Anatolia: Diyarbakir, 7 Apr 04 (R Karakas; Acrocephalus 26: 162-163). Red Kite Milvus milvus Apparently a rare passage migrant and winter visitor throughout Turkey. Recorded in summer in north and east but no evidence of breeding. Confusion has often occurred with pale (especially immature) Black Kites M. migrans and undoubtedly many published records from Turkey are erroneous. Black Sea Coastlands: Samsun city centre, Dec 04 (S Baris). Thrace: Malkara, 13 Oct 06 (O Uner et al; photographed; Sandgrouse 29: 14). East: 3, Cildir Golii, 25 Sep 04 (C Ozsemir et al). White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Until recently a local resident in small numbers in wetland areas in Black Sea Coastlands, Thrace, Western Anatolia, Southern Coastlands and probably Central Plateau and East. Now seriously endangered and precise status as a breeder unclear. A few pairs persist in Western Anatolia, and perhaps in adjacent areas of Southern Coastlands and Central 72 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) a Plateau. More widespread across Turkey outside the breeding season, suggesting some immigration. Records away from well-known wintering areas of Meri¢ Delta, ISneada (both Thrace) and Sariyar Dam (Central Plateau) are presented. Black Sea Coastlands: Sarikum Golu: 26 Feb 02 (C Cavdar et al); 22-24 Nov 03 (C Mroczko). 3, Yedikir Dam, 18 Jan 03 (K Erciyas et al). Between Arakli and Arsin, 16 Nov 06 (A Abuladze). Thrace: Terkos Golu: 2, 14 Aug 03 (B Demirci et al); 29 Oct 03 (DT Kilic et al); 8 Nov 03 (S Isfendiyaroglu, H Erkése); 11 Apr 04 (KusBank); 6 Feb 2005 (C Gezgin et al). Bosphorus: 13 Mar 05; 4 Sep 05, 16 Apr 06, 22 May 06 (L Smith, U Yardim). Bogazici: 12 Mar 05 (O Mulayim); 4 Sep 05 (C Dalyan et al). Western Anatolia: Isikli Golu: 4 Feb 04 (O Onmus ef al); 10 Dec 05 (G & H Welch); 8 Jul 06 (F Orbay); 7 Oct 06 (O Kocyigit). Akharim Reservoir, 14 Aug 05 (O Kocyigit). Manyas Golt, _ 1 Jan 04 (T Tuncali). Bafa Golu, 8 May 06 (S Cagirankaya). Southern Coastlands: Burdur Golu, 18 Jan 98 (M Freedman, B Gunes, G Magnin; video- taped). Goksu Delta, 12 Jan 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Central Plateau: Beysehir Gélii, 17 Feb 02 (T Albayrak). Eirdir Golii: 2 Oct 04 (I Ceyhun); 20 Jan 05 (G Welch, G Gencoglu). East: 3, Karasu River, Erzincan, 10 Jul 06 (H Deniz). Levant Sparrowhawk Accipter brevipes Apparently a local summer visitor in very small numbers in north-west, north-east, Southern Coastlands, South-East, and perhaps also adjacent areas of the Central Plateau. Otherwise uncommon on passage across Turkey, except locally in considerable numbers in Bosphorus area and around Gulf of Iskenderun, and in moderate numbers, in spring, in eastern Black Sea Coastlands. Breeding range requires clarification. Records suggesting breeding are presented. Thrace: Between Kesan and Enez, 27 Jun 04 (O Mullayim). Egribtik, Edirne province, 19 Jun 05 (UN Basaran). Between Iskenderkéy and Sazlidere, 14 May 06 (UN Basaran). Western Anatolia: Gulluk Delta, 16 Jun 06 (BW Stoneman et al). Southern Coastlands: Alanya: 27 Jun 04; 16 Jul 04 (K Hendriks et al). Central Plateau: 2, Sarryar Dam, 25 Jun 06 (G Gencoglu). East: Between Kemah and Ilic, 6 Jul 04 (B Demirci, O Miilayim). Near Girlevik waterfall, 9 Jul 04 (B Demirci, O Milayim). 15 km east of Baykan, 20 May 05 (KM Olsen et al). Tohma Delta/Karakaya Dam, 5 Aug 2006 (M Erturhan). Malatya city centre, 27 Jul 05 (M Ozen). Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus Rare winter visitor in very small numbers to Black Sea Coastlands, Thrace, Western Anatolia and Central Plateau. Recently recorded in Southern Coastlands. Black Sea Coastlands: Harmangolu Forest, Sinop, 12 Jan 06 (N Yavuz). Thrace: Near Sabiha Gokcen airport, Istanbul, 1 Mar 03 (B Bilgen). Up to 2, Biiyiikgekmece, _ Istanbul, 26-27 Jan 06 (E Tabur et al). 2, Bosphorus, 15 Apr 06 (L Smith, U Yardim). _ Western Anatolia: Bafa Golu, 24 Dec 05 (A Atahan et al). Gokgol, Isikli Golu, 21 Jan 06 (O _ Kogyigit; photographed). _ Central Anatolia: Guvercinlik, Ankara, Jan 04 (M Ozen). | | Southern Coastlands: Tuzla Golu, Cukurova, 15 Jan 06 (KA Boyla). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 173 Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Rather local resident or partial migrant in small numbers in all regions, except perhaps South-East (and probably very local in East). Generally in wooded lowland or hilly areas at moderate altitudes during breeding season, but more widespread across Turkey on pas- sage; in winter largely in west and south, and on Central Plateau. Black Sea Coastlands: Resident throughout the period, Yenicaga Golu. Imm, near Ardahan, 17 May 05 (KM Olsen et al). Between Kibriscik and Beypazari, 9 Oct 05 (G Eken et al). Subad, Kalkandere, 19 May 06 (KM Olsen et al). 8, Koroglu Daglar, 9 Oct 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). 2, Kure Daglari, 23 Oct 06 (K Ozkan). Biiyitk Camlica, 19 Sep 02 (M Ullman et al). Thrace: 2, near Malkara, 3 Dec 04 (M Bozdogan). Between Iskenderkéy and Sazlidere, 18 Dec 04 (UN Basaran). Tekirdag, 16 Apr 06 (O Dochy et al). 2, Gallipoli National Park, 20 Apr 06 (O Dochy et al). | Western Anatolia: Acigol: several records, 2003-06. Isikli Golu, 4 Feb 04 (D Kahraman et al). Gediz Delta, 9 Oct 05 (B Oztiirk et al). Southern Coastlands: Regular winter visitor in small numbers, Goksu Delta (max 4). Belen Pass, 27 Apr 04 (E & S Durand). Central Plateau: Regularly observed Ovacay and Beynam areas of Ankara. Polatli rubbish dump, 7 Nov 04 (G Eken et al). Near Temelli, 19 Jan 05 (G Gencoglu et al). Near Baskent University, 19 Jan 05 (O Mulayim et al). Bilkent, 30 Jan 05 (I Richardson). Near Eskisehir: 30 May 05 (O Nohut et al); 2, 27 Oct 05 (G & H Welch); 2, near Ciftler, 27 Oct 05 (G & H Welch). South-East: Kutlu, south-east of Lice, 21 May 02 (Sandgrouse 24: 159). East: Refahiye, 9 Jul 04 (O Mulayim, B Demirci). ispir, 8 Jul 05 (O Cirik et al). Kesis Daglari, 11 Jul 05 (L Aktay et al). Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Breeds at least occasionally on Central Plateau (several records of ground-nesting eagles in this region refer to this species and not to Imperial Eagle A. heliaca, as previously believed: Kirwan et al in press), and also recorded in East during summer without evidence of breed- ing, and in winter in Thrace, Southern Coastlands and on Central Plateau. Passage migrant in moderate numbers through the eastern third of the country; rarer further west. Only breeding (or potential breeding) and winter (none during the current period) records are presented. Central Plateau: Nest with 3 downy young, Seyfe Golu, 11 Jun 03 (L Haraszthy; pho- tographed). Between Karakulluk and Cihanbeyli, 20 Jul 04. 2, near Esmekaya, 20 Jul 04 (B Suseven et al). East: Tendurek Dag1: 27 Jun 05 (DT Kilic et al); 19 Jul 06 (E Yogurtguoglu et al). Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Localised winter visitor in small numbers to wetland areas in western two-thirds of Turkey, slightly more widespread on passage. Occasionally recorded in summer in north and east. Black Sea Coastlands: Sarikum Golu: 3 Feb 02 (K Erciyas et al); 14-17 Mar 02 (C Mroczko); 2, 8 Feb 03 (OMUKUS); 21 Nov-15 Dec 03 (C Mroczko). Kizilirmak Delta: 28 Aug 05 (I Celikoba et al); 8 Nov 06 (K Erciyas et al). Imm/subad, Hopa, 20 May 06 (KM Olsen et ai). Abal1, Sinop, 23 Nov 06 (N Yavuz). Between Pazar and Cayeli, 4 Feb 06 (A Abuladze). Thrace: Sariyer Hills, Istanbul: 11 Apr 97; 16 Apr 97; 17 Apr 97; 1 May 97 (M Freedman, KA Boyla; videotaped), have not previously been mentioned in these reports. Terkos Golu: 3, 8 174 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Nov 03 (S Isfendiyaroglu, H Erkése); 2, 9 Jan 05 (B Bilgen et al); 30 Dec 05-12 Feb 06 (C Dalyan et al). Meric¢ Delta: 2, 15 Jan 05 (B Bilgen et al); 2, 18 Nov 06 (E Tabur et al). Kavak Delta: 4 Feb 06; 11 Dec 06 (I Sevim). Western Anatolia: Manyas G6lii: 2 Jan 04 (T Tuncali); 31 Oct 04 (C Uniivar et al). Uluabat Golu, 23 Nov 05 (F Arici et al). GOkg6l, Isiki Golu,, 4 Dec 05 (O Kocyigit). Gulltik Delta, 30 Dec 05 (BW Stoneman et al). Max 3, Gediz Delta, 22 Oct-16 Dec 06 (O Bilge et al). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta: regular winter visitor with max 12, 12 Jan 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Near Karatas road, 6 Nov 04 (E Inan). Belen Pass: 24 Apr 04; 4, 27 Apr 04 (E & S Durand). Central Plateau: Middle East Technical University, Ankara: 20 Feb 05 (G Gencoglu et al); 2, 12 Mar 06 (G & H Welch). 3, Sugla Reservoir, 22 Jan 05 (B Demirci et al). East: Aktas Golu, 23 Aug 03 (M Siol et al). Between Ahlat and Dogubayazit, 18 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus A rare and local resident in Western Anatolia, Southern Coastlands, South-East and adja- cent areas of Central Plateau. Recently recorded in East. Past confusion between this species and other raptors, especially immature Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, has gener- ated many possibly erroneous published records. Records excepting those from well-known site at Halfeti (South-East) are presented. Black Sea Coastlands: Cildir, 11 Apr 06 (A Abuladze). c30 km north of Kars, 17 Oct 06 (A Abuladze). Thrace: Kirazliyayla, 14 Dec 06 (B Bilgen). Western Anatolia: Gediz and Gulluk Delta: individuals recorded, early Sep-early Apr 2002-06. Bafa Golu, 16 Nov 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu). Datca, Mugla, 3 May 06 (T Tuncali). South-East: Pirinclik, 14 May 02 (Sandgrouse 24: 159). Durnalik, 31 May 05 (S Bekir, C Sek- ercioglu). Hasankeyf, spring 2003 (A Kilig et al), breeding was confirmed; 29 Aug 05 (S Isfendiyaroglu, G Eken). Dicle University, Diyarbakir, 15 Apr 06 (R Karakas). East: Nemrut Dag1, 7 Jun 06 (M Erturhan, H Kiling). Spotted Crake Porzana porzana Status uncertain. Rarely but widely recorded on passage throughout; probably more com- mon than records suggest. May breed very locally in small numbers. Black Sea Coastlands: Max 4, Kizilirmak Delta, 2 Apr-1 May 05 (OMUKUS). Western Anatolia: Gulluk Delta, 27 Oct 02 (I Richardson et al). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta: 27-28 Nov 03 (C Mroczko), is the latest-ever autumn record in Turkey (Kirwan et al in press); 2, 21 Apr 04; 30 Apr 04 (E & S Durand); 29 Apr 06 (B Bilgen et al). Central Plateau: Mogan Golu; 20-25 Mar 04; 21 Oct 04 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). 2, Beysehir Gol, 13 Sep 04 (B Susever et al); 3, Hiirmetci marshes, 22 Sep 04 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). 3, Balikdam1, 17 Sep 06 (C Bilen et al). South-East: Diyarbakir, 4 Oct 05 (H Deniz et al). East: Bendimahi Marshes, 20 Aug 03 (M Siol et al). 2-3, Ergek Golu, 20 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). South Van Marshes, 21 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). Kafkas University, Kars, 23-24 Apr 06 (I Celikoba et al). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 175 Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla Status uncertain. Rarely but widely recorded on passage deoushout and probably more common than records suggest. Recorded in winter from Western Anatolia. May breed very locally in small numbers. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta, 6 Apr 2005 (N Yavuz et al). Southern Coastlands: Akdeniz University, Antalya, 29 Mar 04 (KusBank). Central Plateau: Kulu Golu, 8 Mar 04 (B Demirci et al), is the earliest-ever spring record in Turkey (Kirwan et al in press). Eymir Golu, 15 Mar 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Kozanh Gokgol, 1 Apr 06 (E Yogurtcquoglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). South-East: Ataturk Dam, Akyatir, 22 Apr 02. Yanakoy, east of Kilis, 1 May 02 (Sandgrouse 24: 159). East: 1-2, Ercek Golu, 20 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). Corncrake Crex crex Status uncertain. Breeding recently proven in extreme north-east (Green 1997, Kirwan et al 2003) and suspected on Central Plateau. Rarely but widely recorded on passage through- out; probably more common than records suggest. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta: 3 May 05 (A Giirsoy et al); 28 Aug 06; 19 Sep 06 (I Celikoba et al); Boga, near Yusufeli, 16 May 02 (E de Thiersant et al). Yenikoy Yayla, Posof, 21 Jun 05 (G Welch; Sandgrouse 27: 176). 3 Thrace: Akkoy, Yalova, 21 Apr 02 (C Gezgin). Taskisla, 18 Sep 02 (B Akyildirim). Biiyiikcekmece, Istanbul, 30 Sep 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Géztepe, Istanbul, 6 Oct 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Western Anatolia: Gediz Delta, 26 Sep 06 (EN Baskin; Sandgrouse 29: 14). Southern Coastlands: Side, 7 May 06 (J Birch, CK Williams). Tuzla Golu, Karatas, 28 Apr 01 (BW Stoneman). Central Plateau: Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 2 May 04 (G Gengoglu, C Bilgin); 8 May 05 (G & H Welch). South-East: South of Kiziltepe, 9 May 02. North of Mazidagi, 12 May 02 (Sandgrouse 24: 159); East: Max 3, Cakmak, Kars, 14-23 May 05 (C Ozsemir et al). Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo Rare and very local summer visitor to East. On passage occurs in larger numbers in East, occasionally west as far as Sea of Marmara. Records (all of migrants) away from well- known breeding site in the Bulanlik area are presented. Central Plateau: Kozanl Gokgol: 2, 11 Apr 04 (KusBank; Sandgrouse 26: 167); 9, 27 Mar 05 (G & H Welch); 23, 1 Apr 06 (G Gencoglu et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Kulu Golu: 4, 7 Apr 03 (O Balkiz, U Ozesmi); 9 May 04 (G Given); 2, 23 May 04 (O Mulayim, B Demirci; Sandgrouse 26: 167). Mogan Golu: 17, 13 Apr 05 (0 Cink et al); 4, 8 Apr 06 (K Capaci et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). East: 7, Igdir Ovasi, 8-9 May 04 (GM Kirwan, A Grieve, PA Lassey, L Svensson; pho- tographed; Sandgrouse 26: 164, 167). Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax Status uncertain. A rare and localised resident or summer visitor on Central Plateau (where two small breeding populations discovered in 1998) and perhaps adjacent parts of 176 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) | a ! I _ Southern Coastlands, as well as probably still in East. Recorded in late autumn in East and ~ spring in South-East (where it is reported to winter), and recently recorded in Western — Anatolia and Southern Coastlands in winter. For review of historical and recent status and distribution in Turkey, see Kasparek (1989). Black Sea Coastlands: Sakarya Delta, 22 Feb 04 (B Demirci et al; Sandgrouse 26: 167). Kazilirmak Delta, 17 Dec 05 (S Bekir, N Yavuz; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 7 Nov 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). ~ Central Plateau: Kulu Golu: 2 in courtship display, 27 Mar 04; 2, 25 May 04 (I Richardson; Sandgrouse 26: 167); 4, Tavsancali, 6 Jun 04 (O Saygin). East: Bulanlik, Jun 03 (exact date unavailable; Sandgrouse 26: 79). Great Bustard Otis tarda Local resident and partial migrant (movements remain only partially understood) on Central Plateau and adjacent parts of Western Anatolia and Southern Coastlands, appar- ently in small numbers, and in South-East and East where, at least formerly, locally more common. Recorded more widely in Western Anatolia and on south coast from autumn to spring. Considerable numbers still wintered in South-East in early 1980s but no recent data from this region. Such concentrations appear too large to originate entirely from breeders in this region and may comprise birds from elsewhere in Turkey (breeding areas are large- ly vacated in winter) and/or outside it; there is evidence for latter possibility. Recent data (eg Heunks et al 2001) indicate that the species has declined significantly during recent decades. Central Plateau: 19, Aliken plain, 23 Apr 06 (M Freedman). Small numbers near Kulu Goltt in migration and breeding period. East of Cihanbeyli, 4 Jun 02 (E de Thiersant et al). 4, Sultan marshes, 22 Apr 05 (A Bal). A small breeding population near Polatli during the period. South-East: 2, Alcik, Diyarbakir, 31 Mar 04 (A Kile et al). 2, Yenidogan, Diyarbakir, 18 Sep 04 (A Kilc et al). East: South-west of Ardahan, 17 May 02 (E de Thiersant et al). 5, Mus Ovasi, 3 Jun 06 (M Ozen, M Erturhan). 12, Sodali Golu, 8 Jun 06 (M Erturhan, H Kiling). Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor Scarce summer visitor (breeding confirmed) to South-East and parts of Southern Coastlands. Recorded in autumn in East. South-East: Environs of Birecik and Halfeti: 4, 8-10 Jul 04 (C Turkman et al; Sandgrouse 27: 95); 11, 29 May 05 (C Sekercioglu, S Bekir); 6, 26 Aug 05 (T Cetin; Sandgrouse 28: 96); 6, 17 May 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191); 4, 18 Jun 06 (B Bilgen et al). Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum Occurrence unproven. The sole claim (below) lacks documentation and is unacceptable as a first country record. Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta 19 May 04 (T Clarke/Birdquest; Dutch Birding 26: 262). Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni Generally uncommon and local on passage, principally in eastern two-thirds of Turkey. Occasionally in considerable numbers, usually in autumn. Until recently, regularly record- ed in summer, largely in East, where perhaps breeds locally, recent discovery of Collared Sandgrouse 30 (2008) = 177 Pratincole G. pratincola apparently breeding at Bulanlik (East) may cast doubt on previous breeding-season claims of G. nordmanni at this locality. Black Sea Coastlands: Near Ikizdere, 10 May 06 (S Bekir, M Bahsi; photographed). Central Plateau: 5, Kulu Golu, 26 May 02 (Richardson 2003). Hurmetgi Marshes: 3, 12 Oct 03 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al); 3, 22 Sep-3 Oct 04 (H Alkan et al). East: 2, Nazik Golu, 17 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). 5, between Ahlat and Dogubayazit, 18 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). 30, Sodali Golu, 18 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). 8, South Van Marshes, 21 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al). Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus Passage migrant, found locally in considerable numbers on Central Plateau, occasionally in smaller numbers elsewhere. Has occurred in summer on Central Plateau, but no evidence of breeding, and in early winter on Central Plateau and South-East. Black Sea Coastlands: 4, Kizilirmak Delta, 9 Apr 05 (D Karadeniz et al; Sandgrouse 27: 175, where listed as referring only to a single bird). Western Anatolia: 20+, Altintas plain, Apr 02 (S Bekir et al; exact date unavailable). 5, Tuzla Golu, Cukurova, 28 Oct 02 (I Richardson, BW Stoneman). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta: 2, 4 Apr 02 (H Schmaljohann); 5, 9 Apr 05 (T van Gastel). . Central Plateau: 300+, Tuz Golii 30 Apr 03 (G Eken, DT Kilic; Sandgrouse 25: 158). Eregli marshes, 13 Nov 05 (N Sullu). Kulu Golu: 7, 18 May 05 (L Veyrunes; Sandgrouse 27: 175); 6, 27 Oct 05 (R Gul); 14 Oct 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius Rare passage migrant and perhaps also a local winter visitor in large numbers to a small area in South-East, where only discovered in early 2007 (Sandgrouse 29: 97-98), and a sig- nificant percentage of the global population probably occurs there and in adjacent Syria temporally. Recorded in spring in Black Sea Coastlands, Western Anatolia, Southern Coastlands, Central Plateau and South-East, and in autumn in eastern Black Sea Coastlands, Western Anatolia and East. For a review of the species’ status see Kasparek (1992b). No records between 1996 and 2001 inclusive. ; Southern Coastlands: 4, Akyatan Golu, 24 Sep 03 (K Erciyas ef al). Central Plateau: Hurmetci Marshes, Kayseri: 3, 12 Oct 03 (Sandgrouse 26: 79); 11 Sep 04 (B Susever et al); 29 Sep—3 Oct 04 (Sandgrouse 27: 95). East: 115 through various sites in eastern Turkey, 20-30 Oct 02 (Sandgrouse 25: 158). c125, Bulanik, 19 Oct 03 (S Bekir), was the largest count on migration ever in Turkey. 20, Erzurum plain, 18 Oct 05 (S Bekir; photographed, see Sandgrouse 28: 57). White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Status uncertain. Has bred Southern Coastlands and Central Plateau, but few confirmed breeding records since 1986 and many suitable sites now drained. Occasionally recorded between spring and autumn, usually in very small numbers, from Southern Coastlands, Central Plateau, South-East and East. For review of status and distribution see Kasparek . (i997'b): Central Plateau: Mogan Golt: 29 Sep 02 (N & Y Kahya; Sandgrouse 25: 158); 21 May 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Col Golu, 13 May 2000 (R Franklin). 178 — Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus Not certainly recorded, despite many claims (for an earlier review see Flint et al 1997). - East: Non-breeding plumage, Sodali Golii, 18 Sep 04 (Sandgrouse 27: 95), was subsequently rejected by the Swiss rarities committee. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Vagrant. The first record in Turkey and one of the few ever in the Middle East. Central Plateau: Kulu Golu, 9-10 May 05 (W Remmelzwaal; photographed; Sandgrouse 27: ib7D): Great Snipe Gallinago media Probably not uncommon passage migrant in wetlands across Turkey, though very few - reports from the period. Recorded in winter on Central Plateau and in south. For discus- sion of status and distribution see Kirwan (1992). Southern Coastlands: 3, Akyatan Golu, 16 Aug 04 (B Bilgen). Central Plateau: Balikdami, 24 Apr 04 (G & H Welch). Kulu Golti: 12 Sep 04; 23 Apr 05 (1 Richardson). Hurmetgi Sazligi, 23 Sep 04 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Mogan Gol, 25 Sep 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu). East: Aygir Gélii: 2, 11 Sep 05 (S Isfendiyaroslu; Sandgrouse 28: 96); 25 Mar 06 (O Cink et al). Up to 2, Kafkas University, Kars, 23 Apr—11 May 06 (I Celikoba et al). Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Vagrant. The first confirmed record (and only the third record in the Middle East); previ- ously known in Turkey only on the basis of an undocumented report from the north-east of the country in August 1988 (Kasparek 1990, Kirwan et al 1999, in press). Black Sea Coastlands: First-winter, Kizilirmak Delta, 27 Nov 06 (Erciyas et al 2008; trapped and photographed); date previously incorrectly cited as 28 Nov (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius Vagrant. The second to fourth records, following a specimen record from the 19th century. The 2002 record is supported by only scant details. Central Plateau: Breeding-plumaged female, Kulu Golu, 1 Jun 02 (S Holmstedt et al). South-East: Birecik, 3 May 03 (H Huhtinen, P Laaksonen, R Maki, W Velmala; Sandgrouse 25158). East: Sodali Golu, 25 May 05 (photographed; Sandgrouse 27: 175). Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Previously listed as a vagrant, but probably a rare passage migrant, with over 20 reports from Turkey, though most supported by few or no details, albeit often made by observers experienced with the species in Western Europe. Recent increase in records, and thus improved knowledge of status, matched by similar changes in Lebanon (Ramadan-Jaradi et al 2008). Observers are requested to provide full details for records of all skua species, except Arctic Skua S. parasiticus. Thrace: 6, Ormanli, west of Terkos Golu, 13 Oct 02 (KA Boyla et al). 6, Saros Bay, 17 Apr 06 (O Dochy et al). Western Anatolia: 6, Meri¢ Delta, 22 Apr 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). Off Mugla, 25 Apr 06 (per E Yogurtcuoglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) =—-179 Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Uncommon but regular passage migrant along Black Sea coast, = through Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara. Probably also regular on Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Recorded inland in several regions. Perhaps also regular in winter in the Black Sea. Black Sea Coastlands: Between Darica and Yalova: 26 Sep 02; 29 Sep 02 (M Ullman et al). Rize: 2, 15 Feb 05 (S Eksioglu); 27 Mar 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). Thrace: Bosphorus: 6 Apr 03 (S Isfendiyaroglu); 12 Jun 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). Saros Bay, 17 Apr 06 (O Dochy et al). Sartyer, Istanbul, 1 Apr 06 (Sandgrouse 28: 191). 6, Anadolu Kavagi, 18 Sep 06 (M Ullman et al). 2, IZneada, 27 Nov 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Southern Coastlands: 2, Tarsus Delta, 17 Sep 06 (JR Jennings, SM Lister). Milleyha, 8 Jul 06 (A Atahan). Great Skua Catharacta skua Vagrant. The sixth record in Turkey. Western Anatolia: From a ferry, Sea of Marmara 5 Apr 03 (G Magnin). Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus Uncommon. A recent substantial increase in winter records is perhaps more likely to reflect true status during this season than an increase in observer coverage. Records during other seasons presumably reflect the movements of non-breeding or immature birds. Recorded in wetlands and coastal areas in all regions, but few records from Thrace, Western Anatolia and South-East. Only large concentrations and records from ‘new’ localities are presented. Recent increase in records reported in Lebanon, where formerly considered only vagrant (Ramadan-Jaradi et al 2008). Black Sea Coastlands: 83, Yedikir Reservoir, 18 Jan 03 (K Erciyas et al); Rize: 8, 10 Feb 05 (S Eksioglu); 69, 26 Feb 06 (OMUKUS). Thrace: 6, Terkos Ormanh, 12 Feb 06 (C Dalyan et al). Western Anatolia: Uluabat Golu, 13 Feb 02 (ULUKUS). Central Plateau: 3, Avanos, 3 Feb 04 (G Guven). 42, Egirdir Golu, 11 Feb 06 (KA Boyla, E Yosgurtcuoglu). Southern Coastlands: 2, Akyatan Golt, Cukurova, 3 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al). Deveciusagi, 3 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al). Goksu Delta, 5 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al). South-East: Inekli Golii, 12 Mar 06 (S Koc et al). East: 47, Karakaya Dam, 6-7 Feb 06 (M Erturhan, M Ozen). Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Vagrant or scarce winter visitor. Occasionally recorded in late spring and once inland. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta, 2 Oct 05 (G Welch; Sandgrouse 28: 96). Thrace: Haydarpasa, Istanbul, 10 Sep 05-late Jan 06 (KA Boyla et al; Sandgrouse 28: 96); again from 27 Sep 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Formerly considered vagrant, but post-1996 records suggest it may be an uncommon, but regular, winter visitor in small numbers to Black Sea Coastlands and Thrace. Comparatively few records from other regions. Most records refer to first-winters. Black Sea Coastlands: 3, Rize, 27 Mar 06 (S Eksioglu; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Riva, north-east mouth of Bosphorus, 1 Nov 06 (S Bekir; Sandgrouse 29: 14). 180 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) Thrace: Sile, 22 Jan 05 (per E Yogurtcuoglu). Western Anatolia: Max 5, Gokova, 10-15 Feb 03 (I Richardson et al; Sandgrouse 25: 158, where listed solely for 14 Feb). 10, Kavak Delta, 1 Apr 06 (I Sevim). Southern Coastlands: 2, Akyatan Golu, 3 Jan 02 (C Sekercioglu). 2, Karatas, Cukurova, 3 Jan 02 (M Ullman et al). Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis Vagrant. Second and third records. Details concerning a fourth are awaited. Western Anatolia: Kucuk Menderes Delta 13 Mar 04 (Sandgrouse 26: 167), is supported by a basic description. Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 5 Jun 03 (S Hartill, G Beck), lacks supporting details. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Vagrant. The sixth record in Turkey. Western Anatolia: 4, Tuzla Milas, near Bodrum, 12-27 May 05 (BW Stoneman et al). Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria Introduced. 3 Thrace: Pair, Kurtkoy, Istanbul, Jul 02 (M Ozen). Pair at nest hole, Gulhane Park, Istanbul, 15 Oct 04 (G Langley), where confirmed to breed also in 2003 (Sandgrouse 27: 95). East: Diyarbakir, 4 May 04 (GM Kirwan). Namaqua Dove Vena capensis Vagrant. The first record in Turkey and probably the northernmost ever, although a con- firmed record in Iraq, in November 2004 (Salim 2008), and a probable in Lebanon, in May 2006 (Haraldsson 2008), suggest that the species might be expected again and could even be spreading north through the Levant. South-East: Female, Birecik, 23-24 May 05 (F, S & L Veyrunes; photographed; Sandgrouse 27: 164,175). Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis Status largely uncertain, though a small population appears to persist in forested lowlands by rivers in Southern Coastlands. For discussion of Turkish records see Magnin (1991). No records between 1990 and 2004. Southern Coastlands: Pair, Antalya Daglari, since Oct 04 (YOntem 2007; photographed). Tengmalm’s Owl Aegolius funereus Presumably a rare breeder in montane coniferous forest over much of the northern half of the country, but no definite nesting records. Full details of a winter record in the Taurus Mountains have never been submitted. Potentially, both nominate funereus and A. f. cauca- sicus occur in the country. Seventh to tenth records. Black Sea Coastlands: Singing, Sivrikaya 23-27 May, 13- 14 Jun 02 (M Robb; tape- recorded; Dutch Birding 24: 241). Found dead, 1 km north of Elevit, upper Firtina Valley, 8 Aug 04 (G Magnin; photographed). Central Plateau: Aktas Valley, Bolu province, 7 Apr 03 (Demirci 2003; Sandgrouse 25: 158). Kizilcahamam, 18 Sep 04 (Sekercioglu 2006; tape-recorded; Sandgrouse 27: 95). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 181 Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura . Vagrant; all three records are from the same, south-coast locality (Kirwan & Martins 2000, Kirwan et al 2003). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 21 May 05 (GM Kirwan; Sandgrouse 27: 175). Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi Perhaps regular passage migrant in very small numbers in all regions except South-East. Thrace: Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, 19 Sep 06 (M Ullman et al). Southern Coastlands: 15, Goksu Delta 21-23 Apr 04 (E & S Durand). Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Not uncommon summer visitor to eastern Black Sea Coastlands, East (see Kasparek 1992a) and Central Plateau. Apparently increasing and spreading, and breeding expected in other regions in the near future. Widespread and fairly common on passage, although scarcer in western third of the country. The first two winter records are presented here. Western Anatolia: Buyuk Menderes Delta, 24 Dec 05 (A Atahan et al). Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 19 Dec 04 (V Konrad et al). Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A rare and highly irregular winter visitor or vagrant, with one asuternely unusual (and per- haps doubtful) record from late May. The following constitute the eighth to 12th post-1960 records, and the first since 1994 (Kirwan & Martins 2000). Clearly, there was an exception- al influx in winter 2005/06, although, interestingly, none was reported during the previous winter, when numbers reached well south of their usual winter range, including to Armenia and Georgia (Schmidt 2007). Black Sea Coastlands: Toptepe Forestry Centre, near Samsun 23 Nov 05 (Yavuz et al; Sandgrouse 28: 96). c40-50 in two flocks, Hopa, 11 Jan 06 (A Abuladze). 7, Asarcik, Samsun, 2 & 7 Apr 06 (S Girisen; photographed). Western Anatolia: 3, Bandirma, 27 May 06 (I Sevim), seems extraordinarily late record and lacks any description or other documentation. Central Plateau: Ankara, 27 Jan 06 (M Hughes). Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus Vagrant. The second record for Turkey, following one in 1986 (Kirwan & Martins 2000), but the sighting is supported only by rather brief details. _ Southern Coastlands: Side, Antalya province, 19 Nov 02 (A Vittery). Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella Vagrant. The first record in Turkey and only the second in the Middle East, following one in Lebanon in 1958 (Ramadan-Jaradi & Ramadan-Jaradi 1999). The second record followed rapidly, in autumn 2007 (Sandgrouse 30: 20). Thrace: Rumelifeneri, Istanbul, 2 Nov 06 (Bekir 2007; photographed). Blackstart Cercomela melanura Possible vagrant. First record in Turkey, though occurrence supported by only a basic plumage description and thus probably best considered hypothetical in the country. Given relative lack of previous history of vagrancy in the species, it seems questionable whether 182 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) | | - the record below is referrable to a breeding population or wandering birds, but the lack of - evidence for the species’ presence in any nearby areas of Syria is pertinent (or Lebanon), and better-quality documentation is desirable before adding it to the list of birds reliably recorded in Turkey. South-East: 2, Sugeken, Batman province, 3 Oct 04 (Cofta et al 2005), has been accepted by the Polish rarities committee. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Status uncertain. Formerly believed to be primarily an uncommon passage migrant, main- ly through eastern two-thirds of Turkey. However, several records at coastal localities in Southern Coastlands of definite O. cypriaca (Cyprus Pied Wheatear) have demonstrated unsurprising occurrence of the latter form as an apparently regular overshooting spring migrant on south coast (though none was recorded during the period treated here), and might confuse assessment of status of pleschanka. Thus many previous records of ‘Pied Wheatear’, particularly in central southern Turkey, are probably attributable to cypriaca. Status of cypriaca and the continental form pleschanka can only be clarified if observers sup- ply detailed field descriptions or other documentation for future records. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta, 30 Apr 05 (N Yavuz); 22 Sep 02 (S Isfendiyaroglu). South-East: Male, Isikl, 23 May 05 (GM Kirwan, N Blackwood). Records mentioned by Karakas & Kilig (2005) are unsupported by details and are thus rejected. East: Female, Dogubayazit, 22 Aug 03 (M Siol et al). Female, Karakceki, near Siverek, 4 May 04 (GM Kirwan, A Grieve, PA Lassey, L Svensson; photographed; Sandgrouse 26: 167). Kelkit, Sivas, 1 May 05 (G Welch). Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Status uncertain; perhaps only a vagrant, but has reportedly bred at Birecik (Peter 1994). Many reports are inadequately documented. The 2006 record is the first from the Black Sea Coastlands. Black Sea Coastlands: Sakarya Delta, 14 Nov 06 (S Bekir; photographed). East: Kuyucuk Golu, Kars, 25 Sep 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14), is not supported by a description. Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna An uncommon, sparsely distributed summer visitor in small numbers to South-East and East. Recorded on passage in Southern Coastlands. Only records from previously unknown sites are reported here. East: 5, Beydaglari, Malatya, 27 May 06 (M Erturhan et al). 3, Kemaliye, Erzincan, 20 May 05 (M Ozen, H Kiling). Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens Vagrant. The third record in Turkey, following those in February 1914 (Kasparek 1992a) and April 1996 (Kirwan & Martins 2000). South-East: Male, south of Catak 23 May 05 (T Epple & U Pittius’per S Pfiitzke), is support- ed by a description. White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga Vagrant. The third record in Turkey, following those in August 1993 (Sorace 1996) and March 1996 (Kirwan & Martins 2000). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 183 Southern Coastlands: Adult, Phaselis, south of Kemer, Antalya province, 2 Mar 05 (T Sacher, U Lasch; photographed), has been submitted to the German rarities committee. Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis Vagrant. The first record in Turkey. Both records in Lebanon are post-2000 (Ramadan- Jaradi et al 2008). Central Plateau: Adult female/first-winter atrogularis, Aittnpark, Ankara, 15 Feb 06 (Yogurtuoglu 2006). Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia Status uncertain. Apparently scarce/rare passage migrant through western two-thirds of Turkey. No recent evidence of breeding (see Kumerloeve 1967). Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta: 6, 11 Apr—11-May 05; 2, 29 Apr 06 (OMUKUS). River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Rare passage migrant in small numbers across Turkey, but probably more widespread and frequent than records suggest. A recent June record from Black Sea Coastlands suggests that the species may occasionally breed in Turkey. Black Sea Coastlands: 12, Kars ringing station, 14-25 May 05 (C Sekercioglu et al). 8, Kizilirmak Delta ringing station, 15 Aug—7 Sep 05 (OMUKUS). Southern Coastlands: Samandag, Hatay, 14 Oct 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14), is the latest-ever record. South-East: South of Kiziltepe, 9 May 02 (Sandgrouse 24: 159). Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Vagrant. Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta ringing station, 28 Mar 06 (OMUKUS; ringed). Southern Coastlands: Fethiye, 5 Apr 99 (P Hope; not previously mentioned in these reports), is supported by a brief description. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Vagrant with two previous records (Kirwan & Martins 1994, Kirwan et al. 2003). Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta, 10 Sep 04 (OMUKUS). Southern Coastlands: Ringed, Akyatan Golu,, Cukurova, 24 Sep 03 (Sandgrouse 26: 79). Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Very rare summer visitor to at least three sites in East and recently discovered apparently breeding at one locality in South-East; elsewhere a very scarce passage migrant, although two recent (1998) records from the Central Plateau are also suggestive of breeding. Southern Coastlands: Goksu Delta, 22 Apr 04 (E & S Durand); has previously been record- ed on migration from this locality. South-East: Birecik: 5, 3 May 04 (L Svensson, GM Kirwan, A Grieve, PA Lassey); 2, 23 May — 05 (GM Kirwan, N Blackwood; Sandgrouse 27: 175); apparently territorial birds found at the same locality, in consecutive years. East: South Van Marshes: 2, 7 Jun 03 (L & J Enger); up to 6, 19-20 May 05 (KM Olsen et al); c10, 19 May 06 (CG Bradshaw, GM Kirwan eft al); 5, 22-23 May 06 (KM Olsen et al); 4, 6 Jun 06 (G Petersson). Cenge Golt, 26 Jun 04 (Sandgrouse 27: 95). Bendimahi Marshes: 21 Sep 04 184 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) (H Schmaljohann et al); 4, 15 Jul 06 (B Bilgen et al). 2, Vali USur Boran Kuscenneti, Bitlis, 16 ~ Jul 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Booted Warbler Hippolais (Iduna) caligata Vagrant, or perhaps regular passage migrant in very small numbers principally through eastern third of the country. East: Balatos, 3 Jun 02 (I Weiss), has been submitted to the German rarities committee. Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata Previously considered a vagrant, though some of the six records between 1969 and 1983 do not appear to be well documented. A seemingly quite large breeding population recently discovered at one site in South-East Anatolia. More details are required concerning the sta- _ tus of this population; whether it is restricted to this site and whether it is resident or migratory. South-East: Karacadag, 45 km east of Siverek: up to 16 adults, 29-30 May 02 (Welch & Welch 2004); 3, 21 Jun 06 (B Bilgen et al; Sandgrouse 28: 191). Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax Vagrant. The sixth record in Turkey and the first away from the Southern Coastlands. Western Anatolia: Male, Milas airport, Bodrum, 13 Apr 2003 (BW Stoneman). Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis Vagrant. The first documented record in Turkey (see Kirwan et al 1999). Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta, 25 Oct 02 (Erciyas & Ozcam 2002; trapped and photographed), is supported by a detailed description and some biometrics. Yellow-browed Warbler Piylloscopus inornatus Vagrant. The fourth and fifth records in Turkey, and the first since 1976. Precise date/s for the Manyas bird, which was trapped and ringed sometime between 26 August and 19 October, are currently unavailable. Western Anatolia; Manyas Golu, autumn 03 (Didrickson et al 2004; trapped). Ege University campus, Izmir, 29 Oct 04 (Sandgrouse 27: 95). Plain Leaf Warbler Phyylloscopus neglectus Recently recorded at one site in South-East, where apparently breeding and _ habitat appears similar to areas in western Iran where the species is known to nest. Further details are ideally required in order to more fully document this interesting range extension, as the sound-recording (see below) is very short and of poor quality. The first records in Turkey. South-East: Catak, south of Van Golt: 24 Jun 04 (IA Green; Sandgrouse 27: 95); 2-3, 25-26 Jun 06 (S Pftitzke et al; sound-recorded; Sandgrouse 27: 95); 2, 23 May 05 (T Epple, U Pittius per S Pfutzke); food-carrying, 13 Jun 05 (D Robel et al). Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris Recently found breeding at a site in South-East, following apparent range expansion through Syria (Sandgrouse 24: 79, Murdoch et al 2002). The first record in Turkey (but see also Kirwan et al 1999). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 185 South-East: Four adults and 2-3 dependent young, Birecik, 29-30 May 06 (Donaghy 2006; photographed; Sandgrouse 28: 190), and at least 3 still present, 4 Jul 06 (Dutch Birding 28: 324). There were further observations in May 2007 (cf Dutch Birding 29: 250-251; J Lamsdell pers comm). Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor Scarce winter visitor to the western two-thirds of Turkey, most frequently to Thrace. Thrace: Gélbaba, Edirne: 2 Jan 05; 30 Jan 05; 2, 29 Oct 06 (UN Basaran); 3 Dec 06 (Y Yoriik); 10 Dec 06 (UN Basaran). Terkos Golii: 30 Dec 05 (E Yogurtcuoglu); 9 Dec 06 (O Necipoglu). 2, Ormanli Koyu, Istanbul, 9 Dec 06 (C Dalyan). Hayakadin, Edirne, 1 Jan 05 (Sandgrouse 27: 96). Hatipkoy, Edirne, 9 Jan 05 (Y Yoruk). Central Plateau: Balikdami, 2 Nov 05 (O Miilayim; Sandgrouse 28: 96). Akharim (Orenler) Reservoir, near Afyon, 2 and 10 Dec 05 (O Kocyigit; Sandgrouse 28: 96). Altinpark, Ankara, 1 Feb 06 (E Yogurtguoglu). Isabelline Shrike Lantus tsabellinus Vagrant. The 14th and 15th records in Turkey. Thus far, of those definitely ascribed to form, only phoenicuroides (Turkestan Shrike) and tsabellinus (Daurian Shrike) have been recorded. Future observers of this shrike in the country are encouraged to attempt, where possible, racial identification and, preferably, to document occurrence with photographs. Southern Coastlands: Male isabellinus, Goksu Delta, 30 Apr—1 May 04 (E & S Durand; pho- tographed; Sandgrouse 26: 167). South-East: Birecik, 30 Sep 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Eurasian (Spotted) Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes Vagrant. The second record in Turkey, following one on the Central Plateau in November 1966. Elsewhere in the Middle East, the species is considered ‘irregular’ in northern Iran in the southern Caspian region (Htie & Etchecopar 1970), from where there is at least one recent record, in March 2005 (Sehhatisabet et al 2006), with a recent report from Syria, in ‘late summer’ 2006 which, although published, lacks the appropriate level of documenta- tion necessary for acceptance as a first record (Ottelin 2008). 7 Black Sea Coastlands: 2, aboard a ship eventually departed for the Turkish shore at Trabzon, 4 Oct 05 (DR Calder). Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus Vagrant. The first record in Turkey and the northernmost report ever. Southern Coastlands: Belen Pass, 22 Mar 05 (Welch & Welch 2006), was well described by observers with extensive previous experience of the species. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Status uncertain. As a variety of escaped species have been noted from Ankara and envi- rons, the records below are assumed to originate from escapees rather than reflecting westward range expansion. Thrace: Istanbul: 15 Dec 03; 7, 29 May 04; 22, 16 Apr 05; 12 Aug 05; 9, 10 Sep 05 (Sandgrouse 27: 96, 175; 28: 96), with adults observed food-carrying in summer 05 (M Ozen). 186 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) _ Pale Rock Finch Carpospiza brachydactyla _ Local and usually rather uncommon summer visitor (occasionally in large numbers) to - parts of South-East and immediately adjacent parts of Southern Coastlands and East. _ Recorded twice in south-east Black Sea Coastlands. Found in both open grassland and on partially scrub-covered, rocky slopes, or in vineyards and other crops. Usually a rather late- arriving migrant, apparently in variable numbers. Evidence suggests that breeding range may vary, to some extent, with seasonal conditions and/or vagaries of apparently irruptive or semi-nomadic movements, although some core areas are certainly occupied in all years (Kirwan 1998). Status and distribution have come under closer scrutiny in recent years with the advent of intensive survey work within its main range in Turkey, but are still subject to clarification. Records outside of core range listed here. Black Sea Coastlands: 20+, west side of Aktas Golt, 22 May 05 (A Abuladze). South-East: 2, Durnalik, 13 Sep 04 (H Schmaljohann et al), is one of the latest-ever observa- tions in Turkey. East: Dogbayazit, 22 Aug 03 (M Siol et al). c10, Van, 4 Jul 04 (K Hendriks et al). 6, Nemrut Dag1, 5 Jul 04 (K Hendriks et al). c50, Ahlat, Van Golu, 23 May 06 (A Abuladze). 15 singing males, Tasharman, 23 May 06 (A Abuladze). Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea Very rare and irregular winter visitor. One summer record from Black Sea Coastlands (Kirwan & Martins 2000). Central Plateau: Altinpark, Ankara, 15 Nov 05 (E Yogurtcuoglu; photographed; Sandgrouse 28: 96). Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus Probably rare summer visitor, recorded from Southern Coastlands, South-East and East. Occurrence perhaps due more to nomadic rather than strictly seasonal movements. Has bred. Recent confirmation that it, at least occasionally, occurs at same sites as Mongolian Finch B. mongolicus is less surprising given finding of Panov & Bulatova (1972) that the lat- ter might be systematically closer to Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus than B. githagineus, though recent genetic results appear to confirm close, congeneric relationship of githagineus and mongolicus (Arnaiz-Villena et al 2008). East: 7+ including 2 fledged juveniles, Dogubayazit, 24 Jun 04 (Sandgrouse 27: 95); nest _ found, mid Jul 06 (E Yogurtcuoglu et al). Caldiran, 15 Jun 05 (I Richardson, S Bekir). 2, Nemrut Dag1, 6 Jun 06 (M Erturhan, M Ozen). | Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus Vagrant. The first documented record in Turkey and the Middle East, following one which lacked sufficient supporting evidence for acceptance as a first record in September 1987. Thrace: Rumelifeneri, Istanbul, 2 Nov 06 (Bekir 2007; photographed), was found on the same day as the first Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella in Turkey! _ Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis _ Vagrant. The fourth to eighth modern-day records in Turkey. _ Black Sea Coastlands: Kizilirmak Delta: 1 Nov 04 (O Salam, C Ozsemir); 3, 28 Nov 06 | (Sandgrouse 29: 14). | Thrace: Vize, 21 Nov 06. Igneada, 27 Nov 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14). Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 187 Central Plateau: Kulu Golu, 13 Feb 05 (I Richardson; Sandgrouse 27: 175-176, where listed as 12 Feb). East: Malatya, 19 Sep 06 (Sandgrouse 29: 14), is unsupported by a description and strongly suggests confusion with White-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis. Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos Vagrant, with two recent (1974 and 1997) and about six 19th-century specimen records. Western Anatolia: Male, between Sandikli and Kiziloren, Afyon province 30 Nov 2005 (O Kocyigit; photographed; Sandgrouse 28: 96). REFERENCES Arnaiz-Villena, A, J Moscoso, J Ruiz-del-Valle, J Gonzalez, R Reguera, A Ferri, M Wink & JI Serrano-Vela. 2008. Mitochondrial DNA phylogenetic definition of a Broup of ‘arid-zone’ Carduelini finches. Open Journal of Ornithology 1: 1-7. Atkinson, PW, EA Humpage, AJD Jowitt, | Ogurlu & JM Rowcliffe. 1995. The distribution and status of Caucasian Black Grouse in north-eastern Turkey. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Grouse 6: 131-133. Bekir, S. 2007. The first Siberian Accentor Prunella ocularis [sic] & Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus in Turkey. 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A record of Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis from Turkey. Sandgrouse 13: 42-43. Morozov, VV & T Aarvak. 2004. Wintering of Lesser White-fronted Geese breeding in the Polar Urals. Casarca 10: 156-162. Murdoch, D, I Andrews & R Hofland. 2004. The Syrian Wetland Expedition 2004: a summary. Sandgrouse 26: : 94-104. OST. 1967. Bird Report 1966-1967. Ornithological Society of Turkey, Sandy, UK. Ottelin, H. 2008. An observation of Eurasian Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes in Syria? Sandgrouse 30: 90. Panov, EN & NS Bulatova. 1972. [On the common habits and interrelations of Trumpeter Finches (Bucanetes githagineus Licht. and B. mongolicus Swinh.) in Transcaucasia.] Bulletin Moscowskogo Obschestva Ispytatelei Prirody, Otdel biologi 77 (4): 86-93. [In Russian. ] Peter, H. 1994. The first breeding record of the Desert Wheatear, Oenanthe deserti, in Turkey. Zoology in the Middle East 10: 27-29. Ramadan-Jaradi, G & M Ramadan-Jaradi. 1999. An updated checklist of the birds of Lebanon. Sandgrouse 21: 132-170. Ramadan-Jaradi, G, T Bara & M Ramadan-Jaradi. 2008. Revised checklist of the birds of Lebanon 1999-2007. Sandgrouse 30: 22-69. Richardson, IM. 2003. A long-term bird survey of Kulu Golu, Turkey (2001-2002). Sandgrouse 25: 110-121. Salim, MA. 2002. The first records, including breeding, of Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus in Iraq. Sandgrouse 24: 136-138. Salim, MA. 2008. The first Namaqua Dove Oena capensis in Iraq. Sandgrouse 30: 100-102. Schmidt, A. 2007. Observation of Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus in Armenia. Sandgrouse 29: 102-103. Scott, DA & A Adhami. 2006. An updated checklist of the birds of Iran. Podoces 1: 1-16. Sehhatisabet, ME, SB Musavi, P Bakhtiari, D Moghaddas, N Hamidi, B Nezami & A Khaleghizadeh. 2006. Further significant extensions of migrant distribution and breeding and wintering ranges in Iran for over sixty species. Sandgrouse 28: 146-155. Sekercioglu, CH. 2006. A birder’s guide to Turkey. Living Bird 25: 14-23. Shirihai, H, R Yosef, D Alon, GM Kirwan & R Spaar. 2000. Raptor migration in Israel and the Middle East: a sum- mary of 30 years of field research. International Birding & Research Center, Eilat, Israel. Sorace, A. 1996. The first White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga in Turkey. Sandgrouse 18: 68. Welch, G & H Welch. 1998. Results of a survey of wintering waterbirds along the Turkish Black Sea coast— 16 January to 7 February 1997. Turna 1: 16-23. Welch, G & H Welch. 2004. Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata: a new breeding species for Turkey. Sandgrouse 26: 55-58. Welch, G & H Welch. 2006. Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus —first record for Turkey. Sandgrouse 28: 68-69. Winkel, E & E de Weerd. 2007. Barnacle Goose in Golestan, Iran, in January 2007. Dutch Birding 29: 91-92. Yogurtuoglu, E. 2006. The first Black-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis atrogularis in Turkey. Sandgrouse 28: 172-173: Yontem, O. 2007. An observation of Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis in Turkey. Sandgrouse 29: 94-95. Guy M Kirwan, 74 Waddington Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4JS, UK. GMKirwan@aol.com Metehan Ozen, Mehmet Buyruk Cad. Kutan, Apt 13, Malatya, Turkey. Barbaros Demirci, Oyak Sitesi 45, Giris 3, 06610 Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey. barbarsoft@yahoo.com Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 189 Recent surveys of resident breeding birds in the St Katherine Protectorate, south Sinai, Egypt MATTHEW LJ WHITE, ALAA E I MOHAMMED, NICO 'S DAUPHINE, FRANCIS S GILBERT, SAMY ZALAT & HILARY GILBERT We report records of 25 species of resident breeding birds in St Katherine Protectorate, south Sinai, Egypt in 2006, 2007 and spring 2008. We note a number of chronological and geographical discrepancies in the distributions and abundances of these species in reference to earlier surveys and records. Located in the southern Sinai mountains, St Katherine Protectorate is an important area for both breeding and migratory birds and requires ongoing protection, appropriate management, and more detailed research in ecology and community-based conservation. A number of bird species that formerly appeared to be common in the St Katherine Protectorate were detected only rarely or were not detected at all in recent surveys. Remaining bird populations are threatened by overgrazing, illegal hunting and the demands placed on water supplies by development associated with a recent increase in tourism. INTRODUCTION Located where the Asian and African continents meet, the Sinai peninsula is a distinctive biological region with characteristic flora and fauna (Zalat et al 2001). A large part of south- ern Sinai was given protected status in 1996 through the St Katherine Protectorate, established by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). Birdlife International has given the protectorate Important Bird Area (IBA) status. Resident bird communities include Egypt’s Saharo-Sindian biome species, with many of these species uncommon or not represented in other IBAs in Egypt (Birdlife 2005). Goodman et al (1989) reported c50 resident species of breeding birds in the area, including species such as Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus and Tristram’s Starling Onychognathus tristramit. Geologically, the Sinai peninsula is split into three sections: the northern sand dunes, a central limestone plateau, and high altitude igneous rock mountains in the south. Southern Sinai’s predominantly mountainous environment has drainage systems made up of a num- ber: of ‘connected wadis (ephemeral river beds). Souther Simathas’ =a Saharan-Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot, with a mean temperature of 36°C (August) and winters are cool with a mean minimum temperature of 7.8°C (February). The area has an arid climate with a mean annual rainfall of 60 mm/year—higher mountain peaks can receive c300 mm/year (Grainger 2003). Culturally and historically the south Sinai has various important sites such as Mount Sinai (Gebel Musa, 2286 m), St Katherine’s Monastery and Mount St Katherine (Gebel Katrin, 2642 m), the highest mountain in Egypt. Over 7000 Bedouin people belonging to six tribes inhabit the mountains of southern Sinai. One tribe, the Gebeliya, originally of Macedonia, were sent to St Katherine by Justinian to build and protect the monastery in sixth century BCE (Grainger 2003). Traditionally, Bedouin tribes use the land for livestock, such as hardy camels, goats and sheep; they also cultivate gardens containing fruit and olive trees and vegetables in various wadis. This natural resource base and cultural heritage are now at risk from significant recent development pressures (BirdLife 2005). Overgrazing, development and tourism appear to be the most significant problems fac- ing the St Katherine Protectorate (Gilbert 1999, James 2004, Hoyle 2005). When we compared photographs from around the end of the 19th century with modern imagery, we could ascertain a significant and steep decline in the plant cover of the area, a change that 190 ~— Sandgrouse 30 (2008) | | surely will have had a deleterious effect on the density and composition of the fauna of the region, a conclusion also reached by Baha El Din & Baha El Din (2000). Moreover, the tourism industry, in the form of coastal resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh, is one of the fastest growing in the world and increasing numbers of people are visiting the historical sites in St Katherine and travelling out into the desert. For example, Grainger (2003) stated there is an average of 700 tourists/day visiting St Katherine’s Monastery. Birds in the St Katherine Protectorate are threatened by hunting and records of raptors are low in number for such a large area. Diurnal raptors in particular face directly the double threat of trapping for use in falconry and persecution by residents who consider them agri- cultural pests. Hunting is apparently banned in St Katherine Protectorate, but illegal hunting persists due to pressure on the Bedouin to find an income and source of food. Hunting will probably have a negative effect on local populations of raptors (and other predators). Small mammals such as Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis and birds like the Sand Partridge Ammoperdix _ heyi are important prey for larger eagles (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). There has been no monitoring of birds in the southern Sinai on a systematic basis and little published material exists for the interest of the wider scientific community. Operation Wallacea (www.opwall.com) in partnership with BioMAP Egypt (www.biomapegypt.org) has therefore conducted bird surveys to clarify what species are present. The St Katherine Protectorate is an important area for both resident and migratory birds and requires ongo- ing protection, appropriate management and further research in ecology and community-based conservation. METHODS Line transect surveys were conducted 28 June—4 August 2006 and 29 June-29 July 2007 with an aim to record resident and migratory birds in south Sinai. Migratory bird results were published in White et al (2007). In 2006, bird research was lead by Nico Dauphine (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP/University of Georgia) and Matthew White (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP/University of Plymouth) and again by Matthew White in 2007 assisted by Alaa Eldeen Mohammed in both years (St Katherine Protectorate Ranger). Meakin et al (2005) undertook the first Operation Wallacea/BioMAP surveys using the same methodol- ogy from the end of June-August 2005. Line transects of 1 to 2.5 km were walked along wadis at different locations at least 250 m apart, starting as near as possible to 06.00 h (local time) at a slow pace of 1 km/h. Late afternoon surveys were also conducted from c17.00 h. Temperatures were very high and bird activity low throughout the middle of the day. In surveys of previous years, most birds were concentrated along the relatively lower altitude semi-vegetated parts of wadis and in the Bedouin gardens: the landscape was therefore divided into wadi beds and mountain sides for survey work. St Katherine City (Plate 1) transect surveys were conducted in 2006 and 2007, represent- ing three transects with different predicted levels of human disturbance (low, medium, high). Each was repeated six times (06.00 and 17.00 h) to estimate the average diurnal abun- dance of common birds, diversity and densities. All transects were 2.5 km long. Abundance and average density of birds in summer 2007 for St Katherine City are presented in White et al (2007). In previous surveys, Goodman et al (1989) mainly used ad hoc sightings recorded over previous decades. Baha El Din & Baha El Din (2000) used an atlas mapping methodology to record birds of prey in St Katherine Protectorate. We also collated records from ad hoc observations in summer 2002 and spring 2008. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 191 SOUTH SINAI STUDY SITES A satellite map of southern Sinai including St Katherine Protectorate and the 2006/2007 bird survey sites is presented as Figure 1. Our schedule was as follows: Wadi Nasb was surveyed in the last week of June 2006, in the first week of July we visited Ain Hodra, followed by Wadi Marra in the sec- ond and the Sheikh Awad area (including Wadi Gharba) in the third. Wadi Gebel sys- tem was covered in the last week of July and Wadi Itlah in the first week of August. St Katherine City surveys were conducted over five weeks from the end of June till the first week of August 2006. In the first week of July 2007, we repeated several surveys at the oasis of Ain Hodra and surveyed some new areas there. In the second week, new parts of the Sheikh Awad area were sur- veyed (including Wadi Sulaf). Some of Wadi Gharba was repeated in 2007. Wadi Kid was surveyed in the third week of July, for the first time. Throughout June and July, three transects in St Katherine City (Nuweiba . : a Sie ais ecla : Plate I.St Katherine City © Matthew White i 3 192 = Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 290 =[f SKP Area & Boundaries | KP (4350 sq. Km) » Gar curstary pe: rated be sins (PLE dec res Seaton! Sharm El Sheikh D410. Kilometers fm Figure |. St Katherine Protectorate, south Sinai, bird survey locations in 2006 & 2007. Key: 2006: | =Wadi Nasb, 2 = Ain Hodra, 3 = Wadi Marra, 4 =Wadi Gharba, 5 = Wadi Gebel, 6 = Wadi Itlah. 2007: 7 = Ain Hodra, 8 = Sheikh Awad area (Wadi Sulaf), 9 = Wadi Kid, 10 = St Katherine City (2006 & 2007) © John Grainger Plate 3. Wadi Marra © Matthew White Road, St Katherine Monastery, Wadi Arbaein) were repeated using the same methodology as 2006. Ain Hodra (600 m asl, visited 2006/2007, Plate 2). Situated near the head of Wadi Hodra just outside the St Katherine Protectorate, north east of St Katherine City. The site consists of two fenced Bedouin gardens and a groundwater well with cultivated date palms, fruit trees and various vegetable crops. The gardens are also used for tourist campsites on Bedouin safaris. North of the oasis the wadi opens into a wide sandy wadi bed with low level sparse scrub overhung by steep cliffs and canyons of sandstone and metamorphic rock. Several surveys were repeated in 2007 near the oasis gardens. Wadi Nasb (1200-1550 m asl, 2006). Located near to St Katherine with predominantly rocky mountain slopes containing large igneous intrusions. The wadi bed consists of boul- ders and fine gravel and there are several walled Bedouin gardens with large palm and fruit trees. Wadi Marra (900-1000 m asl, 2006, Plate 3). Situated north east of St Katherine, Wadi Marra is a long wadi system with igneous scree slopes that descend into a large boulder and grav- el wadi bed. There are a few acacia trees and some patchy low level scrub vegetation providing grazing for several feral camels and goats. A groundwater spring provides a good source of water. Sheikh Awad (1100-1200 m asl, including Wadis Gharba, Brega and Sulaf, 2006/2007). Located just outside the volcanic rock intrusion of the granite Ring Dyke. The area is sur- rounded by high granite mountains and shallow gravel and sand wadis. A series of groundwater wells are used to irrigate flat sandy parts of the wadi bed for the UNEP World Food Program. There are a variety of vegetables and crops grown in Bedouin gardens with several different types of fruit and olive trees. Al Karm Ecolodge has been developed by the Protectorate and provides ecologically-friendly accommodation for tourists in the area. In 2007 the Bedouin community stated there was less water in the wadi that year with pos- sible detrimental effects to the local ecosystem. 2007 surveys were conducted in new areas such as Wadi Sulaf. Wadi Gebel (1800-2000 m asl, including Wadis Zawatein, Shagg and Ahmar, 2006). A series of high altitude wadi systems to the west of St Katherine. From St Katherine, Wadi Gebel can be reached by ascending the pass of Abu Geefa. Higher rainfall and lower temperatures help sustain a few fertile Bedouin gardens with fruit and olive trees and vegetable patch- es. The wadis are mostly narrow granite ravines with low-level scrub vegetation. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 193 Plate 4. Wadi Kid © Clay Truernicht Wadi Itlah (1400-1520 m asl, 2006). Located close to St Katherine, Wadi Itlah is a narrow and long wadi system with scree slopes and extensive boulder fields. There are several Bedouin fruit gardens and small holdings with goats, sheep and donkeys, also a few carob trees and date palms outside of the gardens. Wadi Kid (583-716 m asl, 2007, Plate 4). A very dry, lower-altitude, wadi system in the mid- west of St Katherine Protectorate with only one small Bedouin garden and settlement. Most of the wadi consists of an open flat large gravel plain with high cliffs, low scrub and acacia trees sparsely concentrated near the wadi cliff sides. One isolated Bedouin garden had an old date palm plantation. Nuweiba Road (1500 m asl, St Katherine City, 2006/2007). Is a disturbed large flat open wadi with patchy low-level scrub vegetation and high granite mountains on either side. It contains the only main road out of St Katherine, heading north-east. There is also a visitor centre and gravel car park. St Katherine’s Monastery (1500 m asl, St Katherine City, 2006/2007). Located in Wadi El Deir is a heavily disturbed, large open wadi. The monks of the monastery have cultivated and tended fruit and vegetable gardens for centuries. The road and pathway leading to the monastery receive very heavy vehicle, animal and human traffic. Early most mornings, hundreds of people walk from the car park up to the monastery and Mount Sinai. Wadi Arbaein (1700-1900 m asl, 2006/2007). Situated on the south side of St Katherine City, with the Suez Canal University Environmental Research Centre at its mouth, rising through red granite boulders with high steep cliffs, and ending at the largest garden of Deir El Arbaein (Garden of Forty Martyrs), at the foot of Gebel St Katherine, Egypt’s highest mountain. Lower down the Wadi Arbaein transect there are various smaller well tended 194 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) gardens with a mixture of olive, fig, cypress, poplar, fruit trees and vegetable patches, also bee hives at the research centre. Wadi Arbaein receives reasonably heavy camel traffic and human disturbance along the pathway. In winter months the steep wadi sides can receive snow melt from the high mountains, replenishing wells and groundwater which may help sustain plant growth. RESIDENT BREEDING BIRDS OF ST KATHERINE PROTECTORATE Chukar Alectoris chukar. The Chukar was described by Goodman eft al (1989) as a fairly com- mon breeding resident of the high mountains in Sinai. In 2005 Chukars were recorded in eroups at Gebel Safsafa and at Wadis Gebel, Talah, and Isla (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 we recorded Chukars in larger numbers only at Wadi Gebel, with an individual on Mount Katherine. In 2007 surveys, Chukars were rarely seen but were apparently quite common in the higher altitude parts of Wadi Arbaein. Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi. The Sand Partridge is described as a common breeding resident in central and southern Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). Sand Partridges were record- ed ad hoc in August 2001, but were not noted in 2002 records; in 2005, 20 Sand Partridges were seen at Sheikh Awad and smaller numbers at Wadis Isla and Arbaein (Meakin et al 2005). In surveys in 2006, we recorded Sand Partridges in Wadis Nasb and Marra as well as St Katherine’s Monastery and larger numbers at Wadi Arbaein. In 2007 several Sand Partridges were observed in July at Ain Hodra and Wadi Arbaein. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. Goodman et al (1989) described this species as a fairly common breeding resident in Egypt, probably nesting at St Katherine City and Wadi Taba. In 2005 surveys a Kestrel was observed in the Sheikh Awad area (Meakin et al 2005). In July 2007 a Kestrel was seen in the Sheikh Awad area in Wadi Gharba. Interestingly, in late July 2007 a Kestrel was found dead in Wadi Kid, cause of death unknown. Another individual was observed hunting over St Katherine Monastery in late July 2007. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus. The Egyptian Vulture is a rare breeding resident of St Katherine (Goodman et al 1989). The species was considered to be locally common at the beginning of the twentieth century (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). Records are noted in Wadi Umm Hashiba (1975), Ain Musa (1982) and near St Katherine Airport (1983). In 1997 some sightings of this species were made at Wadi Feiran, but it was not detected in 2002 and 2005 surveys. In July 2006 we recorded low numbers of Egyptian Vultures, includ- ing an adult with a juvenile at Wadi Arbaein, as well as individuals at Ain Hodra and Wadi Itlah. A single Egyptian Vulture was again observed at Ain Hodra in July 2007. In addition, we made one sighting of over 50 flying around the rubbish dump on the road between St Katherine and Sharm El Sheikh. Egyptian Vultures consume a wide range of food items, not only carrion but other organic refuse (Snow & Perrins 1998) and therefore they may be more concentrated nearer more readily available food sources such as rubbish dumps. Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciatus. According to Goodman et al (1989), this species is a rare and local breeding resident in Egypt. Breeding records for the Sinai include a courtship- displaying pair at Ain El Furtaga in north Sinai in 1978 and an active nest at Wadi Taba in 1979. In previous raptor surveys Baha El Din & Baha El Din (2000) made observations that indicated certain breeding in at least three different locations in the Protectorate. On 8 June 1999 a single adult was observed gliding very close to the ridge of Gebel Safsafa over Wadi Arbaein. The area was thought to be part of a larger feeding territory of a nesting pair. Also a medium-sized freshly-built nest was found over a shady overhang in Wadi Arbaein which probably belonged to this species (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). In January 2000, Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 195 a pair of Bonelli’s Eagle adults were seen flying low half way up Wadi Let-hi (Tim Watcher pers com). Also, in April 2000, a pair of adults were seen early in the morning at the entrance of Wadi Isla, gliding over ridges and observed in aerial display (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). In May 2000, a fresh nest was found on a steep-sided granite outcrop in Wadi Yahmed, the nest was the correct size and location for Bonelli’s Eagle (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). On 23 July 2006 at 19.00 h a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles was observed at Wadi Arbaein, roosting late in the afternoon on a crag in the cliffs notably covered in white drop- pings. A pair was also seen in Sharm El Sheikh in May 2006. After four observations, one in late June and three in July 2007, a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles were observed gliding and perching in various locations along Wadi Arbaein in the early morning and late afternoon. On one occasion a young juvenile was seen flying and calling by the side of one of the adults, strong evidence that breeding had taken place. After several conversations with local Bedouin, they also positively identified the eagles from field guides and said they may have moved from Wadi Gebel to breed in Wadi Arbaein two years previously. Baha E] Din & Baha EI Din (2000) noted that Bonelli’s Eagle’s were present in Wadi Arbaein in 2000, and it seems likely these individuals have remained, feeding on the plentiful Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis and spiny mice Acomys spp. A pair of Bonelli’s Eagles was also noted on 26 July on the Qena-Safaga road (Lee Evans pers obs). Interestingly, three Bonelli’s Eagles were recorded later in the year, at Sharm El Sheikh, on 27 October 2007 (Ingo Weiss pers obs). Rock Dove Columba livia. The Rock Dove is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a com- mon breeding resident of the Sinai. In 2002, the Rock Dove was widespread with flocks of up to 50 seen; in 2005 they were noted as most abundant in wadis with tall cliffs and gar- dens, including Wadis Itlah, Tala, Arbaein and Isla, Ain Hodra and St Katherine’s Monastery (Meakin et al 2005). Rock Dove was the most abundant bird in 2006/2007 sur- veys, seen in most areas surveyed except Wadi Marra. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto. The Collared Dove is a locally common breeding resident in the Sinai that began its colonization of Egypt in the 1970s (Goodman et al 1989). It was not noted in surveys of 2002 and 2005 (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 and 2007 we recorded low numbers at Ain Hodra, Wadi Marra and Wadi Gharba, increasing on aver- age in St Katherine’s Monastery over the two years (White et al 2007). Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis. The Laughing Dove was described by Goodman et al (1989) as an abundant breeding resident in the Sinai. In 2002 and 2005 they were noted as very abundant in Ain Hodra (Meakin et al 2005). More recently in 2006 and 2007 we found the Laughing Dove to be common in most areas surveyed, with largest numbers at Wadis Arbaein and Nasb and around St Katherine’s Monastery where there are Bedouin gardens with palms and fruit trees. Hume’s Owl Strix butleri. Hume’s Owl was described nearly twenty years ago as a rare and local breeding resident in a few wadis of southern Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). Most have been recorded around St Katherine (Baha El Din & Baha El Din 2000). In the 1990s Hume’s Owl was regularly heard and seen in Wadi Feiran and St Katherine near the Monastery, where there are possibly several pairs (Mindy & Sherif Baha El Din pers obs). Surveys by - Baha El Din & Baha El Din (2000) have found a more extensive distribution than previous- ly known. Hume’s Owl appears to be fairly widespread in the mountains of south Sinai, from low to higher attitude habitats with several pairs located in more favourable habitats such as areas with palms and trees. Other observations include one individual calling at Wadi Itlah in 1995 and two individuals were recorded after dusk at Wadi Arbaein, also it 196 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) was heard at night in Ain Hodra (Meakin et al 2005). In the 2006 surveys we heard vocal- izations of three individuals of this species in Wadis Nasb and Itlah. In 2007 one individual responded to playback in Wadi Arbaein. Two Hume’s Owls were heard calling at dusk at Wadi Feiran at the end of July 2007 (Lee Evans pers obs). Later in the year, at the end of October, one was observed in St Katherine City (Ingo Weiss pers obs). Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops. The Hoopoe was described by Goodman et al (1989) as a possible breeding resident in southern Sinai. In 2002, Hoopoes were seen in Wadis Tarfa, Razana and Feiran; in 2005 they were observed in Wadis Arbaein, El Deir, Gebel, and Feiran (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 we observed a total of 10 Hoopoes calling, in Wadi Marra, where they appeared to be breeding residents. A single Hoopoe was observed fly- ing to St Katherine Monastery in late July 2007. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis. The Brown-necked Raven is a common breeding resident in most desert areas of Egypt (Goodman et al 1989). It was sighted in Wadi Gebel (August 1995) and Wadi Feiran (May 1997) (Meakin et al 2005). Two were observed in St Katherine December 2000 (Pederson pers obs 2000). Around 70 were observed at Sharm Water Treatment Works in August 2001 (Wilson pers obs 2001). In 2002 and 2005 surveys Brown-necked Ravens were seen rarely, with sightings in El Galt Al Azraq and Wadi Feiran (2002) and Wadi Isla (2005) (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 surveys only four individuals were observed, at Wadi Nasb. In 2007 the Brown-necked Raven was uncommon in surveys, two were observed patrolling the cliffs at Wadi Kid in July. In late March 2008, two were observed in the St Katherine City area confirming they still occur there (Annie Sevin pers obs). Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula. The Rock Martin is a common breeding resident in the mountains of southern Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). In records from 1996 to 2002, they were very common in Wadi Feiran and at Gebel Serbal. In 2005 surveys, Rock Martins were noted at Ain Hodra, Wadis Feiran and Arbaein (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 we found this species to be very common at most sites, especially in Wadi Gebel where they gathered to forage above standing water in Bedouin gardens. Also in St Katherine’s Monastery we observed several juveniles perched on the monastery buildings, being fed by their parents. This was also the case in 2007 where Rock Martin took to nesting in Bedouin buildings as late as July. Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti. The Desert Lark is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a common breeding resident in rocky wadis and on mountain slopes in Sinai. In ad hoc sur- veys the Desert Lark was noted as common in Zeituna and Wadi Remham (August 1996) and Gebel Serbal (May 1997); in 2002 and 2005 the Desert Lark was common in areas with rocky-bottomed wadis (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006/2007, we found this species to be wide- ly distributed, recorded in large numbers in the Sheikh Awad area and Wadi Nasb. Several individuals were noted in the open desert near St Katherine. Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta. The Scrub Warbler is a common breeding resident in the mountains of southern Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). In ad hoc records from 1996-2002 they were noted as reasonably common in high mountains; in 2005 surveys Scrub Warblers were more frequent in the wadis around St Katherine and Gebel Safsafa (Meakin et al 2005). They also occurred at lower altitudes along Wadi Isla and Wadi Hamman, but notably were absent from the more open areas of sandy desert (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006/2007, we recorded Scrub Warblers at most sites, and in greatest abundance in Wadi Gebel and the Sheikh Awad area. Sandgrouse 30 (2008) =197 White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos. The White-spectacled Bulbul is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a locally common breeding resident in Sinai. In ad hoc records from 1996-2002, it was noted in Wadi Rim and Gebel Serbal in May 1997 and in Wadi Toboug August 2001; in 2005 surveys it was fairly widespread and abundant in the Bedouin gardens at Ain Hodra (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 we recorded this species in most sites surveyed, and found it to be most abundant in Ain Hodra and Wadis Itlah and Nasb. In 2007, it was present in Ain Hodra and Wadi Kid, both areas associated with date palm and fruit tree gardens. Arabian Warbler Sylvia leucomelaena. The Arabian Warbler is described as a locally com- mon breeding resident in south-eastern Egypt with a few observations of possible breeding in the Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). In mid-August 1984 individuals were noted in Wadi Sulaf and Wadi Nasb; in summer 2002 individuals were noted in Wadi Gebel. More recent- ly, 19 July 2006, two pairs of Arabian Warblers were noted in Bedouin gardens in Wadi Gharba (Sheikh Awad area) alarm calling. Also in the first week of August 2006 three pairs were recorded in Wadi Itlah. In late July 2007, several Arabian Warblers were again noted in the Wadi Itlah area (Jeremy Truscott pers comm). Tristram’s Starling Onychognathus tristrami. Tristram’s Starling is a locally common breed- ing resident in the mountains of southern central Sinai, recorded in St Katherine and Wadis Feiran, Kid, Nasb and Zaghra (Goodman et al 1989). In ad hoc records from 1996-2002 it was found throughout the southern Sinai, in small groups, outside gardens and on steep rocky wadi slopes; 15 Tristram’s Starlings were recorded in 2005 surveys in cypress trees near St Katherine’s Monastery (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 surveys, we recorded large num- bers at Wadi Nasb with several groups at Wadis Gharba, Gebel and Itlah, and, in 2006/2007, observed it regularly in Wadi Arbaein and St Katherine’s Monastery. An active nest site was recorded on a high cliff at Wadi Kid, late July 2007. ; Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens. The Mourning Wheatear is a fairly common breed- ing resident of south Sinai, present in higher altitude mountain areas (Baha El Din pers comm 2008). There have been few observations in ad hoc records before 2002, one was noted at Wadi Tarfa in 2002, none were recorded in surveys in 2005 and 2006 but in 2007 a male was recorded perching on an acacia tree in Wadi Gharba. Several Mourning Wheatears were observed in central Sinai on road trips in July and October 2007 (Lee Evans & Ingo Weiss pers obs). White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga. The White-crowned Wheatear was described by Goodman et al (1989) as a common breeding resident of southern Sinai. In ad hoc records from 1996-2002 they were noted as very common; in 2005 the White-crowned Wheatear was seen in most surveys and the highest number (14) was recorded at Wadi Isla (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006 we recorded it in all areas surveyed with highest abundance in Wadis Nasb and Itlah. In 2007 surveys, the White-crowned Wheatear was common and had a wide distribution from Ain Hodra in the north of St Katherine Protectorate to the lower altitude Wadi Kid further south. Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha. The Hooded Wheatear is a fairly common breeding resident of southern Sinai, where it is resident in the mountains and at lower altitudes in rocky areas (Goodman et al 1989). In ad hoc records in 1995 it was noted in Wadi Gebel; it was not recorded in 2002 (Meakin et al 2005). It was sighted in 2004 at Wadi Itlah and was found to be rare in 2005 surveys, observed at Gebel Musa, Wadi Zawatein and Sheikh Awad. In 2006, we recorded only two casual observations of Hooded Wheatear, both indi- viduals (one male, one female) in St Katherine City. Most recently, in 2007 surveys, several 198 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) individuals were recorded; one in Ain Hodra perched on a rock just outside a Bedouin gar- den, one perched on an acacia tree at Wadi Sulaf also two individuals at Wadi Kid near acacia trees. Blackstart Cercomela melanura. The Blackstart is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a locally common breeding resident in rocky wadis of southern and central Sinai. In 2002 records, Blackstarts were observed in gardens of Wadi Feiran, El Haswa and Ain Hodra, and in 2005 they were recorded at Wadis Isla and Feiran and Ain Hodra (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006, we recorded Blackstarts in most of the wadis surveyed; it was most abundant in Wadis Marra and Nasb, observed frequently in acacia trees. In Ain Hodra, we observed two juveniles being fed by an adult in one of the Bedouin gardens. In 2007, Blackstarts were again most abundant at Ain Hodra, none were recorded in St Katherine City. Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea. The Palestine Sunbird is a local breeding resident in the gardens and vegetated wadis of southern Sinai (Goodman et al 1989). It was observed fre- quently in St Katherine in ad hoc records from 1996-2002; in 2005 surveys they were noted in gardens with fruit trees, others were recorded at Wadis Tubug and Shagg (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006, we recorded Palestine Sunbirds in Wadi Nasb and around St Katherine City, where we frequently observed them foraging on flowers, but in no other surveys. In 2007, Palestine Sunbirds were recorded again around St Katherine City, associated with flower- ing plants in St Katherine Monastery and Fox Camp. House Sparrow Passer domesticus. The House Sparrow is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a breeding resident at a few localities in the Sinai. It was not noted in records from 1996-2002 but was recorded in 2005 in low numbers at Ain Hodra and Sheikh Awad (Meakin et al 2005). In 2006, we recorded House Sparrows at Ain Hodra and made a single observation at Wadi Gharba. In 2007, they were recorded at Ain Hodra with a maximum count of 15 in the Bedouin gardens. Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus. The Trumpeter Finch is a locally common breeding resident in the Sinai in rocky wadis and mountain habitats (Goodman et al 1989). In 2002, Trumpeter Finch was noted rarely in the gardens of El Galt Al Azraq and Wadi Feiran; in the 2005 surveys only three were recorded, drinking from a leak in a water tank at Ain Hodra, none were noted elsewhere. In 2006, we recorded three at Wadi Nasb. Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus. The Sinai Rosefinch is described by Goodman et al (1989) as a fairly common breeding resident in the mountainous area of southern Sinai, including Gebel Musa and Gebel Umm Shomar. This species was also noted in ad hoc records: Wadi Isla in August 1996 and Gebel Serbal, May 1997. In 2005 surveys, they were commonly noted at Wadi El Deir and the trail at Gebel Musa and Wadi Arbaein; a few were also noted in the garden of Moyat Zalaqa at the head of Wadi Isla (Meakin eft al 2005). In 2006 surveys, we observed Sinai Rosefinches in Wadis Nasb, Gebel and Marra. The highest abundance was recorded at Wadi Arbaein where they were frequently seen feeding off camel dung on pathways. In 2007, Sinai Rosefinches had the third highest average species abundance in all St Katherine City surveys and were common again in Wadi Arbaein, observed feeding on the wadi pathways picking seeds out of camel dung. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to Dr. Tim Coles (Director of Operation Wallacea), BioMAP Egypt, the St Katherine Protectorate, the British Council in Egypt, and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, USA, for funding and equipment in 2006. We thank the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency for permission to conduct research and St Katherine Protectorate rangers Adnan Abd Elhamed Abd Elhalim, Mohammed Kamel and Ismail Hatab for assisting field research. Jeremy Truscott Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 199 (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP/Sheffield Bat Group, Bat Scientist 2007), Clay Truernicht (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP/University of Hawaii, Botanist 2007), Alanna Maltby (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP, Bat Scientist 2006), Haitham Zalat (BioMAP, Botanist 2006/2007), Rebecca Guenther (Operation Wallacea/BioMAP University of Berkeley, California, Botanist 2005/2006) and Yasmin Maaly provided exceptional support and friendship in the field. Ahmed Ghieth (BioMAP), Mohammad Abd Elaal and the Byng family respectively provided excellent logistical and medical support. We are indebted to the staff at Farag Fox Desert Camp for providing field support, particularly our cook, Abdul, and Bedouin guides Hussein Musa Saly Tarawa, Jamil Mansour Hussein, Salim Derwish Sadala and Nasr Mansour Awad. We thank the British, Egyptian, American and Canadian Operation Wallacea student volunteers for their valu- able contributions, especially: Reed Loy (University of New Hampshire), Julie Valentine (Liverpool John Moores University), David Doyle (University of Durham), also Lewis School (Pengham), Redruth College and Bromley College in the UK. We thank Sherif Baha El Din for consulting on raptor identification, also Lee Evans, Annie Sevin and Ingo Weiss for help with observations of birds in St Katherine Protectorate. REFERENCES Baha El Din, MF & M Baha El Din. 2000. Biodiversity inventory and monitoring in St Katherine Protectorate, with a special emphasis on reptiles and birds of prey. Draft Report. Unpublished. BirdLife 2005. BirdLife International IBA Factsheet: St. Katherine Protectorate. www.birdlife.org. Gilbert, FS, S Zalat & F Semida. 1999. Insect plant coevolution in the mountains of Sinai. Egyptian Journal of Biology 1: 142-153. Goodman, SM, PL Meininger, SM Baha el Din, JJ) Hobbs & WC Mullie. 1989. The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University Press, UK. Grainger, J. 2003. ‘People are living in the park’. Linking biodiversity conservation to community develop- ment in the Middle East region: a case study from the St Katherine Protectorate, southern Sinai. Journal of Arid Environments 54: 29-38. Hoyle, M & M James. 2005. Global warming, human population pressure and viability of the world’s small- est butterfly. Conservation Biology 19: 1113-1124. James, M. 2004. Ecology and conservation of the Sinai Batton Blue butterfly, Pseudophilotes sinaicus. Ph.D thesis. University of Nottingham, UK. Meakin, K, RS de Kort, H Gilbert, F Gilbert, S Zalat, L Mohi, S Ibrahim, J Griffin & the volunteers of Operation Wallacea in Egypt. 2005. Monitoring birds, reptiles and butterflies in the St. Katherine Protectorate, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Biology 7: 66-95. Snow DW & CM Perrins. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edition. Oxford University Press, UK. White, MLJ, FS Gilbert & S Zalat. 2007. Bird surveys and distance sampling in St Katherine Protectorate, south Sinai, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Biology 9: 60-68. Zalat, S, F Semida, F Gilbert, S El Banna, E Sayed, H El-Alqamy & J Behnke. 2001. Spatial variation in the biodiversity of Bedouin gardens in the St. Katherine Protectorate, Sinai, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Biology 37147150: Matthew LJ White, Operation Wallacea & BioMAP EEAA, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt. matt.white4@tesco.net Alaa EI Mohammed, St Katherine Protectorate, St Katherine City, South Sinai Government, Egypt. Nico S Dauphine, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, US. Francis S Gilbert, BioMAP & School of Biology, Nottingham University, Nottingham, UK. Samy Zalat, BloMAP & Department of Zoology, Suez Canal University, Ismalia, Egypt. Hilary Gilbert, Community Foundation for South Sinai, Fox Camp, St Katherine, south Sinat, Egypt. 200 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) First winter record of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus for Israel MIKOLAJ KOSS, NOAM WEISS & REUVEN YOSEF The Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus (aka Oriental, Asiatic or Eastern Honey Buzzard) has_ two _ distinct populations—a southern, Indo-Malayan, sedentary population, and a northern popu- lation that is migratory (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). The migratory population of the Crested Honey Buzzard P. p. orientalis breeds exclusively in the eastern Palaearctic from southern Siberia south to northern Mongolia, northeast China, North Korea and Japan. These populations winter mostly in India and Southeast Asia. The first obser- Plate 1. Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus in vations to the west were from Chokpak flight at the Eilat Bird Sanctuary, 10 March 2008. © Anton Khalilieh Pass, Kazakhastan, in 1993 (Forsman 1994) and are well west of known breeding limits. Ferguson-Lees & Christie (2001) suggested that there could be an unrecorded westward range expansion or a circular westward route around the Tien Shan and Hindu Kush to avoid crossing the Himalayas. This species has now been reported from as far west as Turkey, Israel and Egypt. Ferguson-Lees & Christie (2001) suggested that these are individuals caught up in migrating flocks of Western Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorous in autumn, which over-winter in Africa. Since the beginning of the 1990s, with the increased awareness of the species on migra- tion in the Eilat region of Israel (first record 1994, Shirihai et al 2000) and publication of the detailed field identification of the Crested Honey Buzzard (Forsman 1994, 1998, Forsman & Shirihai 1997), the number of individuals recognized from amongst the flocks of migrat- ing Western Honey Buzzards has increased considerably. At present, there are single records each autumn, mostly in September, and 15-20 records in April and May each spring. To date, the earliest spring record for the Crested Honey Buzzard in the Eilat region, and for the rest of Israel, was on 19 March 2006 (Mark Andrews). Here we report the first ever observations of a Crested Honey Buzzard in winter in Israel, in the Eilat region. The first observation was on 4 February 2008 when MK and NW saw two soaring rap- tors at the entrance to the Eilat Bird Sanctuary. We identified one as a Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga and were initially confused by the strange-looking dark “buzzard” like rap- tor which we eventually identified as a dark-morph Crested Honey Buzzard. The observation lasted for 5 minutes with the two birds soaring back and forth, at a low alkti- tude, over the bird sanctuary. We noted that it was a fairly large raptor, though much smaller than the Greater Spotted Eagle; had a rather small head (but not as small as in the case of Honey Buzzards) which also protruded well beyond its body and wings. The most striking features were the lack of a carpal patch and the six long, dark-tipped ‘fingers’ of the primaries (Plate 1). The raptor had all dark underwing coverts, the remiges were most- ly pale (primaries paler than secondaries) with a rather prominent and sparse buzzard-like barred pattern. The bird had a broad dark trailing edge to the wing. The flight of the rap- tor was leisurely and the slow wing-beats gave a rather eagle-like impression (Plate 1). The Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 201 Plate 2. Photos showing the Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus on the ground at the Eilat Bird Sanctuary, |2 February 2008. © Mikolaj Koss. tail was shorter and relatively broader than that of Honey Buzzard. After half an hour the bird was resighted and some blurred, record, flight shots taken. Eight days later, on 12 February, the bird was seen again, perched on one of the trees in the southern part of the bird sanctuary and closely resembling a Honey Buzzard, but the head was too big with a suggestion of a small crest, which helped identify the raptor as a Crested Honey Buzzard. This was also seen by RY who has experience with the species in India. We aged the bird as a second calendar year female based on its prominent yellow cere and dark eye (Plate 2, also see Naoroji 2006). However, this must be considered with caution because variation between sexes is not well documented and may not be constant. The bird then flew into the 202 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) northern section of the bird sanctuary, where we relocated it digging in the soil with its claws, apparently in search of invertebrates. It was fairly tame and allowed us to approach and take photographs, including two 2-minute videos. The bird stayed in the area and was located on most subsequent occasions, for over a month and a half, in the date palmeries of Kibbutz Eilot. It was seen and photographed by many visiting birdwatchers. The last observation of the individual was on 5 May 2008 sug- gesting that the bird remained in the region for at least three months. To date, it has been assumed that the individuals observed in Israel are of the migrato- ry Siberian form P. p. orientalis. However, even though the bird had a faintly barred underbody when observed up close, it was uniformly brown (Plate 2). This allowed us to assume that the bird was a dark morph. However, we find certain inconsistencies between descriptions in the literature and the bird observed by us in the field. Naoroji (2006) found that the Indian resident race, or wintering orientalis, dark morph birds have uniform dark brown body and underwing coverts, lack carpal patches, and have flight feathers with typ- ical barring. Also, many show a diagnostic dark gorget across the throat— another marking we were unable to discern in the Eilat bird. In contrast to the literature description, the carpal patches in our bird were lacking. Hence, the assumption that all observed birds are of the migratory race orientalis of the Crested Honey Buzzard should be treated with caution. REFERENCES Ferguson-Lees, J] & DA Christie. 2001. Raptors of the world. Christopher Helm, London. Forsman, D. 1994. Field identification of Crested Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchos). Birding World 7:396—403. Forsman, D. 1998. The raptors of Europe and the Middle East: a handbook of field identification. T & AD Poyser, London. Forsman, D & H Shirihai. 1997. Identification, ageing and sexing of Honey Buzzard. Dutch Birding 19:1-7. Naoroji, R. 2006. Birds of prey of the Indian subcontinent. Christopher Helm, London. Shirihai, H, R Yosef, D Alon, G Kirwan & R Spaar. 2000. Raptor migration in Israel and the Middle East—a sum- mary of 30 years of field research. Technical Publication International Birding & Research Centre in Eilat. 192 pp. Mikolaj Koss, Noam Weiss & Reuven Yosef, International Birding & Research Centre in Eilat, PO Box 774, Eilat 88000, Israel. ryosef@eilatcity.co.il Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 203 PHOTOSPOT— Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi Plate |.Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi.© Tim Loseby Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi is a desert bird occurring in the Middle Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Cowan 1996, Madge & Burn 1999, Wassink & Oreel 2007). It appears close- ly related to the sandy-buff Pleske’s Ground Jay of Iran (and probably of bordering areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan), another desert bird (Cowan 2000, Goodwin 1986, Hamedanian 1997, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005). These are cursorial birds reminiscent of Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor and Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes. Pander’s Ground Jay is a bird of sandy desert with dunes and good coverage of 204 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) shrubs. It gives a clear ringing call from bush tops especially in early morning or evening and is usually met with in pairs or family par- ties. It feeds along sandy tracks, digging at animal droppings and rummaging at bases of bushes. It has the habit of creating food stor- age spots by burying food in sand. It is a seed eater, though insectivorous in spring and summer when prey items can include small lizards. Nests are usually placed up to a metre above the ground within bushes and it lays a clutch of four to five eggs. Eggs have been found between late February and late May _and it has an incubation period of 16-19 days (Madge & Burn 1999). Tim Loseby’s bird (Plate 1), active on the ground, exhibits at least two points of interest. The shape of the black “badge” on the fore- neck and upper breast differs from that illustrated in Goodwin (1986) and Madge & Burn (1999). Loseby’s appears vertical in ori- entation whilst the latter two publications show a horizontal badge. Five photos of Pander’s Ground Jay on Dave Farrow’s web- site (www.shortwing.co.uk) suggest that posture may play a role. Another feature of the bird in Plate 1, and also of the perched Pander’s Ground Jay shown on the cover of Sandgrouse 24 (1), again a Tim Loseby photo, is the partial obscuring of the black and white feathers of the closed wing by body feathers. Tiziano Londei (2004) has proposed that the Podoces ground jays, peculiarly, enhance their crypticity by “expanding” the scapular feathers and feath- ers of the ventral tracts to cover or largely cover the conspicuous feathers of the folded wing. To advertise presence these birds sim- ply reverse this procedure. REVIEWS The Birds of Al Jabal Al Akhdar— Sultanate of Oman Jens Eriksen Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University. 2008. Softback. 144 pages, colour photos, maps, tables, bar diagrams. For availability see www.birdsoman.com. Jens Eriksen’s book concerns an area whose landscapes and scenery are frankly magnifi- cent. The Jabal Al Akhdar ‘Green Mountain’ range is the central massif of the Al Hajar mountains in the north of Oman (Glennie 2006, Hanna 2006). The higher elevations are semi-arid and the highest mountain of the range is Jabal Shams, which reaches 3009 m asl. The area can be explored on foot or by 4WD, and trekking and motoring routes have been described by Dale & Hadwin (2001) and Grist (2006) respectively. This book is a result of Jen’s participation in a conservation and sustainable develop- REFERENCES Cowan, PJ. 1996. Desert birds of the Caspio-Central Asian desert. Global Ecology and Biogeography Letters. 5: 18=22. Cowan, PJ. 2000. The desert birds of south-west Asia. Sandgrouse 22: 104-108. Goodwin, D. 1986. Crows of the world. 2nd edition. British Museum (Natural History), UK. Hamedanian, A. 1997. Observations of Pleske’s Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in central Iran. Sandgrouse 19: 88-91. Londei, T. 2004. Ground jays expand plumage to make themselves less conspicuous. Ibis 146: 158-160. Madge, S= &. H.2Burn. -1999.< Crows: and. Jays. Christopher Helm, London. Rasmussen, PC & JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia. Vol 2. Smithsonian Institution, Washington DE Wassink A & GJ Oreel. 2007. The Birds of Kazakhstan. Arend Wassink, De Cocksdorp, Texel, Netherlands. P] Cowan ment survey of the Jabal Al Akhdar. Two main They of Die Al Sahay ae areas were studied: the orl Al AKhday aay mete OF Onan *~ \ Sayq plateau, which is Oe mostly over 2000 m, e and Jabal Shams, and included an intensive six-week breeding bird survey in 2005 by Mike Jennings. The lowest limit of these two areas was taken as 1800 m. Both areas are described briefly, including the juniper wood- lands and terraced cultivation though the maps for both sites are essentially those in Sargeant et al (2008). Further information on these two highland areas is given in a section on conservation and ecotourism. The meagre ornithological literature and relevant records from the Oman Bird Records database were also utilised. A total of 125 bird species have been recorded on the Sayq plateau and Jabal Shams Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 205 ise ets = Jabal Akhdar scenery, Oman. © Hanne & Jens Eriksen combined, including 34 species observed only once. Apparently, 31 bird species breed in the Jabal Al Akhdar. A minimum estimated num- ber of breeding pairs for each of these species is presented for the two main study areas, including 1400 breeding pairs of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis at Jabal Shams and 100 Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta pairs at both the Sayq plateau and Jabal Shams. An account is presented of the first confirmed breeding record, in 2005, of Moorhen Gallinula chloropus for Jabal Al Akhdar, on the Sayq plateau. The Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus breeds in the N Oman mountains and appar- ently nowhere else on the Arabian peninsula. The majority seemingly breed in the area cov- ered by the present book and observations are presented on its natural history there includ- ing details of five nests (see also Jennings 2006b). Observations suggesting breeding of Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina are presented and there may be a small breeding population of Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabelli- nus (first confirmed breeding record in Arabia, Sayg plateau 2005). Most of the book is devoted to an annotat- ed systematic list, which describes all the bird species recorded at the Sayq plateau and Jabal Shams. Indeed, the list is essentially a field guide, with identification details and photos by Hanne and Jens Eriksen illustrating the vast majority of the species. Most of the pho- tos are different from those in the Eriksens’ (2005) identification guide, and quite a few of the species were not illustrated there. Notes on status in the mountains (including bar dia- grams indicating temporal occurrence and 206 Sandgrouse 30 (2008) abundance), habitat and habits are also pre- sented. Apart from nine additional species listed at the end, each species receives one page each. Hume’s Wheatear Oecenanthe alboniger, a common resident, has a page, “Common” Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, very rare with just one record, has a page. The book is titled “The Birds of Al Jabal Al Akhdar” but the very rare species recorded there are not of Jabal Akhdar. I would have preferred that the systematic list had concentrated more on the residents and summer and winter visitors of the Akhdar range; however, the pictures are excellent. The most useful relief map of the Jabal Akhdar is that accompanying the 1977 special report of the Journal of Oman Studies and Michael Gallagher’s (1977) paper in that vol- ume is still an important read, presenting avian occurrence in the Jabal Akhdar altitudi- nally: high ground (above 1200 m), foothills (600-1200 m) and plains and flat gravel wadi beds amongst mountains (below 600 m). Jennings (2006a) presented estimated num- bers of breeding pairs of birds (eg over 200 Striated Scops Owl Otus brucei) for the ~Ghubrah bowl, an enclosed plain at c700m, in the Jabal Akhdar. My copy will be well-thumbed, I live at the foot of Jabal Akhdar. The book is essential reading for anyone planning to visit the area, whether for research or tourism. Otherwise, it would be a welcome addition to any Middle East bird enthusiast’s library, especially for the photography. REFERENCES Eriksen, H & J Eriksen. 2005. Common Birds in Oman—an_ identification guide. Al Roya Publishing, Muscat. Dale, A & J Hadwin. 2001. Adventure trekking in Oman. Hadwin, Dale & Yusuf, Aberdeen, UK. Gallagher MD. 1977. Birds of Jabal Akhdar. Journal of Oman Studies Special Report: 27-58. Glennie, K (ed). 2006. Oman’s Geological Heritage. 2nd edition. Petroleum Development Oman, Muscat. Grist, M. 2006. Oman Off-Road. Explorer, Dubai. Hanna, SS. 2006. Field Guide to the Geology of Oman. Vol 1. Western Hajar Mountains and Musandam. 2nd edition. Historical Association of Oman, Muscat. Jennings, MC. 2006a. ABBA Survey 35: Jebal Akhdar and Northern Oman. Phoenix 22: 18-19. Jennings, MC. 2006b. Wood Pigeons in the Jebal al Akhdar, Northern Oman. Phoenix 22: 20, 26. Sargeant DE, H Eriksen & J Eriksen. 2008. Birdwatching Guide to Oman. 2nd edition. Al Roya Publishing, Muscat. Peter Cowan Birdwatching Guide to Oman Dave Sargeant, Hanne Eriksen & Jens Eriksen Al Roya Publishing. 2008. Softback. 256 pages, colour photos, line illustrations, maps, tables. £22.99 ISBN 978-9948-03-643-2 Available from NHBS Environment Bookstore The first edition of this book was published in 2001—but the speed and scale of development and change in Oman meant that some of the infor- mation contained in the book very _ rapidly became out of date. Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta, common in the Jabal Akhdar, Oman. © Hanne & Jens Eriksen This second edition is therefore both welcome and necessary. The new roads that have been constructed, the paving of graded tracks, the expansion of single track roads to dual carriageways and the changes that have occurred at certain sites have all meant changes to the text—although the information on the birds remains basically the same as in the first edition. The accommo- dation section has expanded to four pages, reflecting the increased number of hotels that have been built in the last seven years. Over sixty sites are covered in detail, each with a map. A Bird Finder section is included with details of how, where and when to best find each species, as well as a complete check- list with seasonal status. The species list has also been updated to reflect those which have been added to the official Oman list up to January 2008. As well as textual changes, an extremely useful addi- tion is the inclusion of GPS waypoints and coordinates on the maps. The photographs are also different from those in the first edition and are of the usual superb quality expected from the Eriksens. This book remains an essential purchase for any birdwatcher visiting this beautiful and very accessi- ble country and is indeed a worthwhile addition to the bookshelves of anybody interested in the birds of the region. Tan Harrison Sandgrouse 30 (2008) 207 Birdwatching in Azerbaijan—a Guide to Nature and Landscape Sebastian Schmidt, Kai Gauger & Nigar Agayeva Michael Succow Foundation. 2008. Softback. 224 pages, colour photographs, maps, plus a CD. £19°99 ISBN 978-3-000-24158-1 Available from NHBS Environment Bookstore This is the first comprehensive ornithological site guide to Azerbaijan. The authors have divided the country into seven regions to help readers decide where to go. These are the coast, central lowlands, dry foothills, Greater Caucasus, Lesser Caucasus, Talish Mountains and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Each chapter identifies several sites to visit, and each of these is accompanied by a list of typi- cal species. A map of the general location of each site is included, and while these are fine for seeing where the site is in relation to local villages generally they do not give detail of paths or access. Throughout, the book is well-illustrated with photographs of habitats and species. The accompanying CD contains 75 minutes of stereo atmospheric recordings covering the main habitats. These are very pleasant, and a welcome addition to the book. Some 55 species are selected for individual treatment as they are target species for the region. A checklist of 394 species is also included indicating both the regions in which each is found but also the time of occurrence. A typical two-week itinerary to see much of Azerbaijan is sketched out for those want- ing to create their own trip and there is also plenty of useful infor- mation to assist with planning. A lot of work has gone into