Ce \ OSME ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA OSME OSME was founded in 1978 as the successor to the Ornithological Society of Turkey. Its primary aims are: e 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 SEIS2DIE WK. ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA VICE PRESIDENTS (AS AT FEBRUARY 2009) Ali Adhami Mirhosseyni Dan Alon Ali bin Amer Al-Kiyumi Imad Atrash Akram Eissa Darwish Sherif Baha El Din Ramaz Gokhelashvili Ghassan Ramadan Jaradi Mona Ramadan Jaradi Sergey Sklyarenko COUNCIL (AS AT FEBRUARY 2009) Michael Blair Richard Bonser Ian Harrison ¢ Secretary secretary@osme.org Sharif Al Jbour Guy Kirwan Chris Lamsdell ¢ Advertising ads@osme.org Richard Prior ¢ Publicity publicity@osme.org Colin Richardson Effie Warr « Sales & Distribution (co-opted) sales@osme.org John Warr « Treasurer & Membership (co-opted) treasurer@osme.org Geoff Welch ¢ Chairman chairman@osme.org ¢ Conservation & Research crf@osme.org OSME CORPORATE MEMBERS Avifauna Greentours NHBS Rockjumper Birding Tours Sarus Bird Tours Sunbird Registered charity no 282938 ©2009 Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia. www.osme.org tf N 6 13) 18 24 36 38 40) 42 a4 55 o/ 61 68 713) SANDGROUSE VOLUME 31 (I) 2009 Preliminary comments on skua Stercorarius reports from Armenia. VASIL ANANIAN Observations on the cooling behaviour, and associated habitat, of four desert lark species (Alaudidae) in two areas of Kuwait. GARY BROWN Unexpectedly large number of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius on autumn migration in Turkey and some remarks on the stopover site. MURAT BIRICI On the status and distribution of Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia and Common Nightingale L. megarhynchos in Armenia. VASIL ANANIAN First breeding record of Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia in Israel. Noam Weiss, MIKOLA| Koss & REUVEN YOSEF The timing of spring passage of soaring birds at Zait bay, Egypt. GUDRUN HILGERLOH, JAN WEINBECKER & INGO WEISS Use of nest baskets by Long-eared Owls Asio otus in Israel. Motti CHARTER, YOSS! LESHEM & SHAY HALEVI The first Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris in Yemen. DAvID B STANTON Food-dunking behaviour by a Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius. DONALD C DEARBORN & ANDREA B GAGER First record of Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus in Armenia. MARTIN ADAMIAN & FRANCIS X MOFFATT On the distribution and ecology of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Armenia. VASIL ANANIAN First confirmed breeding record of Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus for Lebanon, 2006. GHASSAN RAMADAN-JARADI & THIERRY BARA Weight gains by re-trapped passerine migrants at an artificially vegetated site, Eastern Desert, Egypt. GUDRUN HILGERLOH & BERND RADDATZ Status of selected migrant species in Kuwait: observations and ringing, spring 1997. NiceL CLeeRE & DAVID J KELLY First breeding of Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus on Socotra, Yemen. AHMED SAEED SULEIMAN Nesting tree utilisation by Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis in west central Saudi Arabia. PeTteR CUNNINGHAM Breeding and food habits of a pair of urban Desert Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus in Hurghada, Red Sea coast, Egypt. IstvAN MOLDOVAN & ATTILA D SANDOR Erratum: Schweizer M & M Mitropolskiy. 2008. The occurrence of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and its status in Central Asia. Sandgrouse 30: 161-163. Review. OSME News. Georr WELCH News & Information. DAWN BALMER (COMPILER) Around the Region. DAWN BALMER & DAVID MURDOCH (COMPILERS) Photo above: Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus southern Israel (just north of Eilat), April. © Paul Doherty Cover photo: Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus northern Israel (Hula valley), October. © Lior Kislev Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 1 Preliminary comments on skua Stercorarius reports from Armenia VASIL ANANIAN This paper examines reports of skuas Stercorarius from Armenia, following the review by Arkhipov & Blair (2007) of the occurrence of stercorariids in the OSME region, which includes the Caucasus. In the Handbook of the Birds of Armenia (Adamian & Klem 1999), pro- duced by the Birds of Armenia (BOA) Project, the authors listed all existing Stercorarius claims from Armenia and accepted them as valid, with five records of Pomarine Stercorarius pomarinus, four of Arctic S. parasiticus and one record of Long-tailed Skua S. longicaudus. There has been no record of Great Skua S. skua. No additional details were provided to sup- port the claims (Table 1), except for measurements of two specimens. The claims covered the period 1958-1989 and had been originally reported in Ayrumian et al (1968), Adamian et al (1969), Ayrumian et al (1975) and Melikian (1996). Inspection of the original publications and the skua measurement data in the BOA Project archives (‘skua datasheets’), led me to reanalyze the reports listed by Adamian & Klern (1999). These claims are numbered 1-10 in Table 1. THE PUBLISHED REPORTS Claim 1 Pomarine Skua. Ayrumian et al (1968) mentioned 1966 as the first occurrence of Pomarine Skua in Armenia, strangely overlooking the male specimen collected in 1958 by one of the coauthors. The skua datasheets (Table 2) showed that the 1958 specimen was ini- tially misidentified (possibly as Arctic Skua, see below), and was reidentified as Pomarine Skua by M Scott in 1995. Adamian & Klem (1999) do not mention the specimen label cor- rection, and referred to Gambarian & Adamian (1960) which presumably contains the specimen details. I was unable to locate the latter publication, but if it contains adequate information about the Pomarine Skua of 1958, surely this would not have been omitted by Ayrumian et al (1968). The measurements of wing, bill and tarsus of this specimen (Table 2) fall short of the lowest values for Pomarine Skua in Cramp & Simmons (1983) and are not dissimilar to those of Arctic and Long-tailed Skua in the latter reference. An Arctic Skua claim, not mentioned in Adamian & Klem (1999), is found in Adamian et al (1969) and Ayrumian et al (1975), and is presented as collection of a specimen on 14 Table I. Skua Stercorarius records from Armenia (Adamian & Klem 1999). Claims Species Date Location Number Specimen of birds available | Pomarine Skua 14 Sep 1958 Lake Sevan | collected Yes 2 Pomarine Skua 20 Novy 1965 Lake Sevan | collected ~ No! 3 Pomarine Skua 17 Aug 1966 Lake Sevan | observed No 4 Pomarine Skua early Oct, probably 1966 Lake Sevan | shot by a fisherman No 5 Pomarine Skua 11 Oct 1966 Lake Sevan 2 observed with | collected No' 6 Arctic Skua 7 Apr 1989 Armash Fish Farm | collected Yes 7 Arctic Skua 12 May 1989 Armash Fish Farm 2 observed No 8&9 Arctic Skua 27 Jan 1967 Lake Sevan 2 observed 50 km apart during boat census No 10 Long-tailed Skua 7 May 1968 Lake Sevan | adult observed No ‘In fact, specimen exists. 2 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) entero Table 2. Measurements of skua Stercorarius specimens, held at the Institute of Zoology, Yerevan. Reproduced from BOA Project datasheets'. Species (Claim) Date Location Age Sex Wing? Tail? Bill Tarsus Specimen label (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) author(s) Pomarine Skua (1) 1!4Sep 1958 Lake Sevan ad male- 316". ['99 31.0 44.0 Adamian & Scott Pomarine Skua (2) 20 Nov 1965 Lake Sevan ad ? 348 = 143 38.0 55.0 Adamian Pomarine Skua (5) 11 Oct 1966 Lake Sevan juv female 366 156 37.0 54.0 Adamian Arctic Skua (6) 7 Apr 1989 Armash Fish ad male-. 320 170 30.0 45.0 Melikian & - Farm Adamian ' Body length, wingspan and/or weight were available for some specimens, but are omitted here. * Maximum length, ? Total length and * Exposed culmen. September 1968 near Martuni at Lake Sevan. Date and location of collection (including nearest town) are identical to the data for the 1958 Pomarine Skua specimen (Claim 1). It is quite possible that the year of collection was misprinted in the 1969 paper and the error remained in the 1975 paper. Claim 2 Pomarine Skua. Measurements are present in the skua datasheets (Table 2), but were not included in Adamian & Klem (1999). This specimen was apparently available to Ayrumian et al (1968), but is not mentioned there. Perhaps the bird had remained uniden- tified or its identity was determined as other than Pomarine Skua. The measurements of its bill and tarsus suggest it to be a Pomarine, rather than any other Stercorarius species (Cramp & Simmons 1983). Claim 3 Pomarine Skua. This observation by V Hakobyan is listed in Ayrumian et al (1968) as the first Pomarine Skua encounter in Armenia, but it lacks supporting details. Apart from the date and location of observation, they mentioned it was immature and among perched Armenian Gulls Larus armenicus. Claim 4 Pomarine Skua. Adamian & Klem (1999) were uncertain about the specific date and year for this report, but it was cited as ‘early October of 1966’ by Ayrumian et al (1968), ‘September of 1966’ by Ayrumian et al (1975), while Adamian et al (1969) gave 29 September 1966 for this location (Noratoos village, Lake Sevan) and presumably this occurrence. The bird was shot by fishermen and was given to staff of Sevan Hydro-Biological Station (Ayrumian et al 1968). None of the sources present adequate descriptive details for this bird, except that it was an immature with predominantly brownish and ashy-grey plumage with buff feather edging. No measurements or specimen are apparently available, and it is unclear whether the authors examined the bird themselves, or that the published details were verbally reported to them by the hydro-biological station staff. Claim 5 Pomarine Skua. The birds were observed in a flock with Armenian Gulls. The immature female specimen, collected by R Rafaelyan (Ayrumian et al 1968), is held in the Institute of Zoology collections, Yerevan, and was re-measured during the production of Adamian & Klem (1999), but these data were omitted from the latter publication and the collector’s name was omitted from the skua datasheets. Measurements of its bill and tarsus suggest it to be a Pomarine, rather than any other Stercorarius species (Cramp & Simmons 1983), even though all values in the skua datasheets for this individual (Table 2) are differ- ent from those of the original publication (Ayrumian et al 1968). The second bird from this date was mentioned by Ayrumian et al (1968) as being an immature without further details, but was presumably considered to be a Pomarine Skua as the collected bird was identified as such. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 5) Claim 6 Arctic Skua. Originally published in Melikian (1996), although this work was not mentioned in Adamian & Klem (1999). All of the available measurements of this bird over- lap with adult male Long-tailed Skua measurements in Cramp & Simmons (1983), except for the wing, 2mm longer than the maximum value for Long-tailed, a difference possibly due to measurement error or technique. Claim 7 Arctic Skua. The original source (Melikian 1996) did not present number of birds observed, but Adamian & Klem (1999) mentioned “two seen”. No further details of the occurrence were presented and no proof was provided that the claimed birds were Arctic Skuas. Claims 8 & 9 Arctic Skua. These two were seen on the same day but 50 km apart, and were listed without reference to publication or observers, although “boat census” mentioned for this event probably refers to the Armenian Institute of Zoology surveys in the mid 1960s. No descriptive details were provided to prove species identity or to eliminate the slight chance of a double-counted individual. Claim 10 Long-tailed Skua. The only report of Long-tailed Skua from Armenia, a sighting, is presented in Adamian et al (1969) and Ayrumian et al (1975), but without details on the bird’s age, plumage or circumstances of observation. Adamian & Klem (1999) specified the bird’s age as adult, citing Ayrumian et al (1975). - DISCUSSION It is well known that field identification of skuas is far from straightforward, a difficulty compounded by size variation and plumage morphs (Beaman & Madge 1998, Arkhipov & Blair 2007). Indeed, immature skuas lack absolute diagnostic field marks and require a lot of practice for positive field identification (Mullarney et al 1999). These circumstances appear to be underestimated in the Armenian skua claims, and initial misidentification of at least two of the four collected specimens combined with inaccurate specimen labeling, casts reasonable doubt on the field observations described above. Reports without substan- tiating details should not be discarded but be treated with appropriate caution. Expert examination of the four available Armenian skua specimens seems essential. The only other skua report from Armenia refers to the observation of a pale juvenile Pomarine Skua on 7 September 2002 by Roy Beddard, Pascal Wink and VA near Lichk vil- lage on the SE shore of Lake Sevan. On that day the bird was seen quite close (approached and flew overhead) and in good light, which allowed RB and PW to identify it easily and immediately. Both of them are well familiar with all skuas, so there were no doubts and it didn’t enter our heads to write a detailed description (with hindsight, a missed opportuni- ty indeed). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Karen Aghababyan and Levan Janoyan from BOA Project (American University of Armenia) kindly provid- ed the skua measurements. The trip to Lake Sevan in September 2002 was organized by Mark Finn (Birdwatching Breaks). Chris Bradshaw, Mamikon Ghasabyan, Nigel Redman, Victoria Ten and Pascal Wink helped with obtaining some references. REFERENCES Adamian, MS, KA Ayrumian, BO Geilikman & NA Margarian. 1969. [About some changes in ornithofauna of Armenian SSR. Theses of reports: 8-11. Academy of Sciences of Armenian SSR], Yerevan. [In Russian] Adamian, MS & D Klem. 1999. Handbook of the Birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia, Oakland, CA: Arkhipov, V & M Blair. 2007. Skua (Catharacta, Stercorarius) occurrence in the OSME Region. Sandgrouse 29: 183-204. = Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Ayrumian, KA, MS Adamian & NA Margarian. 1968. [On the occurrence of Pomarine Skua in Armenia]. Ornitologiya 9: 335-336. [In Russian] Ayrumian, KA, BO Geilikman & NA Margarian. 1975. [The state of ornithofauna in the basin of Lake Sevan and the prospects of restoring the resources of waterbirds in Armenia. Academy of Sciences of Armenian SSR. Zoological digest] 16: 31-64. [In Russian] Beaman, M & S Madge. 1998. The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. Helm, UK. Cramp, S & KEL Simmons (eds). 1983. The birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 3. Oxford University Press, UK. Gambarian, PP & MS Adamian. 1960. [Bird Migration (review)]. Priroda 6: 111-112. [In Russian] Melikian, KA. 1996. [Peculiarities of ecology and economic value of fish-eating birds at the fish farms of the Arax Valley. Candidate’s dissertation. Institute of Zoology of the Armenian Academy of Sciences], Yerevan. [In Russian] Mullarney, K, L Svensson, D Zetterstrom & PJ Grant. 1999. Collins Bird Guide. Collins, London. Vasil Ananian, 179 Bashinjaghian Street, Apt 23, 0078, Yerevan, Armenia. vasil.ananian@gmail.com Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 5 Observations on the cooling behaviour, and associated habitat, of four desert lark species (Alaudidae) in two areas of Kuwait GARY BROWN INTRODUCTION Birds that occupy hot arid environments are confronted with acute problems of energy and water balance due to extreme stress factors such as lack of surface water, intense solar radi- ation and high ambient air temperatures (Williams & Tieleman 2001). In response to such demands, birds thermoregulate by both physiological and behavioural means to prevent their body temperature reaching the upper lethal limit of 46-47°C (Maclean 1996). According to Williams & Tieleman (2005), an important physiological adaptation in desert lark spp is the lower rate at which they metabolize energy compared with mesic species of the same family. Behavioural responses to thermal stress and high solar radiation include avoidance strategies such as seeking shade. This may not always be quite straightforward in sparsely-vegetated desert environments. Burrows of the large herbivorous spiny-tailed lizard Uromastyx aegyptius are used as thermal refugia, during the hottest part of the day, by various desert lark spp in the Saudi Arabian desert (Williams et al 1999). These authors estimated that Hoopoe Larks Alaemon alaudipes, in this manner, could reduce their evapo- rative water-loss by as much as 81%. Shobrak (1998), also in the Saudi Arabian desert, noted male Hoopoe Larks at midday either under Acacia bushes avoiding direct sunlight or on top of them avoiding ground level heat. In addition, he observed birds prostrate themselves, facing into the wind, for a few seconds at a time on mats of the herb Corchorus depressus in summer during the heat of the day. He interpreted this behaviour to be ther- moregulatory, considering the foliage to be cooler than the surrounding desert substrate. Cowan & Brown (2001) reported on similar behaviour of three desert lark spp (Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni (Plate 1), Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura (Plate 2) and Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha (Plate 3) in Kuwait, but sitting on the desert gourd plant Citrullus colocynthis. This plant is morphologically similar to Corchorus (which does not occur in | Kuwait) in that it too grows as dense mats adpressed to the ground. Furthermore, the birds apparently remain on the Citrullus mats for quite long periods during the hottest part of the day, rather than the fleeting visits mentioned by Shobrak (1998). 3 oF et pen Remit el etd pe ee i st Pk Plate 1. (left) Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni, 20 February 2007, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown Plate 2. (right) Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura, 3 January 2008, Liyah, Kuwait. © Gary Brown 6 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) z. = 2S : Se me wes ae s. ; £3 ie conte Sa a ee cae ‘ Plate 3. (left) Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha, standing on Citrullus mat, 3| August 2006, Liyah, Kuwait.© Gary Brown = ae Plate 4. (right) Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps, male by pool, 26 April 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown The present paper reports opportunistic observations, made 2005-2008 in two desert areas of Kuwait, of apparent cooling behaviour of Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks Eremopterix nigriceps (Plate 4), Dunn’s Larks, Bar-tailed Larks and Temminck’s Larks during the hottest part of the year (June to September), when diurnal ambient temperatures regu- larly exceed 40°C, and often reach 50°C. METHODS Observations were carried out in two study sites, described in more detail below: (1) the new 20 km? extension of the Sulaibiya Agricultural Research Station, SARS, of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) at Kebd, central Kuwait, and (2) at a former gravel quarrying site in Liyah, north-central Kuwait (‘Liyah’). The first site was visited at least once weekly from November 2004, the second at least once a month from this date. Birds displaying cooling behaviour in reaction to ambient temperature could be expected from late April to early October, when daytime temperatures of 40°C and above are recorded. Photographs of the birds showing apparent cooling behaviour were taken whenever possible. A weather station is permanently installed in the SARS extension, providing data at 10- minute intervals on important climatic variables such as ambient temperature and rainfall. Temperature readings from the weather station corresponded very closely to those of the ambient-temperature gauge of the moving research vehicle, so that temperature for Liyah, where there is no weather data available, could be assessed. All air temperatures stated in this paper are shielded ‘shade’ temperatures. ENVIRONMENT OF KUWAIT Kuwait is a small (c18 000 km?) desert country located in the north-east of the Arabian peninsula. According to the Atlas of Desertification (Middleton & Thomas 1997), the cli- mate of Kuwait can be classified as arid. Detailed information on the physical environment has been provided by Halwagy & Halwagy (1974a), and is summarised in the following. The landscape is flat to gently undulating, and rises almost imperceptibly from the coast to a maximum altitude of nearly 300 m in the southwest. The climate is characterised by hot, dry summers, when mean daily temperatures are about 35-37°C, and relatively mild win- ters. During the winter period, mean daily temperatures are about 14—16°C, with absolute temperatures dropping to nearly 0°C and occasionally just below during the coolest months (January & February). Rainfall occurs mainly during the winter and spring Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Zi months, November—April. Mean annual rainfall is c115 mm, with extreme values of 28 and 260 mm. An overview of the vegetation has been provided by Halwagy & Halwagy (1974b). In brief, much of the desert environment should be occupied by open dwarf shrub communi- ties or open grasslands (which include the sedge Cyperus conglomeratus). Desert annuals are a characteristic feature in years of high rainfall. The main growth period for plants coin- cides with the winter and spring period, and lasts for a maximum of c4—5 months. In recent decades, the desert environment has been subject to severe degradation, main- ly due to increased anthropogenic pressures, in particular massive overgrazing by domestic livestock (sheep, camels and goats), but also due to off-road driving, camping and the military activities associated with the liberation of Kuwait from the recent Iraqi occu- pation (Omar 2000, Brown 2003). STUDY SITES In 2004, KISR obtained a 20 km? tract of highly degraded desert directly abutting SARS (also 20 km/?), c30 km southwest of Kuwait City. All livestock, camps and rub- bish were removed from the new area in early 2004, and it was enclosed by a secure fence. At the time of enclosure, there was virtually no vegetation cover remaining, except for some heavily-grazed Cyperus con- glomeratus. Since 2004, natural revegetation has taken place quite rapidly over the entire area, aided initially by several years of good rainfall. Two separate vegetation units are now discernible: one in which the perennial dwarf shrub Moltkiopsis ciliata as well as the Plate 5. Typical sparse vegetation cover of the Moltkiopsis community, with the more dense vegetation of the Cyperus community in the background. The Molkiopsis community is an ideal habitat for both Dunn’s Larks Eremalauda dunni and Black-crowned Sparrow-larks Eremopterix nigriceps. || March 2005, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown perennial grasses Centropodia forsskaolit and Stipagrostis plumosa play an important role (Moltkiopsis community), mainly on shallow, gritty soils, and the other dominated by stands of the coarse sedge Cyperus conglomeratus (Cyperus community). The latter is charac- teristic of deeper, sandier substrates. A mosaic of these two main vegetation units occurs over large areas (Plate 5). Total perennial vegetation cover reaches 12% in the Cyperus com- munity, but only about 2-3% in the Moltkiopsis community. Furthermore, because vegetation height in the Moltkiopsis community is much less (c10 cm, compared with up to 30 cm in the Cyperus community), the stands are much more open. The vegetation of the original SARS area is markedly different in that it is mostly dom- inated by rather dense stands of the dwarf shrub Rhanterium epapposum, which grows to a height of 50-60 cm. The former quarry site at Liyah, c60 km to the NW of Kuwait City, covers an area of c200 km/? and, after cessation of quarrying activities, now presents itself as flat to gently undu- lating desert. As a broad generalisation, the site can be divided into two fairly equal-sized sections separated by a tarmac road. The northern section was heavily affected by excava- tion work and has recently been refilled and levelled. Natural vegetation regeneration is hardly proceeding in this section at all, except in the few depressions in which rainwater accumulates. Vegetation cover in most of the northern section is less than 0.5%. In the southern section, there has been impressive natural regeneration, locally at least, with ro) Sandgrouse 31 (2009) extensive stands dominated by the perennial grass Stipagrostis plumosa. On firmer, gritty substrates, the dwarf shrub Moltkiopsis ciliata is the dominant perennial, and it is usually accompanied by Stipagrostis plumosa in varying amounts. Vegetation cover varies according to location, but in general, it is between 0.5 and 5%. In the southern section, the relatively large number of animal burrows indicates that certain reptiles and mammals appear to be much more common there than in the north section. Of particular interest are the several large but shallow depressions located in the north- ern section. During 2006, heavy rainfall was received on several days late in the spring (mid-April), leading to the creation of several temporary pools up to c0.25 km? in area that persisted for several weeks. On drying out, mass germination of the desert gourd Citrullus colocynthis was triggered, and a large number of large prostrate plants developed. Individual plants can easily exceed 2 m in diameter, and the mats can be so dense that the underlying substrate is not visible. The green of these and other plants in the depressions strongly contrasted with the otherwise virtually barren surroundings. Depending on the availability of water, Citrullus is an annual or perennial. This cucur- bit is remarkable in that it is one of the few species with the C, photosynthetic pathway to remain physiologically fully active during the hot summer months in Kuwait, and even flowers then. Furthermore, the leaves show none of the typical adaptations of desert plants, such as small size. Much the opposite, the leaves are among the largest (measuring up to 6 x 5 cm) of any wild species found in Kuwait. As mentioned by several authors (eg Lange 1959, Althawadi & Grace 1986), the plant transpires heavily to provide evaporative cooling of the leaves, with Lange (1959) reporting a reduction of up to 15.3°C compared with ambi- ent air temperatures. Brown (2001) noted that it is highly dependent on a constant supply of subsurface water. Consequently, in years of unfavourable rainfall some plants will die off through lack of water. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark The Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark breeds in Kuwait and can be seen year-round especially in areas protected from overgrazing (Cowan & Pilcher 2003, Gregory 2005). Small numbers breed in Liyah (Brown pers obs), but a good site to see the species in Kuwait is the SARS extension. Due to the substantial disturbance in the area that was to become the SARS extension, it is highly unlikely that the birds were breeding there before 2004, although it is possible that a few pairs may have been nesting in the original SARS area. According to E DeLima (pers comm), a single pair of birds began breeding in the newly protected SARS extension in an area of desert (c0.25 km?) that was irrigated in 2004. By 2006, several hundred pairs were breeding in the SARS extension, with by far the highest density in the irrigated site. This rapid colonisation of such a small area is quite remarkable, and reminiscent of the invasion and breeding of Dunn’s Lark in the Arav’a valley, Israel, as described by Shirihai (1991). In the SARS extension, the species breeds in the Moltkiopsis community and open stands of the Cyperus community, but the former seems to be preferred. Most nests have been found at the base of Cyperus plants, which also occur as scattered individuals in the Moltkiopsis community. Breeding numbers appear to have decreased somewhat during 2007 and 2008, possibly due to the distinctly low rainfall of the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 seasons. However, a small pool was constructed in April 2007 immediately adjacent to the irrigated site that undoubt- edly helped offset greater reductions in the breeding population, which was estimated to be in excess of 100 breeding pairs in early 2008. This pool is the most reliable place to see Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 9 Plate 6. Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks Eremopterix Plate 7. Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks Eremopterix nigriceps, two females/juveniles by pool, 26 April 2008, _ nigriceps, male, female and juveniles standing in the shade SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown of the water supply tanks, 28 July 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown Plate 8. Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix Plate 9. Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps, disturbed female that was sitting in the shade of __nigriceps, male lying in the shade of a tyre, 17 July 2008, a tyre, 17 July 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait.© Gary Brown SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown Plate 10. Juvenile Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks Plate Ii. Juvenile Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps apparently cooling on moist ground Eremopterix nigriceps apparently cooling itself in a near the pool, 25 May 2007, SARS extension, Kuwait.© depression on moist ground near the pool, 24 May 2007, Gary Brown SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown the birds during the summer months, when up to 80 adults and juveniles may be present at any one time (Plates 4, 6). Individual birds usually begin arriving by c08.00 h local time, when temperatures begin to rise above 35°C, and they remain in the vicinity throughout the day. Many of the birds rest in the shade of the immediately adjacent structure housing water supply tanks (Plate 7). Individual birds also seek refuge in the shade of car tyres which are used to mark out tracks in the area (Plates 8, 9). However, some birds, including 10 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) ee ae a Pre ¥ : i * = 7 % * =e aes : 2 : Ena oto oe Plate 12. Adult male Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Plate 13. Adult male Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps apparently cooling itself in shade on —Eremopterix nigriceps apparently cooling itself in a slight moist ground near the pool, 26 April 2008, SARS depression on moist ground near the pool (visible in extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown. background), 28 July 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown adult males, females and juveniles, create small hollows in the damp/slightly moist ground immediately adjacent to the pool and will spend considerable periods of time there during the heat of the day, with their upper bodies fully exposed to the sun (Plates 10-13). Dunn’s Lark Dunn’s Lark was first recorded in Kuwait in 1987 and may be a regular breeder now. It has been observed at a number of sites including in the Sabah Al-Ahmed Natural Reserve (SAANR), but not in the south (Cowan & Pilcher 2003, Gregory 2005). As with Black- crowned Sparrow-Lark, perhaps the best place to see Dunn’s Lark in Kuwait is in the SARS extension. Strangely, it appears to be absent from Liyah, which is quite near to SAANR, even though the southern section has a very similar vegetation structure to SAANR and the SARS extension. It is highly unlikely that breeding occurred in the SARS extension before its protection. It has never been observed in the original SARS area, with its predominance of Rhanterium epapposum, probably because the area is too densely vegetated. In 2007, at least 20 pairs were estimated to be breeding in the SARS extension, possibly even more, although num- bers were distinctly lower in the exceptionally dry spring of 2008. The species appears to prefer the low open vegetation of the Moltkiopsis community, as virtually all sightings have been reported from there. The species is frequently observed foraging on wide tracks in areas of that community. If disturbed, it will fly into Cyperus stands, but birds have not been seen feeding there. Its habitat preference appears to be for areas of low and very sparse veg- etation. These are often highly degraded vegetation types or pioneer ones, the latter in the process of recovering from degradation. The areas that Dunn’s Lark inhabits offer few natural places where the birds can find effective shade. It is perhaps surprising that individuals in the SARS extension do not seem to take more advantage of those patches that do present themselves. Occasionally, birds are spotted in the shade of tyres that are scattered around the area, but even during the hot summer periods, most birds are still observed out in the open. Up until July 2008, there were fewer than 5 sightings of birds visiting the pool. However, on several occasions between 6 July 2008 and 3 September 2008, up to 2 birds could be observed at the pool in the early morning (08.15 h local time). One bird (Plate 14) sometimes remained for up to 30 minutes, allowing close approach in a vehicle (as close as 4m). On one occasion (6 August 2008), the bird flew towards the vehicle and rested on moist ground in the partial shade of a log supporting the water inlet to the pool, just 2.5 m from the vehicle (Plate 15). When it was finally disturbed, it flew off into the shade of the water tanks, c20 m away. Again, the Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 11 Plate 14 (left). Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni by pool, 6 August 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown Plate 15 (right). Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni apparently cooling itself in partial shade on moist ground near the pool, 28 July 2008, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown bird allowed close approach (c3 m) by vehicle, before flying off into open Moltkiopsis vege- tation. On turning off the car engine, the bird gradually returned to the exact place from where it flew off, first walking then flying in short bursts. It was then observed and pho- tographed for over an hour from a distance of c3-5 m. Shortly later, 3 other birds were seen in the open desert, less than 1 km away. During the period from 6 July to 21 August 2008, when I visited the pool weekly, what was almost certainly the same bird (identifiable by the distinctive pattern of small feather shafts surrounding the eye) would arrive at the water tanks by 08.15 h at the latest, at the same time as the first influx of Black-crowned Sparrow- Larks. Presumably, it was there every day resting in the shade. Temperatures at 08.15 h were rapidly rising above 35°C at this time of the year. If sufficiently cautious, the bird could be approached up to about 3-5 m, and if disturbed, it would soon return, as described above. On 21 August 2008, the bird arrived at 08.10 h, and was singing continu- ously from the shade for 30 minutes (before I left) in between bouts of preening and feeding. When I visited the pool on 3 September 2008, the temperature was still below 35°C at 10.00 h, and it was extremely humid. Two Dunn’s Larks were drinking at the pool at c09.00 h, but there were no birds in the shade of the water tanks (except for a Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops and two Short-toed Larks Calandrella brachydactyla). The Dunn’s Larks were quickly disturbed by the vehicle and flew off into open desert. At 10.00 h, one Dunn’s Lark (possibly the same bird that was repeatedly seen by the water tanks over the previous weeks) was found resting in the shade of a tyre, about 250 m from the pool. It allowed close vehicular approach (c5 m), but eventually few off. On returning to the same spot 10 min later, the bird was back again. | Bar-tailed Lark Bar-tailed Lark is a breeding resident in Kuwait away from the coastal conurbation. It is regularly seen in various sites in north- ern Kuwait, usually in protected areas or in remote, less disturbed locations such as in the far west (Cowan & Pilcher 2003, Gregory 2005). It is regularly observed in Liyah, where it presumably breeds, but it is absent [ESeeagaee = lee from SARS. In SAANR, both Bar-tailed and Plate 16. Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura on Dunn's Larks breed in the same general Citrullus mat, allowing close vehicular approach. The area. bird appears slightly alarmed, 27 August 2006, Liyah, Kuwait. © Gary Brown iy Sandgrouse 31 (2009) In Liyah it has been observed mainly in the southern section in open Stipagrostis stands, but small groups of 4 or 5 birds have also been seen on virtually barren substrate in the north. On two occasions (at least), birds have ‘mysteriously’ disappeared whilst observing them in the southern section of Liyah. In both cases, it was found that they had entered Uromastyx aegyptius lizard burrows, presumably to protect themselves from the sun. Williams et al (1999) reported that entering these burrows is less frequent in the smaller larks (including Bar-tailed Lark) compared with the larger Hoopoe Lark, in Saudi Arabia. In August 2006, a single bird, apparently cooling itself on a mat of Citrullus colocynthis, was observed on several occasions in a depression in the northern section (also by E DeLima, pers comm). A number of Temminck’s Larks were also present on adjacent plants (see below). The Bar-tailed Lark allowed close vehicular approach and it was standing, or rather crouching, with its wings slightly open towards the wind (Plate 16). Temminck’s Lark. Temminck’s Lark appears to breed regularly in the west of Kuwait, mainly in the vicinity of Wadi Batin (Cowan & Pilcher 2003). I photographed adults feeding their young there on 13 April 2006. It seems that after the breeding season, many birds disperse to other parts of Kuwait, as they have been seen in Liyah, SAANR (where, according to Gregory 2005, the species has bred) and in the SARS extension. In August 2006 it was possible to guarantee observation of Temminck’s Lark in the northern section of Liyah because of a remarkably high concentration of up to 40 birds. They occurred in three nearby depressions containing Citrullus colocynthis. Air tempera- tures were generally around or above 40°C. Birds would remain standing, crouching or even sitting on the Citrullus mats, with wings held away from their body, allowing close approach by the vehicle (Plate 17). Presumably, these birds had all previously been sitting on the mats, before vehicular approach. Up to 3 birds were often present on any one mat. If disturbed, the birds would either soon return to the same plant, or fly over to the next one close by. Conversely, it was rare to find a bird that was not associated with a Citrullus mat during the hottest part of the day. Occasionally, birds would be spotted in the shade of dwarf shrubs such as Astragalus spinosus. In both 2007 and 2008, no gourd mats developed in the depressions due to a paucity of rainfall earlier in the season, and as a consequence, presumably, neither Temminck’s Lark nor Bar-tailed Lark was seen there during the sum- mer period. The apparent cooling behaviour of birds sitting on prostrate plants that transpire heav- ily, such as Citrullus colocynthis, is directly comparable to that of Black-crowned ar Cis aici Rassias Plate 17. Temminck’s Larks Eremophila bilopha on Plate 18. Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha by pool, | Citrullus mat, allowing close vehicular approach, 31 August August 2007, SARS extension, Kuwait. © Gary Brown 2006, Liyah, Kuwait. © Gary Brown Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 13 Sparrow-Larks sitting in shallow hollows in moist ground in the SARS extension. In both cases, the upper body of the birds remains fully exposed to the sun, which is in marked contrast to birds that enter lizard burrows. Detailed studies are required to assess the rela- tive importance and efficacy of these strategies. Single Temminck’s Larks are occasionally seen in the SARS extension, usually after the breeding season, in August and September, although one bird was observed 8 April 2008. All sightings (c10, all involving single birds) were from the vicinity of the smail pool, and on several occasions a bird was photographed drinking there (Plate 18). The species also takes advantage of the shade of car tyres used to mark out tracks there. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr Edgardo DeLima (formerly Kuwait, now Manila, Philippines), provided very useful information on occurrences of larks in Liyah. Dr Salem Al-Hajraf (KISR, Kuwait) ensured easy access to the Liyah area. Various other colleagues at KISR are thanked for their support. I am particularly grateful to Dr PJ] Cowan (Nizwa, Oman) for encouragement to write this paper and valuable comments on a draft manuscript. REFERENCES Althawadi, AM & J Grace. 1986. Water use by the desert cucurbit Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. Oecologia 70: 475-480. Brown, GM. 2001. Vegetation ecology and biodiversity of degraded desert areas in north-eastern Arabia. Habilitation thesis. Rostock University, Germany. 190 pp. ” Brown, G. 2003. Factors maintaining plant diversity in degraded areas of northern Kuwait. Journal of Arid Environments 54: 183-194. Cowan, PJ & GM Brown. 2001. Prostrate desert gourd plants as apparent cooling sites for larks in heat of day. Sandgrouse 23: 59-60. Cowan, PJ & CWT Pilcher. 2003. The status of desert birds in Kuwait. Sandgrouse 25: 122-125. Gregory, G. 2005. The Birds of the State of Kuwait. George Gregory, Skegness, UK. Halwagy, R & M Halwagy. 1974a. Ecological studies on the desert of Kuwait. [—The physical environment. Journal of the University of Kuwait (Science) 1: 75-86. Halwagy, R & M Halwagy. 1974b. Ecological studies on the desert of Kuwait. II—The vegetation. Journal of the University of Kuwait (Science) 1: 87-95. Lange, OL. 1959. Untersuchungen uber Wasserhaushalt und Hitzeresistenz mauretanischer Wusten- und Savannenpflanzen. Flora 147: 595-651. Maclean, GL. 1996. Ecophysiology of desert birds. Springer, Berlin. Middleton, N & D Thomas. 1997. World atlas of desertification. UNEP/Arnold, London. Omar, SAS. 2000. Vegetation of Kuwait. KISR, Kuwait. Shirihai, H. 1991. The invasion and breeding of Dunn’s Lark Eremaiauda dunni in the Arav’a valley, Israel. Sandgrouse 13: 7-13. Shobrak, M. 1998. Notes on the breeding and cooling behaviour of Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes in central Saudi Arabia. Sandgrouse 20: 53-55. Williams, JB & BI Tieleman. 2001. Physiological ecology and behavior of desert birds. Current Ornithology 16: 29-393: Williams, JB & BI Tieleman. 2005. Physiological adaptation in desert birds. BioScience 55: 416-425. Williams, JB, BI Tieleman & M Shobrak. 1999. Lizard burrows provide thermal refugia for larks in the Arabian desert. Condor 101: 714-717. | Gary Brown, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Aridland Agriculture Dept., PO Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait. gmarbrown@yahoo.co.uk 14 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Unexpectedly large number of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius on autumn migration in Turkey and some remarks on the stopover site MURAT BIRICIK On 12 October 2007, the author and Ercan Aslan went to Ceylanpinar district, SE Turkey, to attempt to locate a satellite-tracked Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius. The satellite- derived coordinates, 37° 00’ N, 39° 39’ E, 503 m asl, were received from Dr Ozge Balkiz, a scientist at Doga Dernegi [Society for Nature], Ankara. We reached the location about midday and although many kilometres around were checked, with the aid of 20-60x80 telescopes, no Sociable Lapwings were seen. The area was inside the Ceylanpinar State Farm for Agriculture (CSFA), very close to its northern boundary. There was a clear dissimilarity in landscape between the two sides of the north- ern border. Outside, the landscape consisted of small private fields between villages, whereas within were very large flat field blocks of brownish clayey soil with few settle- ments. Some uncultivated patches in the farm, especially on low hills, were using by grazing sheep. Ceylanpinar SFA is c80x40 km and near Syria (Figure 1, Plate 1). Over 151 500 ha of CSFA are used for agriculture, of which c65% are fields and c30% natural steppes mainly used as meadow. Only c7% of the cultivated area is irrigated. Main grains/pulses produced are wheat and lentils, constituting c49% and c8% of the fields, respectively. The district has a dry continental climate, with a temperature range of -8.2 to 47.0°C and average annual precipitation of 267.8 mm though rainfall is rare early June to end of September (TIGEM 2008). CSFA is a Turkish Important Bird Area (Kilig & Eken 2004) and Key Biodiversity Area (Eken et al 2006). We decided next to check a neighbouring area in CSFA, where a number of Sociable Lapwing flocks had been observed in spring 2007 (Bozdogan et al 2007). En route, through an area of large post-harvest ploughed fields, we did not detect our quarry species but did ~ ak. ey i 2 Yalova oscar Adi =? Goleux: /Kectez a a. esc: t f f | Figure |. Location of the Ceylanpinar State Farm of Agriculture, indicated by the yellow rectangle, in Turkey. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 15 find a flock of six Cream-coloured Coursers Cursorius cursor, a scarce summer visitor (Kirwan et al 2008). We found a very large flock of Sociable Lapwings at the intersection of four very large fields, 37° 05’ N, 40° 02’ E, 438 m asl, and observed the birds for 1.25 h just prior to sunset and darkness. They were mainly on the ground and feeding, walking together westwards and keeping at least 3-4 m between individuals. Some small groups, of c20-50 birds, flew from time to time separat- ing from and then merging with the main group. These movements made obtaining an accurate count difficult: there were at least 1810 Sociable Lapwings present. The fields, on which the birds were pres- ent, were for lentil production. On the gsround were many seeds, presumably shak- en out of the crop during harvesting. The soil surface was even and hard, as it had not Plate |. Location of the area in the Ceylanpinar State Farm of Agriculture where the autumn flock of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius in 2007 was seen, marked by the solid yellow circle. Note the large field blocks inside CSFA and the smaller private fields outside, mostly in the north. yet been ploughed. We watched the birds getting ready to spend the night. Birds positioned somewhat marginally, congregated gradually by walking individually or flying in small flocks towards the main group. A flock of c30 individuals flew from the aggregation, passed a few metres above us, and returned there, c300 m from the observers, as though they were checking that we posed no threat. Aggregation of the Sociable Lapwings became much more noticeable after sunset. In late dusk, movements increased considerably; both walk- ing and flying individuals came together in a field, on a section quite far away from the roads. This movement took only some five minutes, just before darkness; thereafter all birds kept still. __ The day after, we returned to the site about noon, having checked the most eastern part of CSFA for any additional flocks. The birds had moved to an adjacent field to the south. Illumination was much better. After repeated counts from a good viewpoint, we considered there were at least 3200 Sociable Lapwings present. The birds were relatively still, though the dispersal of the very large flock over a large area and heat haze made counting more difficult. Subsequent to the count, we checked to see if any of the birds wore leg rings by driving the car as close as possible to several parts of the flock. We checked perhaps 800 birds and found four with colour rings, presumably placed on the birds in central Kazakhstan (Robert Sheldon in litt), though the satellite-tracked individual was not found. All the birds were in non-breeding plumage, though some still had rufous feathers on the belly. Juveniles had mainly fresh feathers. Feathers found on plant stems also were newly grown in appearance and generally undamaged. The field’s surface was scattered with lambs’ faeces and lentil seeds. For the globally critically-endangered Sociable Lapwing (IUCN 2007), Ceylanpinar SFA apparently plays a crucial role in Turkey especially during autumn migration. Lentil crops need to be dry in order to use a mechanical harvester and such harvesting causes a signif- 16 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) icantly higher loss of seeds in comparison to harvesting by hand. Traditional agricultural practice outside CSFA leaves far fewer seeds. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank Ercan Aslan for his companionship during the fieldwork, Doga Dernegi for financially sup- porting the trip and Ozge Balkiz for the coordinates, gained during Robert Sheldon’s satellite-tracking research. My thanks go to Robert for his help in improving the text. REFERENCES Bozdogan, M, O Balkiz & J Tavares. 2007. Survey of Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) in Southeastern Anatolia during early Spring 2007. Doga Dernegi, Ankara. Eken, G, M Bozdogan, S Isfendiyaroglu, DT Kilig & Y Lise (eds). 2006. Tiirkiye’nin Onemli Doga Alanlan [Important Nature Areas of Turkey]. Doga Dernegi, Ankara. [In Turkish] IUCN. 2007. The IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species— World Conservation Union. www.iucnredlist.org. Kilic, DT & G Eken. 2004. Tiirkiye’nin Onemli Kus Alanlari—2004 Giincellemesi [Important Bird Areas of Turkey —2004 Update]. Doga Dernegi, Ankara. [In Turkish] Kirwan, GM, M Ozen & B Demirci (compilers). 2008. Turkey Bird Report 2002-06. Sandgrouse 30: 166-189. TIGEM. 2008. Tarim Isletmeleri Genel Miidiirliigii [General Directorship of Agricultural Farms]. www.tigem.gov.tr. [In Turkish] Murat Biricik, University of Dicle, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, TR-21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey. mbiricik@dicle.edu.tr Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 1, On the status and distribution of Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia and Common Nightingale L. megarhynchos in Armenia INTRODUCTION In the key references on the avifauna of the Western Palearctic and former Soviet Union, the breeding distributions of Common Luscinia megarhynchos and Thrush Nightingales — I. Gluscinia ane) the Transcaucasus (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan) are presented inconsistently, especially for the latter species. These sources disagree on the status of Thrush Nightingale in the area, thus Vaurie (1959), Cramp (1988) and Snow & Perrins (1998) considered’ it “breeding = ane ithe Transcaucasus, while Dementiev & Gladkov (1954), Sibley & Monroe (1990) and Stepanyan (2003) do not. Its distribu- tion in del Hoyo et al (2005) is mapped according to the latter view, but they note the species’ presence in Armenia during the breeding season. Several other publications consider that the southern limit of Thrush Nightingale’s Caucasian breeding range is in the northern foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains (Russian Federation), while the Transcaucasus is inhabited solely by Common Nightingale (Gladkov et al 1964, Flint et al 1967, Ivanov & Stegmann 1978, Vtorov & Drozdov 1980). Thrush Nightingale in Azerbaijan was classified as ‘accidental’ by Patrikeev (2004). The author accepted that the species had possibly nested in the past and referred to old summer records by GI Radde from the Karayasi forest in the Kura—Aras (Arax) lowlands, but Patrikeev found only Common Nightingale there in the late 1980s. Other earlier observers mentioned only the latter species for Azerbaijan in the breeding season. In Nagorno Karabagh, Common Nightingale was found by KA Satunin on 24 May 1912 near Magavuz village (Terter dis- 18 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) VASIL ANANIAN Plate I. Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos performing full territorial song, Vorotan river gorge, cl5 km SSW of Goris town, Syunik province,Armenia, |2 May 2005. © Vasil Ananian | @ possible breeding areas ; | @ known distribution | e locations, mentioned in the text Figure |. Distribution of Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos in Armenia and locations mentioned in the text. © Vasil Ananian Table |. Specimens of Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia from Armenia held at the Institute of Zoology of Armenia, Yerevan! Date Sex Location Specimen Collector(s) Lyaister & Sosnin (1942) 27 April 1937 of Yerevan Sosnin not mentioned 27 April 1937 ? Yerevan Sosnin not mentioned 03 May 1929 of Yerevan Sosnin & Vorobiev 08 May 1948 of Yerevan Manukyan & Dahl 09 May 1928 g Yerevan Sosnin & Stegmann 10 May 1925 (op Parakar Sosnin & Vorobiev 10 May 1925 of Parakar Sosnin & Vorobiev 10 May 1925 ? Parakar Sosnin & Vorobiev 12 August 1930 of Googark? Sosnin noted as “1939” 12 August 1939 on Googark? Sosnin 13 August 1938 , Getahovit? Sosnin noted as “sex?” 17 August 1930 of Hankavan? Sosnin noted as “July” 21 August 1937 of Alaverdi Sosnin noted as “July”, “2” 29 August 1938 a3 Dprabak? Sosnin 29 August 1939 of Gyulagarak Sosnin noted as “2” 03 September 1938 ? Gosh? Sosnin noted as “0” 05 September 1937 of Lchkadzor Sosnin not mentioned 'The first four columns are reproduced from the species’ datasheet in Birds of Armenia (BOA) Project archives, American University of Armenia, Yerevan. 2 Place name from specimen label updated. Possibly male, see text. trict) and “many singing’ was reported by EV Erikson in 1906 near Vank village, Khojavend district (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942). Both nightingale species are listed as breeding in Georgia (GCCW 2003). Only Common Nightingale is known to breed in Turkey and Iran (Roselaar 1995, Scott & Adhami 2006, Kirwan et al 2008). The present paper reviews the Armenian literature, including key publications on the country’s avifauna (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942, Dahl 1954, Adamian & Klem 1999), and sum- marizes recent observations 1999-2008. THRUSH NIGHTINGALE IN ARMENIA: THE LITERATURE Lyaister & Sosnin (1942), Dahl & Sosnin (1947) and Dahl (1954) all list Thrush Nightingale as breeding in Armenia. In the latter work, the author stated that Thrush Nightingale breeds in the northern and northeastern wooded regions of the country and is a common passage migrant in the Arax valley. This conclusion was based on the 17 specimens avail- able from Armenia (Table 1) and additional observations by GV Sosnin as reported in Lyaister & Sosnin (1942): “8 May 1933, strong passage, Yerevan”, “13 August 1938, two observed with one collected, Getahovit village”, “27 August—1 September 1938, creaking at dawn with one male very quietly emitting only incomplete units of song at sunset on 29 August, Dprabak village”, “27 April-8 May 1940, several singing in thickets of dog rose, Kapan town, not reported here before 27 April”. In addition, a single specimen was collect- ed in 1948 (Table 1, Dahl 1948a, 1948b, 1953). Adamian & Klem (1999), as in previous Armenian publications, stated Thrush Nightingale to be an uncommon breeding species in Armenia. All encounters with nightin- gale species listed in Adamian & Klem (1999), 1963-1994 inclusive, came from the same observer and comprise 11 records of Thrush Nightingale (68 individuals in total) and an Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 19 observation of a single Common Nightingale. One of these is an extraordinary claim, of 28 Thrush Nightingales along a 5 km transect in Yerevan on 16 June 1989. These pre-1995 reports appear doubtful in view of recent data. In Table 2, only the 1995 sightings present- ed in Adamian & Klem (1999), from a team of observers, are summarized. COMMON NIGHTINGALE IN ARMENIA: THE LITERATURE This species was reported from Armenia for the first time by Lyaister & Sosnin (1942), who obtained six specimens: two late April specimens from the Arax valley and Yerevan, and two adult males and two juveniles shot 6-8 July 1938 near Mosesgegh village, NE Armenia. These comprise all specimens of this species held at the Institute of Zoology, Yerevan. The authors list observations by GV Sosnin of Common Nightingale from Mosesgegh village (“several singing in orchards on 6-9 July 1938, one collected”, “fledglings with incomplete- ly grown rectrices on 7-9 July 1938”) and Aygedzor village in the same general area (“very common in orchards near a river, males actively singing on 23 June 1938”, “in a wooded eully on 2 July 1938”). Dahl (1954) concluded, apparently on the basis of this evidence alone, that the Common Nightingale is found on migration in the Arax valley, but breeds only in the wooded areas of northeastern Armenia. The next reports of Common Nightingale available from Armenia are for 1995 (Table 2), with the exception of a single individual claimed in 1993 (Adamian & Klem 1999). These authors considered Common Nightingale to be a rare breeding species in Armenia and stated that it “breeds at higher elevations, occurring in lowlands during migration”. This conflicts with most of the locations listed under the 1995 breeding claims for the species (Adamian & Klem 1999, Table 2), as well as with recent data. RECENT OBSERVATIONS Since 1999 there have been numerous and regular field visits throughout Armenia, partic- ularly during the breeding season and completely covering the country’s range of biomes and elevations. Teams of observers on many of the late spring/mid-summer trips have involved skilled expatriate birders. Apart from personal experience, identification of nightingales was aided with the use of standard field guides and sound recordings (Roche 1990, Jonsson 1992, Harris et al 1996, Beaman & Madge 1998, Mullarney et al 1999, Roché & Chevereau 2002, Schulze 2004) and detailed comparisons of vocalizations of the two species in Cramp (1988) and Simkin (1990). These surveys produced two observations of Thrush Nightingale: two individuals seen near Dilijan town on 6 May 2007 (Roy Beddard et al), and two together were seen and heard Table 2. Summary of sightings of nightingales Luscinia spp in Armenia in 1995, based on Adamian & Klem (1999). Reports were not sorted by season in that publication. Species Spring Summer Autumn Notes on breeding Thrush Nightingale 9 Mar—8 May: 5 21 Jun—23 Jul: 7 2 Aug—25 Sep; 9 Mar, incomplete songs L. luscinia reports of || birds reports of 19 birds 20-24 reports (cl5 km SE of Kapan); (1-5 birds/report). (1-2 birds/report, of 39-43 birds 27 Apr, song of a male 8 seen 2] Jun). (I-7 birds/report) (cl2 km E of ljevan); 21 Jun, at least 8 singing males (Yerevan). Common Nightingale 18 May—2I1 May: 2 12 Jun—20 Jul: 8 Aug—I5 Sep: 6 21 May, 12-13 jun, 26-27 L. megarhynchos reports of 2 birds 10-11 reports of reports of 6 birds —_Jun: singing males (Kapan, (| bird/report). 19=21 birds (1—4 (I bird/report). Amberd and Sevkar); 25 birds/report). Jun, a bird carrying food (Ijevan); 14 Jul, a pair with 2 young (Kapan) 20 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) creaking, one of which was quietly emitting fragments of song, near Norashen village, Lake Sevan, on 12 May 2008 (VA pers obs). In contrast, Common Nightingale was found breeding in good numbers in all appropri- ate habitats over a large part of N, NE, C and S Armenia (Plate 1). This was from the lowest elevation in the country (c370 m) up to c2000 m asl, reaching highest densities in areas up to c1500 m asl. In the breeding season it is invariably observed and heard in the basins and valleys of the main Armenian rivers and their tributaries: Arax, Debed, Aghstev, Kasakh, Marmarik, Hrazdan, Azat, Vedi, Arpa, Vorotan, Goris, Voghji and Meghri (Figure 1). A sim- ilar abundance in the breeding season was observed in southwestern Azerbaijan, at various locations in Jabrayil, Fizuli, Qubadli and Zangilan districts (VA pers obs 1996-1998, 2007). Only Common Nightingale was found breeding in and around Yerevan (all city parks and Hrazdan river gorge within the city) and Kapan town (contra Adamian & Klem 1999), being very common at these locations. DISCUSSION By the mid-1950s there appeared to be no reliable evidence to suggest that Thrush Nightingale had bred in Armenia. Thus, Dementiev & Gladkov (1954) correctly attributed all Armenian records to migrants, unlike Cramp (1988), who cited Lyaister & Sosnin (1942) amongst others and possibly was additionally misled by the erroneous dates in the latter publication with regard to specimens from Hankavan and Alaverdi (Table 1). Adamian & Klem (1999) are also unconvincing in claiming Thrush Nightingale as breeding in the coun- try. They listed summer 1995 observations (Table 2), but none of these necessarily indicate breeding. These latter observations come from locations and areas currently known to be inhabited by Common Nightingale and require confirmation. Overall, all of the available Thrush Nightingale records from Armenia are better explained as due to migration and the migratory habits of this species. These include passage dates in the Caucasus area, song during migration at stopover sites, immature non-breeding individuals oversummering and first singing attempts of young birds in August (Dementiev & Gladkov 1954, Cramp 1988). The incorrect attribution of the species as a breeding bird of Armenia by local authors (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942, Dahl 1954, Adamian & Klem 1997, 1999) is concurrent with an underestimation of the distribution and abundance of Common Nightingale in the country. These views have, unfortunately, been accepted by several western publications and are reflected in incorrect mapping (Cramp 1988, Snow & Perrins 1998, Beaman & Madge 1998, Mullarney et al 1999). It, however, remains unclear how the Common Nightingale was overlooked and under recorded for years by the dedicated field ornithol- ogist GV Sosnin, as the species’ natural breeding habitats in the country seem hardly to have altered since the early 1920s. Sight identification of nightingales is normally far from straightforward and requires ideal viewing conditions. The africana race of Common Nightingale, inhabiting the Transcaucasus, is not well represented in field guides. As was shown by Loskot (1981), in contrast to previous claims, africana in breeding plumage is the darkest of all races, less rufous above and has colder and browner upperparts, uppertail coverts and rectrices. It is thus more similar to Thrush Nightingale than eg nominate megarhynchos. The diffuse breast band in africana is pronounced and brownish-grey (Harris et al 1996, VA pers obs), rather than the sandy-buff of nominate megarhynchos (Mullarney et al 1999). In the breeding sea- son most nightingales are identified by song, rather than sight. Some individuals of Common Nightingale may sound unusual in emitting a richer song with repetitive deliv- ery and a slower, more measured overall pace, making it more suggestive of Thrush Nightingale (Cramp 1988, Simkin 1990, VA pers obs). Initially, during our earlier surveys Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 21 in 2000, such individuals caused the misidentification of several birds near Goris, southern Armenia (Busuttil 2000). This was influenced by the misjudgment of field characters of africana and erroneous published data regarding nightingale distribution in Armenia. Subsequent awareness of this confusion and the discovery of Common Nightingale, not Thrush Nightingale, breeding in Yerevan have led to the present revision of the status of the two species in the country. In conclusion, Thrush Nightingale is not known to breed in Armenia and its status should be reclassified as an “uncommon spring and autumn passage migrant”. Breeding by the species in Armenia is presumably not impossible, but there is no adequate substan- tiating data. The Common Nightingale is, in fact, a common and widely distributed breeder in Armenia. The proposed distribution of the species in the country, based on proven records and recent observations 1999-2008, is sketched in Figure 1. The Common Nightingale’s habitats in Armenia are not very different from those throughout its European and Mediterranean range (Cramp 1988). In woodlands, it inhab- its edges of clearings with undergrowth and damp soil, more usually near some water and in similar conditions in the parks of Yerevan and other large towns, also in orchards with bushes sited on slopes and at the bottom of river valleys in and around human habitation. It also occupies gallery woodlands with thickets along rivers in valleys and lower steep slopes of deep rocky gorges overgrown with dense shrub, as well as shady gullies and orchards with rivulets and patches of dense bush cover in the arid areas of southern Armenia. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all of my numerous co-observers, who visited Armenia during the last decade, partic- ularly Chris Batty, Roy Beddard, Nik Borrow, Neil Bowman, Chris Bradshaw, Han Buckx, Simon Busuttil, Geoff Carey, Jaap Eerdmans, Mark Finn, Philip Heath, Nerses Kazanjian, Peter Kennerley, Paul Leader, Tom Lowe, Nigel Redman, Peter de Rouw, Marc Tailly and many others. Some of the mentioned persons also helped with locating some references, as did Karen Aghababyan, Jan-Michael Breider, José Luis Copete, Daniel Klem, Jevgeni Shergalin, Victoria Ten, Mike Wilson and Pascal Wink. Karen Aghababyan provided the specimen data from BOA Project archives. I thank Roy Beddard for improving the English of an early draft. REFERENCES Adamian, MS & D Klem. 1997. A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia, Oakland, (CAG Adamian, MS & D Klem. 1999. Handbook of the Birds of Armenia. American University of Armenia, Oakland, CA Beaman, M & S Madge. 1998. The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. Christopher Helm, London. Busuttil, S. 2000. Armenia Trip Report: June 5-16" 2000. www.osme.org. Cramp, S (ed). 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 5. Oxford University Press, UK. Dahl, SK. 1948a. [Vertebrates of Pambak Range. National Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR, Zoological Digest] 5: 5-68. [In Russian] Dahl, SK. 1948b. [Materials on the vertical distribution of reptiles, birds and mammals in the valleys of Hrazdan and Marmarik rivers. National Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR, Zoological Digest] 5 69-86. [In Russian] Dahl, SK. 1953. [Essay on vertebrates of Bargushat and Meghri mountain massifs. National Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR. Zoological Digest] 8: 5-65. [In Russian] Dahl, SK. 1954. [Fauna of the Armenian SSR. Vertebrates. Academy of Sciences Press], Yerevan. [In Russian] Dahl, SK & GV Sosnin. 1947. [Identification Guide to the Birds of the Armenian SSR. Institute of Zoology. Academy of Sciences Press], Yerevan. [In Russian] Dementiev, GP & NA Gladkov (eds). 1954. [The Birds of the Soviet Union.] Vol 6. Sovetskaya Nauka, Moscow. [In Russian] Flint, VE, RL Boeme, YV Kostin & AA Kuznetsov. 1967. [Birds of the USSR.] Mysl, Moscow. [In Russian] GCCW. 2003. Checklist of the Birds of Georgia. Georgian Centre for the Conservation of Wildlife (GCCW). www.gccw.org. 22 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) cece eesti Gladkov, NA, GP Dementiev, ES Ptushenko & AM Sudilovskaya. 1964. [Identification Guide to the Birds of the USSR.] Vyschaya Shkola, Yaroslavl, Russia. [In Russian] Harris, A, H Shirihai & DA Christie. 1996. The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds. Macmillan, London. del Hoyo, J, A Elliot & DA Christie. 2005. Handbook of Birds of the World. Vol 10. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Ivanov, AI & BK Stegmann. 1978. [Concise Identification Guide to the Birds of the USSR.] Nauka, Leningrad. [In Russian] Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe, with North Africa and the Middle East. Christopher Helm, London. Kirwan, GM, K Boyla, P Castell, B Demirci, M Ozen, H Welch & T Marlow. 2008. The Birds of Turkey. Christopher Helm, London. Loskot, VM. 1981. [On the subspecies of the Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos Brehm). Proceedings of the Zoological Institute. Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Phylogeny and Systematics of Birds] 102: 62-71. [In Russian] Lyaister, AF & GV Sosnin. 1942. [Materials on Ornithofauna of Armenian SSR.] Ornis Armeniaca. [Institute of Biology]. ARMFAN, Yerevan. [In Russian] Mullarney, K, L Svensson, D Zetterstrom & PJ Grant. 1999. Collins Bird Guide. Harper Collins, London. Patrikeev, M. 2004. The Birds of Azerbaijan (Series Faunistica 38). Pensoft, Sofia. Roche, JC. 1990. All the bird songs of Britain and Europe. 4 CDs. Sittelle, Mens, France. Roche, JC & J Chevereau. 2002. Bird Sounds of Europe and North-West Africa. 10 CDs. WildSounds, UK. Roselaar, CS. 1995. Songbirds of Turkey: an atlas of biodiversity of Turkish passerine birds. Pica Press, Mountfield, UK. Schulze, A (ed). 2004. The Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Near East. 17 CDs. Musikverlag Edition AMPLE, Germany. Scott, DA & A Adhami. 2006. An updated checklist of the birds of Iran. Podoces 1 (1/2): 1-16. Sibley, CG & BL Monroe. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of the Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Simkin, GN. 1990. [Songbirds.| Lesnaya Promyshlennost, Moscow. [In Russian] Snow, DW & CM Perrins (eds). 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Vol 2. Oxford University Press, UK. Stepanyan, LS. 2003. [Conspectus of the ornithological fauna of Russia and adjacent territories (within the borders of the USSR as a historical region)]. Pensoft, Sofia. [In Russian] Vaurie, C. 1959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna. Passeriformes. HF & G Witherby, London. Vtorov, PP & NN Drozdov. 1980. [Identification Guide to the Birds of the USSR Fauna.] Prosveschenie, Moscow. [In Russian] Vasil Ananian, 179 Bashinjaghian Street, Apt 23, 0078, Yerevan, Armenia. vasil.ananian@gmail.com Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 23 First breeding record of Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia in Israel NOAM WEISS, MIKOLAJ KOSS & REUVEN YOSEF Platel. The island, off the Eilat hotel district, 29 April 2008. © Mikolaj Koss On 15 April 2008 a juvenile and an adult Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia were observed in Eilat, Israel. They were resting on an island (Plate 1) in the lagoon close to the ‘North Beach’, an area adjacent to the hotel district. The island is small with a few date palms growing on it. The banks of the lagoon are a well-frequented camping and barbecue site. The observation raised suspicions that the species had bred on the island, as it was very unlikely that a 2008 juvenile would move with its parent to Eilat at that time of year. The next day we observed two tourists that had swum to the island, a distance of c45 m, flush the juvenile bird and we saw that it was unable to fly. Its plumage was juvenile-barred on the upper body with white wedge-shaped streaks on the fore crown. We immediately also swam to the island and, as the bird was unable to fly, caught it easily with our hands. We found that the remiges were fully grown by blowing up the underwing coverts and exam- ining the rachis sheathes. We ringed it, photographed the individual (Plates 2-4), returned it to the island and released it. Subsequently, on 2 May, the ringed juvenile was seen pleading for food from an adult, and flying together with it as well as being fed by it. This was observed in the vicinity of the fish farms located in the northeastern part of the Israeli side of gulf of Aqaba, less than 1 km from the nest-island. We assumed that the adult was one of its parents. The possibility that Caspian Tern might breed in Israel has been considered before. In 2007, there were several observations by birdwatchers in Eilat of juvenile Caspian Terns pleading for food from adults. Shirihai (1996) observed food-begging in 1989 but consid- ered the species to be locally scarce in the northern part of the gulf of Aqaba, representing 24 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) = eee | | | | | Plates 2-4. The unfledged Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia, 16 April 2008, Eilat. © Mikolaj Koss dispersal of non-breeders from Sinai and northern Red Sea areas. The closest known breed- ing site to Eilat is at the southern entrance of the gulf of Aqaba (Shirihai 1996). This is the first confirmed breeding record for the Eilat region. The Caspian Tern is a monotypic, widespread breeder on most continents (Olsen & Larsson 1995). In the Western Palaearctic, it breeds on sheltered continental coasts or inland waters, but the range of the species has declined in recent years (Snow & Perrins 1998). In the Middle East the species breeds on the islands scattered the length of the Red Sea and the Persian gulf. We consider this Eilat breeding record of Caspian Tern to be the result of more than a decade of open-sea aquaculture projects that resulted in artificially high den- sities of fish off Eilat’s beaches. The recent removal of these fish cages will probably make the breeding of sea- and shore birds on the Eilat/Aqaba shoreline, including Caspian Tern and Striated Heron Butorides striata (Yosef et al 2002, Yosef & Zduniak 2005), less likely. REFERENCES Olsen, KM & H Larsson. 1995. Terns of Europe and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Shirihai, H. 1996. The birds of Israel. Academic Press, London. Snow, DW & CM Perrins. 1998. The birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edition, Vol 1. Oxford University Press,UK. Yosef, R & P Zduniak. 2005. Brood parasitism in Mangrove Heron (Butorides striatus). Ostrich 76: 91-92. Yosef, R, M Rydberg-Hedaen, L Mitchell & H Smit. 2002. Striated Heron Butorides striatus — a new breeding species to Eilat, Israel. Sandgrouse 24:134-135. Noam Weiss, Mikolaj Koss & Reuven Yosef, International Birding & Research Centre in Eilat, PO Box 774, Eilat 88000, Israel. ryosef@eilatcity.co.il Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 25 The timing of spring passage of soaring birds at Zait bay, Egypt GUDRUN HILGERLOH, JAN WEINBECKER & INGO WEISS The timing of spring passage of soaring and gliding birds was studied on the western side of the narrowest strait in the southern gulf of Suez, at Zait bay. The study was based on systematic observations performed in spring 2007. The passage of the following species was recorded: Black Stork Ciconia nigra, White Stork Ciconia ciconia, White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, Black Kite Milvus migrans, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus, Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes, Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Steppe Buzzard Buteo b. vulpinus, Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina, Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis, Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus and Common Crane Grus grus. Measured migration density varied considerably from species to species, as a result of differences in density of migration and as some bird species are easier to detect than others. On peak passage days, the percentage of passing individuals compared to the number recorded for the entire period was highest in Levant Sparrowhawk and Honey Buzzard, with 50% and more. The highest absolute numbers per season and largest flock sizes occurred in White Stork (average of 1000 individuals per flock). The duration of passage per species varied between 10 and 65 days for the central 90% of migrants. Species with immature birds passing later migrated in a wider time window (Steppe Eagle) than species with adults and immature birds migrating together (Common Crane). The extremely short passage period of Common Crane can also be explained by the fact that these birds congregate into huge flocks before migration. The dates of mean and peak migration correlated significantly with corresponding dates in Israel, but not duration of migration. INTRODUCTION Soaring and gliding birds depend to a large extent on updrafts during migration because of the high energetic costs of active flight (Alerstam 1990). Thus they avoid sea-crossings altogether or cross water at the narrowest point. One of these migration concentration points is situated at Zait bay (Figure 1), where soaring birds migrating along the East African flyway cross from mainland Egypt to Sinai (Grieve 1996, Baha El Din 1999, Christensen & Jensen 2002) or continue via Suez. The first systematic counts, performed in spring 2007 (Hilgerloh in press), provided an opportunity to analyse the timing of passage in soaring and gliding birds at this site. The timing of soaring birds migrating along the East African flyway has been stud- ied in Israel (Safriel 1968, Leshem & Yom-Tov 1996, Shirihai 1996, Shirihai et al 2000), but not that part of the flyway on the western side of the southernmost gulf of Suez. The aim of this study is to report details of timing of passage of soaring and gliding species passing through the Zait bay area and to compare them with results reported from Israel. /srael Ras Gharib ° METHODS The data were collected to assess the risks to migratory soaring birds from a potential large onshore windfarm development. The study area was the coastal desert near Zait Figure I. The Sinai region. Zait bay to Eilat is c240 km bay. In order to characterize the passage of and to Suez town c260 km, straight-line distance. Ras Gemsa Red Sea 26 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) soaring birds through an area of c700 km?, a double row of observation points was estab- lished parallel to the NW-SE directed coast sme apart (23.17° N, 33:15° E to 27.73° N, 33.49° E), on the assumption that soaring birds can be detected up to at least 2.5 km away. Each row contained 13 sites at 5 km intervals. The observation points were situ- ated between the foothills of the Red Sea mountains to the west and the gulf of Suez, the coastal Gebel El Zait range and Zait bay to the east (Plates 1-4). The main road from Hurghada to Suez was immediately to the east of the eastern row of observation points. The observation points were closest to the sea (c2 km) in the far north and at Zait bay. Plate I. The coastal Gebel El Zait range and, just visible further behind on the horizon across the gulf of Suez, the mountains of Sinai, to the east of the study area. © Ingo Weiss The observation points were not manned continuously. Two teams of field workers performed the observations in shifts, using 10 x 40 binoculars and 20-60 magnification tel- escopes. A rotation schedule was set up, in order to get a data set representative of the entire study area. Observation periods lasted principally for 60 minutes during which time all birds sighted in any direction within the radius of 2.5 km from the observation site were logged (for details see Hilgerloh in press). Observations were performed 20 February—6 May 2007 for a total period of 604.4 hours. As migration in some species continued for a time after systematic observations had ceased, some median dates might be later than indicated. Migratory soaring species where fewer than 20 birds were sighted, and local birds, are not included in this study. The Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes is known to migrate to a small extent (c10%) at night (Stark & Liechti 1993, Spaar et al 1998). For methodologi- cal reasons, individuals migrating at night were not recorded. The timing of soaring bird spring migration at Zait bay was compared with spring observations in Eilat, Israel (Christensen ef al 1981, Leshem & Yom-Tov 1996). Christensen et al’s (1981) observations were performed 20 February—17 May 1977 (phenological data were calculated by us on the basis of their published raw data). Leshem & Yom-Tov’s (1996) study lasted several years, with observations mainly 14 February—31 May. As White Storks in spring mostly migrate west of Eilat, observations made on that route were used for com- parison (Leshem & Yom-Tov 1996). Correlations between dates of peak migration, median and mean migration and of duration of passage at Zait bay and Eilat were performed using the Spearman rank corre- lation test. RESULTS Passage dates In spring, most migrants crossed Zait bay in March and April. Of the 17 species studied, 12 _ first appeared in February: Black Stork Ciconia nigra, White Stork Ciconia ciconia, White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, Black Kite Milvus migrans, Egyptian Vulture Neophron perc- _ nopterus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus, Steppe Buzzard Buteo b. vulpinus, Long-legged _ Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina, Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis, _ Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus and Common Crane Grus grus (Figure 2, Table 1). In two : | Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 27. j Plate 2. The foothills of the Red Sea mountains, west of the study area. © Gudrun Hilgerloh Plate 3.Some of the few acacias in the study area. © Ingo Weiss species, Steppe Eagle and Common Crane, 50% of the migrants (to median date of pas- sage) passed Zait bay before mid March. The species with the latest start (first sightings end March-mid-April) were Levant Sparrowhawk and European Honey Buzzard Pernis aptvorus. In these species, the median date of passage was reached between mid- April and 2 May. Honey Buzzard was the only species with a median in May. The median date correlated significantly with that of Christensen et al (1981) at Eilat (Spearman correlation test n = 10, R = 0.88, t = 5.24, p = 0.0008) and also the mean date (n = 10, R = 0.908, t = 6.15, p = 0.0003). In the Leshem & Yom-Tov (1996) longer term study from Eilat no median dates of passage were presented. However, comparing the mean passage dates at Zait bay with those of Leshem & Yom-Tov (1996) (Table 2) revealed a significant correlation (Spearman test n = 9, R= 0.864, t= 4.551, p = 0.002). Of globally endangered species, Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus and Spatted Eagle Aquila clanga were noted migrating through the study area. Pallid Harriers were observed 23 February—26 April with the median on 31 March (n = 13) and Spotted Eagles 14 March-16 April with the median on 11 April (n = 9). Plate 4. Undulating landscape in the northern part of the study area. © Ingo Weiss Peak migration Observed migration density differed considerably between species, not only as a result of differences in migration density but also as some bird species are easier to detect than oth- ers. The 17 species studied can be grouped into 4 classes according 1 to the number of birds recorded on the peak passage day: ¢ Over 10 000: White Stork. e Between 1000 and 10 000: Levant Sparrowhawk, Steppe Buzzard, Common Crane. e From 100 to 999: White Pelican, Black Stork, Black Kite, Honey Buzzard, Steppe Eagle. e Under 100, thus of less relevance at this site: Egyptian Vulture, Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle. The proportion of migrants of one species passing on the peak passage day varied between 11 and 79%. The highest percentages were registered in Levant Sparrowhawk and Honey Buzzard with 50% and more passing through in one day (Table 1, Figure 2). 28 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Table |. Dates of first and last sightings (and duration of this period), dates of first and last sightings of the central 90% (and duration of this period), dates of the median and peak migration days, number of birds on peak migration day, percentage of total observed birds on peak migration day and total number of birds observed, Zait bay, Egypt, 2007. 29 Black Stork Ciconia nigra White Stork Ciconia ciconia White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus Black Kite Milvus migrans Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Steppe Buzzard Buteo b. vulbinus Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus Common Crane Grus grus from 23 Feb 23 Feb 21 Feb 17 Mar 17 Apr 23 Feb 26 Feb 23 Feb 19 Mar 30 Mar | Apr 20 Feb 23 Feb 20 Feb 20 Feb 28 Feb 22 Feb All sightings to 6 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 2 May 2 May 5 May 2 May 4 May 6 May 4 May 6 May 2 May 6 May 12 Apr days 73 73 75 5| 20 13 68 7\ 48 34 34 76 7\ 76 12 68 50 from 5 Mar 11 Mar 27 Mar 19 Mar 26 Apr 20 Mar 27 Feb 10 Mar 22 Mar 15 Apr 4 Apr 12 Mar 23 Feb 25 Feb 22 Feb 28 Mar 27 Feb Central 90% to 26 Apr 26 Apr 28 Apr 2 May 5 May 25 Apr 2 May 28 Apr 2 May 26 Apr 2 May 28 Apr 1! Apr 28 Apr 17 Apr 2 May 10 Mar days 53 47 33 45 10 37 65 50 42 12 29 48 48 63 SIS) 36 12 Median date 5 Apr 3 Apr 31 Mar 2 Apr 2 May 5 Apr 11 Apr 14 Apr 21 Apr 26Apr 21Apr 3Apr 16 Mar | Apr 6 Mar 21 Apr 10 Mar Peak date 15 Apr 22 Mar 27 Mar 20 Apr 2 May 31 Mar 5 Apr 16 Apr 26 Apr 26 Apr 26 Apr 29 Mar 6 Apr 11 Apr 25 Feb 26 Apr 8 Mar Numbers on peak day 290 25-96) 335 6014 2983 186 3923 Peak as % of all 17.00 21.20 18.60 25.00 49.70 20.70 17.20 18.90 25.80 7.2.10 19.70 12.70 17.30 23.60 10.60 16.90 24.70 Total 1709 120 745 1801 20 138l 1660 64 95 62 7600 76 23° 937. 98 195 1747 118 15 906 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) White Pelican n= 1726 Percent (%) 4,12) 3 A 25) 6 ee 8) 910) Aei2esi14 15 Pentad Black Stork 25 | n= 1675 20 iS = <= ao 2g 4) oa 4-22) 3 4°53 GG 37> 8729) 40) Adi 12) 1314) 15 Pentad Honey Buzzard 90 80 n=1373 70 3 60 = 50 & 40 2 30 20 10 0- 7 T Th T 7 7 7 T 7 T T T APs) 23) 45= 5) Gat oho, AO 1fe 126 13) 44-45, Pentad Egyptian Vulture = = fom c-1) 2 ao oa A 2 3 45 6). fae 8 219) ANd 1213 1415 Pentad Marsh Harrier 35 30 - S 25 | FS 20 5 & 15 - ao a 10- 54 ee 0 Be (ee |e) eee ee) eed |) |e |e A 82 3; WA Se GP 8) 9 10e ide? isi deel Pentad 30 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Percent (%) Percent (%) Percent (%) Percent (%) Percent (%) - White Stork a) GRETA Be Sea) si) (oe) ak a Pentad Lesser Kestrel 35 30 25 20 15 10 ql 2 a3 AP OG 7 ts Pentad See 10e i213 1415) Black Kite n= 1 660 ie ots SOS al ai ae) Pentad Short-toed Eagle 8 9 10 44° 412) 13) 44 Pentad Levant Sparrowhawk 4° 2.3 aves 6 7 8) 9) 10) Sn 12 13 ae Pentad T a5 T 10 11 12 13 14 15 0 T T T ail T T T T T Sparrowhawk 25 7 | n=76 aa 20 + a | fee SF | Sto c | 3 | Fy 10 5 # ae a 9 jit Sad 25) | 66u e283 Pentad Long-legged Buzzard n=98 25 4 Eee S = = wo 2 wo ao T T T T ee A ee 1 Pee SecA oO) 1-489. 5106211. 12-1314, 15 Pentad Steppe Eagle 30 5 =e n=1 747 25 + P Percent (%) a SoeG eis yom Orel Oee 11. A213" 414 15 Pentad Common Crane n= 15 907 Percent (%) T T T T pees aero, 6) 7 38-9: 10-140 12) 1314215 Pentad Figure 2. Timing of soaring and gliding bird migration at Zait bay, Egypt, as percentage of all birds of the species, 20 February—5 May 2007. Pentads: |, 20 Feb—24 Feb; 2, 25 Feb—I Mar; 3; 2 Mar—6 Mar; 4, 7 Mar—I| Mar; 5, 12 Mar—l6 Mar; 6, 17 Mar—21 Mar; 7,22 Mar—26 Mar; 8,27 Mar—31 Mar; 9, | Apr—5 Apr; 10,6 Apr—10 Apr; 11, 11 Apr—I5 Apr; 12, 16 Apr—20 Apr; 13,21 Apr—25 Apr; 14, 26 Apr—30 Apr; 15, | May—5 May. Steppe Buzzard n= 23 375 Percent (%) nN Oo 10 - : a nF 1 ey | | | Liars 4 2B; Ha oS 6. TH Be 9 400 Wh 120493 14.15 Pentad Lesser Spotted Eagle Percent (%) a st | ES, s_oo_ feel. 123 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pentad Booted Eagle n=117 Percent (%) a IE = T 0 T T T T T T 1, 2.37 47-5 (627-78. 9 40° 11.12.13 14, 15 Pentad The entire passage of the Levant Sparrowhawk was achieved in a small num- ber of very large flocks. The highest numbers on the peak day were recorded in the White Stork; these, however, con- tributed only 21% of the total number of White Storks observed in the entire season (Table 1). In non-flocking species such as Egyptian Vulture, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle and Short-toed Eagle, 17-26% of the birds migrated through the area on the peak day. The day with peak numbers of migrants correlated significantly with the correspon- ding peak day of Christensen et al (1981) (Spearman n: = 10, R.=,0.83,-t.= 4:17, p = 9.003) and of Leshem & Yom-Tov (1996) (Spearman n= 9, R= 0.89, t = 5.03, p = 0.002) (Table 2). Sandgrouse 31 (2009) oil 5 le = < @ © rd) Ons ax} Co at) Wale (pale Woy eX) 5 oo YY = —-— ™ Oo WM oo 3 ” Oo n — —S Pas} er) ail oO. rot S eu 3 o OM 2° Oo > eee ee vn Rnot ys Hai (ox — a (e) 2 oe i ra} cL O Ca a 5 (OS ™~m™ ~n~ -—omW Oo OD oN +r— MO WnM ro S he — mo) S = C Pe yp PES Gt = _ @ cs aaia 2 Gage See eee is =O ow Oo Oo = ry —_ — —-— NOM AN S 60 oO Lu i oO ~ far) ke & a a Ao ie Gs) eh as} SES oO Vi Opa ul ACOH Say 2c = oS S & 2 = ‘a - [oe] [os N Be DAN AON ca) o 2 Le eh c a 2 N Aime ed® 04 a SS E —_ . of No o a5 7) —~ 53 oO re peg ae hae. — Ona Co co PES ic Gece v =U oO ete 1) Se nn AN A eS = Oo 8 ;. x ¥ oi ie anh Ou eet —— >= pes n ( a @ —- O- -— Oo = N NAM ANN a 7 8 UU a eS es =~ = - mS eye ales ciel’) PN Ot oy GS 4 2 Ons Ohi CLs, Oo COP af a Pe AEE RR 2 i Be Be 7. _ és fg EE EY en Saeet A Be omg Bed as Sos Se te er eed sm abe: eae $ : ; ail Plate 4 (left). Salt flats at Neet, February 2007, Socotra. © RF Porter Plate 5 (right). Black-winged Stilt nest with two eggs, in stagnant pool, Neet, May 2007, Socotra. © Ahmed Saeed Suleiman On 22 February 2007, RF Porter, Paul Scholte and I visited the coastal plain at Neet, SW Socotra, some 4 km long and 500 m wide and consisting of a series of low-lying areas that fill with seawater during the monsoon season (May—August), but then dry out (Plate 4). It is important for salt production. Here we observed several old, raised, mud nests on the dried out salt flats. From the description of the birds given to us by the local villagers, these were the nests of Black-winged Stilts. They told us the birds had nested during the summer monsoon. I revisited the site 28-30 May with Tabet Abdulah of SCDP. Whereas we have regularly visited this coastal area, this was the first visit during the monsoon season, when travelling by boat is impossible due to extreme wind speeds. On 29 May, 11 nests on slight- ly elevated clay mounds covered by dried algae, were found in the stagnant pools (Plate 5). The tops of the mounds were covered with small stones and dead mangrove leaves and twigs. Two nests contained two eggs. From the number of adults present we estimated that the number of breeding pairs was over 30. Proof of breeding of Black-winged Stilts was also obtained at Sirhan lagoon. In 2007, two downy young c2-3 days old, were found on 11 May. In 2008, a nest with two eggs was found on 9 April, a chick on 12 April, two nests (two eggs, one egg) were found in May (built on palm-tree trunks), and one chick was observed then also. Breeding was also demonstrated at the Qalansiya estuary, where a pair was seen copulating on 17 February 2007 (RF Porter pers comm). 66 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) DISCUSSION The Black-winged Stilt has undergone a significant change in status in Arabia in the last 50 years. It was previously regarded as a scarce migrant and winter visitor but now it is an increasingly widespread breeding bird (MC Jennings pers comm). Thus the discovery of breeding on Socotra is not unexpected. Colonisation from Somalia is perhaps unlikely, as there is only one known breeding record there (Ash & Miskell 1998). The current popula- tion on Socotra may be in excess of 150 birds and the breeding season on the island extends from at least mid February (when birds seen copulating) to June (when there must still be chicks if birds have eggs at the end of May). The feeding and breeding areas of the Black-winged Stilt (and other waders) on Socotra are highly sensitive and vulnerable to man-made developments, especially as wetland habitats are rare on this predominantly arid island. In the last few years an asphalt road has been built across the mouth of one estuary where stilts are nesting, and across an inland lagoon where stilts occur. Two other estuaries are threatened by a proposed road. In addi- tion, these roads and accompanying dams have blocked the connection between the channels and the sea, thus limiting the tidal nature of the lagoons. Their restoration should be a priority. According to the 2000 Socotra Conservation Zoning Plan (SCZP, Presidential Decree 275), Neet is a strictly protected area under the management: of Yemen’s Environmental Protection Authority and SCDP in close collaboration with local communi- ties. It is very important that all wetlands on Socotra receive adequate protection especially through the SCZP, possibly with further assistance from organizations such as the RAM- SAR Bureau. Yemen has recently become a signatory of the Ramsar Convention and its first designated site is Socotra’s Ditwa lagoon. The conservation of wetlands will surely be fur- ther enhanced now that Socotra has become a World Heritage Site for its outstanding biodiversity. Black-winged Stilts fiercely defend their young from human and avian intrusion, chas- ing off the invader with loud calls. In and around Hadibu, the introduced Indian House Crow Corvus splendens, an aggressive invader, is likely to predate the eggs and young of nesting waders and it is essential that its population continues to be subjected to the rigor- ous control programme of the Environmental Protection Authority. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Richard Porter for encouraging me to write this paper and helping with its prepara- tion. I would also like to acknowledge the help I have received from my colleagues, especially Paul Scholte, but also Abdulatif Sa’ad Amer, Abdulrageb Shamsan Al-Okaishi and Nadim Taleb. REFERENCES Ash, JS & JE Miskell. 1998. Birds of Somalia. Pica Press, Sussex, UK. Kirwan, GM, RP Martins, KM Morton & DA Showler. 1996. The status of birds in Socotra and ‘Abd Al-Kuri and the records of the OSME survey in spring 1993. Sandgrouse 17: 83-101. Porter, RF & AS Suleiman. In prep. The population and distribution of the breeding birds of Socotra. BirdLife International/SCDP Ahmed Saeed Suleiman, Environmental Protection Authority, Socotra Conservation and Development Programme, Socotra, Yemen. qamhem@yahoo.com Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 67 Nesting tree utilisation by Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis in west central Saudi Arabia PETER CUNNINGHAM Nesting tree utilisation by Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis was recorded in the Mahazat as- Sayd protected area, with most nests located in Maerua crassifolia, then Acacia tortilis. The mean above ground height of the nests was higher in M. crassifolia than A. tortilis. The median number of nests/tree was 1 and 2 for A. tortilis and M. crassifolia respectively, with most nests as single nests/tree in A. tortilis and 3 nests/tree making up 21.4% of the nests in M. crassifolia. Most nests were either in the same tree as, or within a radius of 500 m from, a Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus nest. Just over half the nests in the same tree were located beneath (ie entirely or partially covered by) the Lappet-faced Vulture nest (and most were located under the western and northern sides) while just below half were located away from (ie not covered), but still in the same tree. INTRODUCTION Although commonly observed throughout large parts of Saudi Arabia, Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis (Plate 1) are poorly known and their nesting tree utilisation is not well understood. Most references, when referring to trees as nesting sites for Brown- necked Ravens, indicate trees in general and only occasionally is the tree species men- tioned (Aspinall 1996, Hollom et al 1988, Osborne et al 1996, Richardson 1990). Nest sites are extremely variable in location, but with thorny tree species preferred (Jennings 1998). This was supported by Shobrak (2005), who indicated that Brown-necked th : Plate |. B -necked R G llis, Saudi Ravens prefer Acacia tortilis, during a study faite © Henan aven. .Conus Srulieolis eau on their breeding success in the Mahazat as- Sayd protected area. This paper presents more data on their nesting tree utilisation and the apparent nesting association of Brown-necked Ravens with Lappet-faced Vultures Torgos tracheliotus, in the Mahazat as-Sayd protected area in west central Saudi Arabia (Plates 2 & 3). STUDY AREA This study was conducted opportunistically, during an ongoing study into the feeding ecol- ogy of Arabian Sand Gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) in the Mahazat as-Sayd protected area (MSPA). MSPA is a flat arid desert steppe located c150 km northeast of Taif in west central Saudi Arabia (28° 15’ N, 41° 40’ E, elevation 900-1100 m asl) covering an area of 2244 km’. Mahazat as-Sayd was designated a nature reserve in 1988 and fenced in 1989, mainly for the re-introduction of Arabian Oryx Oryx leucoryx and Asian Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenti (Child & Grainger 1990, Haque & Smith 1996, Chassot et al 2005, Shobrak 2005). The climate is arid with annual rainfall highly variable ranging between 50-100 mm and occurring mainly March—May. Mean monthly minimum 68 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Plate 2 (left). Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis (smaller nest, below) and Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus (larger nest, above) nests in Acacia tortilis, Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia. © Peter Cunningham Plate 3 (right). Typical Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis nest (smaller nest, below right) surrounded by human refuse (mainly rags) with Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus nest above it, in Acacia tortilis, Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia. © Peter Cunningham and maximum temperatures range between 2-21°C and 29-40°C. In general, the MSPA area is undulating sandy and/or gravel plains dominated by Acacia tortilis trees, with mean, maximum and minimum densities of A. tortilis and Maerua crassifolia estimated at 553, 2905 & 21 trees/ha and 0.16, 20 & 0 trees/ha, respectively (Gillet & Launay 1990). Other trees/shrubs, at lower densities, include A. ehrenbergiana, A. oerforta and Lycium shawii (Gillet & Launay 1990). With the exception of two small hills (Sha’fa al Janubi, 1033 m asl, and Sha’fa ash Shimali, 1013 m asl), no cliffs occur within MSPA. Potential mammalian nest predators include Gordon’s Wild Cat Felis silvestris gordoni, Sand Cat F. margarita, Feral Cat F. catus and Ratel Mellivora capensis. The number and density of Brown-necked Raven and Lappet-faced Vulture nests in MSPA are not known, although they vary between years and seem to be at higher densities within MSPA (Newton & Newton 1996). According to Newton & Newton (1996), the typical inter-vulture nest distance of this species is mostly >2 km (majority between 3-6 km) apart. STUDY METHODS Whilst conducting feeding observations of sand gazelle, the locations of Brown-necked Raven and Lappet-faced Vulture nests opportunistically encountered were noted and returned to later, to collect certain nest details. For each Brown-necked Raven nest the fol- lowing information was collected: tree species, height of the nesting tree, height of nest (and of Lappet-faced Vulture nest if in the same tree), position (under a Lappet-faced Vulture nest or not) and orientation (N, E, S & W) of nest in relation to any Lappet-faced Vulture nest and presence of a Lappet-faced Vulture nest within 500 m if not located in the same tree. Nest height above ground level was measured using a measuring pole, to the nearest 0.25 m. Observations were conducted during September and October 2008, ie the non-breeding season for both Brown-necked Ravens and Lappet-faced Vultures. RESULTS A total of 84 Brown-necked Raven nests were found (old and recent) with 50 located in Maerua crassifolia (n = 29 trees), 32 in Acacia tortilis (n = 23 trees), 1 in Acacia ehrenbergiana (n = 1 tree) and 1 in an artificial structure (windsock). The majority of these nests (59.5%) were in Maerua crassifolia trees and 53.8% of trees with nests were of this species (Table 1). Trees with more than 1 nest had a recently used nest and older nests. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 69 - Table |. Nesting tree (n = 84 nests) utilisation by Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis according to tree species and number of nests/tree in the Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia, September and October 2008. Artificial: | nest located in windsock at landing strip. Trees with more than | raven nest had a recently used nest and older nests. A. tortilis 38.| 42.6 M. crassifolia A. ehrenbergiana Artificial 595 1.2 1.2 53.8 1.8 1.8 42.9 35y/ 21.4 Nests (%) Trees with nests (%) | nest/tree (%) 65.2 2 nests/tree (%) 30.4 3 nests/tree (%) 44 The mean height of nests in trees (from the ground) was 2.54 m (SD = + 0.38, n = 32) and 2.95 m (+ 0.63, n = 50) for A. tortilis and M. crassifolia trees, respectively. The mean M12 tree height of trees with raven nests was 3.08 m (+ 0.39, n = 23) and 3.4 m (+ 0.72, n= 28) for A. tortilis and M. crassifolia, respec- tively. Brown-necked Raven nests were significantly higher in M. crassifolia than A. tortilis trees (Mann-Whitney U-test, P <0.001) with a significant difference in mean , nest heights between all tree species 7 observed (Kruskal-Wallis one way ANOVA on ranks, Dunn’s Test P <0.05). The variation in nest height as a function of tree height was positive for A. tortilis (Spearman Rank North West East 14 South Order correlation 0.607, n = 32), M. crassifo- lia (0.839, n = 50) and both tree species combined (0.834, n = 82). Most Brown-necked Raven nests were in Figure |. Nest orientation of Brown-necked Raven nests located partially or completely beneath a Lappet-faced Vulture nest in the Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia, 2008. Nest orientation refers to whether the nest was under the N, E,S or W section of the vulture’s nest. the upper crowns (96.4%) with only 3 nests being located on top of trees (3.6%). The median number of nests/tree was 1 and 2 for A. tortilis and M. crassifolia trees respectively, with 65.2% of the nests as single nests in A. tor- tilis and 3 nests/tree making up 21.4% of the nests in M. crassifolia trees (Table 1). Of the 84 Brown-necked Raven nests found, 50% (n = 42) were in the same tree as a Lappet-faced Vulture nest (n = 24) with 38.1% (n = 16) and 61.9% (n = 26) of these nests in A. tortilis and M. crassifolia trees, respectively. Of the remaining 42 nests, not in the same tree as a Lappet-faced Vulture nest, 66.7% (n = 28) were within a radius of 500 m from a Lappet-faced Vulture nest. Thus 83.3% of the Brown-necked Raven nests (n = 70) were either in the same tree as (n = 42), or within a radius of 500 m (n = 28) from, a Lappet-faced Vulture nest. Just over half (52.4%, n = 22) of the Brown-necked Raven nests in the same tree as a Lappet-faced Vulture nest were beneath that nest (entirely or partially) and 47.6% (n = 20) were away from, but still in the same tree. Overall, there was no significant difference in nest height between Brown-necked Raven (BNR) and Lappet-faced Vulture (LFV) nests in the same tree (means + SD; A. tortilis: BNR 2.54 + 0.38 m, LFV 2.67 + 0.48 m; M. crassifolia: BNR 2.95 + 0.63 m, LFV 3.06 + 0.52 m; Kruskal-Wallis one way ANOVA on ranks, Dunn’s 70 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Test P >0.05). Measured orientation of Brown-necked Raven nests located entirely or par- tially beneath a Lappet-faced Vulture nest indicated that 61.9% of the nests were located under the western (n = 14) and northern (n = 12) sides of the vulture nest (Figure 1). DISCUSSION The low M. crassifolia tree densities (Gillet & Launay 1990) and the higher occurrence of Brown-necked Raven nests associated with this tree species rather than A. tortilis, indicate its importance as a nest site. In a previous study in MSPA, Shobrak (2005), however, found the majority of his Brown-necked Raven nests in A. tortilis trees (n = 24), with the impor- tance of A. tortilis as the favoured nesting site in Arabia supported by Jennings (1987). The discrepancy between Shobrak’s (2005) and my results is difficult to explain. M. crassifolia is dominant in the east of MSPA, though Shobrak (2005) stated that he searched randomly throughout MSPA looking for raven nests. The Lappet-faced Vulture shows a preference for nesting and roosting in the eastern M. crassifolia dominated parts of MSPA (Newton & Newton 1996) and the apparent preference for M. crassifolia by Brown-necked Ravens may simply reflect that. There might be a thermoregulatory benefit as M. crassifolia is evergreen and generally taller than A. tortilis The apparent association of Brown-necked Raven nests with those of Lappet-faced Vultures is interesting, as corvids are known to show hostility at their own nesting sites towards raptors including Lappet-faced Vultures (Harvey & Harvey 1992, Jennings 1998, Bertran & Margalida 2004, Hockey et al 2005). Observations are needed during the breed- ing season to determine the level of interaction at dual nesting sites between the two species. The main benefit of associating with Lappet-faced Vulture nests is probably to scavenge around the nests, as Lappet-faced Vulture nestlings are “messy” feeders. According to Gavashelishvili & McGrady (2006), the presence of Corvus spp at carcasses signals relative security to vultures indicating that vultures might benefit from having ravens around although this does not necessarily imply associated breeding. According to Shobrak (2000), Brown-necked Ravens are the first avian species to locate carcasses in MSPA, probably assisting vultures in locating carcasses. It may also be that Lappet-faced Vultures are exhibiting a preference to nest closer to Brown-necked Ravens, to benefit from the latter’s aggressiveness to other raptors (as potential nest raiders) or to benefit in the search for carcasses. According to Newton & Newton (1996), the survival rate of Lappet- faced Vulture eggs and chicks in MSPA is higher than that documented from Africa. Active breeding association has been documented for Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) with Common Ravens (Corvus corax), with the latter presenting early-warning cues against predators (Fabrizio et al 2004). The orientation of the nests shaded by Lappet-faced Vulture nests suggests a nest site selection preference favouring the west and north, which might provide increased shade during the hotter parts of the day. The breeding season of the Brown-necked Raven is gen- erally accepted as being February—April in Saudi Arabia (Richardson 1990, Aspinall 1996, Shobrak 2004) with nesting known as late as June (Jennings 1993, 1995). Shading during this period, especially the latter period with a dramatic increase in ambient temperatures, may increase successful incubation, hatching and fledging. Shobrak (2005) suggested that breeding earlier, in the cooler season, favoured the successful rearing of Brown-necked Raven chicks. It is possible that later nesting Brown-necked Ravens are more likely to site their nests under Lappet-faced Vulture nests, to benefit from the shade. Whether the north- westerly Shamal winds during the summer months (Bottomley 1996) have an effect on nest orientation also requires investigation. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 71 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [hereby acknowledge HH Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Mohammed AI Saud, Secretary General NCWCD, for his continued support towards conservation efforts in Saudi Arabia. My appreciation also goes to Ernest Robinson (Director KKWRC, Thumamah) and Mohammed Shobrak (Taif University) for supplying me with relevant literature and commenting on a draft of this note. I also thank Steve Newton (Birdwatch Ireland) for supplying me with a very relevant paper. REFERENCES Aspinall, S. 1996. Status and conservation of the breeding birds of the United Arab Emirates. Hobby Publications, Dubai. Bertran, J & A Margalida. 2004. Interactive behaviour between Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus and Common Ravens Corvus corax in the nesting sites: predation risk and kleptoparasitism. Ardeola 51: 269-274. Bottomley, N. 1996. Recent climate of Abu Dhabi. In: Osborne, PE (ed). Desert ecology of Abu Dhabi—a review and recent studies. Pisces Publications, Newbury, UK, pp36—49. Chassot, P, P Mésochina & S Ostrowski. 2005. Re-introducing of Arabian oryx in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: up-date on population size in two protected areas. Re-introduction News 24: 17-19. Child, G & J Grainger. 1990. A System Plan for Protected Areas for Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Rural development in Saudi Arabia, Appendix II. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), Riyadh. | Fabrizio, F, F Rizzolli, L Marchesi & P Pedrini. 2004. The importance of interspecific interactions for breeding-site selection: peregrine falcons seek proximity to raven nests. Ecography 27: 818-826. Gavashelishvili, A & MJ McGrady. 2006. Geographic information system-based modelling of vulture response to carcass appearance in the Caucasus. Journal of Zoology 269: 365-372. Gillet, H & C Launay. 1990. Flora analysis of the Mahazat as—Sayd vegetation. NWRC, Taif, Saudi Arabia. Haque, MN & TR Smith. 1996. Reintroduction of Arabian sand gazelle Gazella subgutturosa marica in Saudi Arabia. Conservation Biology 76: 203-207. Harvey, D & M Harvey. 1992. Breeding observations on the Brown-necked raven in Sana’a, Republic of Yemen. Phoenix 9: 16-17. Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean & PG Ryan (eds). 2005. Roberts’ Birds of Southern Africa. 7th edition. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town. Hollom, PAD, RF Porter, S Christensen & I Willis. 1988. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. T & AD Poyser, Calton, UK. Jennings, MC. 1987. Progress so far: brown-necked raven. Phoenix 4: 7. Jennings, MC. 1993. Progress so far: brown-necked raven. Phoenix 10: 5. Jennings, MC. 1995. An interim atlas of the breeding birds of Arabia. NCWCD, Riyadh. Jennings, MC. 1998. Brown-necked raven, Corvus ruficollis. Phoenix 15: 18-19. Newton, SF & AV Newton. 1996. Breeding biology and seasonal abundance of lappet-faced vultures Torgos tracheliotus in western Saudi Arabia. Ibis 138: 675-683. Osborne, PE, JA Norton & S Aspinall. 1996. Desert birds of Abu Dhabi. In: Osborne PE (ed). Desert ecology of Abu Dhabi- a review and recent studies. Pisces Publications, Newbury, UK, pp98-123. Richardson, C. 1990. The birds of the United Arab Emirates. Hobby Publications, Dubai. Shobrak, M. 2000. The role of avian scavengers in locating and exploiting carcasses in central Saudi Arabia. In: Chancellor, RD & BU Meyburg (eds). Raptors at Risk. WWGBO, Hancock House, UK. Shobrak, M. 2005. Breeding success of Brown-necked ravens Corvus ruficollis in the Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area, Saudi Arabia. Sandgrouse 27: 152-157. Peter Low Cunningham, King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre & Zoological Society of London, Thumamah, PO Box 61681, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. pckkwrc@yahoo.co.uk Ti Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Breeding and food habits of a pair of urban Desert Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus in Hurghada, Red Sea coast, Egypt ISTVAN MOLDOVAN & ATTILA D SANDOR The breeding ecology and diet of an urban pair of Desert Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus was studied in Hurghada 2007/8, based on nest visits and prey remains. The primary breeding period of the Desert Eagle Owl is early spring, although the adult birds were present at the nesting place in December. Eggs were laid in January; however, a second clutch was apparently laid in May 2008. The diet comprised mostly mammals (78%) and birds (11.3%) with a small proportion of arthropods (9.2%) and reptiles (2.1%). The diet showed low diversity and consisted primarily of the Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus, House Mouse Mus musculus and Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, a temporally abundant migrant bird species. The mammalian component of the diet was the most important in terms of biomass (91.7%), with the Brown Rat dominating both by number (66.1%) and by biomass (89.1%). The results suggest that Desert Eagle Owls living in the outskirts of Hurghada are opportunistic feeders, relying on urban rodents. INTRODUCTION The Desert Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus is a regular resident in most of the desert regions of the Sahara and the Middle East (Cramp 1985). Although widely distributed and occurring around a number of desert oases, its habitat selection, breeding ecology and diet are poor- ly known compared to its European counterpart, the Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (Janossy & Schmidt 1970). Only anecdotal observations exist regarding the nesting period of the Desert Eagle Owl (Goodman et al 1986). Information regarding laying dates, number of nestlings and brooding time is also scanty (Goodman 1990). Studies performed have concentrated on food selection, mostly in the western and north-western regions of its dis- tribution (Morocco: Lesne & Thevenot 1981, Vein & Thévenot 1978; Algeria: Biche et al 2001, Boukhamza et al 1994; Tunisia: Alaya & Nouira 2007) and in the east (Syria: Shehab 2004; United Arab Emirates: Cunningham & Aspinall 2001; Saudi Arabia: Evans & Bates 1993 and the eastern desert of Jordan: Amr et al 1997, Rifai et al 2000). There is a small account of its diet from Algeria (Tammanrasset, Hoggar mountains, Niethammer 1963) and a few studies from Egypt: Janossy & Schmidt (1970) presented information on a few pellets col- lected in Saqgara, close to Cairo, containing less than two dozen animals; Goodman (1990) collected and analysed pellets from Kharga oasis, the first study of the Desert Eagle Owl diet in true desert habitats of Egypt; while Sandor & Orban (2008) detailed a handful of pel- lets from Siwa oasis. _ Plate I. Landscape as seen from the nest entrance, Plate 2. Typical habitat in the nesting territory, Hurghada, - Hurghada, Egypt. © Istvan Moldovan Egypt. © Istvan Moldovan Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 73 The purpose of the present study was to collect information on the breeding ecology and phenology, habitat selection and diet of an urban pair of Desert Eagle Owls in the extreme east of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, in Hurghada, based on visual observations and prey remains. STUDY AREA AND METHODS | A pair of Desert Eagle Owls was located in the suburbs of Hurghada (27° 13’ N, 33° 48’ E) and bred there in a rock crevice in 2007 and 2008. The nest was c100 m from a block of flats (Plate 1) in the outskirts of Hurghada. The habitat of the area (Plate 2) is hyperarid sand- stone desert and is within the boundaries of a housing estate, with a mixture of non-native and local plant species (Acacia raddiana, Hyphaene thebaica, Tamarix nilotica, Bougainvillea sp bushes etc), and there is an artificial water hole with a typical reed bed (Phragmites australis) not more than 30 m from the nest site. There are several industrial and household refuse dumps in the surrounding area. Desert Eagle Owls were observed several times roosting on the top of a quarry site. In each visit, the owls were located and nest site found by observing ‘white-wash’ (Penteriani & Delgado 2008) and pellets. Clutch size and laying date were not recorded because we avoided inspecting the nest in the period from mid-January to mid-March to minimize disturbance. All pellets and food remains were collected below the nest and on prominent rocks in the surroundings. The pellets were soaked in water and the bones of vertebrates and exoskeleton remains of arthropods removed from the pellets. The contents of each pellet were ascertained if possible, but a few pellets were broken and number of individuals per pellet not calculated. For identification of prey species, we used the skulls, mandibles, humeri and tibias of mammals, humeri and tarsometatarsi of birds and che- licerae, telsons and elytras of arthropods. Mammal and bird remains were compared to the authors’ reference collection. Paired elements for each taxon were separated and the largest number of these was considered the minimum number of individuals (MNI) per taxon for the entire sample. Original animal biomass was calculated by multiplying the number of Plate 3.Adult female Desert Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus near the nest, March 2007. © Istvan Moldovan 74. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) individuals of each species found in the pellets by the mean body mass (weight) obtained from the literature (Osborn and Helmy 1980, Hoath 2003) or from direct mass measurements of birds captured for ringing close to the study region (IM unpub). We calculated food niche breadth (NB) using Levins’ (1968) equation: NB = (1/2P7)-1, where P. is the proportion of prey in different categories (mainly by species). We calculated the mean prey weight (MPW) summing the product of the prey number and mean body weight and dividing by the number of prey items. RESULTS The birds were first observed on 8 March 2007, when a territorial male was observed. The nest was in a rock crevice, where the female (Pilate 3) laid in a scrape in sand and was surrounded by food remains. The adult birds usually stayed close to the nest, warning when approached. No aggressive contact was noted. Three nestlings were present on 15 March. On subsequent visits, the nestlings were observed and two of them ringed on 07 April. The third was ringed on 27 April (Plate 4). On 9 May, only two of the ringed nestlings were present in the nest, though fully feathered and able to fly. The owls left the breeding area but were usually located nearby. No birds were observed from August through December. Two adults were present in the breeding area on 28 Dec 2007 and they used the same nest in 2008. The site was visited several times in the period January—March 2008, and both adults were observed at the nest in most visits (Plates 5 & 6). There was one nestling. On 12 March the nestling was measured and based on its size considered to be 52-55 days old post-hatching (mea- surements of primary length, regression equations in Penteriani et al 2004). It is esti- mated to have hatched in early January 2008. The adults were observed until 20 April, when they were seen some 500 m NE of the nest site, together with the only Plate 4. Downy youngster about to be ringed, 27 April 2007. © Jacek Chrusciel Table |. Identified prey remains in Desert Eagle Owl pellets, Hurghada, Egypt. MNI, minimum number of individuals. Prey species Rattus norvegicus ad Rattus norvegicus juv Mus musculus ad Mus musculus juv Gerbillus pyramidum Total mammals Coturnix coturnix Charadrius alexandrinus Charadrius dubius Columba livia Alaudidae spp Hirundo daurica Cisticola juncidis Sylvidae spp Emberiza sp Passeriformes spp Total birds Total reptiles Tenebrionidae sp Coleoptera sp Leiurus quinquestriatus Total arthropods TOTAL MNI ~~ Frequency Biomass (%) (%) 44 11.64 23.78 203 53.70 65.83 39 10.32 1.58 10 2.65 0.27 | 0.26 0.04 297. 18.57 9S 22 5.82 eb) | 0.26 0.11 | 0.26 0.11 | 0.26 0.95 4 1.06 0.38 | 0.26 0.05 | 0.26 0.04 4 1.06 0.16 | 0.26 0.07 2 0.53 0.16 38 10.05 LIT 14 3:70 0.38 5 1.32 0.01 22 5.82 0.12 2 0.53 0.01 29 7.67 0.00 378 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 75 Plate 5.Adult male Desert Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus, leaving the nest crevice, January 2008. © Istvan Moldovan ‘nestling’, found in a hole. The nest site was not visited again until 28 June, when one more, small, nestling was found. Based on its measurements it was 30-33 days old and apparent- ly hatched in late May. A fully feathered juvenile (Plate 7) was present close by, presumably the earlier nestling of 2008. A total of 378 individual prey were identified in the pellets, representing three rodent species, at least 10 bird species, one reptile and a minimum of four arthropod species (Table 1). Remains of a minimum of 349 individual vertebrate prey (92.3% of MNI) were found in the pellets. Mammals comprised 78.5% of the diet by number, birds 10%, reptiles (small agamid lizards) 3.7% and arthropods (coleopteran sp, tenebrionid beetle sp, two Death Stalker Scorpions Leiurus quinquestriatus) 7.6% by number. The Brown Rat was the most common prey, followed by House Mouse, Common Quail, then the beetles and lizards. All other species were represented by a few individuals and comprised less than 5% of the diet. Mammals made up to 91.5% by biomass, followed by birds 7.9%, while lizards and the arthropods constituted less than 0.5% together. The Brown Rat was the most important prey item both by number and biomass, juvenile rats making up 64.8% of the total biomass consumed. The Common Quail was the second species with an important share (6.4%), while all other categories together were below 5% of the total biomass. The prey diversity was extremely low (NB = 1.32), the mean prey weight was 97.9 g (SD + 89.17 g, n = 378). DISCUSSION The Desert Eagle Owl is a resident breeding bird in the desert regions of Egypt and it has | been noted in several oases and cities, including Hurghada (Goodman e¢ al 1986, Goodman & Meininger 1991). Its breeding period in Egypt is thought to be the spring, as fledglings were found in spring in Kharga depression (Al Hussaini 1959). The owl uses a wide range of habitats in Egypt, but is most commonly found in wadis and abandoned quarries, although pellets have also been collected from abandoned buildings (Janossy & Schmidt 76 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Plate 6. Adult male at a favourite roosting site, March Plate 7. Juvenile at the age of 90 days (presumably the 2008. © Istvan Moldovan first 2008 youngster), April 2008. © Istvan Moldovan 1970). According to our Hurghada observations, the primary breeding period is winter to early spring, with adults present at the nesting place in December. In 2007 and 2008 laying apparently occurred in January, though laying appeared to have occurred again in May 2008. The diet of Desert Eagle Owls varies, and samples collected at one site may contain a different selection of prey species than from another site, as is the case in Egypt. Janossy & Schmidt (1970) found only rodents in the small sample collected close to Cairo, with House Rats Rattus rattus, two species of gerbils, and one jerboa Jaculus orientalis. The sample col- lected by Goodman (1990) from Kharga oasis showed a much broader food spectrum, with mammals (64.3% of species), birds (10%), reptiles (4.3%) and arthropods (21%). There, the most numerous prey species was the House Mouse, followed by Trident Horseshoe Bat Asellia tridens and the Common Gerbil Gerbillus gerbillus. The Common Gerbil was the dom- inant prey in the diet at Siwa oasis, with four more mammalian prey species, some birds and a large number of arthropods (Sandor & Orban 2008). In marked contrast to the studies above, the diet in Hurghada was dominated by one medium sized, human-commensal, rodent species, the Brown Rat. The other important prey species (in terms of biomass) was a common migratory bird, which migrates through the area in large numbers (IM unpub). The rest of the prey species were found only in small numbers, comprising less than 5% of all food consumed. The food diversity was low, which is typical for an urbanized species (McKinney 2008). Thus, Desert Eagle Owls in Hurghada in the breeding period are clearly opportunistic, feeding largely on urban rodents. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are grateful to J Buki, M Thévenot and M Valcu for their generous help in collecting references. The field assistance of Robert Lasecky and Jacek Chrusciel was essential for our research. We would like to express our thanks to M Megalli and to the anonymous reviewer whose comments greatly improved an ear- lier version of the manuscript. REFERENCES Al Hussaini, AH. 1959. The avifauna of Al-Wadi Al-Gadid in the Libyan Desert. Bulletin of the Zoological Society of Egypt 14: 1-14. Alaya, HB & S Nouira. 2007. Le régime alimentaire de trois especes de rapaces nocturnes en Tunisie: la chou- ette chevéche, la chouette effraie et le hibou grand-duc. Ostrich 78(2): 377-379. Amr, ZS, WN Al-Melhim & MA Youssef. 1997. Mammal remains from pellets of the Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo, from Azraq Nature Reserve, Jordan. Zoology in the Middle East 14: 5-10. Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 77 Biche, M, M Sellami, R Libois & N Yahiaoui. 2001. Régime alimentaire du Grand-duc du désert, Bubo ascala- phus dans la réserve naturelle de Mergueb (M’Sila, Algérie). Alauda 69: 554-557. Boukhamza, M, W Hamdine & M Thévenot. 1994. Données sur le régime alimentaire du Grand-Duc ascalaphe (Bubo bubo ascalaphus) en milieu steppique (Ain Ouessera, Algerie). Alauda 62: 150-152. Cramp, S. 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 4. Oxford University Press, UK. Cunningham, PL & S Aspinall. 2001. The diet of Little Owl Athene noctua in the UAE, with notes on Barn Owl Tyto alba, and Desert Eagle Owl Bubo (b.) ascalaphus. Tribulus 11(2): 13-15. Evans, M & P Bates. 1993. Diet of the Desert Eagle Owl in Harrat al Harrah reserve, northern Saudi Arabia. Ornithological Society of the Middle East Bulletin 30: 26. Goodman, SM. 1990. The food habits of the eagle owl (Bubo bubo ascalaphus) in Kharga oasis, / Egyptian west- ern desert. Journal of Arid Environments 18: 217-220. Goodman, SM & PL Meininger. 1991. The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University Press, UK. Goodman, SM, PL Meininger & WC Mullié. 1986. The Birds of the Egyptian Western Desert. Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 172:1-91. Hoath, R. 2003. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt. American University in Cairo Press, Cairo. Janossy, D & E Schmidt. 1970. Die Nahrung des Uhus (Bubo bubo). Regionale und erdzeitliche Anderungen. Bonner Zoologischer Beitrage 21: 25-51. Lesne, L & M Thévenot. 1981. Contribution a l’étude du régime alimentaire du Hibou grand duc Bubo bubo ascalaphus au Maroc. Bulletin de l'Institut scientifique, Rabat 5: 167-177. | Levins, R. 1968. Evolution in Changing Environments. Princeton University Press, NJ. Mckinney, ML. 2008. Effects of urbanization on species richness. A review of plants and animals. Urban Ecosystems 11: 161-176. Niethammer, J. 1963. Nagetiere und Hasen aus zentralen Sahara (Hoggar). Zeitschrift fiir Saugetierkunde 28: 350-369. Osborn, DJ & I Helmy. 1980. The contemporary land mammals of Egypt (including Sinai). Fieldiana Zoology 5 (ns). Penteriani, V & MM Delgado. 2008. Owls may use faeces and prey feathers to signal current reproduction. PLoS ONE 3(8): e3014. Penteriani, V, MM Delgado, C Maggio, A Aradis & F Sergio. 2004. Development of chicks and 2 pre: dispersal behaviour of young in the Eagle Owl. Ibis 147: 155-168. Rifai, LB, WN Al-Melhim, BM Gharaibeh & ZS Amr. 2000. The diet of the Desert Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo ascala- phus, in the Eastern Desert of Jordan. Journal of Arid Environments 44: 369-372. Sandor, AD & Z Orban. 2008. Food of the Desert Eagle Ow] (Bubo ascalaphus) in Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Zoology in the Middle East 44: 107-110. Shehab, AH. 2004. Diet of the Eagle owl, Bubo bubo, in Syria. Zoology in the Middle East 33: 21-26. Vein, D & M Thévenot. 1978. Etude sur le Hibou grand duc Bubo bubo ascalaphus dans le Moyen-Atlas maro- cain. Nos Oiseaux 34: 347-351. Istvan Moldovan, Constantin Romanu Vivu St, BI 11/D, ap 8, Targu Mures, Romania. Attila D Sandor, Environmental Protection Agency, Str Podeni 10, Targu Mures, RO-540253, Romania. adsandor@gmail.com 78 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) ERRATUM Schweizer M & M Mitropolskiy. 2008. The occurrence of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and its status in Central Asia. Sandgrouse 30: 161-163. The editor apologises for the omission of Table 1, which is reproduced in full below. Table |. Published records of Crested Honey Buzzard in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and recent observations from Uzbekistan. (coll NUUz = Collection of National University of Uzbekistan, Tashkent). Country Uzbekistan Tajikistan Date 12 May 2007 18 August 2006 19 July 2006 9 May 2006 8 May 2006 8 May 2006 3 November 2005 18 May 1999 9 May 1998 9 September 1970 12 September 1966 18 October 1949 27 May 1948 24 April 1969 13/19 September 1949 Number of birds Locality Chimgan | Pulathan | Chaylisay 6 Chimgan 20 Masarsay 10 Chimgan 2 Dzhana-aryk | Chimgan 13 Humsan | Tashkent | Tashkent | Tashkent | Tashkent | Dushanbe | near Shahristan 2 “Pass Observer S Rooke, Sunbird M Mitropolskiy M Mitropolskiy Manuel Schweizer, Samuel Bachmann, Daniel Kreuzberg Manuel Schweizer, Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina, Samuel Bachmann, Daniel Kreuzberg Manuel Schweizer, Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina, Samuel Bachmann, Daniel Kreuzberg M Mitropolskiy M Mitropolskiy M Mitropolskiy AN Aupoy, coll NUUz R Meklenburtsey, coll NUUz MM Ostapenko R Meklenburtsev HH Mamsurov AV Popov Source unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished Mitropolskiy 2007 Mitropolskiy 2002 Mitropolskiy 2002 Mitropolskiy et al 1987 Mitropolskiy et al 1987 Ostapenko 1960 unpublished Abdusalyamov 1971 Popov 1950 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 79 REVIEW The Birds of Turkey Guy M Kirwan, Barbaros Demirci, Hilary Welch, Kerem Boyla, Metehan Ozen, Peter Castell & Tim Marlow Christopher Helm/A & C Black. 2008. 512 pages, 32 colour plates, distribution maps. Hardback. £40.00 ISBN 978-1-4081—0475-0 Like many of us who visit Turkey regularly, the chance sighting of something that might be a little unusual causes me to consult Cees Roselaar’s excellent Songbirds of Turkey: Atlas of Biodiversity of Turkish Passerine Birds (Helm, 2000). On a recent March trip to Turkey I visited a beach east of Finike in Antalya province. I encountered Horned Larks Eremophila alpestris, which are common in Turkey but usually on steppe and generally at a high alti- tude. Were these Turkish breeders or could they possibly be wintering or migrant birds that breed further north? Plumage characters suggested they might not be Turkish breeders and it did not look from Roselaar’s book as if there were records of birds that were not Turkish breeders. The point is that Roselaar’s book has been something of a bible as it has provided detailed information on the taxono- my and distribution of all passerines found in Turkey, and to a generally high level of accu- racy. A single volume source has not been available for non-passerines so it is a great pleasure to see the appearance of The Birds of Turkey as the species accounts now bring together a single reference source for all species. This alone makes this book indispensable. The details provided within the species accounts are generally excellent and, within the constraints of coverage issues, are very good. The maps are clear and I[ think pitched at the right level. There are such huge gaps in distributional knowledge for many birds that a large amount of the ‘black’ or ‘grey’ must be deduction though this guesswork appears to have been conducted critically and with due care. I have been leading tours to areas rich in flora and butterflies and this I feel has given 80 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) me an insight into the wider avifauna of Turkey in the sense that I spent a lot of time off the beaten track, at least as far as birders are concerned. In fact, I have rarely met other birders in the field in Turkey in the past fifteen years. Certainly I can see few flaws in the species accounts of the mountain passerines of the east which, in my experience, are all really rather common if one spends time in the right habitats, and the species accounts more or less indicate this. The choice of introductory chapters is worthy of comment. Sections on ‘Modern Ornithology in Turkey’, the very honest and welcome ‘Gaps in our Knowledge’ and the summary descriptions of ‘Turkey’s Ecoregions’ are excellent in aim and, with the exception of the last, execution. The section on ‘The Breeding Season’ is oddly placed, per- haps this could have been an appendix, with the addition of sections giving overviews on ‘Migration’ and ‘Population Trends’. The description of Turkey’s ecoregions is important and necessary and is generally at about the right level, each region’s physical and vegetation characteristics, and the reason for their distinctiveness, given succinctly without encumbering us with unnecessary detail. However there are some careless errors here. Describing the Taurus and southwest Anatolia as supporting c950 plant species is rather wide of the mark, we could fairly aim to find that in a two week tour of the region. Rather worryingly, the Black Sea mountains are described as being ‘geologically young having started in the last 5000-6000 years’. Mountain building in this region started around 35 million years ago _ (late Eocene/Oligocene) and continued until as recently as about 3 million years ago (Pliocene). The description of the Zagros mountains contains much dubious descrip- tion to areas around Shiraz (Iran) and beyond, and the mention of Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus as a part of what presumably should be a typical Zagros mountains fauna is unrepresentative. There is a remnant and very isolated population of this species in a remot- er part of the Sistan Baluchistan mountains, which though a continuation of the same mountain arc that formed the Zagros, can hardly be called part of the Zagros. As far as I know the Asiatic Black Bear has not occurred historically in the Zagros, which are however occupied, rather sparsely, by Brown Bears Ursus arctos. The photograph section is largely good but what is worrying is the number of duds. The Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta has twigs across its head and its eye is obscured. The many landscape shots are useful and general- ly well chosen but again there are some unaccountably poor ones such as the Sivri Kaya shot which illustrates perfectly the impact of sunlight on the landscape. OSME News Geoff Welch Conservation and Research Fund changes The following important changes have been made to the operation of the Conservation and Research Fund which should be noted by all applicants. From 1 January 2009, applications will be considered three times a year with the follow- ing deadlines for submission: 31 January, 31 May and 30 September. Applicants will be notified of the decision within 3 months of the deadline ie in April, August and December. Therefore, please allow sufficient time between your application and the proposed timing of work. It would be interesting to map the record- ing activities of birdwatchers, Turkish and foreign, over the past forty years. In fact, I find it rather strange that this hasn’t been at least attempted as in other fields such as Lepidoptera, where Hesselbarth et al’s mag- num opus (Die Tagfalter der Tiirkei unter Berticksichtigung der angrenzenden Liander. Wagener, 1995) not only provides detailed maps for the collections and sightings of all butterflies recorded in Turkey but it also maps the movements of the collectors in detail showing clearly the areas where they have not spent much time or indeed ventured at all. Overall the drawbacks are few and the book delivers well in terms of providing a thorough resource for information on the birds of Turkey. Anyone with a significant interest in the avifauna of this region will do well to get this book and will be pleased with what they get. The authors have done a very good job. However, I am left with a question. When will the database that this book pro- vides be on the web? lan Green A web page has been set up to disseminate updates and corrections to The Birds of Turkey, at http://www.freewebs.com/guykirwan/ turkeybookupdates.htm. All applications are considered by the Conservation and Research Fund sub- committee, currently Ramaz Gokhelashvili (Caucasus), Michael Brombacher (Central Asia), Richard Porter (Middle East), Rob Sheldon (Scientific Adviser) and myself, with recommendations endorsed by OSME Council. In order to support as many applications as possible, grants will be limited to a maxi- mum of £500 but this will be reviewed on a regular basis depending on the success of fund raising activities. Projects should be directed to one or more of the following subject areas: Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 81 i) investigating the status of threatened or near-threatened species ii) attempting to further knowledge of exist- ing Important Bird Areas (eg undertaking breeding censuses, visiting out-of-season to conduct systematic counts) iii) investigating potential new Important Bird Areas or little-known areas iv) conducting ecological studies of little- known species v) educational projects. Priority will be given to projects involving nationals from the region and applicants are required to write up the results of their project for possible publication in Sandgrouse. Revised Constitution Although minor amendments have been made over the years, the Society’s official Constitution registered with the UK’s Charity Commission is dated 1981. Therefore Council has carried out an extensive revision of the Constitution so that it more accurately reflects both the current structure and functioning of OSME and UK charity legislation. The main changes in the new Constitution are in the name of the Society, to reflect the expansion of OSME’s area of interest to include the Caucasus and Central Asia (though the Society will continue to be known popularly as OSME), and a clearer definition of the roles and responsibilities of Council members, the majority of whom are also legal trustees of the Society. Council very much hopes that the membership will endorse the revision and this will be voted on formally at the Summer Meeting in July and, if approved, submitted to the Charity Commission in order to update their records. A copy of the draft revision is available on the OSME web site and copies are available on request from the Secretary (please include an A4 self addressed enve- lope). Any comments on the _ revised Constitution should be submitted to the Secretary by Saturday 4 July 2009. OSME Summer Meeting and AGM 2009 Following the success of last year’s Summer Meeting, the 2009 Meeting and AGM will again be held at the BIO Headquarters (The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK) on 82 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Saturday 18 July. There is ample free parking. The bus station is about 10 minutes walk away, and the railway station 15 minutes. Road access is via the A11 London—Norwich road, connecting with the Al14 from the north and Midlands. Trains operate regular services on the Birmingham—Norwich line, and also to Cambridge and London Kings Cross. Speakers will include Steve Cale on bird- ing in North Cyprus, Ian Harrison on the Aden Wetlands and Geoff Welch on the Central Asia Important Bird Areas project. We look forward to seeing you there. OSME needs you! As with any charity, the day to day running of OSME relies on the time freely given by its Council members and in order to continue to develop the Society we are seeking new mem- bers to join Council, either as full members or in a co-opted role. Council members serve for 5 years and Council meets formally three times a year plus informally at the Summer Meeting/AGM and the British Birdwatching Fair. Whilst a knowledge of the birds of the OSME region is desirable, the most important attributes of Council members are having the time and enthusiasm to actively help maintain and promote the Society and good communi- cation skills. The majority of OSME business is carried out by email. While some of these positions require regular attendance of meet- ings and, ideally, for the postholder to be based in the UK, others could be carried out ‘remotely’ and therefore may appeal to over- seas members. We are currently seeking to fill the follow- ing positions: e Treasurer. Responsible for maintaining OSME’s accounts, preparing the annual budget and liaising with the Charity Commissioners over financial and consti- tutional issues. e Membership Secretary. Responsible for serv- icing the membership, primarily maintaining the membership database and coordinating the twice yearly mailing of Sandgrouse. e Sales Officer. Responsible for running the small-scale OSME sales operation, both by mail order and at events. e Web site Manager. Responsible for mainte- nance, updating, and facilitating the development of the OSME web site. e Librarian. Responsible for maintaining OSME’s small collection of reference liter- ature, mostly difficult to obtain journals and unpublished papers and reports, and for dealing with occasional requests for information or access to the library from members. e Events Coordinator. This is a new position and the postholder will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of OSME’s atten- dance at key events, currently the Summer Meeting and the BirdFair, such as liaising with venue organisers, arranging staffing rotas etc. e Fund-raising Officer. This is a new position and the postholder will be responsible for seeking core funding for the day to day Operation. “of ~ the. Society, for the Conservation and Research Fund and for any specific projects that OSME may develop in the future. NEWS & INFORMATION Dawn Balmer (compiler) ARMENIA Atypical cranes discovered In May 2008, Russian ornithologist VY Ilyashenko visited a small colony of Common Cranes Grus grus in southwestern Armenia, near the border with Turkey and Georgia. He discovered these cranes had clear morpholog- ical differences from typical Common Crane. The main differences are a white spot behind the eye and lack of red ‘crown’. The taxonom- ic status of these cranes is currently being assessed. A female was ringed with a white plastic ring with black number 210 on the right leg and standard metal ring A223099 on the left leg. Birdwatchers are asked to look carefully at migrating and _ wintering Common Cranes in the Middle East for colour-rings. Records of nesting or wintering cranes from Turkey, Iran, Georgia and If you are interested in any of the above positions, please contact the Chairman, Geoff Welch, at chairman@osme.org. Feeling lucky? In order to raise funds for both the core oper- ation of OSME and the Conservation and Research Fund, thanks to the generosity of several sponsors, especially Opticron who have donated a telescope and tripod kit, OSME is running a major raffle in 2009 with some excellent prizes and we hope that mem- bers will support us by buying tickets themselves and selling them to friends and colleagues! Unfortunately, under UK Gaming legislation, raffle tickets can only be sold in the UK so we apologise to all of our overseas members that they are unable to participate, though those with access to.a UK bank account are able to buy tickets. A book of tick- ets is enclosed with this copy of Sandgrouse (UK addresses only) and extra books can be obtained from Chris Lamsdell, 4 Hardings Close, Iver, Bucks SLO OHL, UK. Armenia are sought and details should be sent to Valentin Ilyashenko at eilyashenko@savingcranes.org. EGYPT Wind farm proposals in the migra- tion bottleneck of Zait bay Plans for a huge wind farm with 3000 MW output in the area of Zait bay, on the west side of the southernmost gulf of Suez, have been amended following a feasibility study that indicated heavy migration of soaring birds in both autumn and spring. The German Development Bank (KfW) commissioned the study which recorded 145 000 soaring birds in the autumn and 179 000 in the spring. An unexpectedly large percentage of birds were observed flying at or below 200 m or even resting on the ground. An alternative propos- Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 83 al was put forward whereby construction would be limited to the least critically sensi- tive areas in the north of the area. The German Development Bank adopted the alternative plan and the Egyptian authorities agreed to the new plan. The KfW is now in control of the situation and searching for a viable alternative site. (Contributed by Dr Gudrun Hilgerloh) KAZAKHSTAN World Heritage Site designated in Kazakhstan Two of Central Asia’s most important steppe- wetland Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Tengiz-Korgalzhyn and Naurzum have been recognised as a World Heritage Site. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee announced in July 2008 that they were to include the territory of “Saryaka—Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan” into the list of UNESCO natural World Heritage Sites. The Tengiz-Korgalzhyn and Naurzum nature reserves, the two sites forming Saryaka, are located in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan and are two of the most important IBAs in Central Asia. Both are crucial migration stop-over sites for several million birds each year on the African-Eurasian flyway. They also hold large breeding populations of many globally threat- ened species. Naurzum is_ particularly important for Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (Vulnerable), Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis (Endangered) and the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus. The Tengiz-Korglazhyn is used by an estimated 2 million waterbirds during migration, and is also a key site for global breeding populations of Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus (Vulnerable), Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (Near Threatened) and Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius (Critically Endangered). (Source: BirdLife International) : Significant funding obtained for Steppe conservation At the end of October 2008, the GEF Council approved a 24 million US$ project (with 2.2 million US$ GEF funding) on steppe conser- vation and management in Kazakhstan. This project is part of the Altyn Dala initiative and 84 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) will not only create a number of large new Protected Areas in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan, most of which are IBAs, but also improve the management of existing sites and develop and apply concepts for a “landscape level management approach” outside the Protected Areas network. Large parts of this project will be implemented by ACBK, under contract from UNDP. (Contributed by Michael Brombacher, ACBK/RSPB) First Annual ACBK Student Nature Conservation Club Network Conference, Karaganda, 22-24 November 2008 This event brought together more than forty students and advisers from ACBK’s seven Nature Conservation Clubs and key staff from ACBK (Plate 1). The conference covered three main areas: the development of Clubs over the past two years; the implementation of four GEF Small) Grant = projects; on the “Conservation of pilot Important Bird Areas (IBAs) by specially trained students and local communities”; and participation by students in ACBK and other scientific projects. Since April 2007 ACBK has established Clubs in universities and other institutes of higher edu- cation throughout Kazakhstan and these now have more than 130 members. Clubs are pro- vided with up to date literature, optical and field equipment and there is an ongoing pro- gramme of training courses and field camps to increase the students’ capacity for carrying out routine systematic monitoring and awareness-raising of their local IBAs. This first conference highlighted the importance of Plate I. ACBK Students’ conference participants. © Zhana Aksartova/ACBK this initiative for the future conservation of biodiversity in Kazakhstan and its organisa- tion was supported by the Van Tienhoven Foundation and RSPB. (Contributed by Edith Mayer & Geoff Welch) LEBANON Report on Climate Change The Society for Protection of Nature in Lebanon in partnership with Indyact has developed a project funded by the British Embassy. The aim of the project was to devel- op a preliminary scientific report highlighting the expected impact of climate change on bio- diversity in Lebanon, and_ identifying indicator species for monitoring. The report ‘Effect of Climate Change on Biodiversity in Lebanon’ can be downloaded from www.spnilb.org/publications.php. ISRAEL International Spring Migration Festival The 3rd International Spring Migration Festival will be held in Eilat from 23-30 March, 2009, which is the peak week of Israel's spring migration. For more information about the festival, please check the website: www.eilatbirdsfestival.com. IRAN Guide to Birds of Iran updated The second edition of the book Guide to the birds of Iran prepared by Dr Jamshid Mansoori has been published. The new edition is fully revised with corrections to species status and distributions incorporated, species list re- ordered, new species added (new total 514), new photos and the book is lighter and small- er than the first edition. JORDAN Visiting Agaba Bird Observatory For those who are interested in getting more information regarding the Aqaba Bird Observatory, you can refer to the Jordan Society for Sustainable Development's web- site, www.jssd-jo.org, or you can email Aqaba@jssd-jo.org, info@jssd-jo.org or Salam@jssd-jo.org regarding securing permits to visit the observatory. JSSD has an official agreement with all parties in Aqaba to facili- tate entrance procedures for visitors. SOCOTRA (YEMEN) World Heritage Site The Socotra archipelago was recently added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Natural Sites. Many international organisations including BirdLife have long campaigned for the Socotra Conservation and Development Programme’s submission for this prestigious designation. This designation is a culmination of the process which began when Socotra was declared a UNESCO Man and Biosphere reserve in 2003. Socotra is of universal impor- tance because of its rich and distinct flora and fauna and high level of endemism. 37% of Socotra’s 825 plant species, 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species do not occur anywhere else in the world. The site also supports globally significant populations of land and sea birds (192 bird species, 44 of which breed on the islands while 85 are regu- lar migrants), including a number of threatened species. (Source: Birdlife International) SYRIA Website of Palmyra Society for the Protection of Environment and Wildlife operational Palmyra is famous for its magnificent Roman ruins but the area also has some of the best birding in the Middle East; huge numbers of migrants pass through each season and acces- sible highlights include the relict colony of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita and Talila, Syria’s first nature reserve. However, as roads improve and the human population expands into the desert, there is intense pres- sure on the local wildlife, with increasing grazing, hunting and water abstraction all degrading the environment. As a result, con- cerned Palmyrians formed Syria’s first local conservation society, the Palmyra Society for the Protection of Environment and Wildlife, in autumn 2006. It has wide-ranging objectives including making local people more aware of Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 85 the environment and involving them in con- servation activities. Its website, www.palmyrasociety.org, has just been set up with support from an OSME grant; its aims are to raise international interest in the area and to develop ecotourism. Anyone visiting Syria should find information useful for their trip; it is hoped to develop a gallery of photos of local birds and a database of records from the area. Local conservationists, trained dur- ing the Bald Ibis project, can be contacted via the Palmyra Society website; they will assist visitors to see the charismatic birds of the area such as Northern Bald Ibis, Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, Namaqua Dove Oena capensis, Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens and 12 species of lark including Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes. Visitors can meet Haian Dukhan, secretary of the Society, at the Palmyra Tourist Office. Birds of Syria Arabic field guide published The first bird book for Syria was launched on 28 January 2009 (Plates 2 & 3). Written in Arabic, it has been jointly produced by the Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife (SSCW) and BirdLife International. The guide covers a total of 393 species including Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus (Vulnerable), the Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing and Northern Bald Ibis. This important publica- tion will be used to encourage an interest in birds in Syria and provide a reference work for those engaged in surveys and wildlife con- servation programmes. “The release of the ‘Birds of Syria’ field guide gives a significant rise in hopes to pro- iay = ee Plate 2. The newly published Arabic language field guide, Birds of Syria. 86 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Plate 3. Launch of the Birds of Syria, January 2009. tect threatened birds in the country, and gives opportunity for the growing conservation efforts in Syria.” Dr Akram Darwish (Vice Chair of SSCW). _ “This is the first comprehensive fully illus- trated field guide to birds of Syria that is published in local language as a critical con- servation tool for conservation in Syria and the whole of Arabia.” Ibrahim Khader (Regional Director of Middle East secretariat, BirdLife International). The book was funded by the RSPB (BirdLife International Partner in the Uk), OSME, the SGP (Small Grant Program) in Syria, Avifauna-Sweden, the World Bank and the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. Captive breeding proposed for Palmyra’s Northern Bald Ibises A workshop on the conservation of the Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis has concluded that the Palmyra birds should be supplemented with juveniles taken from the expanding semi-wild population at Birecik, Turkey. The meeting was held in September 2008 in Palmyra, Syria, near the site where a relict population of the bird was discovered in 2002. The workshop was organised by the Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife, Syrian Ministry for Agriculture and Agrarian Reform and _ the _ General Commission for the Management and Development of al-Badia, with participation and funding from BirdLife International’s Middle East Secretariat, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, BirdLife in the UR), wand Germany’s Hanns Seidel Foundation. The proposed captive Northern Bald Ibis aviary will be established within the Talila Wildlife Reserve, part of the al-Badia desertic steppe rangelands east of Palmyra, managed by the Syrian government and funded by UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and others to restore the species to ecological health. The aim of the workshop was to iden- tify the main problems affecting the Bald Ibis breeding colony, to propose practical solu- tions to these problems, and, develop and endorse a national Action Plan for Northern Bald Ibis conservation. Chris Bowden of the RSPB explained that captive breeding was a last resort, as there is no guarantee of suc- cess following a total breeding failure at the colony in the past year. “If fewer than two pairs attempt to breed next year, we will hit the emergency button. The Birecik birds are genetically similar, and so are the obvious source for supplementation”. Juvenile birds would be taken from Birecik to form a captive breeding colony, using adapted compounds that were previously used for captive breeding of Arabian Oryx. The project will draw on expertise from around the world, including Doga Dernegi (BirdLife in Turkey), and the Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle in Griinau, Austria, where a semi-wild colony has been established. The Syrian government, local Bedouins, former hunters and others are firmly committed to the survival of the Palmyra colony. (Source: BirdLife International) Developments at Sabkhat al-Jabbul Sabkhat al-Jabbul is the most important wet- land in Syria and its only Ramsar site, of great importance for its birds at all times of the year. Breeding species include Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris and White-headed Duck Oxyura leu- cocephala, tens of thousands of duck winter and vast numbers of waders pass through on migration. Though it is nominally protected, there is still heavy pressure from hunting and the possible construction of a chemical works on its north side might cause disastrous pollu- tion. Much of the Sabkhat is inaccessible and there are very few data from many areas; but in 2008 surveyors from the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Jordan have been carrying out monthly counts that will provide essential baseline data. The Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife plans to open the first ecotourism lodge in Syria in 2009, in Jabbul village right on the edge of the wetland. This important development will act as a focus for study and conservation of the site and allow birders to link up with ecogu- ides from the town of Jabbul. Visitors will support the development of ecotourism in Syria; contact details will soon be available. TURKEY Poison blamed for deaths of Northern Bald Ibises Three Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibises were found poisoned in October 2008 in a remote Jordanian desert, hundreds of kilometres from their breeding grounds in Turkey. The three birds were being tracked by satellite after leaving Birecik, south-eastern Turkey, where one of only four colonies of Bald Ibis remains. The birds were found 32 km from the Jordanian capital, Amman. Autopsies have ruled out electrocution and shooting. Scientists are investigating the source of the poison and believe it may have been laid by chicken farmers in order to kill rodents. “The deaths are heartbreaking but they may not have died in vain. They came from a semi-captive population and the fact that they left the colony proves they haven't lost their migratory instincts”, said Jose Tavares, the RSPB’s (BirdLife in the UK) Country Programme Officer for Turkey. “The birds flew via Palmyra in Syria, where a tiny colony hangs on, which means birds we release from Turkey next year could join the group in Syria.” RSCN and BirdLife in the Middle East are cooperating with specialist labs in Jordan to identify the poison. Based on the results, they will take this up with the Ministries of the Environment and Agriculture to try and con- trol use of this poison. Sharif Al Jbour of BirdLife in the Middle East, who found the dead birds, said: “We know where the adults go but it’s crucial we follow the young birds’ migration route so that we can protect them in winter and help them return to Turkey and Syria to breed.” To solve the riddle, more Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 87 Turkish birds will be tagged next year by Czech expert Lubomir Peske. These birds will be followed to see if they join and boost the numbers of the tiny colony in Palmyra. The tracking project has boosted hopes for the Northern Bald Ibis in the Middle East with conservationists now more optimistic that they can re-establish a completely wild popu- lation, ine» Turkey. (Gource:~ Birdlite International) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES New website UAE. birding has a new, website, www.uaebirding.com, and includes an inter- active discussion-forum, a news page with RSS feed and a new _ photo section. (Contributed by Tommy Pedersen) Migratory birds of prey to be protected New measures to protect over 70 species of migratory raptors from threats such as habitat loss and degradation, persecution, accidental killing, and climate change were agreed in Abu Dhabi in October 2008 at a meeting organised by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi under the United Nations Convention on Migratory Species. This was the second of two meetings, the first was in October 2007 (see Sandgrouse 30 (1): 10). Following a joint initiative by the governments of the United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom, a Memorandum of Understanding has been concluded that will coordinate the protection of migratory birds of prey and owls found in Europe, Africa and Asia. The new measures will ensure that signatories focus particular conservation efforts on critical ‘bottleneck’ sites, including those identified as Important Bird Areas by BirdLife, where large numbers of raptors concentrate while on migration from breeding grounds in the north to winter- ing ones in the south. Furthermore, signatory countries will investigate and attempt to solve problems likely to be caused by human activ- ities, and) assist ~the- recovery, “and re-introduction of bird populations where they have declined. (Source: BirdLife International) 88 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Sooty Falcon tracked to Madagascar A Sooty Falcon Falco concolor has been tracked from the UAE to its wintering areas in Madagascar by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD). This is the first satellite tracking of Sooty Falcon anywhere in the world. EAD fitted the Sooty Falcon with a satellite trans- mitter at its nest on islands in the Sila peninsula, Abu Dhabi emirate. The bird departed the UAE in October and was record- ed flying over Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique before crossing into Madagascar, its final destination for the winter, a journey of 6700 km. Sooty Falcon has recently been upgraded to Near Threatened owing to concerns that its population may be much smaller than previously thought, and in decline. Ay recent EAD (breeding: survey, revealed a fall of 64% since 1994. They report- ed that the species had disappeared from several former nesting locations, and only six known breeding pairs remain. EAD scientists believe that the loss may be a result of distur- bance from development and human presence during the nesting season. The UAE Sooty Falcon population is now critically close to extinction and requires immediate conser- vation action. BirdLife believes this monitoring will provide useful information to help conserve this species. (Source: BirdLife International) OTHER NEWS Zoology in the Middle East Three recent issues of this excellent journal have included features on birds. Volume 43 has a paper on the status of Great Bustard Otis tarda in Kurdistan Province, Iran, based on data from 1975-2005. In 2005, only 10 Great Bustards were recorded in the whole province. The authors concluded that without effective conservation measures, it seems inevitable that the species will become extinct in the province, and perhaps the whole of Iran. Another paper analyses feeding special- ization of urban Long-eared Owls Aszio otus in Jerusalem, Israel. 13 species of bird were the most common prey group with House Sparrows Passer domesticus and Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla being the most frequent prey species. Another paper reports on the feeding ecology and behaviour of Northern Bald Ibises in Syria. Taking data from four breed- ing seasons, 2002-2004 and 2006, the home range used by the birds was estimated to be up to c450 km2. In particular, the ibises were found to feed on larvae of Eastern Spadefoot Toads, together with ground beetles and grasshoppers. A ground mantis and an iso- pod, as well as lizards, may possibly be important components of the diet. Volume 44 includes a paper on the breed- ing status of the Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus on Jarnein island in Abu Dhabi emirate. In March 2007, extensive searches and mapping of tropicbird nests were carried out and 217 nests were recorded. Nearly 40% were with grown-up chicks while nearly 28% had adult birds, either incubating or tending downy chicks. Another paper dis- cusses food diversity and niche-overlap of sympatric tits in the Hyrcanian plain forests in Iran. Gizzard contents of 241 specimens of Great Parus major, Blue Cyanistes caeruleus and Coal Tits Periparus ater were collected so that the percentages of grit, plants and animal materials could be estimated and the plant and invertebrate species consumed identified. The re-introduction of the Ostrich Struthio camelus in Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area in central Saudi Arabia is also reported. As the syriacus race became extinct in the wild during the mid-20th century, the most closely related subspecies, camelus, was chosen for the rein- troduction. In 1988/9 a few individuals were obtained from Sudan from a private collec- tion, and, in 1994, a few birds were translocated into a 25 ha fenced enclosure. The estimated population in Mahazat as-Sayd is now between 125 and 150 individuals. Volume 45 includes details of the first sur- vey of Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii colonies at Kleidhes islands, Cyprus. Breeding num- bers were assessed during spring 2007. The colony on Kasteletta was small, holding six nests, and was abandoned early probably because of the presence of a much larger Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis colony. The colony on Zinaritou had 43 nests and a high breeding success. Another paper reviews year-to-year variation in clutch size and breeding success of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta at lake Poyrazlar in north-west Turkey between 2002-2005. Further details of Zoology in the Middle East are at www.kasparek- verlag.de. Copies are also available from OSME Sales. (Contributed by Keith Betton) The Phoenix The latest issue (number 25, January 2009) runs to 24 pages and includes articles on a wide variety of topics. Suspicions that Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis is breeding in northern Oman are discussed following observations around Jebel al Akhdar in 2008. There is an update on the reintroduction of Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenti to Abu Dhabi and also a Sooty Falcon survey in Oman in 2008. Accidental electrocutions of birds in Saudi Arabia are summarised as well. An interesting assessment is made of the final history of the last Arabian Ostrich with a review of some questionable records. As always there is an update on the Arabian Breeding Bird Atlas, and there are reviews of various publications on the region and short notes on interesting sightings, including breeding of Spanish Sparrows Passer hispan- iolensis in Bahrain. One issue of Phoenix is published each year. The subscription costs £25 for five issues and should be payable to ABBA/Phoenix at the following address: M C Jennings, Warners Farm House, Warners Drove, Somersham, Cambridgeshire PE28 3WD, United Kingdom. (Contributed by Keith Betton) Wildlife Middle East—new issue The latest issue of Wildlife Middle East was published in June 2008 and can be down- loaded from Wwww.wmenews.com. The editors are keen to encourage contributions from the Middle East, particularly Iran, Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, Turkey, Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman, for future issues. Please con- tact the editors with any ideas that you may have (editors®wmenews.com). Central Asia Important Bird Area inventories published After three years of intensive research, field- work, data collation and analysis, the first national IBA inventories for Kazakhstan (Plate 4), Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were launched at BirdLife International’s Global Partnership Meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September 2008 (Plate 5). Together the inventories, published in both Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 89 foreusrervatien IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN KAZAKHSTAN By > 4 BirdLife JAC BK Plate 4.The first national IBA inventory for Kazakhstan, Important Bird Areas in Kazakhstan. Plate 5. Central Asia IBA inventories launch in Argentina, September 2008. From left to right, Vitaliy Gromoy (Director ACBK), Mike Rands (Director and Chief Executive, BirdLife International), Eldar Rustamov (IBA Coordinator, Turkmenistan), Sergey Sklyarenko (IBA Coordinator, Kazakhstan) and Roman Kashkarov (IBA Coordinator, Uzbekistan). © Michael Brombacher English and Russian, document 219 sites of international importance: 121 in Kazakhstan, 48 in Uzbekistan and 50 in Turkmenistan. Publication of these inventories has filled an important gap in BirdLife’s global network of IBAs. As well as providing information on the conservation importance of the sites, the inventories provide a valuable tool for plan- 90 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) ning long term protection of the rich biodiver- sity of the region. Copies of the inventories are available from the Natural History Book Service, www.nhbs.com. (Contributed by Geoff Welch) The Phoenix: broader scope With the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Arabia (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/arabian.birds) effectively completed, the scope of Phoenix is to be broadened to accommodate papers on, for example, migration, notes on winter visi- tors or other non _ breeding groups, conservation or wider issues relevant to Arabian ornithology. News on breeding birds and their habitats is still welcomed. Contributions should be sent to the editor, Mike Jennings, at ArabianBirds@dsl.pipex.com. Welcome AviCA The worldwide database for bird observa- tions, www.worldbirds.org, developed by BirdLife International and the RSPB, has recently been extended to include Central Asia. It is now possible to collect and analyse observations on frequency, distribution and the migration of birds and to look at long- term changes at the national, regional and international scale. AviCA can be accessed centrally via www.worldbirds.org/centralasia or separately for each country: www.avica.uz (Uzbekistan) www.avi-ca.org (Turkmenistan) www.worldbirds.org/v3/centralasia.php?c=1 (Kazakhstan, soon www.avica.kz) www.worldbirds.org/v3/centralasia.php?c=2 (Kyrgyzstan) www.worldbirds.org/v3/centralasia.php?c=3 (Tajikistan). The AviCA database currently contains 241 species that have been observed during 68 expeditions in Central Asia and has 42 regis- tered users who have reported 1160 observations. So if you have observations from Central Asia, don’t leave them languish- ing in your notebook, sign up, log on and make a valuable contribution to nature con- servation. (Contributed by Anna Ten & Jens Wunderlich, Uzbekistan IBA Project) AROUND THE REGION Dawn Balmer & David Murdoch (compilers) Records in Around the Region are published for interest only; their inclusion does not imply acceptance by the records committee of the relevant country. All records refer to 2008 unless stated otherwise. Records and photographs for Sandgrouse 31 (2) should be sent by 15 June to atr@osme.org ARMENIA Breeding bird surveys in 2008 in extreme NW Armenia, near the border with Turkey and Georgia (lake Arpilich and adjacent areas, Shirak province), produced 43 new species recorded for the area. Of these, 27 were proven to breed there, including Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Booted Eagle Aquila pennata, Corncrake Crex crex, Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo and Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria. Significant breeding range extension for the country also noted here for Little Bittern [xobrychus minutus, Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius and Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis. Territorial songs were recorded for Spotted Crake Porzana porzana and Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia. Good numbers of Greylag Geese Anser anser were observed at lake Arpilich, with a maximum of 38 (including juveniles) recorded. Black Stork Ciconia nigra was observed on several occasions in a rocky gorge, which is one of the two known breed- ing sites in the country. Arpilich is the only known breeding site in the country for Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus. Variable numbers (max 35) were recorded throughout the breeding season, but they did not breed in 2008 due to high levels of ‘disturbance. Just two pairs of Common Cranes Grus grus bred in the area and both successfully raised young. BAHRAIN Four Black Storks Ciconia nigra on 31 Oct at the Diplomatic wadi were the first record for Bahrain. On 14 Jul, a Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo was recorded at Durrat Al Bahrain in southern Bahrain. A Houbara_ Bustard Chlamydotis undulata was at the Hamalah experimental farm on 13 Dec. A single Crab Plover Dromas ardeola at Maharrag on 13 Aug was the first for several years. The 2nd record of Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis for Bahrain was at Badaan farm 5 Oct-15 Nov; the first record was in Aug 1996 at Dair. The 3rd record of Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis was at Badaan farm on 29 Nov; the first since several were recorded on the Hawar islands in 2000. Three Dark-throated Thrushes Turdus atrogularis were found on 20 Dec at Duraiz and the 7th record of Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs was a female that was trapped and ringed at Badaan farm on 29 Nov. A House Bunting Emberiza striolata at Badaan farm on 12 Sep was the first record for Bahrain. CYPRUS Two White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocepha- la were at Larnaca sewage works from 13 Dec and there was one at Haspolat water treat- ment plant on the same date (7th & 8th records since 1995). A juvenile Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was at Akrotiri gravel pits on 19 Sep; this species is recorded less than annually. A juvenile Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes was_ at Akrotiri salt lake on 14 Sep and a juvenile was seen at Zakaki on 5 Oct; these are the 11th & 12th records since 1996. An Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca was recorded at Akrotiri environmental centre on 3 Oct and another was near Droushia on 10 Oct and wiil be the 3rd & 4th records since 1996 if accepted. The 6th record of Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva was at Paphos headland from 27 Aug-21 Oct. A juvenile Red Knot Calidris canutus at Larnaca sewage works on 27 Sep was the 12th record in 10 years. A Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia flew east along the coast off Polis on 18 Sep and is also the 12th record in 10 years. The 2nd Laughing Dove Streptopelia Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 91 senegalensis for Cyprus flew on to wires at Akrotiri on 13 Oct. A Little Swift Apus affinis reported over Cedar valley on 7 Jul will be the 10th record if accepted. On 5 Oct, a Rook Corvus frugilegus was at Fresh Water lake, Famagusta, and was only the 9th record since 1995. A Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata found at Paphos sewage plant fields on 29 Sep will be the Ist record for Cyprus if accepted and an Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida at Marathounta on 16 Jul will be the 2nd record if accepted. An immature Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus was found in an olive grove near the Akrotiri salt lake on 29 Aug and a Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes was at Paphos lighthouse area on the same date and is only the 13th record since 1998. The 5th record of Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna was at Agia Napa sewage works area on 19 September. A 1st-winter Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka was reported at Armou hills on 18 Oct and will be only the 4th record if accepted and a Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva at cape Greco on 2 Sep was the 8th record in 10 years. Three Eurasian Tree Sparrows Passer mon- tanus at Polis reed-beds on 8 Oct was the first report for three years. Two Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia were trapped and ringed at Phinikas, near the Asprokremmos dam, on 21 Nov and then up to 14 were present at Marathounta 28 Nov—12 Dec; there have only been four previous records. A juvenile Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus near cape Andreas on 8 Sep will be the 8th record if accepted. EGYPT A trip to Abbasa fish farms, Shargia gov, on 11 Jul recorded around 250 Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus including some fresh juve- niles. A local boy described nests on the ground amongst reeds; breeding of this species was suspected in the same area some 15 years ago. Up to 1500 pairs of Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides, several thousand Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis in various colonies, ten Grey Herons Ardea cinerea and up to 1000 pairs of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta in scat- tered nesting sites were recorded on the same trip. A Goliath Heron Ardea goliath was at Wadi Lahami mangroves again, on 30 Jul. A Striated Heron Butorides striata was at 92 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Plate I. Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura/Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala, 22 Oct 2008, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. © Andrew Harrop Hurghada on 13 Nov. A juvenile Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus was at the sewage pools at Sharm el-Sheikh on 27 Nov. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus is a rare passage migrant and winter visitor so records of two juveniles at Sharm el-Sheikh on 21 Nov and three juveniles at the sewage pools at Sharm el-Sheikh on 27 Nov are excellent observations. Also at the sewage pools at Sharm el-Sheikh on 27 Nov were a Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus (late date), a Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, a first- year Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca and an adult Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraetus fasciatus. A Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis was on the Nile below Edfu on 5 Nov. Two White-tailed Lapwings Vanellus leucurus were at Fares, ona marsh next to the Nile, on 24 Dec. A Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura/Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala was photographed at Sharm el-Sheikh ‘new pools’ on 22 Oct and would be the first for Egypt if accepted (Plate 1). Up to 10 Collared Pratincoles Glareola pratincola were apparently nesting at Abbasa fish farms, Shargia gov, on 11 Jul. Around 15 African Skimmers Rynchops flavirostris were on the Nile below Edfu on 5 Nov. A Little Swift Apus affinis at Sharm el-Sheikh on 22 Nov is an unusual date for this mainly spring passage visitor. A male Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea was at Lahami Bay hotel, Hamata from 30 Oct-4 Nov at least. This species is a nomadic resident of eastern and southern Africa (and occurs in Sudan). A Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva was at the same loca- tion on the same dates, at least. At St Katherine’s monastery, near Sharm el-Sheikh, a Palestine Sunbird Nectarinia osea was recorded on 26 Nov. The first Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia for Egypt was a juvenile at Hurghada on 13 Nov. Around 50 pairs of Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius were recorded in one Typha-dominated reed bed (with many nests) at Abbasa fish farms, Sharqia gov, on 11 Jul. A flock of 15 Indian Silverbills Lonchura malabarica were at Sharm el-Sheikh on 21 Nov; this species breeds in Eilat. A Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus (rubescens) japonicus was at St Katherine’s monastery, in the El Malakhea area, on 26 Nov. Three Trumpeter Finches Bucanetes githagineus were at Komombo temple on 8 Nov. GEORGIA There were two records of solitary adult Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus in eastern and southern parts of Javakheti upland: first was watched flying near Mt Biketnaya on 4 May and second was near the SE corner of Khanchali lake on 6 May. There are no known nesting sites in this area. At least 87 Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus were watched 10-16 April (total of c71 hours of observations) at Kobuleti lowland near Ochkhamuri village, Black Sea coastal low- land (northern part of Ajaria autonomous republic). This is a high count for this rare pas- sage migrant. A Radde’s Accentor Prunella ocularis was observed at rocky outcrops c0.5 km below Spasovka village on 11 May, Bugdasheni river gorge. There are very few spring records of this species (apparently a rare breeder in eastern Javakheti upland along Armenian and Turkish borders). IRAN A new breeding site for Armenian Gull Larus armenicus has been discovered on the islands of Meighan wetland (central Iran). Previously, Urumiyeh lake in NW Iran was the only known breeding site. A well preserved corpse of a male Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca was found in Tooran, Semnan, on 15 Apr. A Red- footed Falcon Falco vespertinus was in the Kurang valley, Chelgerd, Zagros on 25 Apr and a Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata was at Khosh Yelagh on 14 Apr. On 18 Apr c10 000 Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were at Maharlu, near Shiraz. There were 14+ Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola nordmanni at Gavekhoni, east of Isfahan, on 28 Apr 2007. At least 24 Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus were at Gavekhoni, E of Isfahan, on 20 Apr, with two there on 28 Apr 2007. An Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula was at Khosh Yelagh on 12 Apr and a White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas canipes was at Golestan on 7 Apr. IRAQ Several Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus, including family groups and adults feeding young, were recorded at Al-Asad in July. ISRAEL A Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena was reported at Tishlovet reservoir on 10 Nov and will be the 5th record if accepted. The 10th Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus for Israel was at Urim, W Negev, on 20 Nov. The first American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, a juvenile, was at Ma’agan Michael from 21-30 Nov. At least two Little Ringed Plovers Charadrius dubius were wintering at Gesher ponds in the Jordan valley on 5 Dec, the fourth year they have over-wintered there. An adult Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes at Neve Eitan fishponds, Bet She’an valley, from 25 Sep-1 Oct was the 2nd record for Israel; the 1st record was in June 1977. The first breeding of Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus for Israel and the Mediterranean involved a pair in courtship, copulating and apparently sit- ting on a nest on Nakhlie’eli island, N Mediterranean coast, from 7 Jul onwards. Six were off Ejilat’s north beach from 7 Jul onwards. An exceptional 30 Pomarine Skuas Stercorarius pomarinus were off Mikhmoret, Mediterranean coast, on 27 Jun. A Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola was trapped and ringed at IBRCE, Eilat, on 8 October and at least six Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava were wintering at the Gesher ponds, Jordan valley, on 6 Dec. On 3’Dec a Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus was reported migrating over Yesodot, Judean plains, and will be the 10th record if accepted. The fourth Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama for Israel was trapped and ringed at IBRCE, Eilat, on 21 Sep; the previous record involved one that over-wintered at Eilat in winter 1993/94. Winter 2008/09 pro- duced several records of Goldcrests Regulus Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 93 regulus, with small groups seen at Hayarkon park (Tel Aviv), Biriya (Galilee), Elrom (Golan) and other sites. A male Dark-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis was near Sde Boker, C Negev, on 14 Nov and is the 9th record for Israel. Two families of White-throated Robins Irania gutturalis were noted at Bul’an valley, Mt. Hermon, in early Jul and a Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe at Eilat city from 6 Dec onwards is the first winter record for Israel. There was an exceptional arrival of Rufous-tailed Wheatears Oenanthe xantho- prymna at the Judean desert: 2 at Wadi Heimar on 12 Dec, 2 south of Ein Gedi 20 Dec, 1 at Wadi Mishmar 26 Dec. JORDAN On 18 Nov, a juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla was at Aqaba, five Namaqua Doves Oena capensis (two males, three females) were at Wadi Rum and two juvenile Steppe Grey Shrikes Lanius meridionalis pal- lidirostris were at the latter site. KAZAKHSTAN A maximum of nine White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala were together at Tengiz- Korgalzhyn on 26-29 May and nine Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus flew over the same site on 28 May which is probably the 3rd record for the area. A record of two White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus at Sorbulak lake, Almaty oblast, on 22 Dec 2007 is the first winter record for Kazakhstan. Two Crested Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus were observed leaving a morning roost at Aydarly village, Taukum desert, on 21 May; a total of 10 were recorded migrating over Kosmos sta- tion in [li-Alatau national park, southern Almaty oblast, in May and 43 were at Topar lakes, in Almaty, on 12 May. An adult Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus was near Big Almaty lake, Ili-Alatau NP, on 25 May; an Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius was near Kegen on 16 May; an Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca was at Qanshengel on 19 May and a Saker Falcon Falco cherrug was seen at Surgaty plains on 16 May. On 23 May, an Ibisbill I[bidorhynca struthersti was at Big Almaty lake; two Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius were at Tengiz-Korgalzhyn on 27 May and at least one Pallas’ Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus was at Surgaty plains on 94 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 16 May. A Black-headed Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus macronyx was at Topar lakes on 20 May and two Crimson-winged Finches Rhodopechys sanguineus were at Surgaty plains on 15 May. KUWAIT A Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus at Al Abrag on 1 Jan 2009 was an excellent record. The 5th record of Stock Dove Columba oenas was at the Pivot Fields on 1 Jan 2009 and the 6th record of Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis was at A] Abrag on 15 Nov. The first Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis for Kuwait was at Jahra farms on 12-17 Aug, with two present on the last date. The 2nd Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei for Kuwait was found in late Dec at Al Abrag and was still present on 1 Jan 2009. A- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was at Al-Abraq Al- Khabari on 3 October. LEBANON The autumn and early winter was notable for a significant increase in indiscriminate and illegal shooting throughout the country. The only noteworthy reports received were of three Eurasian Curlews Numenius arquata and a Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus at Al Mina, Tripoli, on 15 Sep, one _ Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus at the same site on 26 Nov and ten Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres there on 27 Nov. A Carrion Crow Corvus corone at Aammigq on 2 Dec is only the 2nd record for Lebanon. OMAN A single Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor at West Khor on 29 Aug is only the 3rd record for Oman. Four Lesser Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna javanica 24 Nov-9 Dec at Khor Mughsayl is also the 3rd record, the previous being in Apr 2000. Up to seven Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca were at Khor Mughsayl, 13 Nov to at least 4 Dec, and one was at Khor Sawli on 9 Dec. Wedge- tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus is a rare species in Omani waters; a single bird was off Khor Rouri on 31 Oct, the first record for over two years. Two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma monorhis were seen off Ras Janjari in the south on 8 and 12 Dec. The 9th I | | | | | } } | record of Black Stork Ciconia nigra occurred at Khor Mughsayl with two birds there on 7 and 13.Nov and single birds were seen at various locations in the Salalah area until at least 9 Dec. Three birds were also at Wadi Bagqlat on 8 Dec. This is the 3rd consecutive winter that this species has been seen in Oman. African Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia is a very rare vis- itor to southern Oman; one seen at East Khor, Salalah on three occasions, 20 Nov—10 Dec, is only the 6th record. Yellow Bittern [xobrychus sinensis 1S rare in winter so an adult at Khor Taqah on 25 Nov and one at Ayn Razat on 5 Dec are of note. Up to four Intermediate Egrets Egretta intermedia were in the Salalah area from 1 Nov onwards. Fifty Sooty Falcons Falco concolor were at Fahal island near Muscat on 27 Oct. A single Amur Falcon Falco amuren- sis was at Rahab farm, Marmul, on 2 Oct. An adult male and female Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus were together at Al Beed farm on 8 Dec. Eighteen Ospreys Pandion haliaetus were at Raysut on 4 Dec. There were a number of records of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus in November and December, all in the Salalah area: three birds on 2 Nov, one juvenile on 5 Nov, one dark morph juvenile on 20 Nov and five birds (two males and three females/juveniles) on 10 Dec. Eagle numbers built up gradually and by 26 Nov at Raysut rubbish tip there were 62 Greater Spotted Eagles Aquila clanga, 245 Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis and 26 Imperial Eagles Aquila helia- ca. One fulvescens Greater Spotted Eagle was at Khor Rouri on 31 Oct. This has been an exceptional autumn for this species. A sub- adult Lesser Spotted Eagle Aguila pomarina was seen at Wadi Darbat / Khor Rouri on 9 Dec, the 10th record if accepted. A single Water Rail Rallus aquaticus at Khor Mughsayl on 13 Nov was the first record of this species for two years. A White- breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus was seen at Khor Rouri on 27 Nov and 9 Dec and another bird at Qitbit from 5—7 Dec. There was a single Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gre- garius at Wadi Baqlat near Mirbat on 8 Dec and up to 24 birds at Jarziz farm, Salalah, from 27 Nov-19 Dec. A count of 240 Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva at Sahanawt farm on 12 Dec was the second largest from Oman. Most of the few recent records of Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus have been from Sohar Sun farms; six were there on 28 Oct but there was also a single at Al Baleed in Salalah on 3 Nov. Two Knot Calidris canutus at Khor Salalah on 9 Dec is only the 6th record if accepted. A juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos at East Khor, Salalah, on 2 Nov is the 9th record. Small Pratincole Glareola lactea is an infrequent visitor to Oman; two at Khor Tagah on 19 Nov and 5 Dec (with one bird on 10 Dec) and two at Sahanawt farm on 12 Dec were the first records for two years. A Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus off the Chedi hotel, Muscat, on 16-17 Aug is the only record. Bridled Terns Onychoprion anaethetus passed Khor Rouri at a rate of 450/hour on 31 Oct while 224 passed Ras Janjari in ten minutes on 4 Nov. A single Sooty Tern Onychoprion fusca- ta was off Muscat on 20 August. One Brown Noddy Anous stolidus was at Ras Janjari on 4 Nov and two at Khor Mughsayl on 7 Nov. The 5th Red Turtle Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica for Oman was at Sahanawt farm on 12 Dec. One juvenile Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia (orientalis) meena was at Al Jarziz farm on 2 Oct and a 2nd bird there on 5 and 13 Dec. A single Pied Cuckoo Oxylophus jacobinus was at Rahab farm, near Marmul, on 28 Sep, one in Salalah on 2 Oct and another at Khor Mughsayl on 18 and 24 Nov while there was a late record of Dideric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius at Khor Rouri on 31 Oct. There was an Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus at Qitbit on 2 Nov and another at Rahab farm on 6 Nov. A Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus was at Jarziz farm on 5 Dec and another, possibly the same bird, at Sahanawt farm on 12 Dec. A single Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius was at Montasar on 6—7 Dec, the first record for two years. Five Alpine Swifts Tachymarptis melba were at Ayn Razat on 1 Nov; five were also seen at Wadi Mistal in the north on 25 Nov and four at Ayn Sahnawt in the south on 26 Nov. A single Little Swift Apus affinis was at Salalah East Khor on 4 Dec. The 5th record of Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis was at Qurm Park on 13 and 20 Dec. A juvenile/first winter Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus was at Montasar on 4 Nov; this will be the first record for Oman if accepted. The 5th record of Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus was at Hilf, Masirah island on 4-5 Dec with the 5th record of Streak-throated Swallow Petrochelidon fluvicola there on 5 Dec. Five Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 95 Bimaculated Larks Melanocorypha bimaculata were at Sohar Sun farms on 28 Oct and a large flock of 100 was seen at Sahanawt farm, Salalah, on 12 Dec. Seven Oriental Skylarks Alauda gul- gula were at Sohar Sun farms on 28 Oct, with one there on 15 Dec. One was also seen at Montasar on 6 Dec and two at Jarziz farm, Salalah, on 10 Dec. The 4th record of Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum for Oman, a single bird, was seen at Ayn Hamran on 6 Nov. A Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei was at Montasar on 6-7 Dec with two at Qitbit on 6 Dec and one there the following day. A single Yellow-browed Warbler Plyylloscopus inornatus was at Al Ghaftain resthouse, in the central desert, on 8 Nov. Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria is rare in December so single birds at Khor Rouri on 2 Dec and QOitbit on 6 Dec are of note. A single Brahminy Starling Sturnus pago- darum at Al Ghaftain on 15 Oct is the 9th record. A record count of more than 100 Common Nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos was made in Wadi Darbat on 2 Oct. A Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe (xanthoprymna) chrysopygia along the Muscat—Quriyat road on 19 Aug was very early; this species is not normally seen in Oman, at the earliest, before the second half of September. A male Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka of the form vittata, which is rare in Oman, was at Sohar Sun farms on 30 Oct. Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi has been scarce in recent years but there were two at Khor Tagah on 28 Nov and one at East Khor, one at Khor Salalah and six at Jarziz farm all on 9 Dec. The 8th record of Meadow Pipit Anthus praten- sis was at Sohar Sun farms on 1 Dec while a Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus (rubescens) japonicus, the 7th record, was at the same location on 30 Nov. Three Yemen Serins Serinus menachensis were at Ayn Razat, a new location for this species, on 4 Oct. OATAR There were three confirmed first records for Qatar this autumn, all photographed: an adult Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus at West Doha sewage ponds on 7 Sep, a male House Bunting Emberiza striolata at West Doha sewage ponds on 14 Sep and a female Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus at Al Khor sewage ponds on 30 Nov (Plate 2). Bahrain recorded its first House Bunting 2 days earli- er. At least ten White Storks Ciconia ciconia 96 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) Plate 2 (top). Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus, 30 Nov 2008, Al Khor sewage ponds, Qatar. © Michael Grunwelt Plate 3 (bottom). Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis, 9 Dec 2008, Abu Nakhla prison ponds, Qatar. © John Thompson were seen together, mid-Sep to mid-Oct, at Al Rakkiyah farm pivot fields, the largest green area in Qatar. A male and female Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis were seen together at Abu Nakhla prison ponds, southeast of Doha, from early Oct onward and a 3rd bird might have been present (Plate 3). NORTH CAUCASUS (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) Essentuki lake held the first Mountain Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus (lorenzi1) sindianus on 31 Mar and the first Red-breasted Flycatchers Ficedula parva on 26 Apr. Although it is the national emblem of the Caucasus/MinVodi region, Short-toed Snake Eagles Circaetus gal- licus are infrequently seen, so one at Uchkeken on 5 Jul carrying a snake in its Plate 4. Eurasian Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes, 6 Oct 2008, Burgustan, Federation). © Jeff Gordon North Caucasus (Russian talons was a welcome sight. Dombai is a ski resort in the Caucasus mountains; fortunately, the ski lifts are open all year, enabling birders to get to the high ground easily and cheaply. A Kriiper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi was seen en route in Teberda on 10 Jul. On 11 Jul, a family party of five Caucasian Snowcocks Tetraogallus caucasicus was seen beyond the 3000 m ski-lift terminus and on 12 Jul there were five Crimson-winged Finches Rhodopechys sanguinea, two Alpine Accentors Prunella collaris and many Red-billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Yellow- billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax graculus at the ski slopes. Five Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia were seen at Teberda on the way out of Dombai on 15 Jul. All the European vultures, including Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, are fairly common in the area, but nine Cinereous Vultures Aegypius monachus together on 7 Jul on the outskirts of Essentuki was exceptional. West of Pyiatigorsk is the Podkumok river, which is good for migrating raptors in autumn. On 24 Sep, 80 Black Kites Milvus migrans, two Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygar- gus, six Eurasian Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus, eight Steppe Buzzards Buteo buteo vulpi- nus and 400 Steppe Eagles Aguila nipalensis were noted in one hour. Totally unexpected were 15 Eurasian Nutcrackers Nucifraga cary- ocatactes on 6 Oct at Burgustan, Stavropol region, two at Essentuki lake on 13 Nov and one on 6 Dec, thousands of kilometres outside their normal range; all were believed to belong to the race macrorhynchos (Plate 4). An Plate 5. Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus crispus, 25 Jan 2008, Divenoe rubbish tip, Manych wetland, Russian Federation. © Jeff Gordon Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus orien- talis was seen at Essentuki lake on 7 Oct. The following records for 2008 from the Manych wetland, strictly speaking outside the OSME region, are included because of their exceptional interest. The east of the Manych wetland lies between 46°N and 45°20’N, in Stavropol region. The principal habitat is steppe lakes, which provide breeding sites for tens of thousands of waterbirds and steppe- loving species, wintering grounds for Anatidae and resting and feeding sites for a myriad of birds on passage. Most records come from around Divenoe, a large village in the centre of the wetland. January found 64 White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla at the Divenoe refuse site along with at least four wintering Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus crispus (Plate 5) and 18 Rough-legged Buzzards Buteo lagopus in the immediate area. By 3 Apr, the annual spring concentration of White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala totalled 1380; numbers do not peak until mid-April, with counts of 3850 on 6 Apr 2006 and 3640 on 8 Apr 2007. Also on 3 Apr, 36 Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocro- talus had returned and Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus crispus numbered 23. On 4 Apr, the first two passage Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus and the first six returning Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo were noted and 130 Smew Mergellus albellus were present. Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinerea are frequently seen during both migration periods but counts of 32 on 24 May and 11 on 12 Jun indicate that non-breeders summer here; c7000 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) 97 Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa on 14 Jun were returning migrants. A second nesting pair of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla was discovered in April; they successfully raised two young that fledged on 16 Aug. Eight pairs of Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes were breeding in and around Divenoe. Post-breeding flocks of Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus numbered 780 birds on 16 Aug and Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus crispus numbered 600 on 17 Aug. There were 900 Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo on 7 Sep, some of which could have been migrants joining up with the local breeding population. The now annual Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius survey took place in September and was centred on the Chagraiskoje reservoir, in the east of the area at 45°20’N. Due to unavoid- able difficulties at the main viewing site, the maximum daily count in 2008 was just 13 birds on 8-9 Sep, compared to 236 birds in 2006 and 252 birds in 2007. Also recorded during the survey were 45 000 Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea and 8000 Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola nordmannit (compared to 28 000 in 2006), and a Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata, photographed at the survey base at the Pioneer camp. Other migrants passing daily through the trees surrounding the Pioneer camp _ included Red-breasted Flycatchers = Ficedula = parva, Thrush Nightingales Luscinia luscinia, Red-spotted Bluethroats Luscinia svecica (pallidogularis?) and Common Redstarts Phoenicurus phoenicu- rus. Raptors passing through the survey area included 19 Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus, 51 Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis, one Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca and 18 Hobbys Falco subbuteo. Wintering geese began to arrive on 23 Nov with 550 Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons and 250 Red-breasted Geese Branta ruficollis joining the resident Western Greylag Geese Anser anser anser; Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus had already begun to arrive. On 26 Nov there were nine Bewick’s Swans Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii, an extremely rare winter visitor to the area, with 350 White-headed Ducks Oxyura leuco- cephala on the same stretch of water. The Long-eared Owl Asio otus roost at Divenoe hospital grounds held 80 birds on 28 Nov. 98 Sandgrouse 31 (2009) SAUDI ARABIA Nine Greater White-fronted Geese Anser alb- ifrons at Dhahran sprayfields on 13-22 Feb were considered to be wild birds and consti- tute perhaps the Srd country, record: “A juvenile Black Stork Ciconia nigra was at Dhahran effluent lake on 18-19 Jul. This species is a vagrant in east Saudi Arabia with a handful of previous records. The reedbed roost of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis at Dhahran effluent lake reached a new midwinter high of 244 birds on 27 Jan. Records from Sabkhat al Fasl, Eastern Province, included two Corncrakes Crex crex on 16 May and two on 23 May, four adults and a juvenile Spotted Crake Porzana porzana on 27 Jul, a male Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus on 25 Apr, one Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva on 31 Oct, three Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus on 12 Sep and a loose migratory flock of ten Egyptian Nightjars Caprimuleus aegyptius on 22 Aug with a further three on 5 Sep. A pair of Pharaoh Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus was at Dhahran hills from 23 Jul to 24 Oct. Six Temminck’s Horned Larks Eremophila bilopha were at Saadawi, near Hafr Al Batin, on 7 Feb. White-cheeked Bulbuls Pycnonotus (leucogenys) leucogenys were com- mon at Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia in April; these were the first records of this exot- ic from Tabuk. A party of at least 20 Yemen Serins Serinus menachensis was feeding on rocky ground at As Shafa escarpment around 09.00 h on 9 May; a male was seen feeding a female. Shafa is one of the most northerly mountain sites for this species in Saudi Arabia. A male Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea of the race semenow1 was at Dhahran on 14 Apr; this is a very scarce spring migrant through Dhahran SYRIA Few birders have visited Syria in autumn and little information is available on the timing of autumn ~ muieration.* 2 mips). iin aire September-—early October provided some use- ful records. Several substantial passages of raptors included over 250 Lesser Spotted Eagles Aguila pomarina and 300 Levant Sparrowhawks