THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST SN I SE ~ _— = = aa) ~ = = = ~ = S -— = \ ae N es y Z \ Ze \ is \ 7 \ OS ’ AS y; y, Y y ~m SEN BULLETIN 16 SPRING 1986 OSME BULLETIN 16 SPRING 1986 EDITOR: DJ Fisher All records in this Bulletin are subject to acceptance by the relevant records committee of the country concerned. Please note that details of exeditions, availability of expedition reports, news of members, other Societies and ornithological events are welcomed and may be printed in the Bulletin free of charge as "Announcements', subjects to the discretion of the Bulletin Editor. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank Mike Hodgson for his cover illustration of an Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs and Hilary Welch for her illustration of Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis used on page 7. We AN AUTUMN IN ARABIA: THE OSME NORTH YEMEN EXPEDITION 1985 Michael Rands OSME's first Expedition concluded its field work on 3rd December 1985 after 560 man-days of exciting research and birdwatching in the Yemen Arab Republic. Much anal ysis remains to be aone on the collected, but in this article I wil] describe the ornithological highlights of the trip; the “science’ will follow in a whole issue of Sandgrouse which is to be devoted te the Expedition’s findings. During our nine weeks we positively identified 275 species. bringing Yemen's list to 340. Our records included thirteen new species Yemen: Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus, Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura, Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha er eee bimaculata, Garden Warbler Sylvia borin, Wood Warbler Phyiltoscopus Sibilatrix, Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo and Grey Hypocol iu: Hypocolius ampelinus making up the winter visitors and passage migrants; while Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei, Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrix and Hume's Tawny Owl Strix butleri were almost certainly breeding in Yemen. We also had the world’s westernmost record of Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus, and on two separate occasions Wattled Starling Creatophora cineracea was seen. One of the major objectives of the Expedition was to study the bird communities of the Tihamah, a narrow low-lying coastal plain that runs along most of the western edge of the Arabian Peninsula, with a view to making recommendations for bird conservation in this fascinating but rapidly developing region. Altogether we carried out 289 35-minute survey transects through all the major habitat types on the Tihamah, recording the numbers, position and activity of all birds. The habitats vary from specialised coastal vegetation such as mangrove swamp and date palm plantations, through mobile sand dunes and acacia scrubland, to fertile and often highly cultivated areas towards the foothills of the Yemen highlands. Each of these habitats supports groups of resident species as well as being important feeding areas for passage migrants en route to Africa. Using this extensive set of data, we will be able to quantify the importance of each habitat to each bird species or group of species, and look at the way in which each habitat is being utilised. Although the survey work was often both exacting and exhausting, it also produced some of our mest valuable bird sightings - in places not normally frequented by birdwatchers! Another major aim of the Expedition was to seek out and study the Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs. A recent survey in Saudi Arabia, by Richard Porter and others, suggested that this species may no longer survive in the Arabian Peninsula outside North Yemen: it was therefore most important to establish its status and glean what information we could about its ecology. We were fortunate enough to discover, early on in the Expedition, a display site or lek of six males - each male standing prominently on an irrigation bank amongst small fields. This area was visited at intervals throughout October and November and we “obtained the first ever full field description of the males’ advertising display: upright stance, ballooned neck, drooped wings and tail raised into a fan shape. At intervals of about 30 seconds the bird emits a liquid "puk-puk" call; this rather unexpected sound was recorded on tape by Phil Hollom - another first for the Expedition. Arabian Bustards were also found at two other sites on the Tihamah (altogether we recorded at least 16 individuals, all in cultivated areas), which indicates that North Yemen does still support a viable population of this magnificent species. The south-west corner of the Arabian Peninsula also supports 13 endemic bird species, for which North Yemen is undoubtedly the stronghold. Very little is known about the ecology of these species and our third main objective during the Expedition was to identify their habitat requirements, food plants and breeding behaviour. Most are poorly described in the existing literature, so every opportunity was taken to make full descriptions of both plumage and voice in the field and, in some cases, in the hand. By collecting detailed observations on standard recording forms, we began to build up a picture of the ecology of each species which will be used to make basic conservation recommendations. Each of these endemics will be the subject of its own paper in the Expedition's issue of Sandgrouse. Our wide coverage of the highlands, where most of the endemics occur, identified many new sites for these species - especially the Arabian Accentor Prunella fagani, the Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus socotranus and the Arabian Red-legged Partridge Alectoris melanocephala. All the information that is now available suggests, encouragingly, that most of the endemics are widely distributed in Yemen and none appear to be immediately threatened. Nevertheless, they are all rare in global terms, and therefore deserve ful] protection and further study. It is a matter for some concern that no provision exists within the government of North Yemen for environmental protection, and we hope that in the long term the Expedition's findings may help to facilitate the setting up of National Parks or wildlife reserves and of legislation for the conservation of wildlife. Throughout the Expedition much additional information was obtained. Descriptions of plant communities were made end a collection of plant material was donated to Kew Botanic Gardens. A total of 31 bird species were caught and ringed, producing biometric data for a variety of migrants as well as the endemics. Although the planned study of raptor migration proved impossible to carry out in detail, a substantial passage (dominated by 3364 Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis and 766 Steppe Buzzards Buteo buteo) was recorded at several sites and it indicates that Yemen is certainly an important route for migrating birds of prey. One of the highlights of the trip was undoubtedly the sighting of the group of 14 Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita, previously discovered by members of the Ornithological Society of North Yemen. These birds, which we observed over several days, may conceivably be part of an as. yet undiscovered breeding population. Clearly, much exciting ornithological work remains to be done in Yemen and we hope that this Expedition will nave been the first of many organised under the auspices OSME. Those interested in learning more about the Expedition can obtain copies of the Preliminary Report (price £1.50 inc p&p in UK) from: Dr M Rands, The Game Conservancy, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, England. The Final Report will be available in autumn 1986. Finally, we hope that you will come to the joint OSME/ffPS meeting in London on 14th May (see page 39 for details), at which the Expedition's film will be shown for the first time in its completed form. DJIBOUTI II EXPEDITION Geoff and Hilary Welch As a follow-up to our preliminary expedition to Djibouti in March 1984, we made a return visit, in the autumn of 1985, from 9th October to 4th December. Our plans were to carry out further work on the endemic Djibouti Francolin Francolinus ochropectus and on raptor migration, receiving support from the OSME Conservation Research Fund for the latter study. On behalf of the World Wildlife Fund we also looked at the rare Bankoualé Palm Livistona carinensis and surveyed the southern half of the country for Arabian Bustards Ardeotis arabs. In all respects the expedition was an outstanding success. The first four weeks were spent on the north-east coast, initially at Ras Siyan and then at Doumeira, looking for raptor migration across the Bab-el-Mandeb straits. For many years people have speculated that birds enter Africa across these straits but no-one has ever been there to find out. On our arrival at Ras Siyan on 15th October, winds were from the south and very little passage was observed. However, on 16th and 17th October, winds became north-westerly and there was an amazing movement of Steppe Buzzards Buteo buteo vulpinus with 16,581 recorded in two days. Smaller numbers of a further 20 species were also noted. After this the winds returned to the south and raptor migration virtually ceased although a few other birds continued to trickle through, including a Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis, Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla and a White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis. The winds remained in the south for the rest of our stay, so on 24th October we obtained permission to move north to Doumeira on the Ethiopian border, and this turned out to be the main site for raptor passage. We arrived at Doumeira at about 10.30 and were stunned to see hundreds of raptors flying in off the sea at a height of only 60+m and thermalling in huge numbers inland over the desert. This time the predominant species was Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis with the staggering total of 60,583 in just eight and a half days! The best day was 25th October when 10,204 moved through, 4499 in just one hour!! We had to leave the area on lst November, due to other expedition commitments, and as passage was obviously stil! continuing, the numbers of birds involved must be truly phenomenal. Despite the amazing spectacle we did not have many regrets when leaving Doumeira. With the nearest "town" 90km away and an awful road to drive to get to it, combined with constant wind-driven sand and little shade whilst counting, and virtually no birds to watch once the raptors "stopped" at 14.00, counting at Doumeira was not for the faint-hearted or the the gay young socialite! Throughout the eight week stay in Djibouti, a minimum of 81,022 migrant raptors was recorded, which must make the country one of the major sites in Africa and the Middle East for observing raptor migration. Work on the Djibouti Francolin mainly consisted of a search for the species in the Mabla mountains, 60km east of its only known site in the Foret du Day National Park. The species was found to occur in the region of Goula, though only in smal} numbers, which is encouraging as the habitat there is very different to that in the National Park. Therefore there can now be increased hope for the species’ survival even if the current deterioration of the Forét du Day continues. Following a four hour aerial survey on 5th November, to locate areas of suitable bustard habitat, ground surveys were carried out in the south of the country for six days at the end of our stay. These involved walking transects in the chosen areas, looking for bustards or their tracks. In all eleven transects were walked and evidence of bustards was found in seven areas, though only three birds were actually seen. It would appear from our work and from local information, that the species is widely, if somewhat thinly, spread throughout the country wherever the habitat is suitable. In Djibouti, bustards favour areas with sandy soil, a good cover of tall Acacia trees, with or without additional ground vegetation, and a good supply of insect food, mainly large grasshoppers. During the course of the expedition, a total of 219 species of bird were recorded, 56 of which were new for the published literature - an example of how poorly the country's wildlife is known. Of these two, a pytilia and a sunbird, are so far unidentified and we have been unable to track them down either in books or the British Museum. The pytilia looks like being either a new sub-species of Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba or possibly a new species - further research is necessary. Regrettably the sunbird was in non-breeding plumage so, although it does not match anything in the British Museum, we cannot progress any further with its identity at present. A full report of the expedition's results is in preparation; we hope it will be available in the second half of 1986. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking the Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the World Wildlife Fund, the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society, the World Pheasant Association and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for their financial support; the International Council for Bird Preservation for their encouragement; and Mr Izzo at Etablissements Marill in Djibouti for providing us with a four-wheel drive vehicle at a price we could afford. 2 Springholme, Caudle Hill, Fairburn, Knottingley, West Yorkshire WF11l 9JQ, England. OSME SITES REGISTER SCHEME N J Collar Progress report no 2 To date, 115 forms have been returned by 22 contributors covering 13 of the 19 countries/geopolitical units within our area. Eleven forms have been single contributions; the remaining 104 are the work of just eleven people, namely M and J Hutton (25), A M Macfarlane (25), MI Evans (22), LN Anderson (8), F R Lambert (6), J Palfrey (5), DIM Wallace (5), D J Wilson (4), K M Olsen (2) and G W Rayner (2). Countries not yet with a site registered are Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Oman and South Yemen. The first progress report (OSME Bull. 14, 1985: 8-10) requires correction: at the time of its publication, 61 (not 60) forms had been returned by 13 (not 12) contributors, and six (not 5) forms were single contributions from observers. Thus in the past year we have received 54 forms from nine observers (three new countries have been registered). The new sites (spellings as by the contributors, sites listed from north to south, countries listed alphabetically) are given below. It will be immediately obvious that the scheme has been kept alive this past year through the activities of three people, two of them working as a team. The scarcity of material on such countries as Israel and Turkey 1S something members are warmly commended to make good in the coming year. Iraq Umm al-Khanazeer 33° 19° N: 44°26. 5. of Ye Saman Israel Be'er Ora Yotvata Lebanon Valley of Nahr Ibrahim Qatar Abu Dluf Zubarrah, south of the fort Ras Qirtas Ras Umm Laiji Al Dakhira mangoves Al Khor mangroves Al Khor gardens Peninsula on west coast Bir Zekrit Wajbah, Rayyan rubbish tip Incinerator tip (Ras Abu Aboud) Private Doha garden Zoo garden Wadi-as-Sameer old ponds Umm Bab beach Wakrahn seashore Abu Nkhala new ponds Mukeinis farms Umm Bab Escarpment (west of Wadi Thyab) Umm Said sewage works Abu Samra 29°43'N 29°53'N 34°O5'N 26°07'N 25°58'N 25°56'N 25°50'N 25°44'N 25°42'N 25°39'N 25°36'N 25°29'N 25°17'N 25°17'N 25°16'N 25°15'N 25°14'N 25°13'N 25°11'N 25°10'N 25°06'N 25°04'N 25°00'N 24°58'N 24°45'N S457" E 35263'E 315 °507E 51°10'E 51°O1'E 51°32'E 51°35'E 51°34'E 51°33'E 51°26'E 50°52'E 50°50'E 51°24'E 51°36'E 51°34'E 51°25'E sale 3 50°46'E 51°37'E 51°23'E 51°13'E 50°52'E 50°53'E 51°34'E 50°49'E SG a ee a I ae Sc ee SO tc SO. — __ 2 ED? RS aa