{= ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST va) THAME NAL ‘lt ETN ET (seksi A: ay ey cnt {lou LUSTY tA "§ esol gecretne Soe Ay Ey SE) fan a ( ay? Lye % Y Ft tf it Whe WHE ; 29, ping, TE sass? Gy et . 1 eat BULLETIN 28 SPRING 1992 OSME Bulletin 28 Spring 1992 Editor: Mark Boyd All records in this Bulletin are subject to acceptance by the relevant records committees of the country concerned. Any articles, announcements or requests to do with birds in the Middle East are welcome, and may be published free of charge, subject to the discretion of the Editor. Accompanying photographs and line-drawings are welcome. Bird names generally follow those of Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. Contributions to the next Bulletin should be received by 15 September 1992. They should preferably be double-spaced and typed. Articles on disk (3.5 or 5.25 inch only please ) are welcome. Please include both formatted and ASCII files and a paper copy as well. Illustrations We are grateful to the following artists for the illustrations used in this Bulletin: SM Andrews: black-headed Yellow Wagtail Cover and 47; Lesser Sand Plover 3; Rock Nuthatch 17; Bald Ibis 34; Brown Booby 54; Lesser Kestrel 56. Hilary Welch: House Crow 4; Bee-eater 15. We are grateful to the RSPB for the use of the following illustrations: John Busby: Nightjar 20; Goldcrest 23; Long-tailed Skua 58. Darren Rees: Osprey 41; Red Kite 53; Stone-curlew 57. Suez: not only raptors Derek J Evans Much has been written about the spectacular raptor migrations at Suez, Egypt, but almost nothing on the other birdwatching opportunities offered by this area. The sites described here can be explored in a daytrip from Cairo by bus or taxi, buta private or hire car is preferable, especially around Suez itself. Suez is approximately two-hours’ drive from Cairo, and Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis and Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes are regularly seen along the way; Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus is seen less frequently. The White House Hotel is the best place to stay (approximately £4 per nightin March 1991); the Green House Hotel is more luxurious, but twice as expensive. Al Mhresa Restawaat While House Hotel Co-e y Gare | (ee (11) Corniche Road ( ?) a Gua wo : (rs) sw x ge ST | NviSinvd } ; 33 \ ‘ ¢ 9¢ } . rt "Q sm a i C22: ily ae < “4g Livny ‘ | = \ @ MPPoye: vols 2 on ; & ee ay cay “moan -abyhus a | Yi. aS Yamysay) ae | few 5 1 9 cele 4. 4 | Ne ; | ' Que \76t = | 7a) @ inftad \ : upye fs] SG Se aye te NVLSINVHOGYV y a a zi. oN - Ot @ PPyysry uvluoz @ o¢ NG UDYING » vVaS NvVIdSvo P2035 org LNIWANOW TUNLVN ‘IVNOLLVN (ree) VTaV GILITLOUNd [2727] AONAIU 44ITGTIM (eI UVd TWNOILVN NW dl JO SAAUFSTY AUNLVN AJWYUNs 11 The protected Area covers 385,000 ha (Iran Department Of The Environment 1975 Biotic Community Reserves of Iran, Tehran). The water resources project area of about 160,000 ha, lying partly within the Protected Area, consisted of a group of catchment basins draining into several closed depressions or saltpans (Kavir). The project was required to define the long term reliable yield of non-saline water (groundwater + precipitation) as an industrial supply to an iron ore mine and crushing plant to be developed at Gol-e-Gohar, just outside the eastern boundary of the Protected Area. During project work, a new road was being constructed through the Protected Area westwards from Sirjan to Neyriz. A protected railway witha spur line to the mine site was also being surveyed along the eastern edge of the Protected Area. Evidence of hunting was notedin the Protected Area. Itis regretted that an opportunity to revisit the Protected Area since May 1976 has not occurred. These notes, although somewhat old, are presented here since apparently little ornithological data from Iran has been published in the intervening period. The climate of the project area is much affected by its location just to the north of the main watershed of the Zagros mountains, which divide coastal climate areas from those with an inland desert climate. Mean annual rainfallin Sirjan (up to 1976) was 116 mm, mean annual evaporation being about 2,400 mm. Temperatures during project work ranged from +40°C in the summer to -8°C in the winter. Vegetation in the project area consisted of low bushesat higher elevations, with occasional trees such as wild pistachio, merging through scrub, grasses and aromatic herbs on the intervening plains down to the sterile salt-pans. Anartesian spring forming asmall pond withsome vegetation was located about 20 kmeast of the camp site, the only permanent surface water available for a considerable distance. This was used extensively by both migrant and resident bird species, particularly sandgrouse. Hand operated water wells existed in the project area, used by local shepherds for flocks of sheep, goats and camels. A few pumped wells were also used for small areas of cultivation, such as cereals, pistachio and alfalfa, the irrigated fields being utilised particularly by migrant waders. During project work I noted the presence of bird species but without carrying out precise counts of all species. All bird observations are included in the systematic list, arranged in a monthly sequence. More detailed notes on some species are given below. 12 Houbara Chlamydotis undulata Present in the Protected Area throughout the project period, usually seen once or twice a week. Numbers seen were generally one or two at a time, with up to five at any one time in February - March 1976, during which period some display was noticed. This concerned 1 maleand at least 1 femalealthough! cannot be sure that on each occasion it was the same pair of individuals. I noted at least three display sites, generally slight rises in the otherwise reasonably uniform scrub covered plains, and within about 1 km of each other. The male would fluff out his feathers but without achieving the more dramatic display of, for example, Great Bustard Otis tarda. The female would generally be about 10-20mdistant , usually walking slowly behind the low vegetation, occasionally glancing at the male. No juveniles were noted, however, during the project period. Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis One adult with a very young juvenile noted at the end of July 1975, on the scrub covered plains in the Protected Area. Small flocks seen and heard at dawn generally flying over the camp site in the direction of the artesian spring. Presumed breeding resident in the Protected Area. Scops Owl Otus scops One individual noted ina wild pistaccio tree at mid-day, 8 July 1975 (photograph published in British Birds). The only sighting during the project period. Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti Present in the Protected Area throughout the period. Initially the identification was not absolutely certain, due to the very dark brown colouration of all the individuals seen. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Noted October - November 1975 at the camp site, generally foraging around the kitchen effluent pipe. The several individuals appeared to show (winter plumage) characteristics of the white-spotted race Ls cyanecula. Desert Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca minula - One showing the characteristics of an adult male of this race in a thorny hedge near a small village in the Protected Area, 30 August 1975. Twite Carduelis flavirostris One, 14 April 1976, at the artesian spring showing a bright pink rumpcharacteristic of the race Cf brevirostris. Pleske’s Ground Jay Podoces pleskei Juvenile initially seen on 8 July 1975 in the Protected Area near one of the project drilling sites; presumed to be a resident breeding species in the Protected Area. 13 Systematic list * Identified in the Bahram-e-Gour Protected Area — Presumed present in the Protected Area e Identified outside the Protected Area Locations: Project camp site 55° 17’E 28° 44’N Sirjan (Sa’‘idabad) 55° 42’E 29° 28’N Sar Cheshmeh 55° 47’E 30° 14’"N Kerman 57° 5’E 30° 17'N Neyriz 54° 17’E 29° 13’N Shiraz 52° 32’E 29° 48’N Esfahan 51° 40’E 32° 43’N Tehran. 51° 27’E 35° 39’'N Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis e November 1975, Esfahan Grey Heron Ardea cinerea ¢e November 1975, Esfahan Little Egret Egretta garzetta e November 1975, Esfahan Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber * one long dead, 21 September 1975; March 1976 Shelduck Tadorna tadorna* April 1976 Teal Anas crecca ¢ November 1975, Esfahan Mallard Anas platyrhynchos e¢ November 1975 Esfahan Black Kite Milvus migrans ¢ November 1975, around 200, Shiraz Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus * October 1975 and March 1976 Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus _® July 1975, Sirjan Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus * September 1975 and March 1976 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus * September 1975 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus * October 1976 Harrier (Ringtails) Circus * September and October 1975 Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus * September, October, November 1975 and April 1976 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos * September, November and December 1975 and February and March 1976; e January 1976 Tawny/Steppe Eagle Aquila rapax *September, October and November 1975; one recently dead, 1 October 1975 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus * June, September and October 1975 Saker Falco cherrug * September 1975 See-See Ammoperdix griseogularis - Recorded Juneand November 1975, presumed present throughout Chukar Alectoris chukar - Recorded June and November 1975, presumed present throughout Moorhen Gallinula chloropus « November 1975, Esfahan Coot Fulica atra e November 1975, Esfahan Houbara Chlamydotis undulata June-September 1975, October-November 1975, January, February, March onwards 1976 Stone-Curlew Burhinus oednicnemus*June 1975 Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor * June 1975 and March 1976 Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni * September 1975 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus ¢ November 1975, Shiraz Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius * September 1975 and March 1976 14 Redshank Tringa totanus e November 1975, Esfahan Green Sand piper Tringa ochropus* September and October 1975, Marchand April 1976 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola* August and September 1975 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos * September 1975 Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus * September 1975 Snipe Gallinago gallinago * September and October 1975 Dunlin Calidris alpina * September and October 1975 Herring Gull Larus argentatus * April 1976 Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis - Recorded June and July 1975, presumed present throughout Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus- Presumed present throughout Rock Dove Columba livia* June 1975 Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur * June 1975 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis © November 1975, Esfahan Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri e November 1975, Esfahan, Tehran Cuckoo Cuculus canorus * June and September 1975, March and April 1976 Scops Owl Otus scops * July 1975 Little Owl Athene noctua * June and September 1975, March 1976 Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus * June and September 1975 Swift Apus apus * June and August 1975; e April 1976, Sirjan Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis e November 1975, Esfahan Kingfisher Alcedo atthis e November 1975, Esfahan Wa 2: i Bs ; Ue Argh he ute i \ £. | Lossy Ug YIU. Yip ily YN al Bee-eater Merops apiaster * June and August 1975, April 1976 Roller Coracias garrulus * September 1975 Hoopoe Upupa epops * June 1975, February, March and April 1976 Syrian Woodpecker Picoides syriacus - Presumed present throughout Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes * December 1975 Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti * Recorded every month Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla * March 1976 Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens * October and November 1976 Crested Lark Galerida cristata * Recorded every month 15 Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris * June 1975, Sar Cheshmeh Sand Martin Riparia riparia * August 1975 Swallow Hirundo rustica *, June-November 1975, April 1976 House Martin Delichon urbica e November 1975, Shiraz Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava * September 1975 White Wagtail Motacilla alba * April 1976 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea * September 1975 and March 1976 Water Pipit Anthus spinolettae November 1975, Neyriz White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys * June 1975; ¢ November 1975, Neyriz jabeline Shrike Lantus isabellinus * July, September-November 1975, Marchand April 1976 Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor * February and April 1976 Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor * July, September, October and November 1975 Woodchat Shrike Lantus senator * March and April 1976 Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus * April 1976 Radde’s Accentor Prunella ocularis * November 1975 Robin Erithacus rubecula * November 1975 Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos * August 1975 Bluethroat Luscinia svecica * October and November 1975 Eversmann’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythronotus * November 1975 Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros * September and November 1975, April 1976 Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus * September, October and November 1975, April 1976 Stonechat Saxicola torquata « November 1975, Shiraz Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe * June 1975 Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka * March 1975 Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti * June 1975 and presumed present throughout Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschii - Recorded August and December 1975, presumed present throughout Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Presumed present throughout Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna* September, October and November 1975 Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe Oenanthe lugens * November 1975 and February 1976 Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger Presumed present throughout Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis * September and October 1975, March and April 1976 Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius * October and November 1975, April and May 1976 Blackbird Turdus merula e November 1975, Esfahan Black-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis atrogularis * November 1975-March 1976 Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus * September 1975 Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides * March 1976 Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceous ¢ November 1975, Esfahan; * April 1976 Booted Warbler Hippolats caligata * July 1975 Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida * July 1975 Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta *, June and December 1975 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus * October 1975 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybitus * November 1975 and May 1976 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla * October and November 1975 16 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin * September 1975 Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria * September and October 1975 Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis * April 1976 Whitethroat Sylvia communis * September 1975 Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca* April 1975 Desert Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curraca minula * October 1975 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata* July and September 1975 Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca * August 1975 and March 1976 Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva « November 1975, Tehran Sombre Tit Parus lugubris e November 1975, Neyriz Great Tit Parus major e November 1975, Shiraz Blue Tit Parus caeruleus e November 1975, Shiraz Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer e November 1975, Shiraz Great Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronata* Presumed present throughout; ¢ November 1975, Shiraz House Bunting Emberiza striolata * September 1975 Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala * August 1975 Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus * September 1975 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs * November 1975 Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus * March 1976 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis * April 1976 Twite Carduelis flavirostris * April 1976 House Sparrow Passer domesticus * June and October 1975; ¢ September and December 1975, February and May 1976, Tehran Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis * May 1976 Starling Sturnus vulgaris e December 1975, Tehran Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus * September and October 1975 Magpie Pica pica * September and November 1975 Pleske’s Ground Jay Podoces pleskei *- Presumed present throughout Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax * November 1975 Rook Corvus frugilegus ¢ November 1975, Shiraz Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix * July 1975; e November 1975, Kerman Raven Corvus corax *- Presumed present throughout S] Farnsworth, Hammerkop, Frogmill, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5NL, UK 17 A record of Aquatic Warbler from Turkey Guy Kirwan Between 5 and 7 September 1991, I was birdwatching in the vicinity of Anamur (Southern Coastlands), Turkey. Principally, !wasattempting to compare the migration of raptors (both numbers and direction) in the area with the observations of Vincent van den Berk, and others, at the Goksu Delta, approximately 120 km farther east. I was, however, also aware that the area might have potential for attracting unusual passerine migrants. The first Turkish record of Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax comes from this area (Kasparek 1986, Martins 1989, Kasparek 1990). On 5 September, I was investigating an area of reed-choked dykes and damp grassland to the south of the town in the late afternoon, when my attention was drawn to a movement in the nearest patch of reeds. Focusing my binoculars, I swiftly realised that I was observing a rather strikingly marked, bright, streaked Acrocephalus warbler. For the following five minutes, I watched the bird asit moved along the near side of a reed- filled ditch, ata distance of approximately five metres, until it eventually disappeared into rather thicker cover. I had only seen Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola on one previous occasion (in Britain), but it required little to convince me that the bird I had just been watching was of this species. All the salient features Aquatic Warbler had been visible. I took the following notes: Size and structure: size as Sedge Warbler A schoenobaenus, but with sharp, pointed tail feathers, and generally slimmer, slighter body appearance. Plumage: Head strikingly patterned, very crisp, straw-coloured central crown- stripe, wide and prominent, unstreaked, and graduating to a point on the nape; strongly demarcated by black, or near black lateral crown-stripes; slightly paler supercilium, distinctly flared behind the eye; eye black; pale lores and dull brown ear coverts combine to give bird rather ‘bare-faced’ expression. Breast and flanks pale buff ground colour, former with few dark brown streaks becoming more noticeable on the upper flanks and neck sides; belly off-white, unstreaked. Upperparts with rich straw-coloured tram-lines on sides of mantle; mantle heavily streaked black, streaks extending onto the deep buff coloured rump and uppertail coverts. Wings with dark, or nearly black centres to all feathers, with warm deep buff fringes. Tail dark with paler (browner) fringes to all feathers, and distinctly spiky appearance. Bare parts: legs and feet quite bright, flesh coloured. No call heard. 18 Kumerloeve (1961) lists several records of Aquatic Warbler in his avifauna of Asia Minoras follows: a small (but unspecified) number of observations from Izmir, Braun was given the species during the autumn migration when an example was obtained during bird-catches (presumably in the final years of the last century, or the first decade of the twentieth, but no year, date or locality supplied), while Smith mentions a ‘possible’ sight record to the west of Trabzon in June 1958 (in Smith 1960). Kumerloeve appears to question this. Most importantly, Mathey-Dupraz (1920/23) mentions a specimen held in the Robert's College, Istanbul (Bebek) collection. On the basis of these records, the species is listed for Turkey by Hollom (1971), Hollom et al (1988), Ertan et al (1989), Parmenter and Byers (1991) and Kasparek (in press). No subsequent records from Turkey have been published (Bird Report 1966-86, Kasparek 1990). As all of the records documented by Kumerloeve, with the possible exception of the specimen record, fall well short of today’s standards, this new record is perhaps only the second verifiable record for Turkey. Acknowledgments I should like to thank Ruth Maier (for translation of German material) and Richard Porter (for comments on the species’ status in Turkey) for their help in the preparation of this note. References Beaman, M (1986) Turkey Bird Report 1976-81. Sandgrouse 8:1-41. Bird Report, ed. by the Ornithological Society of Turkey: 1966-67 (1969), 168-69 (1972),1970-73 (1975) and 1974-75 (1978). Ertan, A, Kilic, A and Kasparek, M (1989) Turkiye’nin Onemli Kus Alanlari. DHKD/ICBP, Istanbul. Hollom, PAD (1971) Checklist of the birds of Turkey-ed. by the Ornithological Society of Turkey, London. Hollom, PAD, Porter, RF, Christensen, S and Willis, I (1988) Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. Poyser, Calton. Kasparek, M (1986) The Cyprus Warbler, Sylvia melanothorax, recorded in Turkey. Zool. Middle East 1:54-56. Kasparek, M. (1990) Zum Vorkommen einiger in der Turkei seltener Vogelarten. Bonn. zool. Beitr. 41:181-202. Kumerloeve, H. (1961) Zur Kenntnis der Avifauna Kleinasiens. Bonn. zool. Beitr., Sonderheft. Martins, R.P. (1989) Turkey Bird Report 1982-86. Sandgrouse 11:1-41. Parmenter, T and Byers, CW (1991) The Warblers of the Western Palearctic. Bruce Coleman. Guy Kirwan, 6 Connaught Road, Norwich NR2 3BP, UK 19 Diurnal oe a migration _ rpg On 4 (put. A) ij rs) of SZ > at ‘ £ “Hy Nightjars at Le Ly the Goksu Delta, GE South Turkey