ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA 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. ¢ 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. 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ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA VICE PRESIDENTS (AS AT FEBRUARY 2010) Imad Atrash (Palestine) Dr Ghassan Ramadan-Jaradi (Lebanon) Mona Ramadan-Jaradi (Lebanon) Ali bin Amer Al Kiyumi (Oman) Sherif Baha el Din (Egypt) Ramaz Gokhelashvili (Georgia) Dan Alon (Israel) Dr Akram Eissa Darwish (Syria) Dr Sergey Sklyarenko (Kazakhstan) Dr Ali Adhami Mirhosseyni (Iran) Azzam Alwash (Iraq) COUNCIL (AS AT FEBRUARY 2010) 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 Dr Robert Sheldon AbdulRahman AI-Sirhan ¢ Website management (co-opted) 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 Fund crf@osme.org OSME CORPORATE MEMBERS Avifauna Greentours NHBS Rockjumper Birding Tours Sarus Bird Tours Sunbird Registered charity no 282938 ©2010 Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia. www.osme.org | | 13 KS) 20 37 39 4] 43 50 8) Dy, ay 61 SANDGROUSE VOLUME 32 (1) 2010 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus preying on White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus in Egypt. Attia D SANDOR & IstvAN MOLDOVAN Migration of harriers and other raptors at Ashura Deh, Iran, April 2008. Macnus ULLMAN & Mattias ULLMAN Notes on nest and breeding of Afghan Snowfinch Pyrgilauda theresae, Bamiyan province, Afghanistan. SIMON BusuTTiL, RarrAeL Avé & CHRIS SHANI Rare birds (Streptopelia roseogrisea, Caprimulgus europaeus unwint, Iduna rama, Acrocephalus agricola) at Eilat’s ringing station, Israel, autumn 2008. Noam Weiss & REUVEN YOSEF Spring migration of soaring birds over the Bosphorus, Turkey, in 2006. OZKAN UNer, Kerem Ati BoYLa, ERGUN BAcaAK, ERTUGRUL BiREL, ILHAN CELIKOBA, Cem DALYAN, Evrim TABUR & Umit YARDIM Probable breeding of the Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca on Cyprus. CHRISTOPH RANDLER & ALAN CRABTREE First record of Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris in Iran and the Middle East. Sace> CHERAGHI & MOHAMMAD TOHIDIFAR Status of East Siberian Wagtail Motacilla (alba) ocularis in Kazakhstan. AreND WaAassINk Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel new to Yemen. SIMON ASPINALL & DAviD STANTON Studies of Socotran birds V. On the validity of Anthus similis sokotrae and a few remarks on Arabian and northeast African populations of Long-billed Pipit A. similis. Guy M Kirwan & ANDREW. GRIEVE Observations on the Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae in Yemen, May 2009. Werner MULLER First record of White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus in Saudi Arabia. Graham R Lostey & PHILIP RoBerTs ~ Observation of apparent tool use by an Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus on Socotra, Yemen. RF Porter Observation of a large flock of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius in southeast Egypt. Attica D SANDor, CristiAN Domsa & IsTVAN MOLDOVAN Bird Sites of the OSME Region 6—Birding the Palmyra area, Syria. DA MurbdocH 80 84 86 90 9] Reviews. OSME News. Georr WELCH News & Information. DAWN BALMER (COMPILER) Erratum & Corrigendum. Around the Region. DAWN BALMER & DAviD MURDOCH COMPILERS) Photo above: Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus Eilat, Israel, April. © Paul Doherty Cover photo: Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola near Istanbul, Turkey, April. © Haldun Savas Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 1 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus preying on White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus in Egypt ATTILA D SANDOR & ISTVAN MOLDOVAN The Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus is a large falconid that occurs throughout Africa, southern Europe and the Middle East (Cramp & Simmons 1980). Various studies have described the Lanner as an opportunistic bird-eater, feeding on a wide range of species. Its diet has been reported to include mostly birds, captured both in the air and on the ground (Jenkins & Avery 1999, Leonardi 2001). Both resident and migrant birds occur in its diet, usually small to medium-sized species such as Common Quail Coturnix coturnix and sandgrouse Pterocles spp, but also pigeons and doves, waders, migrant passerines and corvids (Cramp & Simmons 1980, Leonardi 2001). Little has been written on the prey preferences of the Lanner Falcon in northern Africa (Goodman & Haynes 1989, 1992). Most summaries of Lanner prey selection are from data collected during the breeding season in the north Mediterranean region (Morimando & Pezzo 1997, Leonardi 1999, 2001) and in southern Africa (Kemp 1993, Jenkins & Avery 1999). Although a number of gull species, Laridae, occur within its range and a Lanner was seen to take a Common Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus from a flock near Benghazi, Libya (Baker 1982), we have not been able to find any other reports of them preying on gull species. On 8 June 2009 we observed a Lanner carrying a large prey item to a rocky hill close to Marsa Alam (24° 41’ N, 35° 04’ E), on the Egyptian coast of the Red sea. The Lanner appeared to be an adult female F. b. tanypterus based on its plumage and large size (Cramp & Simmons 1980, Cade 1982). Immediately after landing the falcon started to feed on its prey. After a few minutes of watching, we approached the bird in order to take photos (Plates 1 & 2) and to identify its prey. The bird flew away when we were c30 m away, leaving its prey behind, which was identified as an adult male White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus (sex identification on culmen length, see Storer & Goodman 1988). The falcon had already consumed most of the breast muscle, wings and legs, leaving intact only the head, neck, wingtips and feet. Although we waited at a distance in the hope that the bird would return to its kill, we did not see it again. However, later the same day we observed two adult Lanners c5 km away, in Wadi Gamal national park (24° 40’ N, 35° 10’ E). We found the remains of an adult female White-eyed Gull in a wadi close to Hurghada (Al Ghardaga 27° 05’ N, 33° 48’ E) the following day, 9 June. We had observed Lanners in Plates | & 2. Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus with remains of White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus, close to Marsa Alam, Egypt, 8 June 2009. © Istvan Moldovan 2 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) this area on several occasions, and the gull remains, which comprised an intact head and neck, wings, and one leg, were similar to the remains seen near Marsa Alam, and consistent with those of a bird killed and partially consumed by a Lanner. No other diurnal bird of prey was observed in the area, however, Pharaoh Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus had been observed there irregularly (IM unpublished). These observations were made close to areas frequented by large numbers of White- eyed Gulls. Close to Marsa Alam, many gulls breed on the offshore islands of Wadi Gamal national park, while at Hurghada, the proximity of a rubbish dump (c500 m from the carcass found) attracts large number of these birds (PERSGA/GEF 2003). Some other larger species have been recorded as prey of Lanner Falcon, such as bustards (de Swardt 2006) and ducks, herons and bitterns (Goodman & Haynes 1992). The mass of White-eyed Gulls, mean 360.0 g males and 321.2 g females (Storer & Goodman 1988), is substantially less than that of a Lanner (500-600 g males, 700-900 g females, Cramp & Simmons 1980, Jenkins & Avery 1999). Preying on large-bodied gulls may be a good foraging strategy for the Lanner on Egypt’s hyper-arid Red sea coast. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank M McGrady, AR Jenkins and D Alan as well as two reviewers for their comments on earlier ver- sions of the manuscript. The observations were made while ADS was in receipt of research funding from The International Osprey Foundation and OSME. REFERENCES Baker, N. 1982. Lanner Falcon preying on Black-headed Gull. Ornithological Society of the Middle East Bulletin DET: Cade, TJ. 1982. The Falcons of the World. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. Cramp, S & KEL Simmons (eds). 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol 2. Oxford University Press, UK. Goodman, SM & CV Haynes. 1989. The distribution, breeding season, and food habits of the lanner from the Eastern Sahara. National Geographic Research 5: 126-131. Goodman, SM & CV Haynes. 1992. The diet of the lanner (Falco biarmicus) in a hyper-arid region of the eastern Sahara. Journal of Arid Environments 22: 93-98. Jenkins, AR & GM Avery. 1999. Diets of breeding Peregrine and Lanner Falcons in South Africa. Journal of Raptor Research 33: 190-206. Kemp, AC. 1993. Breeding biology of Lanner Falcons near Pretoria, South Africa. Ostrich 64: 26-31. Leonardi, G. 1999. Cooperative hunting of Jackdaws by the Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus). Journal of Raptor Research 33: 123-127. Leonardi, G. 2001. The Lanner Falcon. Birds of the Western Palearctic Update 3: 161-178. Morimando, F & F Pezzo. 1997. Food habits of the Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus feldeggii) in Central Italy. Journal of Raptor Research 31: 40-43. PERSGA/GEF. 2003. Status of Breeding Seabirds in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. PERSGA Technical Series No. 8, PERSGA, Jeddah. Storer, RW & SM Goodman. 1988. A comparison of structures related to foraging in two closely related gulls: Larus leucophthalmus and L. hemprichit. Ostrich 59: 145-149. de Swardt, DH. 2006. Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus attacking Black-bellied Bustard Lissotis melanogaster. Cabar 17: 22-23. Attila D Sandor, Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Zoology, Clinicilor st. 5-7, RO-400084, Cluj, Romania. adsandor@ gmail.com Istvan Moldovan, Raday street 56/47, HU-1092, Budapest, Hungary. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 3 Migration of harriers and other raptors at Ashura Deh, Iran, April 2008 MAGNUS ULLMAN & MATTIAS ULLMAN Ashura Deh is a small Iranian island in the extreme southeastern corner of the Caspian sea (Figures 1 & 2). It is separated by a small stretch of water from Mian Kahle to the west, a narrow 50 km long sand spit that separates Gorgan bay from the Caspian (Figure 3). During short visits to Mian Khale nature reserve and Ashura Deh on 24 April 2002, 20 April 2004, 21 April 2005 and 23 April 2007, Magnus Ullman witnessed a minor passage of harriers Circus spp and Black Kites Milvus migrans, most notably 26 Western Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus during 2-3 hours in the afternoon of 23 April 2007 at Ashura Deh. Since harriers are less reluctant to cross large expanses of water than most raptors, they are normally not very numerous at the major raptor migration spots. Thus, only a mean of 4.2 Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus, 3.8 Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus and 8.4 Pallid/Montagu’s Harriers were recorded at Eilat, Israel, per spring, 1969-1980 (Christensen et al 1981). Inspection of the maps of Gorgan bay and the southeastern Caspian region suggested that reasonable numbers of harriers moving on migration from their African wintering grounds to Central (Middle) Asian breeding areas might follow the narrow Mian Kahle sand spit and concentrate at Ashura Deh before crossing the 2.5 km of the Caspian sea on a northeast or east- north-east heading. Other small or medium-sized raptors, notably Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus and Black Kite, might also use the Mian Kahle ‘flyway’ to some extent. However, to reach the southern shores of the Caspian sea, migrants arriving from the south must fly over the Elburz mountain range, which includes Damavand, the highest peak (5671 m asl) west of the Himalayas. This means that the vast majority of Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis and other large raptors heading for 4 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Figure I. Africa, Europe and Asia. A red circle marks the position of Ashura Deh in the southeastern corner of the Caspian sea. © Magnus Ullman oF \\_UZBEKI- TURKMENISTAN = STAN ~e Figure 2. The vast majority of raptors migrating from Africa towards Central Asia pass Iran on a broad front. A red circle marks the position of Ashura Deh in the southeastern corner of the Caspian sea. © Magnus Ullman CASPIAN SBA Mian Kahle fa nat Figure 3. Raptors migrating towards the east along the southern shores of the Caspian sea move along the long sand spit Mian Kahle and will eventually pass Ashura Deh island. © Magnus Ullman Plate I. Golden Spot, Ashura Deh, Iran. From left: Alireza Hashemi, Ramezanali Ghaemi and Mattias Ullman watching westwards. © Magnus Ullman Central Asia and Siberia will not cross the Elburz but continue along its southern slopes to the east. Thus, we did not expect any large eagles or vultures at Ashura Deh. We decided to further investigate Ashura Deh as a migration spot for harriers and to see whether this island was used generally by raptors on their way north. We chose a period, 4-18 April 2008, which might correspond with both the Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier peaks. | ASHURA DEH Ashura Deh is a sensitive area for security being near the [ranian/Turkmenistan border and a nature reserve: access is obviously restricted. All the necessary permits were arranged by Ali Adhami of EcoTour-Iran, who also managed for us to stay in the warden’s cottage where Hasan Almasi of Iran Department of the Environment/forester of the Ashura Deh nature reserve resided. Here we stayed together with Alireza Hashemi, who cooked our food and helped us in every way including scanning the sky for raptors. During Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 5 our second week, Alireza was replaced by Afshin Zareie. On many raptor count days we were also accompanied by Ramezanali Ghaemi, a very experienced naturalist. We arrived in the morning of 4 April, and were shown around the eastern part of Ashura Deh by Hasan Almasi. Among other places he took us to a slight elevation in an area of dry dunes with low bushes and a marsh where we had excellent views right across the island from north to south. This seemed a vantage point to cover any migration, was named ‘Golden Spot’, and proved to be the best site during our stay (Plate 1). However, during days of strong northerly winds we shifted to an area near gs SOUT ga aout: fOr orenen Paes were gliding fast in the fresh afternoon wind. Third cy The weather was similar throughout the ale Pallid Harrier, 10 April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © period although we had gale force winds Magnus Ullman one afternoon and night; very dramatic for the local fishermen in their small boats. Usually, however, the weather was clear and calm in the morning after which the sky clouded over slowly and a westerly or north- westerly wind arose, often becoming quite fresh in the early afternoon (Plate 2). Towards the evening, winds lulled and by and by stars gleamed brightly from a clear sky. These weather conditions were probably influenced by local factors, such as the Caspian sea and Elburz mountains being separated by several km of flat lowland as well as enormous desert areas to the south of the Elburz. Plate 2. The male Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus RAPTOR COUNTS On most days we actively watched for migrating raptors c08.00-18.00 h. Before 08.00 h, we watched from the veranda of the warden’s cottage during breakfast and generally also spent some time looking for passerine migrants in the shrubberies of the eastern part of the island. Although we consider that few raptors left the island before 08.00 h, we may have missed single early morning birds. On several mornings one of us started raptor watching well before 8 (while the other checked for passerines). On some occasions when raptor movements were poor, we walked around the island looking for other birds. However, this still gave us good opportunities to cover raptor passage since the island is very flat and vegetation mainly is low shrubbery except for a vast marshy area just north of Golden Spot. A total of 2183 migrant raptors were recorded 4-18 April (Table 1). PALLID HARRIER Ashura Deh’s potential as a hot spot for migrating harriers soon became obvious. On the first day with decent migratory weather, 5 April, we recorded 53 Pallid Harriers (Table 2), perhaps the largest single day Pallid Harrier migration count anywhere. Numbers fell the next few days (27, 15, 2) and we wondered whether Pallid Harrier migration was quickly tailing off. However, since adult males still constituted a substantial portion of the migrating birds we suspected that we were not yet near the end of Pallid Harrier migration. This proved correct. Daily figures of 26 (10 April) and 39 (12 April) were followed by a couple of more days with over 20 Pallid Harriers. In total, we recorded 263 birds in just two weeks (Plates 3-6). 6 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Table |. Daily totals of raptors at Ashura Deh, Iran, 4-18 April 2008. Date AiO O75 (2788) ON alOs al Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni Seal. <1 7 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Ee 28>" 2m ress Lesser/Common Kestrel Falco naumanni/ 31229 tinnunculus Merlin Falco columbarius Sst al 2 Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo large falcon Falco sp Osprey Pandion haliaetus bal eee 4 Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Black Kite Milvus migrans A - TD CASH 3\ 345 17 Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus | | Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Or 222) 37 ul 28.732 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus eno 7 6.15 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus lerosse27 . |S Der3* 2265-8 Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus Zia. Al Del Pallid/Montagu’s Harrier Circus macrourus/pygargus 2 Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis [ee 2 a2 Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Soll, ~ Sik 22 =A: 263. 49 Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus Dewalt. = Seas 24 15 Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus 2 eee esl Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis | 2 Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca | Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Total | 74101 201 14° 28208 124 Table 2. Daily totals of Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus at Ashura Deh, Iran, 4-18 April 2008. Date 4 5 6 7 8 ee Pao) Ad. male | 12 7 6 rg 3rd cy male i, 2 3 Ad. female 30 7 | 3 Female-type 4 2 | | 7 2nd cy As fF 3 2: 6 Total eee Seen 27 5m sh p) Bie 326 Ve stl | 3 3 “4 Be NG Si- 439 [2st 6c 17-18) ~Fotal Story ei Shem Mela 42 Ge wR hE 3 113 [3 6S 2 ek Oe tl 150 Dee NR Spey ie ey Ay 20 2 vi i | 2 4 3 14 | | Bp FAO: 47 186.3 20 424 | 3 TER I SG SW aa ho ae 284 Gols 6 y ia eae | 43 BO 23 27h biz | Ae DOS Deets eo" 328 | 39 | | 4 2.3 AON 20 ZN 34 70. 461103 ..78 567 4 26e 6 cleo 4. al 167 eee | | 9 2 4 Sk 14 | 2 | | 94-116 176.138 402:155 - 9 ~ 2183 AvodlS 2echGenh7i- 18: + total 4 3 | 52 6 | | 25 S | | 56 6 2 | 43 8 5: IA 87 27 BH yal 9 4 263 Table 3. Totals per hour (grand total for each hour 4—18 April) of Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus at Ashura Deh, Iran, 4-18 April 2008. Time of day pres 89 9-10 I0-I| Ul-l2 12-13 - 13-14 Ad. male 2 | 3 6 | 2 3rd cy male 2 2. | 2 2 Ad. female lea 5 2 2 7 4 Female-type | | 4 6 4 2 4 2nd cy Pigs ee) 7 5 5 6 4 Total 4 18 19 17 IZ 18 16 14-15 2 15-16 16-17. 17-18; (18-19 « post 19; Total 9 12 5 52 5 4 3 25 lI 15 | 56 6 2 6 43 17 14 4 87 48 47 19 Or, 2263 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 7 Plate 3. Adult male Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus, 7 Plate 4. Adult female Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus, 5 April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © Magnus Ullman April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © Magnus Ullman Plate 5. Second cy female Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus. Plate 6. Second cy male Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus. Second cy Pallid Harriers normally have moulted very Pale iris shows this bird to be a male. Male 2nd cy little or nothing at all in spring. Dark iris shows this Pallid Harriers often confirm their sex by new grey bird to be a female. || April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © axillaries quite early in spring (while Montagu’s in Magnus Ullman the corresponding plumage shows axillaries with bold maroon bars similar to adult males). 5 April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © Magnus Ullman Pallid Harrier is not known to concentrate at the regular raptor migration hot spots and the main site with a substantial passage of Pallid Harriers is the strait of Messina, Italy, where 132 Pallids passed during the entire spring February—May 2001 and the highest day total is 45 birds on 20 April 1998 (Corso 2005). At Eilat, Israel, 113 Pallid Harriers passed in spring 1985 and the highest day total is 38 birds. 3 April 1983 (Shirihai 1996). Since the figure was so high on our second day of counting and since there still was a good passage as we left the island, we might have been able to double our total, to over 500 birds, if we had covered the entire spring. Ashura Deh may well be the best spot for migrating Pallid Harriers in the world. Although our coverage was slightly poorer before 08.00 h, we believe that few Pallid Harriers passed before that time. From 08.00 h the passage was surprisingly uniform during each and every hour until 14.00-15.00 h when a slight decline is apparent in our data (Table 3). But from 15.00 h, numbers increased considerably and 54% of all Pallid 8 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Plate 7. We recorded much lower numbers of Montagu’s Plate 8. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus was the most Harrier Circus pygargus than Pallid C. macrourus. Female common harrier at Ashura Deh, though only slightly Montagu’s Harrier, 16 April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © more numerous than Pallid C. macrourus. Female-type Magnus Ullman Marsh Harrier, 6 April 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © Magnus Ullman Harriers passed during the four hours 15.00-19.00 h (36% 16.00-18.00 h, no migrant Pallid Harriers were seen after 19.00 h). Fifty percent of adult males, 3rd calendar-year (cy) males, adult females and 2nd cy birds had passed by 15.00-16.00 h, while 50% of “female- type birds” had passed by 13.00-14.00 h, and 50% of 2nd cy birds by 14.00-15.00 h. This is surprisingly late in the day, since raptor migration generally peaks around noon or in early afternoon. Female-type birds (excluding adult females) and 2nd cy birds passed on average slightly earlier in the day than older birds. From 12.00-14.00 h, the Pallid Harriers passed quite high and were scattered and it is likely that some birds went unnoticed during these hours. Of the 263 Pallid Harriers, 52 were identified as adult males and 25 as 3rd cy birds. This figure for 3rd cy birds is surprisingly high as 3rd cy is an age class that should comprise a very small part of the total population. This suggests that even some older males (4th cy and perhaps even older) may retain some of the darkish markings that normally are considered to define immaturity. It is likely that some of these birds were in fact ‘adult’. OTHER HARRIERS We recorded less Montagu’s Harriers and the grand total stopped at 39 birds (Plate 7). Even though we saw Montagu’s nearly daily from 5 April, we perhaps missed both the peak and the majority of the birds. So we do not know how much later their passage is at Ashura Deh compared to the Pallid Harrier. We recorded virtually only adult Montagu’s (exceptions: one 2nd cy male and 2 female-type birds of unknown age). This suggests that we experienced merely the beginning of the migration. It could be, of course, that Montagu’s is considerably less numerous than Pallid Harrier at Ashura Deh. The wintering and breeding ranges of the two species are so similar that there is no reason to suspect that a larger proportion of Montagu’s passage directed towards Central Asia should not occur at Ashura Deh. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 9 Plate 9. A total of 43 Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus were recorded on migration at Ashura Deh. Yellow iris shows this bird to be a second cy male. 12 Apri! 2008, Ashura Deh, Iran. © Magnus Ullman It was no surprise that the most numerous harrier was Marsh Harrier, totalling 284 birds (Plate 8). Moreover, Marsh was the only harrier to frequently roost and hunt on the island, probably because the marshy habitat was particularly suitable for the species. We had not expected many Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus, a species that, unlike the other three, does not migrate all the way to tropical Africa. However, Hen Harriers do winter in a quite large area of Iran and 43 birds were recorded on migration at Ashura Deh (Plate 9). HARRIERS: SOME COMMENTS Virtually all the harriers moved along a very well-defined corridor, from the west of Ashura Deh east-north-east via the central part of the island, or slightly north of it, and left the island by its eastern shore. On the morning we arrived, 4 April, we saw from the boat an adult Pallid Harrier heading north over Gorgan bay, but apart from that one all birds arrived from the west. Moreover, occasional harriers left the island along the northern shore on a more northeasterly heading. Most other raptors were more sensitive to the more or less northerly winds and to a greater extent moved along the southern shore of the island, especially the larger eagles. On a very few occasions we had difficulties in distinguishing Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, essentially birds that were poorly viewed due to great distance or short observation time (in spring it is normally 2nd cy Montagu’s females that cause most confusion with Pallid Harrier; we saw nearly no 2nd cy Montagu’s). On several occasions, however, we were uncertain whether an approaching harrier was a Hen or a Pallid, before it got close enough for positive identification. KESTRELS A total of 305 kestrels migrated past Ashura Deh, including 150 birds, c50%, that were not identified to species, although Mattias in particular paid them a lot of attention. Kestrels are difficult to identify, especially as they often flew quite high. No single female Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni was identified. Only males or birds in flocks were noted as ‘Lesser Kestrel’. Of those identified, Lesser Kestrel constituted 27% (42 birds) which may indicate that reasonably healthy stocks occur further northeast (Plate 10). Counting was complicated by the presence of hunting birds, either migrants on stop over, Common 10 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) ) Kestrels Falco tinnunculus breeding on the island or visiting Lesser Kestrels from a large colony in Bandar Torkaman. OTHER RAPTORS The most numerous raptor was Eurasian Sparrowhawk P., P,> tip, P,> tip, P,,> tip convinced us of the same. 16 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Table 1. Biometrics (in mm) and wing formula of the Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama ringed 21 September 2008 in Eilat, Israel, and some corresponding details from the literature for Sykes’s, Booted and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers (http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/bi_hippolais_rama.htm). Eilat bird I. rama I. caligata I. p. elaeica Wing 61 59-65 57-64 60-7 | Tail 50 48-56 43-50 48-59 Bill to skull 15.3 14.8—-16.3 12.9-14.5 15—17.4 Pilp== PG ai7 6—10 6—10 3+7 Bilg=sP2 PAY 27-33 P6 > wing tip 27 l-3 I|-3 3-6 P10 > wing tip 10.3 8-I | 8-11 I-15 Emargination P6 Present Present Present Absent Additional biometrics Tarsus 19:3 P2 = P7/8 P2 to wing tip 5.5 Primary projection 14 Separation of the bird from Booted Warbler was based on head pattern (no clear dark edge to upper supercilium, the paler area at ear-coverts and a ‘not very Phylloscopus look’) and, especially, on bill length (Table 1). An odd measurement was P, > pe = 5.7 mm, 0.3 mm short of the minimum mentioned by the Portland Bird Observatory (www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/birds). This could partly be a result of difficulty in straightening this small feather or the rather worn condition Oe PADDYFIELD WARBLER Acrocephalus agricola Following the first half of the autumn in Eilat, which was characterized by eastern birds passing through, with waves of Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus acredula, Common Whitethroats Sylvia communis icterops and S. c. rubicola and the afore-mentioned Sykes’s Warbler, another eastern vagrant appeared on the morning of 8 October, a Paddyfield Warbler. Already in the net, the warbler looked unusual. It was similar to the Sykes’s Warbler caught just two weeks previously, in shape, head pattern and colour, but was obviously an Acrocephalus warbler. Out of the net it showed its main features, a prominent and long eyebrow with darkish eye stripe and cap, warm brownish tones to the upper parts, a short primary projection and an Acrocephalus atrophied P,. It was obvious that the bird was a Paddyfield Warbler. At the ringing station a full description and biometrics were noted. The warbler was identified as a first year based on the olive-green eye, tongue spots and fresh plumage. The legs had a brown-horn colour and the feet were yellowish. The upper mandible was dark and lower mandible horn coloured but clearly dark towards the tip (Plate 4). Sandgrouse 32 (2010) il, The face was strongly patterned with a wide and long light cream supercilium reaching well beyond the eyes to the end of the ear-coverts. A dark eye-stripe started at the lores and went all the way to the ears. The supercilium was bordered also from above by a dark stripe on the sides of the warm brown cap. Upper parts were warm brown with even rustier rump. The tail was warm brown. Wing coverts and flight feathers were warm brown and the tertials warm dark brown on the outer web, somewhat lighter on the inner web and ; Plate 4. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola, 8 clearly fringed cream. The underparts were October 2008, Eilat, Israel. Identified as a first year based creamy-white with sides of breast warm _ on the olive-green eye, tongue spots and fresh plumage. buff. Throat was whitish. ©) Shatner Aion Biometrics. helped, ~ confirm the identification: a short wing, 56 mm, which ruled out Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus (shortest at Eilat 59 mm) and short primary projection of 9.8 mm. The wing formula (mm) showed a round wing with P= LP, P,P =2:1, P-P. = 26.1 2 tip = 30. Wisecondariess(Sa) lta An important eal was the relatively long omenennadion oni ?, = 13:55 the notch onkthe P, reached P,,/SS. Other measurements (mm): tail = 52.0, bill to skull = 16.0, bill to feathers = 93, tail round = 0.6, tarsus = 21.5, hind claw = 6.1. The Paddyfield Warbler breeds in the Danube delta (Romania), Ukraine, north Black sea region, Caspian sea area and east to central Asia. They winter in southern Asia and India. In the Middle East they breed in northeastern Iran, and are a rare to scarce migrant in east Iran, Kuwait and Oman, and a vagrant to Cyprus and Israel (Shirihai 1996). The Paddyfield Warblers of the Danube area are known to oe not inrouel Turkey but north of the Black sea (Snow & Perrins 1998). This observation is the fifth record of this interesting warbler in Israel. All past records also involved trapped birds, mainly from Eilat in October. The previous individual was seen in late October 1992. EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR Caprimulgus europaeus unwini On 27 October, a ranger of the Nature Reserves & Parks Authority brought to the IBRCE rehabilitation centre two nightjars that had crashed into windows in town. One was the usual European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus europaeus but the other was much paler, with colours similar to those of Egyptian Nightjar C. aegyptius but the field marks were those of European Nightjar, such as the dark back stripes and the dark underwing coverts. The head pattern was of a classic C. e. unwini, lacking Plate 5. European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus the dark moustachial stripe and faint streaks europaeus (top) and C. e. unwini (bottom). © Avi Meir on the crown (Plates 5 & 6). 18 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Plate 6. European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus europaeus (left) and C. e. unwini (right). © Avi Meir Subspecies unwini is known as an uncommon visitor to the Persian gulf, and Shirihai (1996) considered it to be a scarce migrant in small numbers and rare winter visitor in Israel, identified mostly at Eilat. In recent years there have been no reports of unwini from Israel but a similar bird was seen at Neot Hakikar, in the southern Dead sea basin, on 22 September by NW. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Rami Mizrachi for help with identification of the Sykes’s Warbler and Miguel Rouco, Shachar Alterman and Avi Meir for their photos. REFERENCES Castell, P & GM Kirwan. 2005. Will the real Sykes’s Warbler please stand up? Breeding data support specific status for Hippolais rama and H. caligata, with comments on the Arabian population of ‘booted warbler’. Sandgrouse 27: 30-36. Helbig, AJ & I Seibold. 1999. Molecular phylogeny of Palearctic—African Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers (Aves: Sylviidae). Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 11: 246-260. Shirihai, H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, San Diego. Snow, DW & CM Perrins (eds). 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edn. Oxford University Press, UK. Yosef, R, M Rydberg-Hedaen, N Zilinova & K Meyrom. 2004. Biometric and plumage variation in African Collared Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) and Collared Dove (S. decaocto) at Eilat, Israel. Sandgrouse 26: 132-136. Noam Weiss & Reuven Yosef, International Birding & Research Centre in Eilat, PO Box 774, Eilat, Israel. ibrce@eilatcity. co. il. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 19 Spring migration of soaring birds over the Bosphorus, Turkey, in 2006 OZKAN UNER, KEREM ALI BOYLA, ERGUN BACAK, ERTUGRUL BIREL, iLHAN CELIKOBA, CEM DALYAN, EVRIM TABUR & UMIT YARDIM The Bosphorus is one of the most important migration bottlenecks in the Middle East.. However, most counts have been done during autumn and complete spring counts are very few. In spring 2006, a complete count of migrating soaring birds over the Bosphorus was carried out. We report a total of 100 051 birds, which consisted of 51 958 White Storks Ciconia ciconia, 16 185 Common Buzzards Buteo buteo, 15 232 Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina and 9085 Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus. The study demonstrates the importance of the Bosphorus for the spring migration of soaring birds. INTRODUCTION Turkey has major Western Palearctic migration crossroads, with corridors and bottlenecks for soaring birds in the northwestern (Bosphorus inIstanbul, Figure 1), northeastern (Borcka, Artvin province) and southern (Belen, Hatay province) parts of the country (Grimmett & Jones 1989). The Bosphorus is a well-known migration bottleneck for soaring birds due to its location at the junction between Europe and Asia. The whole population of eastern White Storks Ciconia ciconia, over 340 000 birds, flies over the Bosphorus. Zalles & Bildstein (2000) reported between 29 000 and 75 000 migrant raptors in autumn over the Bosphorus whereas a very recent multi-station but short survey has shown that more than 150 000 raptors use the area in autumn (Milvus Group 2008). Most of the world population of Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina and Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes, at least in autumn, crosses into Asia via the Bosphorus (Kirwan et al 2008) using the east Mediterranean route (Shirihai et al 2000). Other important species, with their maximum autumn counts, are White Stork (210 000 in 1971), Black Stork Ciconia nigra (17 000 in 2008), European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus (26 000 in 1971), Black Kite Milvus migrans (2700 Black Sea © > S < Kapidag Per Sea So O fe frane oN 5 Figure |. Northwest Turkey showing the location of the Bosphorus. 20 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) in 1971), Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus (4600 in 2008) and Common Buzzard Buteo buteo (80 000 in 2008) (Shirihai et al 2000, Milvus Group 2008). Most published work of complete and partial counts at the Bosphorus is from the autumn. Complete coverage was achieved in 1966 (Porter & Willis 1968), with partial counts by Alléon & Vian (1869-70), Steinfatt (1932), Nisbet & Smout (1957), Beaman (1973), Beaman & Jacobsen (1974), Somgag (1981), Bijlsma (1990), Robel & Braéuning (1992) and Howes (1996). The autumn period has been covered for several reasons. Some species move through in larger flocks and pass through in shorter periods of time in the autumn. This is especially true of the most numerous species, the White Stork, the vast majority of which pass through in less than a few weeks. The Levant Sparrowhawk’s migration, though, happens in a very short period of time in both spring and autumn (Shirihai et al 2000). : Spring migration over the Bosphorus is much more poorly documented (Shirihai et al 2000), with few publications: Mauve (1937), Collman & Croxall (1967), Ritzel (1980) and MME (1993). These publications provide a benchmark but, together with the older autumn studies, can suffer from identification problems as some of them predate the publication of modern raptor identification guides (especially Porter et al 1974). In some cases even individuals of some common species, such as European Honey Buzzard and Common Buzzard, might have been misidentified. The present study, in 2006, represents the first attempt to perform a reasonably complete census of the soaring birds passing over the Bosphorus in spring. METHODOLOGY Observation point The census was conducted from a single observation point at 182 m asl at Keskin Viraj, between Sariyer and Rumelifeneri on the European side in the northern part of Istanbul (41° 12’ N 29° 04’ E, Figure 2). It is reached from the road between Sariyer and Rumelifeneri 950 m east of the entrance to Koc University. The area has a wide and fairly open view east to the Bosphorus and from Poyrazkoy (on the Asian side) in the north to Maslak (on the European side) in the south. The area is covered with Mediterranean maquis scrub and Black Pine Pinus nigra plantations. This location has been known to local birdwatchers since the 1990s and previous observations have shown it to be the best spring site. Most birds use the most northern part of the Bosphorus, north of the centre of Sariyer, and a great majority of these arrive in the 5 km belt between the observation point and Garipce village. As birds arrive over the European side of the Bosphorus, they are low and have lost altitude after crossing the water. Those arriving north of the observation point turn to the south to glide along the hillside to make use of thermals on the slopes of the Bosphorus. This involves circular as well as linear soaring. After flying over the observation point and passing south, they suddenly head west and enter the Rumelikavagi valley system. Strong thermals regularly occur in this area, enabling the birds to swiftly gain height by soaring and move east to the ridge just southwest of Kog University campus, and leave for the relatively flat area in the direction of Terkos lake (Durusu, Figure 2). | Observation period Daily observations were made 18 March-31 May 2006, with the exception of 19 March, 8 April and 13 May, for a total of 72 days. Soaring birds were counted between 09.30 and 17.30 h on most days, but bad weather sometimes led us to abandon observations for some hours. A total of 538 hours was spent making observations of soaring birds. The change to local Summer Time, on 28 March, was ignored. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Pa Black Sea & © aC Sf oO Lake Terkos (Durusu) eee » ng A Keskin Viraj ® Poyrazkoy Sariyeg re ~ AnadolukavagI Maslak ¢ : 2 oygar Tepe : | : Otagtepe ‘aa ‘eBiyuk Camiica Tepesi Kadikéy Istanbul DBA Acted] armara areas I Figure 2. The Bosphorus region in northwest Turkey. The small black bar between Keskin Viraj and Sariyer indicates the Rumelikavagi valley, just south of the observation point used in this study. The total length of the scale bar, bottom left, indicates 10 km. At least two observers were present on all days (Plate 1). Most observers had 8x or 10x binoculars whilst a 20x60 telescope was used during the entire period. Two of us (OU and E Birel) used Nikon D70 and Canon 20D cameras, which allowed us to consider the identification of problematic indivi- Plate 1. Members of the Istanbul Birdwatching Society, count participants, at the duals, especially Of Bosphorus observation point, Turkey, April 2006. © Ozkan Uner eagles and harriers. Weather The weather 18 March-31 May was very variable. On 22 of the 75 days of the period conditions were generally sunny, on 47 days it was fully or partially cloudy and on 6 days misty. Though lower on misty days, visibility was generally satisfactory. Rain occurred on 11 days. Prevailing winds were from the north (52 of 75 days) and south-southwest (23 of 75 days). Wind speeds peaked between 09.00 and 16.00 h. In contrast to autumn, spring in Istanbul is wetter and cloudier, and weather conditions can change dramatically. When the wind direction changes from north to south the temperature can rise by 10°C. LD Sandgrouse 32 (2010) ' } RESULTS AND DISCUSSION From 18 March-31 May, a total of 100 051 soaring birds were counted, with White Stork, Common Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle and European Honey Buzzard being the most numerous species (Table 1). The number of birds passing in each period of five days is shown by species in Figure 3 while Figure 4 presents the distribution of migrating birds in hourly intervals, by species, over the entire period. Black Stork Ciconia nigra: 1118, peak 25 March when 207 passed. The migration period of the species had started before the study period and extended into June. A second peak, probably of non-breeders, was observed during mid-May. White Stork Ciconia ciconia: 51 958 (Plate 2), the most numerous species, with 9569 on 25 and 26 March combined, marking the peak. The route taken at the site by White Storks differed from that of most other species. Most passed 5 km north of the observation point, over Poyrazkoy on the Asian side and Garipce on the European side, and thus many birds might have passed undetected, making our total an underestimate of the real number of passing birds. Moreover, the species is known to use the coast of the sea of Marmara, as well as the Kapidag peninsula during spring migration where Tuncali (in litt) counted 8 948 birds in spring 2008. The migration period of the species had started before the study period and extended into June. A second peak, probably of non- breeders, was observed during mid-May. Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus: 62, 27 April-31 May. Passage coincided with the middle of the period of northerly winds and with peak wind strengths. Most passage occurred during May, peak 25 May. The Table 1. Number of migrant soaring birds counted from the Bosphorus observation point, Turkey, 18 March—-3!1 May 2006. Species Black Stork Ciconia nigra White Stork Ciconia ciconia unid. stork Ciconia Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Osprey Pandion haliaetus European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus Black Kite Milvus migrans White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus unid. harrier Circus Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis unid. sparrowhawk Accipiter Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus unid. buzzard Buteo/Pernis Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciatus unid. eagle Aquila unid. raptor Accipitridae Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Saker Falcon Falco cherrug Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus unid. falcon Falco Total / 10 100 051 species is known to stage at Manyas Golii, south of the sea of Marmara, and fly across the sea. Tuncali (in litt) counted a total of 39 734 Great White Pelicans over Kapidag peninsula in spring 2008 (Figure 1), probably the whole European population of 4100-5100 breeding pairs (Birdlife International 2004). Osprey Pandion haliaetus: nine, mostly singles, 1-22 April. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 23 White Stork Black Stork 450 + 350 [ European Honey Buzzard Great White Pelican t 8 Short-toed Snake Eagle Hen Harrier Eurasian Sparrowhawk Black Kite Levant Sparrowhawk Western Marsh Harrier Sandgrouse 32 (2010) vane 24 Common Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Lesser Spotted Eagle Eastern Imperial Eagle ee eee ee 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 2 8 9 10 1 12 13 14 15 Booted Eagle Common Kestrel ot ths Red-footed Falcon Eurasian Hobby Mooolole, aol 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Figure 3. Total number of migrating birds, by species, passing the Bosphorus observation point (vertical axis) in each of 15 pentads (period of five days), 18 March—3| May 2006. Pentad | 18-22 Mar*, 2 23-27 Mar, 3 28 Mar—I Apr, 4 2-6 Apr, 5 7-11 Apr*, 6 12-16 Apr, 7 17-21 Apr, 8 22-26 Apr, 9 27 Apr—I May, 10 2-6 May, 11 7-11 May, 12 12-16 May*, 13 17-21 May, 14 22-26 May, 15 27-31 May. Three observation days were missed: periods with * have totals for 4 days not 5. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) IDS: i ee » s t ; 4 oe F PA 5 LF S ZZ Z de ¢ ‘ . ; vé } ~ se i x ae Plate 2 (above). A group of White Storks Ciconia ciconia crossing the Bosphorus south of the observation point, April 2006. © Ozkan Uner Plate 3 (right). A juvenile Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus on passage past the Bosphorus observation point, a rare sighting for Istanbul birdwatchers, 7 April 2006. © Ertugrul Birel European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus: 9085. Although the first were observed on 12 April, the main bulk of the passage did not commence until 30 April with a peak of 1185 birds on 12 May. The migration period of the species extends into June. Only 1.3% of birds occurred before 1 May, whereas in Israel the first 5% moved between 20 April and 1 May (Shirihai et al 2000). Black Kite Milvus migrans: 223, 21 March-31 May, with a single-day maximum of 21 on 7 May. However, peak passage occurred in late March. The migration period of the species had started before the study period and extended into June. A second peak, probably of non-breeders, was observed mid-May. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla: singles, 16 April and 22 May. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus: 11, 23 March-23 May. Egyptian Vulture is a globally threatened species categorised as Vulnerable, with decreasing populations in Europe. BirdLife International (2004) estimated a total of 300-450 pairs in Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece and FYR Macedonia). The passage is evenly distributed through the migration season. Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus: nine, 27 March-23 May, 6 of them 27 March—12 April. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus: one, 7 April (Plate 3). 26 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Plate 4. (left) Short-toed Snake Eagles Circaetus gallicus occurred mostly in singles or pairs past the Bosphorus observation point (photo May 2006). © Ozkan Uner Plate 5. (right) Mostly singles of Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus occurred on passage past the Bosphorus observation point (photo April 2006). © Ertugrul Birel Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus: 473 (Plate 4). Migration peaked on 26 March when 43 passed. One bird seemed to stay for 2-3 days, feeding on lizards and snakes found in the area. Most passage occurred in late March. Thereafter, daily numbers gradually decreased until late May. Presumably the flow of birds started before the study period and continued afterwards. Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus: 138 with the largest single-day total of 14 on 22 April. Most passage occurred at the beginning of April but passage continued during May. The migration period of the species extends into June. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus: 92, 23 March—28 April. Migration peaked on 10 April when ten individuals passed. Hen Harrier migration began in late March and gradually declined through April with the last birds at the end of the month. This is by far the largest total recorded at any watch point in the Middle East in either season (Shirihai et al 2000). Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus: 10, mostly singles, 26 March—19 April. Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus: 12, 31 March—16 May, with a single-day maximum of five on 22 April. Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes: 16, 31 March-19 May, with 12 on 19 May. Very few birds have been observed in spring, in contrast with thousands of birds passing annually in autumn. This species was previously known to occur in very low numbers over the Bosphorus during spring migration and therefore Shirihai et al (2000) suggested that Levant Sparrowhawk may prefer the eastern Black sea migration route in spring. However, R Tuncali (in lift) counted 1726 birds during spring 2009 over the Kapidag peninsula (Figure 1), which suggests that spring migration towards breeding grounds in the Balkan countries may still pass through northwest Turkey but not over the Bosphorus. Eurasian Sparrowhawk arabicus <7 Male & female decaptus 4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 PCA 1 Figure I. Scatter plot diagram of first (PCI) and second (PC2) principal components for a Principal Components Analysis of five morphometric measurements from five taxa of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis (Table 2). 44 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Plate |. (top) Ventral view of specimens of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis, showing from left to right: three A. s. nivescens from northeast Africa, two A. s. sokotrae (Socotra), two A. s. arabicus (southern Arabia) and an A. s. captus (Palestine). Guy M Kirwan / © The Natural History Museum, Tring Plate 2. (bottom) Dorsal view of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis specimens, showing from left to right: three A. s. nivescens from northeast Africa, two A. s. sokotrae (Socotra), two A. s. arabicus (southern Arabia) and an A. s. captus (Palestine). Guy M Kirwan / © The Natural History Museum, Tring fringes of the rectrices are also paler and whiter in sokotrae, and in the outermost pair the pale wedges on the inner webs are also paler and closer to grey-white than in the African and Arabian birds (Plate 4). Although sample sizes are relatively limited (Table 1) sokotrae is separable from other relevant subspecies based on its smaller wing and tail, and larger bill size. These differences are shown in the Principal Components Analysis scatter plot diagram (Figure 1), the first three principal components accounting for 89.8% of the original variation (Table 2). We compared songs of sokotrae (recorded by P Davidson and J Hornbuckle) with vocal material from across a broad sample of the species’ overall range (eg India, Iran, Israel, Malawi, Pakistan, South Africa and Zambia), but like Alstrom et al (2003) we found no evidence of any significant geographical (rather than individual) variation. The Socotran birds’ song is, like for instance populations in Israel, a simple series of single or doubled whistles and churring notes, interspersed by uneven pauses (compare Figure 2 with, for instance, the notes given by a perched Long-billed Pipit of the subspecies captus, from Israel, in Alstrom et al 2003: 210). Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 45 Table |. Morphological measurements of five taxa of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis, range (mean; SD; sample size). Measurements were taken (by AG at NHM, and GMK at NMNH) using a standard wing-rule with a perpendicular stop at zero (accurate to 0.5 mm) and digital callipers (accurate to 0.01 mm). Culmen length was measured to skull. Male Wing 92-98 (95.1; 2.66; 4) Tail 70.5—78 (75.7; 3.15; 5) Bill 18.6—20.4 (19.8; 0.73; 5) Tarsus 24.1—25.7 (24.9, 0.62; 5) Hindclaw 8.7—10.9 (9.7; 0.81; 5) Tail/wing ratio 0.77—0.80 (0.79; 0.02; 5) A. s. captus Israel (The Natural History Museum, Tring) Wing 96-101 (98.5; 1.23; 17) Tail 76-80 (77.9; 1.32; 17) Bill 18.5-20.9 (19.7; 0.65; 16) Tarsus 25.3-27.9 (26.6; 0.83; 17) Hindclaw 8.8-11.6 (9.7; 0.71; 17) Tail/wing ratio 0.77-0.82 (0.79; 0.01; 17) A. s. arabicus Yemen (The Natural History Museum, Tring) Wing 84-93 (87.6; 2.16; 21) Tail 62—76) (7021573'36;7211) Bill 19.1—21.9 (20.7; 0.95; 21) Tarsus 24.5—26.1 (25.1; 0.58; 7) Hindclaw Pil hell (UMOLUS Oxer8 (2) Tail/wing ratio 0.76—0.81 (0.78; 0.02; 7) Female 89-9 (89.6; 0.89; 5) 69.5-77 (73.5; 3.12; 5) 18.1—20.1 (19.5; 0.81; 5) 24.5—25.6 (25.2; 0.61; 5) 9.2-10.9-(9.6; 0.77; 5) 0.78—0.85 (0.82; 0.03; 5) 89-95 (92.4; 1.72; 18) 68-76 (72.7; 2.45; 18) 17.4-19.7 (18.6; 0.60; 17) 24.7-26.8 (25.5; 0.50; 18) 9.4-11.0 (10.1; 0.52; 17) 0.74-0.82 (0.79; 0.02; 18) 80-89 (85.3; 2.47; 17) 62-72 (67.8; 2.86; 17) 19.1-22.8 (20.2; 0.95; 17) 24.0-26.4 (25.1; 0.99; 7) 9.4-10.5 (10.1; 0.42; 7) 0.73-0.83 (0.79; 0.03; 7) A. s. sokotrae Socotra (The Natural History Museum, Tring, and NMNH, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC) Wing 88-97 (94.1; 2.88; 20) Tail 70-80 (75.6; 2.87; 20) Bill 17.9-20.7 (19.4; 0.80; 21) Tarsus 22.4—26.6 (24.5; 0.96; 21) Hindclaw 8.6—10.8 (9.6; 0.61; 21) Tail/wing ratio 0.76—0.84 (0.80; 0.02; 19) 85-92 (89.0; 2.32; 14) 69-76 (70.9; 1.90; 14) |7.0-20.8 (18.5; 0.94; 13) 22.7-24.4 (23.6; 0.51; 14) 8.6-10.4 (9.6; 0.56; 14) 0.77-0.83 (0.80; 0.02; 14) A. s. nivescens Sudan and Somalia (The Natural History Museum, Tring) Wing [O1—104 (1102.7; 1.53; 3) Tail 88-89 (88.7; 0.58; 3) Bill 2012) (2016;30'53553) Tarsus 28.3—30.7 (29.4; 1.24; 3) Hindclaw F:4=110:51(929;20'55373) Tail/wing ratio 0.85—0.88 (0.86; 0.02; 3 94-97 (95.3; 1.53; 3) 81-87 (83.3; 3.21; 3) 19.9-21.1 (20.3; 0.65; 3) 27.7—28.0 (27.8; 0.14, 3) 9.7—9.8 (9.8; 0.03; 3) 0.85-0.92 (0.87; 0.04; 3) A. s. decaptus northern Oman (The Natural History Museum, Tring) 46 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) = =) nun 8 F NA D ss DO TS aa St Senin tae tae ee o ——F Ss 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Figure 2. Sonogram of the several strophes of the perched song of a Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis sokotrae recorded on Socotra in January 2007. © Jon Hornbuckle Plate 3. Lateral view of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis specimens, showing from left to right: two A. s. nivescens from northeast Africa, two A. s. sokotrae (Socotra), two A. s. arabicus (southern Arabia) and an A. s. captus (Palestine). Guy M Kirwan / © The Natural History Museum, Tring Table 2. Character loadings on principal component axes for a Two other remarks are worth Principal Components Analysis of five morphological measurements making on the basis of our taken from five taxa (Table |) of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis. research. We agree with Alstrom et LK ssti=«*=‘ OS;*t*t*~*s!C*«t!T a (2003) concerning the diagnosis Variable PCI PC2 PC3 useful for separating southern Wing length -0:592,' 0.232 0.107 Arabian birds from those in Israel Tail length -0.606 OrIS7 oo (A. s. captus). The latter authors Culmen length “0.119 -0.647 Bel purposely did not compare A. Tarsus length sO ee? ‘sua s. arabicus, E. Hartert, 1917, with gn claw 0.040 ee 0.722 A. s. nivescens, Reichenow, 1905, Eigenvalues 2.330 oe Ose but noted that Clancey (1986) De iat ; variation explained 47.772 23.907 18.09 | had ‘extended’ the range of the latter form to Arabia, where he considered it to occur in the “south of North Yemen (at Taizz) and in South Yemen in the Amiri highlands east to western Hadramaut”, and that of arabicus to Africa, from the “Red _ Sea hills of southeastern Sudan (at Erkowit), south to Eritrea and ... Ethiopia.” Clancey (1986) also stated that arabicus and nivescens intergrade in North Yemen. In common with Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 47 Ee ee Plate 4. (left) Dorsal view of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis specimens to show outer tail feather, from left to right: A. s. sokotrae (Socotra), A. s. arabicus (Yemen) and A. s. nivescens (northeast Africa). Guy M Kirwan / © The Natural History Museum, Tring Plate 5. (right) Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis sokotrae, Socotra, January 2007. © Jon Hornbuckle Alstrom et al (2003), we consider that there are no marked differences, beyond those pertaining to wear and individual variation, in these southern and western Arabian populations that demand recognition of more than one subspecies on the peninsula. However, we also concur with Clancey (1986) that many mainland northeast African birds seem impossible to separate from those in Arabia, and given that Long-billed Pipit populations in the latter region are apparently resident (Jennings 1995) immigration into Africa can be largely discounted. In agreement with Grieve et al (2001), we consider that other than some subspecifically recognised populations not considered herein, northeast African birds can be assigned to one subspecies, although no specimens are available from Egypt. However, unlike Grieve et al (2001), who did not examine specimens (but merely reported from the previous literature), we find plumage differences between African nivescens and Arabian populations difficult to define, whilst mensural data indicate a cline of increasing size in all sampled characters from west to east (see Table 1), and would suggest that a more rigorous analysis of specimen material than we have attempted, following a strict definition for recognising subspecies (Barrowclough 1982, Haffer 1997), might result in arabicus entering into the synonymy of nivescens. If confirmed, this finding would mirror other recent research that suggests that at least some subspecies previously recognised for Arabian populations of mainly Afrotropical birds are better treated as synonyms of taxa on mainland Africa (eg Kirwan 2007). On the other hand, like Clancey (1986) and Alstrom et al (2003), we agree (on the basis of the small available sample at NHM) that birds in northern Oman and the United Arab Emirates can be treated either as A. s. decaptus Meinertzhagen, 1920, which otherwise occurs from Iran to northwest India, or as an intergrade population. Given that northern and southern Omani populations of Long-billed Pipit are seemingly geographically separate (Eriksen & Sargeant 2000), it appears quite appropriate to consider these northern birds as decaptus rather than intergrades. 48 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) ee ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the following museum curators and librarians for permitting us to examine specimens in their care and for access to library: Robert Prys-Jones, Mark Adams, Katrina Cook and Alison Harding (Natural History Museum, Tring), and James P Dean and Christina Gebhard (Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC). Work by GMK in North American collections was partially sponsored by a grant from OSME and a scholarship from the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. We thank Alan Knox for his careful review of our manuscript. Jon Hornbuckle generously provided additional vocal and photographic material for Anthus similis sokotrae. REFERENCES Alstrom, P, K Mild & D Zetterstrom. 2003. Pipits and wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Barrowclough, GF. 1982. Geographic variation, predictiveness, and subspecies. Auk 99: 601-603. Clancey, PA. 1986. The eastern and north-eastern African subspecies of Anthus similis Jerdon. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 106: 80-84. Eriksen, J & DE Sargeant (eds). 2000. Oman bird list: the official list of the birds of the Sultanate of Oman. Fifth edn. Oman Bird Records Committee, Muscat. Fry, CH, DJ Pearson & PB Taylor. 1992. Motacillidae, wagtails, pipits and longclaws. In: Keith, S, EX Urban & CH Fry (eds). The birds of Africa. Vol 4. Academic Press, London. Grieve, A, M Baha el Din & SM Baha el Din. 2001. The occurrence of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis in Egypt. Sandgrouse 23: 39-43. Haffer, J. 2003. Avian zoogeography, speciation and the museum tradition. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club Suppl. 123A: 7-25. Hartert, E. 1917. A few notes on the birds of Yemen. Novitates Zoologicae 24: 452-462. Jennings, MC. 1995. An interim atlas of the breeding birds of Arabia. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, Riyadh. Kirwan, GM. 2004. Some remarks on the taxonomy of Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus, with particular reference to C. 1. jonesi Ogilvie-Grant & Forbes, 1899. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 11: 117-125. Kirwan, GM. 2007. Studies of Socotran birds IV. Synonymization of six endemic bird taxa, with comments on the name Onychognathus blythi creaght. Sandgrouse 29: 135-148. Kirwan, GM. 2008. Studies of Socotran birds II. Morphological and mensural evidence for a ‘new’ species in the Rufous Sparrow Passer motitensis complex endemic to the island of Abd ‘Al-Kuri, with the validation of Passer insularis Sclater & Hartlaub, 1881. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128: 83-93. Kirwan, GM & A Grieve. 2007. Studies of Socotran birds II. One, two or three species: towards a rational taxonomy for the Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus socotranus. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 14: 159-169. 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. Mackworth-Praed, CW & CHB Grant. 1960. African handbook of birds. Birds of eastern and north eastern Africa. Vol 2. Second edn. Longmans, London. Ripley, SD & GM Bond. 1966. The birds of Socotra and Abd-el-Kuri. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 15): 1-37. Sclater, WL. 1930. Systema avium AEthiopicarum. British Ornithologists’ Union, London. Svensson, L. 1992. Identification guide to European passerines. Privately published, Stockholm. Tyler, SJ. 2004. Family Motacillidae (pipits and wagtails). In: del Hoyo, J, A Elliott & DA Christie (eds). Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol 9. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Guy M Kirwan, 74 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS, UK. GMKirwan@aol.com Andrew Grieve, 3 Miriam Close, Second Avenue, Caister on Sea, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 5PH, UK. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 49 Observations on the Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae in Yemen, May 2009 The Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae is a small flycatcher (Plate 1) which breeds in Africa from Mali and the Ivory Coast to Somalia and Kenya and in southwestern Arabia. It was first described in 1901 from a specimen from Gambaga in northeastern Ghana. The species is said to be rare to uncommon in Africa (Urban et al 1997), and it is described as a breeding summer visitor to drier parts of the southwestern highlands and foothills (locally numerous in acacia woodlands, more rarely in juniper) of Arabia (Jennings 1995). Salewski et al (2003b) recently found evidence for migration of this species in western Africa based on data from. the Ivory Coast. In April 2009 only two photos of the Gambaga Flycatcher were present, and of rather poor quality, in the large African Bird Club bird-photo database (www.birdquest. dry Acacia woodlands. © Werner Miller 50 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) WERNER MULLER Plate I. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Ahjur, Yemen, May 2009. The field characteristics are clearly visible: yellowish-orange lower mandible, faint ‘washed-out’ breast streaking and little streaking on forehead. The bird is sitting quite upright, often the carriage is more horizontal. © Werner Muller Plate 3. Nest, under construction, of Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Mahweet, Yemen, May 2009. The nest is in a fork of an acacia tree and the female is sitting in the nest as if incubating. © Werner Muller net/afbid). During my visit to Yemen in May 2009, with Yousuf Mohagebh, I had the opportunity to observe the Gambaga Flycatcher and to take photos of this poorly known species. HABITAT AND NEST SITE In the area between Sana’a, Al Mahweet and Manakhah, west of Sana’a, we found the Gambaga Flycatcher in all acacia woodlands, even in small patches of only a dozen trees, as well as in villages with trees. The lowest site was in Wadi Sarieh (west of Al Mahweet) at c700 m asl, the highest in Al Ahjur (close to Kawkaban) at c2300 m asl. We recorded the highest density in an open acacia/cultivated area near Al Ahjur with 3 pairs within c4 ha (Plate 2). On 10 May we recorded nest building in a wooded area of Al Mahweet. The nest was situated c3 m above the ground in a fork of an acacia tree (Plates 3 & 4). Few nests have been found previously: two in the Ivory Coast in February were located in similar parts of trees as our nest (Salewski et al 2003b). In Saudi Arabia, Plate 4. Location of the Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae nest of Plate 3 in a fork of an acacia tree, Al Mahweet, Yemen, May 2009. © Werner Muller Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Bil - Plate 5. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Ahjur, Yemen, May 2009. The species has no distinctive markings in flight except for the wing bars. © Werner Muller Castell et al (2001) found four nests, all in juniper trees, two on lateral branches and two in forks. Two nests in Kenya (Urban et al 1997) were sited in a hollow at the end of a small dead tree and in the middle of an acacia bush respectively. The height above ground differed from 1-4 m, mostly 2-3 m. HABITS During 9-11 May the birds were mostly in pairs, very active and often calling and sometimes singing. They were neither shy nor elusive, often sitting openly on branches and could be approached to less than 5 m. When landing, most of the birds were flicking their wings. This also was often done when calling. During the observation time of 1.5 h at the nest in Al Mahweet only the female was bringing nest material to the nest site. The male was singing no further away than 20 m and accompanied the female when she was flying to the nest site. Plate 6. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Wadi Sarieh, Yemen, May 2009. Typical are the round head, short bill and ‘washed-out’ breast. The carriage here is quite horizontal. © Werner Miuiler Plate 7. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Ahjur, Yemen, May 2009. Here the short wings and orange lower mandible are clearly visible. This bird is sitting very upright. © Werner Muller Wing flicking is noted in most of the descriptions of the species, only Sinclair & Ryan (2003) say that it rarely flicks its wings. The foraging techniques and habitat selection of Gambaga Flycatchers wintering in Ivory Coast were described in detail by Salewski et al (2003a): the authors compared it with the wintering Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and with a number of African species. The Gambaga Flycatcher showed the highest niche overlap with the Pied Flycatcher in both foraging substrates and techniques as well 2 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Plates 8 & 9. Comparison between Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Ahjur, Yemen, May 2009 (left) and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Tsavo East, Kenya, November 2007 (right). Clearly visible are the differences in the streaking of the forehead and length of primary projection. © Werner Muller Plates 10 & 11. Comparison between Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Ahjur, Yemen, May 2009 (left) and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Yemen, October 1996 (right). Difference in bill colour is obvious but also in head shape (round in Gambaga, more pointed in Spotted) and breast streaking. © Werner Muiler as microhabitat, but used more open habitats than the other species. They also found aggressive interaction between the two flycatcher species. IDENTIFICATION It is said that the Gambaga Flycatcher is not well known because of confusion with its close relative, the Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (eg Urban et al 1997). In Yemen the Spotted Flycatcher is a common passage migrant and in October 1996 we saw many of them though none in May 2009. The easiest way to separate the two species seems to be the following (Plates 1 & 5-11): the Gambaga Flycatcher is smaller, has a more rounded head (Plates 10 & 11), its bill is not totally black but the lower mandible is yellowish-orange (Plate 7) and its wings are shorter (Plates 8 & 9). Additionally, the breast is less streaked though streaking does vary (compare Plates 6 & 7). If there are streaks on the breast they Sandgrouse 32 (2010) D3 are less distinctive and more ‘washed-out’ than in Spotted Flycatcher (Plates 10 & 11). On the forehead the streaks are quite distinctive in the Spotted Flycatcher (Plates 9 & 11) and much less (Plate 8) or lacking in the Gambaga (Plate 6). In flight, except for tiie wing bars, there are no distinctive markings (Plate 5). In most descriptions (eg Porter et al 1996, Urban et al 1997) it is said that the Spotted sits more upright and the carriage in the Gambaga is more horizontal, but we have seen both postures in the Gambaga and think this should not be used for identification (compare Plates 6 & 11 with Plates 1 & 7). Of the c50 individuals seen we could only distinguish one female. It was the bird building the nest accompanied by the singing male. The female was duller, Plate 12. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae, Al Mahweet, Yemen, May 2009. This is the female which was nest constructing accompanied by the singing male. Even though the bird is not in the sun, this individual is duller and a bit more greyish and has almost no streaking on the breast. © Werner Miller more greyish and had almost no streaking on the breast (Plate 12). The bill seemed to be shorter than in many other birds we saw. We do not know if this is just individual variation or a distinct plumage characteristic of females. In the literature there is almost nothing to be found on sexual dimorphism in plumage of the Gambaga. Generally, the description of the Gambaga Flycatcher in Porter et al (1996) is good, but the best illustration of the species, compared with our observations and photos, is the one in Zimmerman et al (1996). Unfortunately, the calis and songs of Gambaga Flycatcher could not be recorded. The call was much sharper and shorter than Spotted Flycatcher and seemed higher pitched. The song was much more varied than that of Spotted with a number of notes on a different level. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Yousuf Mohagebh of Arabian Eco-tours, Sana’a, Yemen (aet@y.net.ye) for perfectly organizing my study trip. I am very grateful to him and Martin Weggler for their comments on a draft of this note. REFERENCES Castell, P, J Coburn, B Pleasance & S Williams. 2001. Notes on the breeding biology of some Arabian species. Sandgrouse 23: 49-58. Jennings, M. 1995. An Interim Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, Riyadh. Porter, RF, S Christensen & P Schiermacker-Hansen. 1996. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East. Poyser, London. Salewski V,.F Bairlein & B Leisler. 2003a. Niche partitioning of two Palearctic passerine migrants with Afrotropical residents in their West African winter quarters. Behavioral Ecology 14: 493-502. Salewski, V, K-H Falk, F Baierlein & B Leisler. 2003b. Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae: evidence for migration in Africa? Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 123: 48-51. Sinclair, I & P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Struik, Cape Town. Urban, E, CH Fry & S Keith. 1997. The Birds of Africa. Vol 5. Academic Press, San Diego. Zimmerman, DA, DA Turner & DJ Pearson. 1996. Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Christopher Helm, London. Werner Miuiller, clo SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, Wiedingstr. 78, PO Box CH-8036 Zurich, Switzerland. werner.mueller@ birdlife.ch 54 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) First record of White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus in Saudi Arabia GRAHAM R LOBLEY & PHILIP ROBERTS We arrived at dawn on 30 October 2009 to start bird watching at Sabkhat al-Fasl, Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The Sabkhat is a natural sabkhah (salt flat) area that has been modified with sand embankments to take sewage effluent from the nearby industrial city of Jubail. This excellent wetland site has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (Evans 1994) and its breeding birds have been documented (Meadows 2004). The’site includes tall fringing Phragmites australis reedbeds, with several enclosed inaccessible pools. Closer to the seaward side sedges predominate and halophytic plants border the drier edges. We arrived close to a major pipe discharge into the site. Upon driving slowly along the embankment, at c06.15 h, we had an obscured view of a medium-sized black and white waterbird within the reedbed at the opposite side of a small circular pond adjacent to the pipe discharge. One of us recognized it as a probable White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus and we decided to move our vehicle to a position that might present better views of the bird. From this more eye-level position, at c25 m range, clear views and photography were possible though we saw the bird for only about another minute before it disappeared into the reeds and did not reappear. Although the light conditions were poor, with an overcast sky, using 400 ASA camera settings produced some clear identification shots (Plates 1 & 2). The species is unmistakable (eg Porter et al 1996) and one of us had seen it before at Bharatpur, India. The bird seemed to be about Moorhen Gallinula chloropus-sized, but slightly daintier. Notable features in addition to the extensive white face and breast were yellowish legs and feet and a lemon-yellow bill with a reddish base to the upper mandible. The upperparts were dark slaty grey, with a hint of brown. A conspicuous chestnut vent was also apparent and the bird’s red iris was visible even at our viewing range. The species is largely Oriental in distribution (King et al 1983), ranging from India to south China and the Philippines. This first record for Saudi Arabia is significantly further Plate 1. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis Plate 2. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus, 30 October 2009, Sabkhat al-Fasl, Saudi phoenicurus, 30 October 2009, Sabkhat al-Fasl, Saudi Arabia. © Philip Roberts Arabia. © Graham R Lobley Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 55 north than previous Arabian records, though it has also been recorded in Qatar. In Oman there are more than 50 records and it is considered an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor there. The United Arab Emirates has over 25 records. Its occurrence in the Arabian peninsula seems to be centred to the east, hence perhaps the lack of previous records in Saudi Arabia and just the odd record from Qatar and Yemen (J Eriksen, M Jennings pers comms). REFERENCES Evans, MI. 1994. Important Bird Areas of the Middle East. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. King, BF, EC Dickinson & MW Woodcock. 1983. Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. Collins, London. Meadows, B. 2004. Sabkhat al-Fasl, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Phoenix 20: 12-16. Porter, RF, S Christensen, P Schiermacker-Hansen. 1996. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East. T & AD Poyser, London. Dr Graham R Lobley, Box 6291, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. grlbretagne@yahoo.co.uk Philip Roberts, Box 11507, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. phil0562000@yahoo.co.uk 56 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Observation of apparent tool use by an Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus on Socotra, Yemen RF PORTER On 27 October 2007 whilst carrying out a survey of breeding birds on Socotra I saw an Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus carrying a short thin stick or spine in its bill. My colleague Ahmed Saeed Suleiman and I were systematically surveying a well-vegetated wadi at 260 m asl in the central part of the island as part of a joint Socotra Conservation and Development Programme and BirdLife International project. At first I thought the white-eye might be carrying material for nest building but then it started to probe with the end of the stick or spine into holes or spaces in the bark of a frankincense tree Boswellia elongata. The stick was thin and very short, about twice the length of the bill, and when using it as a probe it was held almost straight as if it were an extension of the bill. It poked it into the bark of both the trunk and a branch, in at least six different places, before flying off still carrying the stick in its bill. I was not able to see if it found any invertebrates, nor did a cursory examination of the bark a few minutes later reveal any. However, the bark of Boswellia is known to host a wide range of invertebrates including ants, crickets and molluscs that could be dislodged with the aid of a stick (Kay Van Damme pers comm). This is the first time I have witnessed such behaviour by any bird species on Socotra (or elsewhere) despite having made ten visits to the island for detailed bird observation and recording since 1993. Subsequent to the observation I took care to observe the behaviour of white-eyes October and November 2007 and in the same period 2008. The Abyssinian White-eye is a common and widespread bird on Socotra with a population provisionally assessed at 24 000 individuals (Porter & Suleiman in prep). In the 1960s this species was reported as trapped and eaten by the local people but this practice has presumably discontinued since a wider diet has become available to the islanders (Jennings 2010). Whilst it is one of only five species of insect-eating passerines on the island, and the only white-eye, competition for insect food particularly during the dry and inhospitable southwest monsoon of the summer months might give white-eyes with a habit of using tools a competitive advantage—but this is pure speculation. Typically, Abyssinian White- eyes search for invertebrates on leaves, in flowers or on the bark of trees (pers obs, Jennings 2010). Their diet on Socotra also includes seeds and fruits, especially date palm Phoenix dactylifera fruit Jennings 2010, Ahmed Saeed Suleiman pers comm), and probably nectar from Trichocalyx flowers (AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan pers comm). Tool use in birds is rare. Amongst the passerines the best-known example is ‘Darwin’s’ Woodpecker Finch Camarhynchus pallidus on the Galapagos islands which uses a cactus spine or wooden splinter to dig invertebrates out of holes (Grant 1986). Caledonian Crows _ Corvus moneduloides can also use sticks as tools (Hunt 2000) and Green Jays Cyanocorax yncas in Texas have been observed using twigs to extract food from crevices (Gayou 1982). The only North American bird to habitually use tools is the Brown-headed Nuthatch Sitta pusilla which uses bits of bark to pry off other bits of bark when it searches for insects; these _ nuthatches have been observed flying from place to place carrying the tools (del Hoyo et al 2008). Australian sittellas, Neosittidae, which look and behave like nuthatches in many Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 57. ways but are not related to them, also use tools. They dip strips of wood into cavities to evict hiding insects (Green 1972). Among the non-passerines the best example of a tool-using species is the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, which throws stones to break open ostrich Struthio eggs (van Lawick-Goodall & van Lawick-Goodall 1966). Interestingly, Socotra probably holds the highest concentration in the world of this globally-endangered vulture, with a population in the order of 1700 individuals (Porter & Suleiman in prep). Such egg-breaking behaviour is unlikely to be observed on an island where ostriches are not part of the fauna, although, interestingly, Egyptian Vultures have been seen throwing stones at the eggs of captive ostriches in an enclosure near Riyadh (Jennings 2010). Insights and discussion of tool-using behaviour and the way it may have developed can be found in Bird & Emery (2009) and Hansell & Ruxton (2008). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Kay Van Damme and [an Dawson for helpful discussion, and Ahmed Saeed Suleiman for his companionship in the field. REFERENCES Bird, CD & NJ Emery. 2009. Insightful problem solving and creative tool modification by captive nontool-using rooks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106: 10370-10375. Gayou, DC. 1982. Tool use by Green Jays. Wilson Bulletin 94: 593-594. Grant, PR. 1986. Ecology and evolution of Darwin's Finches. Princeton University Press, NJ. Green, C. 1972. Use of tools by Orange-winged Sittella. Emu 72 (4): 185-186. Hansell, M & GD Ruxton. 2008. Setting tool use within the context of animal construction behaviour. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 23: 73-78. del Hoyo, J, A Elliott & DA Christie (eds). 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 13. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Hunt, GR. 2000. Tool use by the New Caledonian crow Corvus moneduloides to obtain Cerambycidae from dead wood. Emu 100: 109-114. Jennings, MC. 2010. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. Fauna of Arabia 25: in press. van Lawick-Goodall, J] & H van Lawick-Goodall. 1966. Use of tools by the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus. Nature 212: 1468-1469. Porter, RF & AS Suleiman. In prep. The population and distribution of the breeding birds of Socotra. BirdLife International/SCDP. Porter RF, c/o BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 ONA, UK. richardporter@dialstart.net 58 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Observation of a large flock of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius in southeast Egypt ATTILA D SANDOR, CRISTIAN DOMSA & ISTVAN MOLDOVAN The Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius is a globally threatened species breeding in the grassland steppes of southern Russia and central Kazakhstan, though formerly more widespread, and wintering in northeast Africa and India (BirdLife International 2008). It is thought that its breeding range and numbers have been drastically reduced as a result of habitat alteration (eg the conversion of steppes to arable lands in early Soviet times) and later the reduction of short grass steppes due to the large scale collapse of collective livestock farming (Watson et al 2006). This species is listed as Critically Endangered since its population has undergone a very rapid reduction in recent decades and this decline was believed to be continuing (Eichhorn & Khrokov 2002, BirdLife International 2008). Recent fieldwork carried out in Kazakhstan, Syria and Turkey has shown that there is a substantially larger population than previously thought (Watson et al 2006, Biricik 2009) and the population might have stabilized (R Sheldon pers comm). Recent research has led to a greater understanding of the species’ breeding habitat requirements (Kamp et al 2009), although there are still big gaps in our knowledge relating to migration routes and wintering grounds. During an inventory of water birds in Wadi Gamal national park, a flock of 37 Sociable Lapwings was observed at a mangrove reconstruction (plantation) area at Wadi Lahmi on 8 October 2009 (Plates 1 & 2), close to the Red sea shore (24° 13’ N, 35° 25’ E). The birds were observed feeding and resting in the shallow littoral zone (0.30 m deep). The birds formed a compact group which took flight and landed together on any occasion when disturbed. Other birds present were at least eight Ospreys Pandion haliaetus, one Curlew Numenius Plate |. Part of the flock of 37 Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius seen at Wadi Lahmi mangroves, southeast Egypt, on 8 October 2009. © Attila D Sandor Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 59 arquata, one Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula and two Greater Sand Plovers C. leschenaulti. The Sociable Lapwings stayed together and were observed for a period of c30 minutes and were at the same spot c2 hours later. They were still present 11-18 October (P Nash pers comm). The Wadi Lahmi mangrove area is part of the coastal reserve of the Wadi Gamal national park and has some healthy mangrove patches and areas where tidal fluctuations have created a wetland = 7 | containing several shallow lagoons _ plate 2. Part of the flock of 37 Sociable Lapwings Vanellus interspersed with young and mature Black _ gregarius seen at Wadi Lahmi mangroves, southeast Egypt, Mangrove Avicenna marina stands. The area 0" 8 October 2009. © Istvan Moldovan is an important breeding and migratory stopover site for several threatened bird species such as Crab Plover Dromas ardeola, Sooty Falcon Falco concolor, White-eyed Gull Larus leucophthalmus and Nach billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus (PERSGA/GEF 2003). The Sociable Lapwing is a rare passage visitor in Egypt, with most observations in the Nile delta and valley and on the Red sea coast. A total of 15 records are listed in Goodman & Meininger (1991), and 3 more are published on the Birding in Egypt webpage (www. birdinginegypt.com). Most observations relate to one or two individuals; all larger groups were observed along the Red sea coast, especially in the mangroves of Wadi Gamal national park. The largest group previously observed, of 24 individuals, was c15 km to the north in Hamata mangroves on 13 November 1982 (Goodman & Meininger 1991). The observation of a flock of 37 birds in the same region suggests an important but overlooked staging area of the species in southeast Egypt. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank P Nash for the data provided. The observations were carried out while ADS was in receipt of research funding from The International Osprey Foundation and OSME, CD was a POSDRU 6/1.5/S/3 fellow and IM was sponsored by Rufford Small Grants. REFERENCES BirdLife International 2008. Threatened birds of the world 2008. CD-ROM. Biricik, M. 2009. Unexpectedly large number of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius on autumn migration in Turkey and some remarks on the stopover site. Sandgrouse 31: 15-17. Eichhorn, G & VV Khrokov. 2002. Decline in breeding Sociable Plover Chettusia gregaria in the steppes of Naurzum and Korgalzhyn, Kazakhstan. Sandgrouse 24: 22-27. Goodman, SM & PL Meininger. 1991. The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University Press, UK. Kamp J, RD Sheldon, MA Koshkin, PF Donald & R Biedermann. 2009. Post-Soviet steppe management causes pronounced synanthropy in the Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius. Ibis 151: 452-463. PERSGA/GEF. 2003. Status of Breeding Seabirds in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. PERSGA Technical Series No. 8. PERSGA, Jeddah. Watson, M, JM Wilson, M Koshkin, B Sherbakov, F Karpov, A Gavrilov, H Schielzeth, M Brombacher, NJ Collar & W Cresswell. 2006. Nest survival and productivity of the critically endangered Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius. Ibis 148: 489-502. Attila D Sandor & Cristian Domsa, Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Ecology and Taxonomy, Clinicilor st. 5-7, RO-400084, Cluj, Romania. adsandor@gmail.com Istvan Moldovan, Raday street 56/47, HU-1092, Budapest, Hungary. 60 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Bird Sites of the OSME Region 6—Birding the Palmyra area, Syria DA MURDOCH The oasis of Palmyra (Figure 1) lies in the centre of the Syrian Badia, the northern end of a vast desert that extends continuously through the Arabian peninsula to the Indian ocean. Twice a year, hundreds of millions of migrants pass along the eastern Mediterranean flyway, breeding in eastern Europe and western Asia and wintering in Africa, and these drylands constitute a formidable barrier for them. As a large oasis far into the desert, Palmyra has always attracted migrants, but until recently birders were unable to visit Syria. The situation has now changed and ecotourists are welcome; and even with limited coverage, the desert round Palmyra has emerged as one of the best birding areas in the OSME region. The recognition of Palmyra is closely linked to the discovery of its most famous bird, the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita. After 1989, when the last birds of the colony at Birecikj-Turkey, were taken into captivity (van den Berg 1989), Northern Bald Ibis was believed extinct in the eastern Mediterranean; and in 1994 it was placed on the IUCN Critically Endangered list. But in 1999, a famous local hunter, Adib al-Asaad (AA), shot and ate a large black bird that he did not recognise in the hills near Palmyra (it tasted disgusting). A few years later, by then a passionate conservationist, he leafed through an identification guide belonging to Gianluca Serra (GS) and found an illustration that matched the bird he had shot. There had been no Syrian records for 40 years but he To Jebel Abu Rigmin To Sukhne and Deir Ez-Zor / Douara ai @ Sed Wadi Abied Palmyra town To Homs __— Palmyra oasis T3 Maksam@ ~=7 @Talila @ Sabkhat Muh @ Abbaseia ’ 10 km To Damascus Figure |. The Palmyra area, Syria. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 61 ee Table |. GPS coordinates of sites asterisked* in the text. Palmyra Tourist centre Palmyra Ruins Oweyna Sed Wadi Abied and road north Turning to SWA on Palmyra bypass Mazrab plains Sed Wadi Abied: VW end of dam Jebel Abu Rigmin Reea al-Hawa DesRes Isriye Maksam Turning off main road The Magic Mulberry Sites along Deir road Turning to Talila Talila entrance Turning to Douara Douara cliffs Douara oasis Turning to Arak Arak dam Turning to T3 station T3 pumping station Feda Wadi Balhan Turning to Sukhne dam Sukhne dam/house Main turning to Sukhne Central Sukhne turn North Sukhne junction Sukhne café Deir road sand dunes Routes north of Sukhne Kadim junction Junction to Latom and Taybeh Zamla junction Rasafa fortress Sites along Damascus road Turning to Abbaseia Abbaseia 34° 33’ 19.307. N 34° 32° 55.35’. N 34° 31° 43.77.N 34° 34 10.67” N 34° 37 38.98” N 34° 39° 51.67” N 34, 52) 14.847 N 345 len S:430aiN 35° 05’ 16.80” N 35522-0929 SiaIN 34° 31 05.26” N 34° 31 27.70” N 34° 36 19.04” N 34° 3 38:43” N 34° 36 40.18” N 34° 40’ 21.92” N 34° 40’ 02.53” N 34° 37 42:73" N 34° 39° 45.37” N 34° 38’ 09.84” N 34° 31’ 54.68” N 34° 42’ 01.28” N 34° 51 19.43” N 34° 51’ 33.84” N 34° 51 48:97" N 34° 53’ 04.57” N 34° 53’ 23.44” N 34 52 31-2272N 34° 56’ 04.21” N 35) 02/)-53-73/;.N 35° 02’ 54.42” N 35284 21S 3u IN 35° 38’ 01.69” N 34° 22’ 02:38” N 34%, 23’ 04.357 N 38° 16° 34.65° E 38° 16’ 18.58” E 38° 147 32.41-7E 38° 14 33.61” E 38 FI2ZEIS SvAae 38° 137 OF IS2E 38-718: 41534 38226: 97 Sie 387-1823 88a 37° 46-3275 3B e cl 34227255 38° II’ 26.84” E 38° 26° 34.36” E 38i3.l% S4ulOE 38272 55:85:01 38) 2720S eae 38° 28) 07.027E [u3O 1 33:25) D0ngE 38> 3° 20:3725E 387 36, 07-70E 38° 44’ 22.56” E 38° 40’ 58.65” E 38° 50-32742E 38° 48’ 35.69” E 38) Sla07-7 ae 38524 oae 38:52; 20:53:55 38° 54’ 03.86” E 397 207 50: 78e2E 38° 24035)7, ae 38° 54 44.43” E 387 53/-07-88;55 38° 45’ 20.51” E 38° 10° 33.0225 38° 237, 18:05. E remained convinced that he had shot a Bald Ibis. GS organised the searches that resulted | in the discovery in 2002 of the Syrian colony (Serra et al 2003). Since then GS has played | a central role in its protection and the colony’s fortunes have focussed international attention on Palmyra. | THE PALMYRA AREA: GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND GENERAL WILDLIFE Much of the centre of Syria is a low-relief undulating plain roughly 250-500 masl. Asthe | Arabian tectonic plate thrusts north into the south of Turkey, this has created the Palmyride | fold, a geological feature c400 km long and up to 100 km wide that extends southwest to northeast across the centre of Syria. The fold appears as a series of whaleback ridges up to 1400 m asl and 400-900 m above the surrounding area, broken up by sheer limestone cliffs and a complex system of wadis. The rocks are sedimentary (limestone, marl and sandstones) 62 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) with gravels along the valleys (Serra et al 2009a). Syrians call this complex series of ridges the Jebel Amur after the tribe of nomads who live in the mountains, though Government maps refer to it as Jebel Tadmor al Shamaliayeh; the impressive escarpment that runs for c50 km just north of the Palmyra—Damascus road is the Jebel Tadmor al Janoubiyeh. Palmyra is immediately south of the mountains at 400 m asl and owes its existence to the many springs that watered the oasis; the most famous, the Eqfa, was close to the Temple of Bel. The climate is continental: summers are dry and hot with daily temperatures of at least 40° C in mid-summer, sometimes reaching 50°. Winters vary greatly in severity but can be bitter; there is often snow on the ridges and heavy snow has fallen on Palmyra within living memory. In January-February 2008, night-time temperatures were well below zero for almost a month; populations of resident species such as larks were probably seriously reduced. Palmyrans welcome the regular evening breeze but it can become very windy at night. Rainfall is relatively high at cl20 mm per year—thus by some definitions the Badia does not count as desert—but it is unpredictable and can be very localised; most of it falls in winter, often in torrential downpours that wash away any remaining topsoil. There is no running water except after heavy rains; agriculture cannot be sustained without water drawn from wells. Seasonal wetlands include khabbra, shallow freshwater lakes sometimes miles long, forming on flats with rock-hard soils and no vegetation, and holding water for months; sale, flash floods in dry valleys that can be very dangerous, as there may be no clouds overhead; sabkhat, shallow salt-lakes such as Sabkhat Muh; feda, smallish pools that form after rains in gullies or along roadsides, often providing excellent birding; and gahdeer, natural pools, often up to 2 m deep, narrow with stony sides and bottoms. The Government has dug dozens of freshwater reservoirs, referred to as sed, for watering livestock; they are often dry and their steep sides can deter birds but they are always worth checking, particularly if there is vegetation round their edges. Sand storms are common in spring and autumn and increasingly severe; they used not to happen in summer but they were frequent in 2009, presumably a result of drought, overgrazing and erosion. March is the critical month for the desert vegetation and for birders: after heavy rains, annual plants are plentiful and birds disperse throughout the Badia; poor rains (or none) and all is parched; good rains and shallow pools appear at regular sites, excellent for pipits, wagtails, warblers and many other migrants. The last two springs (2008, 2009) have been exceptionally dry with severe consequences for humans and wildlife. Jebel Amur was once extensively wooded but was completely cleared early in the twentieth century. The present vegetation cover consists in most places of dwarf perennial shrubs with annuals appearing after spring rains; Artemisia spp are the principal components of the shrub-steppe of the lowlands with Salsola spp in the highlands (Serra et al 2009a, b). There is now intense and unsustainable pressure on its fragile ecosystems, particularly from the herds of Bedouin sheep and goats and the Bedu practice of uprooting slow-growing shrubs for firewood. In many areas, the regular traffic of heavy lorries and even bulldozers has further destroyed the desert surface, turning it to powder and worsening erosion. The region once had an interesting faunal community belonging to the Turo-Iranian zoogeographic region but little remains; many species probably disappeared with the woodlands. There is only one surviving species of amphibian, the Eastern Spadefoot Toad Pelobates syriacus, but 23 species of reptile, including the increasingly rare monitor lizard Varanus griseus and 12 species of snake: the commonest are the Diadem Snake Sphalerosophis diadema and Sand Racer Psammophis schokari. All snakes are considered dangerous and heavily persecuted, but only two are actually venomous and they rarely attack humans: the False Horned Viper Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi and the Black Cobra Walterinnesia aegyptia. The Common Chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon still occurs on Jebel Abu Rigmin but is now very rare. Mammalian herbivores include Libyan Jird Meriones Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 63 libycus and Lesser Jerboa Jaculus jaculus, gerbils Gerbillus spp, the Long-eared Hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus, Cape Hare Lepus capensis and perhaps Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica. A tiny number of Sand Gazelle Gazella subgutturosa marica still survive in the remotest areas. The present status of most of the carnivores is unknown. There are two fox species, Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and Ruppell’s Fox Vulpes rueppellii, two species of cats, Wildcat Felis silvestris lybica and Sand Cat Felis margarita, and possibly Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna. Asiatic (Golden) Jackals Canis aureus are common scavengers round human habitations; Striped Hyena Hyaena hyaena and the Wolf Canis lupus still occur but are heavily persecuted. This is essentially a relict mammal fauna; in the twentieth century alone Arabian Leopard Panthera pardus nimr, Nubian Ibex Capra nubiana, Mountain Gazelle Gazella gazella and Asian Wild Ass Equus hemionus were hunted to extinction. Elderly Amur men still remember when the hills held flocks of hundreds of Sand Gazelle hunted by Leopard. The mammal that increasingly monopolises every available resource is, of course, Homo sapiens. ) Birds are hunted for pleasure and for the pot. The avifauna has probably suffered massively but unfortunately there are no studies to provide baseline data. A century ago, the desert was graced by the Asian subspecies of Ostrich Struthio camelus syriacus; it is now globally extinct. Eastern Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata, common 70 years ago, has been hunted out and the sandgrouse, vultures and Northern Bald Ibis seem to be following; even Eurasian Stone Curlews Burhinus oedicnemus are now rare. Many hunting parties have been reduced to shooting larks. A Presidential decree has outlawed hunting; the ban is generally ignored though the threat of summoning the police is a useful deterrent. A recent development is to use mist nets to catch migrants, particularly in September, which are then sold via refrigerated trucks to up-market restaurants in the major cities, the ‘Figbird Trade’ (Murdoch 2008). Visiting birders are asked to record, photograph and report this illegal trade to the Desert Commission in Palmyra. THE CITY OF PALMYRA AND THE TOWN OF TADMOR Palmyra is a Roman name meaning ‘city of palm trees’ but Syrians refer to it by its ancient Semitic name “Tadmor’. 150 km to the west is the fertile valley of the Ghab, the most northern extension of the Rift Valley, through which runs the river Asir (in Greek times the Orontes); 150 km to the northeast is the Euphrates. Thus Palmyra is halfway across the desert between the Mediterranean basin and Mesopotamia. It has always been a stepping stone for people as well as for birds, with trade its livelihood; the first historical reference is in the 2nd millennium BC. The ancient city reached its zenith in the third century CE when its legendary queen Zenobia challenged Rome for control of the eastern Mediterranean; she was crushed and dragged through Rome in chains of gold. Until 100 years ago, Palmyra had only a tiny population which sought refuge in the Temple of Bel from marauding Bedouin; a visit is said to have required a five days’ journey across the desert and an armed escort. With the French mandate, the new town of Tadmor developed to the northeast of the Roman city. Tadmor is expanding very fast; it now has a population of at least 60 000. This has caused huge strain on the fragile desert ecosystem: the water table is falling fast (apparently 15 m in 10 years) and the present farming schemes, which are totally dependent on pumped water, are unlikely to be sustainable. Many farmers are now leaving the land because the cost of running pumps has become prohibitive. Tourist Palmyra now has hotels to suit all tastes and a variety of restaurants and cafes along the main tourist street* [* see Table 1 for GPS coordinates]. An evening drink on the patio of the Zenobia hotel, on the very edge of the ancient city, is a pleasant way to watch the sun setting on the ruins in splendour; unfortunately, prices are high and the service often lethargic. Prices for rooms vary wildly according to the number of tourists in town 64 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) and time of year, with peak seasons roughly coinciding with migration: mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to October. Be prepared to bargain. There are usually many empty beds but do not try to stay during the near-annual Palmyra Desert Festival; the town is booked out. The town is very safe—as is the rest of Syria—though some street kids have become a nuisance. VISITING SYRIA—GENERAL One of the greatest pleasures of a visit to Syria is the genuine friendliness of the people; most Syrians treat visitors as guests rather than as foreigners. Hospitality is a central pillar of Islam; I remember standing freezing by a reservoir counting Coot Fulica atra in the cold, and cursing when some farmers approached us—and then appreciating that they had brought us a pot of hot, sugary tea. And we had never even seen them before! If you are in the desert, there is a good chance that Bedouin will ask you and your Syrian guide to stay for tea—and possibly a meal—an invitation not to miss, time permitting; the food will be excellent and the friendship genuine. Just make sure that you behave as your Syrian guide advises; there is a clear code of conduct. It is a good opportunity to show the Bedouin your bird books (especially the larger falcons) and to find out what is around; they know many of the larger species well. Many foreign birders dismiss the idea of visiting Syria because they think it is too dangerous. It is actually a safe destination, precisely because of extensive security. The police keep a close eye on visitors in many areas, notably the Euphrates valley and the Jazira (the northeast), but if you behave sensibly and explain that you are interested in birds, you are unlikely to have any trouble. As a general rule, I encourage everyone to look through my binoculars—cries of ‘Aaah!’—and I show them an identification guide, starting with Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops (‘hudhud’ in Arabic and specifically protected in the Koran) and bee-eaters (W’rwar), and then moving to the larger falcons (all called Sak’r), which always provoke intense excitement. Understanding is assured, friendships made and invitations to tea often follow. In the last 30 years, there has been a huge expansion in the road network with good access far into the desert. I rent a car from an international firm and pay by credit card in the UK. It is possible to hire a car in Tadmor though I have never done so; I once hired a 4WD for a day. Petrol is widely available but it is wise to keep your tank at least half full; there are very few stations outside Palmyra, even on the main road. Garages charge a standard rate, which in September 2009 was 40 Syrian Pounds per litre, about 50 pence sterling. The roads are usually excellent, with little traffic outside towns, but beware the many long-distance coaches, driven at high speed with little regard for cars. Minimise driving in Damascus and Aleppo, it is not for those of a weak constitution. Do not drive at night except in well-lit areas; many vehicles do not use their lights. One interesting feature of Syrian roads is that some local people drive the wrong way down the road, usually but not always on dual carriageways—particularly ancient trucks, motor bikes and tractors. Thus it is possible after dark to meet an unlit tractor plodding up your side of the road. This is best avoided. Avoid sleeping in your car at night unless you really have to; local people always seem to notice and may alert the police, who will check to make sure you are not a smuggler or a terrorist. There are many checkpoints along border roads; accept them with resignation. There is now a bank in Palmyra (but no ATM). ATMs are rare, even in major cities, and then they may not work or accept your card. Do not bother with traveller’s cheques; no-one will change them. I happily carry around a wad of cash; there is little crime in Syria, theft is rare and violent crime almost unknown. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 65 Plate |. Palmyra ruins, 23 May 2007. © David Murdoch PALMYRA RUINS AND OASIS The fabulous ruins of the ancient city* (Plate 1) cannot be missed, even by the most narrow-minded birder, as the road actually goes through their centre. Rewards include the resident Mourning Wheatears Oenanthe Iugens (common) and records of wintering Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata and Namaqua Dove Oena capensis; migrant raptors often fly over. Sadly, excessive water abstraction has lowered the water table and the spring that was the life source of the ancient city, the Eqfa, dried up 15 years ago; a dusty thicket remains, not worth visiting. The palmerie itself is an atmospheric place, a vast maze of date palms, olive trees, meandering lanes and high, white walls; it is an enjoyable place to wander but difficult birding and usually unrewarding. Eastern Olivaceous Warblers Iduna pallida and Laughing Doves Stigmatopelia senegalensis are characteristic species. It is very under-watched and there may well be discoveries to make—interesting records include several observations of White-cheeked Bulbuls Pycnonotus (leucogenys) leucotis in the 1970s (Kinzelbach 1986), though there have been no claims for many years; the first breeding records for Syria of Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus in 2007 (Murdoch & Betton 2008); and several sightings of Namaqua Dove from the south of the oasis at Oweyna”. Possible sightings of Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius in late spring deserve to be followed up; there are no recent Syrian records but few birders visit at this time of year and a small breeding population could be overlooked. It looks good habitat for Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus too. The orchards open out towards the eastern edge and the birding is better, with fields good for pipits and wagtails; but if time is limited it is best spent in smaller oases. To the southeast of the oasis lies Sabkhat Muh, a seasonally flooded salt-lake up to 20 km long with scattered tamarisk Tamaricus sp round its edges (Evans 1994). It is usually dry but can fill overnight after heavy rains; Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus and duck such as Eurasian Teal Anas crecca and Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna then appear. A 66 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Jebel Abu Rigmin viewpoint at north end thick vegetation (tamarisk/reed thicket) car park Oo Jebel Antar @ Scarp 250m Palmyra Figure 2. Sed Wadi Abied, Palmyra area, Syria. small flock of Common Cranes Grus grus winters in the area. Few foreign birders have visited; driving is tricky and should only be attempted with Syrian guides. SED WADI ABIED (FIGURE 2) About 13 km to the north, but 20 km by road, is Sed Wadi Abied*—literally the ‘dam in the white valley’. SWA (Plate 2) is the largest water body for over 100 km in all directions and is exceptional for its range and volume of migrants: huge numbers of passerines in the bushes, waders, storks and herons along the shore, terns over the water, duck on it, and raptors overhead. The reservoir is cl km long and roughly triangular. The water level varies widely; in some summers (including 2009) it is completely dry. The edge closest to the road is muddy with extensive areas of reeds, fringed by dense tangles of tamarisk bushes often fizzing with migrants. A large area of thickets at the back often holds roosting passage raptors such as Black Kite Milvus migrans or harriers; there are large winter roosts of Common Linnets Carduelis cannabina, Desert Finches Rhodospiza obsoleta and Dead Sea Sparrows Passer moabiticus, hunted by Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus and Merlins Falco columbarius. Through the thick stuff passes a stony wadi; the muddy area where it enters the reservoir can be outstanding for waders—recent records include Terek Xenus cinereus and 2s —— Plate 2. Sed Wadi Abied and Jebel Antar from the north side, 15 June 2003. © David Murdoch Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 67 Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus. Crakes are regular on passage. Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus nest when the water level is high and Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Garganey Anas querquedula and Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis have probably bred (there are no confirmed breeding records of the last two species for Syria). Though it is far into the desert, it boasts the first breeding record for Syria of Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus (Tavares et al 2000)! A small flock of Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus wintered in 2001/2002 until one was shot. The best way to work SWA is to park on the small area of tarmac by the west end of the dam* and to work along the near edge towards the back, all the way round if possible to the bluffs on the east side that overlook the north end. The dam itself and the further side are less interesting. It is possible with care to drive right round the back of the thickets onto the bluffs. The valley is lined by impressive cliffs with the majestic crag of Jebel Antar dominating the Sed. Visitors should check the skyline constantly: this is the most regular site in Syria for Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Little Swift Apus affinis and Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax. Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus still breed locally and Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fuluus sometimes visit; Chukar Alectoris chukar are heard but rarely seen; Desert Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus breeds in the ravines nearby. Mid-morning flurries of passage raptors can yield ten species in an hour. During migration, SWA deserves a daily visit, which can easily absorb a morning. Sadly, disturbance is rapidly increasing. There is still some hunting (though local conservationists are trying bravely to stop it), grazing pressure is intense, the reeds are used for fodder and sometimes burnt, and permanent habitations are now appearing in the valley close by. SWA could be a spectacular centrepiece for educating Palmyrans about wildlife and nature conservation; it deserves full protection and formal designation as a nature reserve. SWA is easy to reach; from the town centre, take the road on the north side of the castle to a junction on the ring road 3 km to the northwest. The turning” is now well sign- posted; it is distinguished by a sign in English that states ‘White Vally Damp’ and another in Arabic and English that proclaims ‘Bald Ibis Reserve’, ‘Birds Breeding Area’ and ‘No Hunting’—if only! A blind summit 4 km from the turning must be negotiated with care as large trucks thunder over it at high speed. The Mazrab plains*, 2 km short of SWA, are good lark country, with resident Bar-tailed Ammomanes cinctura and Temminck’s Larks Eremophila bilopha, Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor in season, and a farm with trees that attract migrants. THE HILLS NORTH OF PALMYRA An attractive road winds northwest from Palmyra, past SWA, over broken ridges in the direction of Aleppo; this is the only access by asphalt to an intriguing area ripe for exploration. The ridges were once densely wooded with Atlantic Pistachio Pistacia atlantica but huge numbers were felled in Ottoman times, it is said to have fed the fires of the Hejaz railway. Today, there are just the bare bones of the hills, overgrazed by hordes of sheep; occasional pistachios survive, but often with branches lopped for firewood. Seedlings have no chance. This is clearly an ecological tragedy needing serious and sustained government action to remedy. The highest ridge, Jebel Abu Rigmin* (Plate 3), is noticeably cooler than the plains, with frosts in winter and scattered trees. It is worth pausing to check the pistachios and gullies for passerine migrants but the area flatters to deceive—it is popular with Bedu and their herds, particularly in the hot season, and any tender vegetation is quickly nibbled away. I have walked the ridges looking for species such as Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe (xanthoprymna) xanthoprymna or Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea, which are found in similar habitat in Turkey, but so far without success. Otherwise, there 68 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) ———————— | | | are few birds except Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis and the occasional Short- toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus. Off the road, 4WD and an expert guide are essential. Most of the area is terra incognita to birders. I spent a day here in May 2006 with AA, striking east through an area known as Reea al-Hawa* (‘Place of Fresh Air’), thence through a broad valley with much larger numbers of pistachios, giving a parkland feel that I have never experienced elsewhere round Palmyra, | : and northeast to the main road at Arak’. Plate 3. Jebel Abu Rigmin, 10 September 2007. Scattered Observations included significant numbers pistachios Pistacia atlantica still survive but are not of singing Isabelline Wheatears Oenanthe "egenerating. © David Murdoch isabellina and Pale Rockfinches Carpospiza brachydactyla, substantial colonies of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni and Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia, several European Rollers Coracias garrulus and, in the pistachios, singing Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida. Sadly, a young plantation had recently been felled, presumably for firewood. The scenery was magnificent and we had a warm welcome and a delicious meal in a Bedouin tent. This is an area that you should explore. THE ISRIYE ROAD The road beyond Jebel Abu Rigmin to Isriye is the wildest and most beautiful road I have yet found in the Badia, but it should not be tackled without a Syrian guide familiar with it and not in the afternoon; there are no people, no signposts and several junctions. Travel with a full tank of petrol, plenty of water (there is none en route), a mobile phone (though there may be no reception) and, if possible, a GPS (which is theoretically illegal in Syria). Do not drive more than 60 km/h if you cannot clearly see the road in front of you as it can hide unpleasant surprises. I have twice come across bridges or culverts washed away by flash floods and the improvised track round was barely passable in daytime; there was no sign that the road was about to end in a2 m vertical drop, except for small piles of rocks on the road that were easy to ignore. Do not attempt this route in the dark. However, for the adventurous traveller, this is a wonderful road through majestic scenery that cuts straight across the wild lands north of the Jebel Amur. It first descends a steep, disintegrating stretch of tarmac onto a plateau almost always empty of people—the solitude of this area is one of its greatest attractions. About 20 km beyond Jebel Abu Rigmin and 2 km to the east of the road, a large reservoir is set in stark desert hills, the ‘DesRes’*; tracks lead down towards its edge and in dry weather a saloon car driven carefully can reach a few fields often buzzing with migrants. The reservoir is at least 2 km long and excellent for waders; there are usually a few duck and often terns and raptors. Human disturbance has been minimal on the few occasions I have visited. It is easy to spend a couple of hours here. The road continues through Fasadh, a settlement with a police station and some forlorn trees; this is probably the only place to seek help. Beyond, there is a complicated zigzag of roads to negotiate before an excellent stretch reaches a major road junction at Isriye*, a small settlement with an impressive Roman temple and two cafes, but (in September 2009) no garage and no petrol. If you cross the main road and continue north, you eventually pass via the Khanasser valley and the western shores of Sabkhat Jabbul to the dusty town of Sfire* and, finally, Aleppo; this road Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 69 is excellent and direct. By road, the distance from Palmyra to Isriye is only c150 km, though it feels much longer; from Isriye to Sfire is cl00 km. The route is excellent for wheatears and larks, for instance Greater Hoopoe Alaemon alaudipes, Temminck’s and Lesser Short-toed Calandrella rufescens. The few bushes or trees are worth checking for migrants. This is prime habitat for Houbara and sandgrouse but I fear that they have been hunted out. Migrant raptors such as harriers and eagles can appear at any time; Short-toed and Golden Eagles probably breed. The scenery and solitude on this road are overpowering. THE NORTHERN BALD IBIS COLONY For obvious reasons, I cannot disclose the breeding sites used by this iconic bird—the very last wild colony of the migratory eastern population, which is now known to winter in the Ethiopian highlands (Lindsell et al 2009). Visitors must take a guide. The range of birds in the area depends very much on the recent rainfall. In-2003, a wet spring, there were large numbers of larks including Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunm (Murdoch et al 2005a) probably breeding, Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti and Desert Finch. A Basalt Wheatear (said to be a black morph of Mourning Wheatear) was in the gullies below the nesting cliff in 2007. The springs of 2008 and 2009 were very dry, the sheep grazed any edible vegetation away, there were very few birds and in both years the Ibis failed to raise any young. Attempts may be made to supplement the population with young birds from the semi- feral colony at Birecik in Turkey; this is the last chance to save the colony. If you want to see wild individuals of this charismatic bird in their natural environment, go very soon; it is worth it. MAKSAM FARM The Dowa valley just west of Palmyra supports several farms irrigated by artesian water. The closest, Maksam‘* (Plate 4), is an excellent site for migrants; it is well watered, with thick, lush vegetation, and it has one remarkable tree. It is off the Palmyra—Homs road, 2 km from the Palmyra bypass and c8 km from the centre of Palmyra: good in spring for a visit before breakfast. Turn off at a pile of stones* on the north side of the road, drive north along a poor sandy track for c700 m and listen (in spring) for Ménétries’ Warbler Sylvia mystacea, a male of which seems to sing regularly in the bushes. Entering an area of scattered farm buildings, park discreetly and ask anyone on site for permission to look round—showing a bird guide always helps. You may be offered a cup of tea. Most of the farm is a warren of orchards, olives, dates and pomegranates, hiding warblers such as Barred Sylvia nisoria and Olive-tree Hippolais olivetorum; its size (10-20 ha) means that birds, once lost, are difficult to find again. The olives thin out down the hill, creating clearings good for flycatchers and pipits. Water flows down open channels, creating wet grassy areas popular with skulking species such as Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia and River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis. Rufous- tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes breeds as, probably, does Namaqua Dove— there have been several reports. Back towards the main road are several tiny fields, well-watered and good for pipits plate 4. Maksam, 1! May 2006. An excellent site for and butterflies. Maksam is a good site for passerine migrants. © David Murdoch sce MS 70 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Desert Finch; the distinctive flight call is the best way to pick up this handsome bird. The star spot of all is the ‘Magic Mulberry”, a tree at the far (western) end of the farm buildings by a smelly water pump, that fruits abundantly in May and is an irresistible attraction to hungry migrants (and to me). In the one tree at one time I have had 50 Olivaceous Warblers and 20 Eurasian Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla; up to four Eurasian Golden Orioles Oriolus oriolus; Rose-coloured Starlings Pastor roseus twice; and the only Syrian records of Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus (in May 2006 and 2007). Sadly, I have had to remove netting from the lower branches; birds are trapped even here. Maksam is drier in autumn and does not hold birds quite as well. Irrigated farms, plantations and cereal fields continue for at least 10 km further towards Homs; the area deserves fuller exploration. THE MAIN ROAD FROM DAMASCUS THROUGH PALMYRA TO DEIR EZ-ZOR This beautiful road is often of outstanding interest for birds. Much of the interest is in diurnal migrants moving through the Badia but a major feature after a wet spring is the damming effect of the asphalt, which produces a series of feda, roadside pools that can hold water well into May. These are always worth checking if time allows. From Palmyra towards Damascus, there is a large pool at the junction with the Baghdad road, cl45 km from Palmyra, and another 19 km short of Palmyra. Northeast from Palmyra, Feda Wadi Balhan* (c35 km) is a good spot. The village of Arak*, c25 km from Palmyra towards Deir ez-Zor, and the town of Sukhne*, c45 km further, have gardens and orchards, worth checking if time allows, and reservoirs. The Arak dam* is in the hills about 8 km from the main road; I have only been there once and was not impressed, it was steep-sided with a few bushes and a lot of disturbance. There is (usually) petrol at two of Sukhne’s roadside cafes; it is worth stopping for tea in the café* on the eastern edge of Sukhne as the surrounding trees attract migrants into the small olive grove behind. For those unlucky enough to miss Hoopoe Lark round Palmyra, an area of well-vegetated sand dunes* c110—115 km along the Deir road is worth a look. This section of the road appears prone to sand storms. A flat valley at Shola, c190 km from Palmyra and just 20 km short of Deir ez-Zor, is outside the strict remit of this article, but when it floods, a shallow splashy wetland up to 1 km wide is formed, a magnet for waders and ducks that can easily absorb an entire morning. The distance from Damascus to Palmyra is c250 km; allow 3 hours as it is easy to take the wrong turning leaving Damascus. From Palmyra to Deir is c210 km, an excellent fast road, less scenically stunning than the first section but still wild and exciting; allow 2% hours. If the birding is good, it can take double the time! ROUND SUKHNE Sukhne is a dusty town on the Deir road c70 km from Palmyra (See above). A sewage ditch runs out into the desert on the south side of the road; it stinks but attracts migrant passerines and a few desperate waders. If you have a couple of hours to spare, Sukhne dam can be very good. Coming from Palmyra, the turning* is on the left 1.2 km before the main turn into Sukhne; it is distinguished by about six blue signs including to Katkat and Kadim. The asphalt road is old and full of potholes; this is a good area for Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti. Fork left after cl km, keeping on the old road, which bends up after 3 km to a house* with a small orchard worth checking and the reservoir bed below; it is courteous to greet the family. The reservoir was dry in the autumns of 2008 and 2009 but the dense knee-high plants attracted huge numbers of small migrants—warblers, larks, chats—hunted by predators such as shrikes and harriers. The valley ‘upstream’ was green and looked good as well. If you bear right at the fork, a new asphalt road of variable Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 71 quality heads northwest through glorious desert scenery; on your left (to the south) are the mountains of Jebel Amur and on your right a sheer cliff 10 km long. Desert Wheatears and Hoopoe Larks are common. After c55 km, turn left* (west) just after the village of Kadim and a good road takes you straight to Isriye, cl130 km from Sukhne. I presume that if you continue north at Kadim you will head up to the Euphrates valley—I have not been that way yet. Any greenery can be very productive, but ask permission from the local people as it is usually their garden; I dislodged five reluctant Golden Orioles from a melon patch in September 2009. } A fine desert road runs north from Sukhne to the mid-Euphrates valley via the magnificent late Roman fortress of Rasafa. Enter Sukhne via the main turning* and follow the road, which becomes a dual carriageway, for c3 km; 200 m after a sharp bend to the right, turn left* in the town centre and head 500 m north to the junction* on the north side of town. If you get lost, ask a local ‘Alla Kawm?’ (‘What is the way to Kawm?’); few people speak English here. Sukhne is a warren of narrow streets and the only place in Syria that I have felt any hostility. But once you are through town, the road is excellent and newly tarmacked; it passes through miles of empty desert to a junction’, easily missed, 24 km from the main road and signposted straight on (west) to Al Latom and right (north) to At Taybeh. Take the north turn, passing through a string of desolate villages, including Kawm, to a junction* at Zamla, c77 km from Sukhne, where you take a left turn for Rasafa. Again, check any greenery; Zamla has two large gardens with trees good for migrants. Rasafa* is cl100 km from Sukhne, the Euphrates valley at Mansura (on Ba’ath lake) another 27 km. The city of ar-Raqqa, c60 km from Rasafa, has good hotels. DOUARA Douara is the Arabic word for ‘circle’; the reason is clear on entry to this magnificent amphitheatre of cliffs* (Plate 5). This may be the last colony of Griffon Vultures in Syria, with c8-15 nests along several km of precipice; a flock of 17 was seen in autumn 2008 (AA pers comm). Unfortunately, there are no firm data as to whether numbers are stable or decreasing; a formal annual count with documentation of breeding success is much needed. However, the terrain is formidably broken and monitoring the nests would be a real challenge. A survey _ pjate 5. Douara, 12 April 2006. The cliffs hold Syria’s last is important as the Griffons were until colony of Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus. © David Murdoch recently persecuted by the Bedouin, who accuse them of eating young lambs; one was killed and its body parts sold for medicines in Tadmor in 2008. Further, although Douara is ferociously hot and almost devoid of vegetation, even here there is human disturbance: a prefabricated base for oil workers was erected in spring 2008 directly beneath the breeding cliffs. It has now been removed but a well and a settling tank remain. Two tiny patches of vegetation* close to buildings can be full of migrant passerines and deserve a look if there is time. There are few other birds—Egyptian Vultures, Rock Doves Columba livia, Brown-necked Ravens, sometimes Little Swifts and Lesser Kestrels—and an autumn visit may not be very productive. The area has always looked good for Hooded Oenanthe monacha and White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga, both of which have been reported from the Palmyra area. The turning* to Douara, a yellow sign followed by a white sign to ‘Musadira’, is off the 72 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Deir ez-Zor road, c20 km from Palmyra and c2 km beyond the turning to Talila; Douara is easy to combine with a visit to Talila. The track runs north and is initially grit; | have seen Bar-tailed and Hoopoe Lark here. Good tarmac starts after 5 km, just as you enter the circle; take the left turn at the junction 1 km further on. Ecotourism is the best hope for the survival of this beleaguered but strategic colony. Birders to Palmyra during the breeding season are asked to visit Douara and to highlight its importance to the relevant authorities. PSPEW members (see below) plan to set up a ‘vulture restaurant’ on site; they are looking for funding to buy a small truck for transporting animal carcasses to the cliffs. This will be a potential tourist attraction as well as a safe source of food for the breeding birds. TALILA Syria’s first formal protected area, Talila was set up in 1992 and covers 220 km? (Serra et al 2009a); it was chosen as a representative area of Badia still in relatively good condition. It was fenced in the early 1990s to allow the vegetation to regenerate, since when the plant cover inside the reserve has made a remarkable recovery (Plate 6). It lies on a low ridge with undulating plains forming the main habitat, small sand dunes in the west and many wadis, rich in plants, running across it. With this variety of habitats, it holds the highest diversity of perennial plants in the Palmyra area and a rich annual flora (grasses, legumes and forbs) that act as an important seasonal food supply for herbivores. Herds of Sand Gazelles and Arabian Oryx Oryx leucoryx have been ‘reintroduced’ to a fenced inner reserve but they are fed daily by reserve staff. Talila was the site of a co-operative project between the Italian and Syrian governments in 1996-2004; GS was the wildlife officer for the project from 2000-2004 and trained several Palmyrans in nature conservation techniques. With a combination of habitat conservation and good coverage, Talila has many outstanding records. A small flock of 100-200 Common Cranes winters in the general area. It is excellent for larks: Hoopoe Larks and Bar-tailed Larks are common in the sandy areas with Temminck’s, Desert and Lesser Short-toed Larks on stonier ground. Isabelline and Desert Wheatears breed and Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschi is common in winter. Small numbers of Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius were seen in 2001-2004, the only recent records from the Palmyra area (Murdoch & Serra 2006). The area is good for shrikes, with records of Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius (meridionalis) pallidirostris (Syria’s first, in February 2004) and Northern Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor. Most of Syria’s records of Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana were made here in February 2004 during the Syrian Wetland Expedition (Murdoch et al 2005b); this species is easy to miss and may winter in small numbers in the Badia. There is a recent report of Steppe Eagle Aguila nipalensis breeding in the Badia close to Talila and an immature Black Vulture Aegypius monachus was in the area in October 2008 (GS pers comm). the turning .to :Yalila* on the Deir ez-Zor road cl8 km from Palmyra centre is well signposted. A 4WD is needed for full access—much of the reserve is very sandy and saloon cars will not take kindly to the tracks. The access road is 12 km long and often excellent birding: it is a good area for [eo ee Hoopoe Larks, I have seen Greater Sand _ pjate 6. Talila fence, April 2009. This shows clearly the Plover Charadrius leschenaultit chicks close _ effect of overgrazing. © Gianluca Serra Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 73 to the road in April and dozens of Cream-coloured Coursers on passage in early May. The tarmac creates feda, small pools of water with grassy edges good for pipits and wagtails. The scattered trees by the entrance* are excellent for passage migrants and often hold roosting raptors; I watched a flock of 500 Eurasian Bee-eaters Merops apiaster here in May 2006. Any water source should be carefully checked; there used to be a leaking pipe with a patch of splashy grass that always held skulking migrants. A site for Desert Eagle Owl close to the entrance is a fine way to end a day’s birding. THE BADIA SOUTH AND EAST OF PALMYRA The drylands south and east of Palmyra are rarely visited and a day in the Badia, checking out the tiny settlements and reservoirs scattered through the desert, can be memorable. In particular, the Hamad plateau close to the Iraqi border is remote and exciting. The habitat is mostly flat, stony plains, rock pavements, low hills and shallow wadis; there is little sand and no areas of towering romantic rolling dunes. Where vegetation survives, it consists of dwarf perennial shrubs with tamarisk along wadis; the annuals that appear in wet springs are soon grazed away. Birding during migration can be exceptional: one group found 15 species of warbler in a small oasis on an early October morning with a strong supporting cast including both species of Rock Thrush and Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus. AA enthuses about al-Waar, a rocky area with deep valleys 40 km from the Iraqi border; I have not yet been there because of potential security problems. He reports that the area holds Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus and Ammoperdix partridges, probably See-see Partridge A. griseogularis; Spotted Sandgrouse chicks were found here in 2008. A large reservoir, deep and stony, holds water throughout the summer and is excellent for migrants. In the years when Iraq and Syria had very poor relations, the strip of no-man’s-land along the border was off limits and the vegetation rapidly recovered, becoming thick and lush. AA saw a Caracal Caracal caracal here in the 1980s but relations have improved and the border zone is again heavily grazed. AA also reports a Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates in the Hamad in the 1990s—and as he correctly identified the 1999 Northern Bald Ibis several years later, I believe him. Coverage in winter has been very poor but the desert may hold substantial numbers of Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus; Sociable Lapwing must be a possibility in early spring. It is superb raptor country; all four harriers pass through in season, feeding on exhausted migrants, and small numbers of Eastern Imperial Eagle Aguila heliaca winter, probably with the occasional Steppe Eagle. You should not contemplate leaving the asphalt road without a Syrian guide who is highly experienced and knows the area intimately; also take a mobile phone, GPS and plenty of water. Make sure your hotel staff know of your plans in case you get into trouble. However, 4WD is not essential if the ground is dry and your guide is satisfied with a saloon car. But the dangers are much less than they once were as you will rarely be far from humans—often much closer than you might wish: in the last generation, Bedouin encampments have sprung up throughout the Badia, supported physically by tankers carrying water and financially by the high price of Syrian lamb. As a result, areas once free of humans for most of the year now support a semi-permanent presence, particularly after wet springs. The situation is not sustainable; the surface of the desert is cracking up and blowing away. On the positive side, there are several small reservoirs, though they are often dry, and water points at regular intervals, with vegetable gardens and melon beds to succour thirsty migrants and, usually, somewhere, a dripping tap. Several oases are accessible for those unwilling to travel off the asphalt. T3*, c40 km east of Palmyra, is the third pumping station on the oil pipeline from Iraq to the Mediterranean; the turning* is c35 km along the Deir road and the access road c1l8 km long. There is a 74. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) SS ——-e shst =sensscnsseescecseeee long-established settlement here but also an army base, so any birding should be done with discretion. Abbaseia* is famous for its sulphur pools and boasts an up-market hotel. The turning™* is c26 km towards Damascus from Palmyra centre; the approach road winds for c23 km through high-quality desert—mainly flat gravel plains and hard earth with scattered bushes—good for Temminck’s, Bar-tailed and Hoopoe Larks, migrant wheatears and Tawny Pipits Anthus campestris. A water point 9 km along the road is worth a stop. Unfortunately, when I visited the hotel in September 2009, there seemed to be very few migrants in the bushes. When I entered the foyer, the staff were sitting on the floor making snares for falcons. They showed me the corpses of the ‘figbirds’ they had netted that morning—nearly 100, including several species of warbler, Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana, Thrush Nightingale and Golden Oriole. They sell the birds for consumption as a delicacy in the major cities (Murdoch 2008). The general rules are that smaller oases are easier to work; the more remote the better; always explain to local people what you are doing and show them an identification book; and any source of water will be a magnet. BIRDING THE PALMYRA AREA THROUGH THE YEAR Few birders have visited in mid-winter and information is limited; the temperature and recent rainfall will greatly influence what birds are around. The palmerie holds wintering Black Redstarts Phoenicurus ochruros, Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita and Common Chaffinches Fringilla coelebs, Eurasian Blackbirds Turdus merula and Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos; many ‘chiffchaffs’ make odd calls suggesting that they may be of Caucasian origin. Sed Wadi Abied attracts small numbers of duck and much larger flocks of passerines that roost in the thickets at the back; these in turn bring in raptors such as Merlin and Hen Harrier. After heavy rainfall, Sabkhat Muh fills and waterbirds soon appear. Siberian Stonechats Saxicola maurus of several forms and Finsch’s Wheatears are common in open areas and Bluethroats Luscinia svecica, White Wagtails Motacilla alba and Water Pipits Anthus spinoletta feed along water edges. At least three ‘forms’ of Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus sensu lato winter in Syria: “Turkestan Shrike’ L. (i.) phoentcuroides is probably commoner than ‘Daurian Shrike’ L. (7) tsabellinus and ‘Chinese Shrike’ L.(.) arenarius has recently been found to winter, notably in the Euphrates valley. Talila is worth searching for ‘grey’ shrikes and Asian Desert Warblers. A few Pallid Harriers hunt the Badia where flocks of Eurasian Dotterel and a few Eastern Imperial Eagles winter. Great Bustards Otis tarda were common into the 1990s in an area of undulating, stony plains north of Palmyra known as Shmal Araq until the Lebanese started hunting them with machine guns; a few still winter but they are still hunted by Bedouin (AA pers comm). More data on wintering birds would be valuable, particularly from the Badia. Spring migration starts in February with the first diurnal migrants: Steppe Eagles, Pallid Harriers and a few hirundines. Expeditions into the Badia have found huge mixed flocks of Calandra Melanocorypha calandra and Bimaculated Larks Melanocorypha bimaculata. The Northern Bald Ibises return to their breeding sites in the second half of the month; it is vital not to disturb them while they settle down to breed. Large numbers of migrants are passing through by mid-March. Flocks of wary, long-winged, grey-brown birds the size of sparrows are worth careful inspection: Pale Rockfinches are easy to overlook. Later in the season, when they have set up territory, their weird buzzing song, similar to that of a grasshopper, is an excellent way to locate them. They are probably very under- recorded though their numbers appear to fluctuate from year to year. Visitors to the Badia should watch out for Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus and Sociable Lapwing; there are occasional records of both species but their true status is not yet clear. A bewildering variety of wheatears passes through: there are recent records of ten species including Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 79 Cyprus Oenanthe cypriaca, which appears to be regular in early spring, Pied Oenanthe pleschanka and several recent observations in March of Rufous-tailed Wheatear. Most birders choose to visit Palmyra in April, and with good reason: the weather is usually pleasantly warm, resident species are breeding and migration is at its best. GS (Serra et al 2005a, b) has gathered excellent data on the timing of migration through the Palmyra area. Diurnal migrants such as hirundines, bee-eaters and raptors pass throughout the day and it is important to keep an eye on the sky at all times. Raptor passage in particular is not predictable; concentrations can suddenly appear anywhere including Lesser Spotted Aquila pomarina, Steppe, Short-toed, Booted Aquila pennata and occasional Eastern Imperial Eagles, Black Kites, Eurasian Accipiter nisus and Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes, and huge numbers of Steppe Buzzards Buteo buteo vulpinus. The numbers of Pallid Harrier tail off but they are replaced by Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus; Western Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus pass throughout the season. There is a concentrated passage in April of Lesser Kestrels, which breed locally in several small colonies. Nine species of heron have been recorded in spring; they can appear anywhere, often flying over, but the best site is SWA. Western White Storks Ciconia ciconia are scarce—most seem to follow the coastal ridge—and Black Storks Ciconia nigra very rare. Spotted Crakes Porzana porzana and Little Crakes Porzana parva skulk along the muddy edges of SWA. Greater Sand Plovers breed in small numbers on dry flats but seem to move away before the summer heat. Duntn’s Lark is an elusive species; its status is still unclear but it is probably only irruptive, appearing (and probably breeding) in wet springs. There have been no records for several years. The mix of migrants is different in May. Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus passage peaks in the first half of the month, the last of all the raptors. May is the best month for Olive- tree, Marsh Acrocephalus palustris and probably Barred Warblers; all three were still passing through in the third week of May 2006. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata and Masked Lanius nubicus and Red-backed Shrikes Lantus collurio are also notably late migrants. The Maksam mulberry is in fruit. Almost no birders visit in mid-summer (June to August) so it is possible that species such as Egyptian Nightjar are overlooked. Other species breed in spring but move away as the desert fries and food becomes scarce. Breeding raptors include Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, the occasional Golden and Short-toed Eagle in the mountains, the Griffons at Douara and Egyptian Vulture, which is probably declining but still widespread. Stone Curlews are increasingly scarce, as they are shot for food, but Cream-coloured Coursers are common—they are not good to eat and are not hunted. Little Swifts have been recorded from several sites in the mountains, particularly SWA; the first breeding record for Syria was from a mountain cave in the Jebel Amur in 2009. Please record all observations of these species so that trends in their numbers can be monitored. Eastern Olivaceous Warblers are common in the palmerie and Ménétries’s Warblers breed in bushy areas. The Northern Bald Ibises fledge any young in June and the flock temporarily becomes more mobile; they leave in late July. The adults winter in Ethiopia but the movements of the young birds are not yet understood. There are few data on the timing of autumn passage; the best source of information is again Serra et al (2005a, b). Water is scarce, making birding easier. Huge numbers of passerines pass through between mid-August and late October, concentrating in fewer sites, where the quality and quantity of species can be excellent. Shrikes of six species can be found in September. Recent visits have revealed a good passage of Red-breasted Flycatchers Ficedula parva in early October. Raptor passage is significantly later and at its best in early October; Montagu’s Harriers are the first, starting in late August, followed by Honey Buzzards and Black Kites in late September, then Lesser Spotted Eagles and Steppe 76 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Buzzards. Steppe Eagles, Pallid Harriers and Long-legged Buzzards are late and can move through in early November. However, the bulk of the movement may be along the coastal ridge of western Syria; co-ordinated counts are needed to resolve the issue. September is the month for the larger falcons and the desert fills with hopeful falconers; a female Saker Falcon can sell for millions of Syrian Pounds in Riyadh though Lanners Falco biarmicus are worth far less. Trapping has reached unsustainable levels: fewer than ten Sakers are now caught annually in the entire country and Lanner is almost certainly extinct as a Syrian breeding species. There is a detailed discussion in Serra et al (2005a). There have been several reports of Lappet-faced Vulture Aegypius trachielotos, a healthy population of which breeds in the north of Saudi Arabia (Jennings 1995); the Palmyra area is well within their dispersal range. THREATS TO THE ENVIRONMENT ROUND PALMYRA Several current or potential developments present massive threats to the best wildlife areas round Palmyra. The Government has stated its commitment to environmental protection but it has a difficult balance to strike: Syria has few resources and many hungry people, and it clearly feels that the Badia has to be used to the fullest extent. An Ibis protected area exists on paper but few of the necessary management objectives are yet implemented. This protected area needs to be enlarged to include the Jezel area, which is still in good condition and where the Ibis regularly feed; this is also the best area for the few remaining wild Sand Gazelles. The northeast of Syria has extensive oil deposits and there has been a recent drive to look for oil, with test drills close to several highly sensitive sites, including the cliffs at Douara, and worse still, one of the two Ibis nesting cliffs—in the core of the ‘Ibis Protected Area’. Bulldozers have a disastrous impact on the soil of the Badia: their tracks cause massive damage to the vegetation—already severely compromised by overgrazing—and destroy the soil crust, worsening erosion and accelerating desertification. The status of Talila as a protected area has not prevented the construction of a line of pylons across the dunes of the western sector in 2004-2006 (Plate 7). Leaving aside the visual-impact, it is well known that pylons cause considerable bird mortality; for instance, three Northern Bald Ibises released from Birecik in 2008 were electrocuted by power lines in Jordan. One wonders how many vulnerable soaring birds these pylons have killed in what is supposedly a protected area. Talila and Sabkhat Muh were recently under grave Plate 7. Talila pylons, July 2009. © Gianluca Serra threat from a proposed road bypassing Palmyra/Tadmor to the south—even though there is already a bypass on the northern side—but after many representations it appears to have been rerouted. A zoo has been proposed at the entrance to Talila, a development that would reinforce the belief of many Syrians that animals are content to exist in cages. Syrians need to be weaned away from this idea; the funding would be much better spent making the reserve more accessible to ordinary Syrians and providing more information on its wildlife. Many Palmyrans are seriously interested in their environment (see below) and show great natural aptitude and enthusiasm. A proper training programme for ecoguides and wardens would benefit local people and the remaining wildlife. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) a7 A more insidious threat is the gradual shift in attitudes and beliefs in the local population: each generation perceives as ‘normal’ the environment it remembers from its youth, not what earlier generations knew. This concept, known as the Shifting Baseline Syndrome (Pauly 1995), predicts a continual lowering of expectations: gradual deterioration over decades is missed and a grossly degraded environment becomes seen as ‘natural’. A grim example is the Jebel Amur, heavily wooded a century ago but now almost bare of vegetation; the elderly remember ibex, leopard and flocks of gazelle, but today’s children see a barren wilderness, unproductive and empty of wildlife. The result: a highly degraded Badia with little biodiversity is seen as ‘normal’ and acceptable. The best counter would be the declaration of a national park in the Palmyra area; this would demonstrate that the Syrian government is seriously committed to preserving the natural environment. There is as yet not a single national park in the whole of Syria and nowhere better to choose. THE PALMYRA SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE (PSPEW) The environment round Palmyra is under serious threat and many people from Tadmor want to do something about it. Syria’s first local conservation society, PSPEW, was founded in 2006 by local Palmyrans; it has many plans, notably to protect SWA and to establish a vulture restaurant at Douara, both excellent flagship projects for local conservation. Visiting birders are urged to give it their support. The website (for which OSME provided essential funding) provides valuable information on the birds and wildlife of the area (the words ‘palmyra society’ in a search engine will be enough). In return, visitors are asked to submit their records and photographs so that PSPEW can develop a comprehensive database on the local wildlife. AUTHENTICATING RECORDS I deliberately describe well-authenticated observations as ‘records’ and those less fully documented as ‘reports’. Describing an observation as a report does not imply rejection: local conservationists have made many important anecdotal observations without taking formal field notes—the 1999 Northern Bald Ibis is a classic example. Assessing these reports poses a serious dilemma for records committees, examined in a lucid Sandgrouse editorial by Blair (2005). The same applies to many older reports by visiting birders, often made decades before their potential significance was realised. Nowadays, foreign visitors may not appreciate the rarity in Syria of a species with which they are familiar, for instance, a recent report of Red Knot Calidris canutus by highly experienced birders at SWA. These are significant difficulties, nevertheless record-keeping has to be treated rigorously as a scientific discipline with a high standard of documentation. Information on the status of species in the Palmyra area is now available: Serra et al (2005a, b) produced a comprehensive annotated list of the birds of the central Syrian desert and an updated Syrian list was published in a Sandgrouse supplement in 2008 (Murdoch & Betton 2008). Visitors are requested to take detailed field notes of interesting observations, particularly of Red Data Book species, as per Murdoch & Betton (2008), and to make formal descriptions as needed. A rarities report form can be downloaded from the OSME website (www.osme. org). IN SUMMARY The Palmyra area has been little watched yet its list includes nine species of heron, ten wheatears, 14 larks, 34 raptors and at least 35 species of wader. Much of the area is ornithologically unknown and there are still major discoveries for enterprising birders to 78 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) make—but anyone can make valuable observations anywhere in Syria, it is a very under- watched country. Wherever you go, record everything carefully, take copious field notes and let me know! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Iam very grateful to Haian Dukhan, Mahmud Abdallah and especially to Gianluca Serra and Adib al-Asaad for helping me with much valuable information. REFERENCES van den Berg, AB. 1989. Bald Ibis. Dutch Birding 11: 128-131. Blair, M. 2005. Editorial. Sandgrouse 27: 2. Evans, MI. 1994. Important Bird Areas in the Middle East. Birdlife International, Cambridge, UK. Jennings, MC. 1995. An Interim Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, Riyadh. Kinzelbach , R. 1986. The White-cheeked Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys, a resident of the Palmyra Oasis, Syria. Zoology in the Middle East 1: 73-74. Lindsell, JA, G Serra, L Peske, MS Abdallah, G Al-Qaim, A Kanani & M Wondrafrash. 2009. Satellite tracking reveals the migration route and wintering area of the Middle Eastern population of Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis. Oryx 43: 329-225. Murdoch, DA. 2008. Bird-trapping in Syrian oases; the ‘fig-bird’ trade. Sandgrouse 30: 102-103. Murdoch, DA, I Andrews & R Hofland. 2004. The Syrian Wetland Expedition 2004: a summary. Sandgrouse 26: 94-104. Murdoch, DA & KF Betton. 2008. A checklist of the birds of Syria. Sandgrouse Supplement 2. Murdoch, DA & G Serra. 2006. The status of Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius in Syria. Sandgrouse 28: 58-61. Murdoch, DA, G Tyler, G Serra, C Bowden & M Abdallah. 2005a. A record of Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni from Syria. Sandgrouse 27: 78-79. Murdoch, DA, R Vos, A Abdallah, M Abdallah, I Andrews, A Al-Asaad, R van Beusekom, R Hofland, T Roth, B Saveyn, G Serra & C Wells. 2005b. A winter survey of Syrian wetlands. Final report of the Syrian Wetland Expedition, January—February 2004. Privately published, London. (www.osme.org) Pauly D. 1995. Anecdotes and the shifting baseline syndrome. Trends in Ecology & Environment. 10: 430. Serra, G, M Abdallah, A Abdallah, G Al-Qaim, T Fayed, A Assaed & D Williamson. 2003. Discovery of a relict breeding colony of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in Syria: still in time to save the eastern population? Oryx 38: 1-7. Serra, G, M Abdallah, AK Al-Asaad, G Al-Qaim & AK Abdallah. 2005a. A long-term bird survey in the central Syrian desert (2000-2003) part 1. Sandgrouse 27: 9-23. Serra, G, G Al-Qaim, MS Abdallah, A Kanani & AK Al-Asaad. 2005b. A long-term bird survey in the central Syrian desert (2000-2004) Part 2—a provisional annotated checklist. Sandgrouse 27: 104-125. Serra G, M Mirreh, H Kaddour, T Razzouk, A Al Jundi, A Kanani, C Batello & D Williamson. 2009a. Assessment and characterization of Al Talila Reserve and surrounding Palmyran desert. Y'UCN/DGCS Project report. IUCN publication. Serra G, MS Nahaz, M Idan, L Peske, A Savioli, C Bruschini & K Alomari. 2009b. Assessment and characterization of the Ibis Protected Area in the Palmyra desert. A proposed 5-year management and development framework. IUCN publication. Tavares, J, P Sa Pessoa & F Brito e Abreu. 2000. The first breeding record of Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus in Syria. Sandgrouse 22: 145-146. Dr DA Murdoch, Flat 3, 5 Eaton Crescent, Bristol BS8 2E], UK. damurdoch@hotmail.com Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 79 REVIEWS Breeding Birds of the Western Palearctic—Nests, Eggs, Nestlings and Habitats Peter Castell & Richard Castell BirdGuides Ltd. 2009. DVD. £99.95 ISBN 987-1-89811—050-5 Of the specialist publications on breeding birds of the Western Palearctic, this DVD is outstanding for its originality of concept and ambitious content. Never have the images of so many species been brought together with so much single-minded intensity, and covering such a large area. The DVD covers the birds’ habitats, nests, eggs and young, with c9000 photographs of 736 of the 756 species considered to nest in the region. Between one and 59 photographs cover the breeding of each of the 736 species, with text for all 756. For c100 British breeders, data from the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Nest Record Scheme are also summarised. Twenty species are represented only with text, these ranging from Algerian Nuthatch Sitta ledanti to Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus. Many of them breed in the Middle East, especially Iran. Amongst the 20 are three woodpeckers, two accentors, a bee-eater and an owl. The photographs, in a full species sequence, begin with habitat(s), followed by adult at or near its nest, then nests and eggs in the wild showing variations in construction, ege colour and size, and finally, chicks from newly hatched to fledglings or juveniles. Around 600 species are covered well, whereas others have museum pictures only of eggs, photographed by the Natural History Museum. Not only common birds are well represented. Scarce breeders receive the same level of attention. There are c500 species with adults photographed at or near their nest, or in breeding habitat. The photographs were taken over 40 years, and quality naturally varies but is consistently good and often, stunning. 80 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Pa. Breeding Birds 2» ier ern Palea a Be Nests, Eggs, Nestlings, Fledglings a o ie 4 , AD JO sparg Su e2[ty UaIsa9, z z ir? The disc is very simple to use. Photographs are grouped by family or species, and the search facility quickly locates either. But the ‘species search’ should have extended to scientific names. I particularly liked the ‘compare’ function which enables you to examine chicks of similar species side by side (perhaps this could be expanded to show more than two images), helpful for comparing, eg, warbler chicks. A modern passion for bird nesting and recording, untouched by the ‘dead hand’ of ege collecting, is not common, but can play a significant role in conservation, education and even taxonomy. The comprehensive introduction to the DVD begins on a personal note, an expression of the excitement that has propelled the authors on their odyssey through an impressive list of countries. There is an obvious sense of personal achievement with the results. The sheer effort involved in reaching some nests and their persistence in assembling the huge number of images can only be imagined. The boundaries of the Western Palearctic are set out, but not debated. This work, as the authors’ note, is probably not the torum to discuss whether the Arabian Tihama plain is Western Palearctic, or whether the boundary in Russia should be the Urals or the Yenisey river (but an expansive interpretation is adopted). The introduction also explains how photographs have been chosen to show intraspecies variation and how this can operate across a species’ range. A Grey Heron Ardea cinerea can nest in a tree, in reeds or on the ground, and there are many other examples of birds varying their nest sites and building materials with local conditions. The purpose of displaying as many of these variations is to reduce misidentification of nests; all too easy, even for the experienced! There aremany egg collections inmuseums, and unfortunately a few still in private hands; obviously the chicks that would have hatched could not be described. This DVD goes a long way to correct this imbalance and the introduction concisely explains the general characteristics, differences and development between precocial and altricial chicks. The value of responsible nest recording is introduced with particular reference to the BTO’s Nest Record Scheme. Nest recording can help identify problems due to habitat loss, persecution and environmental pollution. Mention is made of the contribution that it can make to the Important Bird Area (IBA) initiative and the Arabian Breeding Bird Atlas (ABBA). Dr Dave Leech outlines the use to which data collected for the Nest Record Scheme is put, especially in conjunction with the other BTO initiatives described in their own section of the introduction. The latter concludes with acknowledgements, separate from a list of 103 photographers of which c50% are from outside the UK. Information as to who is responsible for any photograph, its date and location, is available by clicking on the icon at the corner of the screen image. Some images are from outside the region. Mongolia and Kazakhstan are now relatively accessible and have provided several species of Siberian taiga and forest steppe; south and central Africa a valuable Afrotropical contingent, while Canada has some examples of high Arctic species. Given the project’s scale probably only a die-hard purist would insist that all 9000 images be from the Western Palearctic. This DVD represents a coherent project with a strong aesthetic theme. When photographing, it is in the code of conduct to restrict time spent at the nest to the absolute minimum. It is really only with this DVD that the beauty, complexity and variety of so many nests and their contents can be compared and appreciated. There are 20 species of which the authors have been unable to locate wild-taken pictures or the eggs are unvarying white (see above). Some incomplete sequences comprise museum images of eggs alone. These may be species for which it is difficult to access an active nest without causing damage, such as woodpeckers. Other nests are just plain hard to find. Eleven gamebird species, of a total 27, have few images of nest site, contents and chick development. These range from Caucasian Snowcock Tetrogallus caucasicus through See-see Ammoperdix griseogularis, Rock Alectoris graeca, Philby’s A. philbyi and Arabian Partridges A. melanocephala to Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus. Of the 11, nests in the wild are shown for only two (nine are reliant on museum data and two of the four sets of chicks are in captivity). Only Caucasian Snowcock has an image of the nest site. Similarly, with nightjars, of the seven species breeding in the region, four are represented by museum eggs and none of young. Many of these poorly represented species breed in the Middle East, especially Iran. In contrast, some birds are very well covered, eg Sylvia warblers and buntings. Zoos and private collections hold a wide variety of gamebirds, wildfowl and even waders, and the authors have used these, enabling them to assemble good sequences of chicks and juveniles that can be fairly accurately aged in captivity. The photographs commence with habitat and, of course, there are never enough. I have found Woodlarks Lullula arborea breeding from near sea level on heaths in Britain to 2100 m asl in a crater in Turkey, and just about anywhere in between. More habitat pictures from a wide geographical range would be desirable and preferably should include the actual nest site. Helpfully, some habitat pictures have the nest location artificially highlighted. The nest photographs contain many comprehensive examples of intraspecies egg variation, eg for Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus, Dunlin Calidris alpina and Royal Tern Sterna maxima. The latter species really shows the value of multiple images illustrating the striking differences in eggs and chicks at Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 81 a colony. The collage arrangement permits the full range of variation to be viewed simultaneously. Not only is variation within species shown but, using the ‘compare’ facility, eggs of different species that are similar can be viewed together. The key point is that you cannot always identify a nest without watching for an adult. I know from personal experience that lark species in rocky desert can easily trip you up. I found the images of chicks most interesting, as I cannot recall such a range of photographs assembled for so many species. The authors have visited nests to photograph chicks ideally at the ‘newly hatched’ stage, and from then until fledging. This would have been impossible without huge dedication, bearing in mind that there is generally no firm information of when eggs, randomly found, will hatch. Re-scheduling your flight home, waiting for that all-important hatching event is not for the half-hearted. Even intraspecifically, the plumage coloration of chicks is sufficiently variable to cause misidentification. Once again the ‘compare’ key is useful to check related species such as Common and Arctic Terns Sterna hirundo/paradisaea or Spotted and Little Crakes Porzana porzana/parva. The species texts do not describe eggs or young, as the photographs show the important identification indicators. Instead, the texts describe breeding season, number of broods, clutch size, role of adults in nest duties, and incubation and nestling periods. Without doubt this DVD matches hard work and determination with digital technology, to set a standard for similar efforts to come for different regions. It also should encourage others to fill in the gaps. But why spend almost £100 on it? On the international level this work really comes into its own. Additional to the nests and contents, photographs are images of adults of some very scarce Western Palearctic birds, which should appeal to any birdwatcher interested in breeding biology or not. Contributors to the BTO Nest Record Scheme will find the DVD very useful, and if you are interested in breeding biology, either in an amateur or professional capacity, it really has to be on your shopping list. Bernard Pleasance 82 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Important Bird Areas in Kazakhstan—Priority Sites for Conservation Edited by SL Skylarenko, GR Welch & M Brombacher 3 The Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan. 2008. Softback. 318 pages, seven colour plates, 141 black-and-white photographs, 164 maps. ISBN 9965-32-686-X Available from NHBS Environment Bookstore (www.nhbs.com) Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world with huge areas of natural habitat and 32 threatened bird species. Categorising the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for a country the size of Western Europe must have been a daunting task given limited resources. The results are explained in the 66-page introduction dealing with the IBA rational, data-gathering process, biomes in Central Asia (illustrated by the only colour photographs in the book), IBA criteria, and the ornithological importance of Kazakhstan. The inventory details 121 IBAs covering 149 862 km? (a lower percentage of land area than many other countries at 5.5%) and each IBA is covered in 1-2 pages detailing coordinates, area, habitats and tables of key species. Extra detail is provided for ‘birds’ and ‘conservation issues’, and there is a boundary map for each IBA. As part of the book’s corporate design IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN KAZAKHST, the same blue is used extensively in the text headings and there is also a blue caste to the black-and-white photographs, which probably would have been more pleasing aesthetically if reproduced ‘normally’. There is an extensive bibliography for each IBA, and for the whole book, whilst the appendices contain a full list of 528 species and their relevant IBA criteria for Central Asia. Also useful are the maps showing the distribution of IBAs for 29 of the 32 threatened species, which will be welcomed by anyone wanting to see these species in the region. Some quirks have arisen in the English names of birds, leaving aside taxonomic changes which have resulted in several species not being included such as Pale Martin Riparia diluta, with, amongst others, Himalayan Cuckoo for Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus and Rufous-streaked Accentor for Himalayan or Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana likely to confuse, although Pale-backed Pigeon for Eversmann’s Dove Columba evermannsi is more ‘acceptable’. It was surprising not to see the marshes and spits on the south side of Alakol lake, with their tern and gull colonies including Relict Gull Larus relictus, and the extensive wetlands between lakes Alakol and Sasolkol, with their breeding White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala, included as IBAs. It is inevitable that some potential IBA areas will have been missed, but it is surprising that the wetlands, saxual forest and salt desert south of the Ily river, from Kapchagay reservoir towards the Chinese border, have not been included given qualifying numbers of Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Pale-backed Pigeon and Saxaul Sparrow Passer ammodendri. As is the nature of these inventories, additional sites and site extensions can be added later. The ultimate judgement will be whether the IBAs are still viable in the long term and this publication should greatly facilitate this. It is a tremendous contribution to the conservation of bird biodiversity in Central Asia and, in the absence of anything else, will also serve as a de facto site guide for intending visitors. Andrew Grieve A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos Steve Dudley Arlequin Press. 2009. Softback. 272 pages, over 90 colour photographs and over 45 maps. £19.99 ISBN 978—1-905268—06-1 Lying just off the west coast of Turkey, the Greek island of Lesvos has been a popular birding destination since the mid 1990s. What makes Lesvos so good are the diverse habitats including saltpans, freshwater pools, olive groves and deciduous woodland, and _ its position in the Aegean. Spring birding can be fantastic with impressive falls of migrants at times and, although fewer birders visit at this season, an autumn visit can be just as rewarding. I made my first trip in 1994 and used the excellent site guide by Marjorie Williams (published 1992) and later the more comprehensive and well-illustrated book by Richard Brooks (published 1995). It’s a shame Dudley does not mention either of these books, nor the considerable effort by Richard Brooks to really put Lesvos on the birding map. The updated (1998) edition of Richard’s book and subsequent paper updates are heavily drawn upon. Steve Dudley’s site guide to Lesvos includes a useful 47-page introduction covering when to go, where to stay and an outline of the birding year. There is a detailed guide to >60 of the best birding areas, including many sites not previously published. There are over 45 maps, and although these are clear and well presented I’m not sure they will help you find your way, because the number of minor roads and rough tracks on Lesvos make interpreting any map difficult! The descriptive access information is generally good and the advice given under ‘Areas to search’ will help you make the most of your visit to a given site. The checklist of species found on Lesvos runs to almost 40 pages and offers an excellent review of the status of species on the island. Steve has worked with the Hellenic Rarities Committee (HRC) to produce the checklist, which separates rarities into those accepted by HRC and those that are not. Many of the unusual records from the 1990s have not been formally accepted, partly due to the Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 83 lower profile of the HRC at the time. I was surprised to see that the three records of White-tailed Plover Vanellus leucurus have not been included (Brooks supplement) and can only assume Steve decided not to include them. Lists covering butterflies, dragonflies, orchids, mammals will also be really useful for many visitors, as will be the list of scientific, Dutch and Greek bird names. The list of local place names and hints on pronunciation are useful although the title is missing at the top of the page. There are >90 photographs showing sites, habitats and species, offering a good flavour of what the island has to offer. It could just be the quality of the paper used, but many of the photos do look rather ‘flat’. The book suffers from a number of typographical errors throughout and there is a chunk of text missing on page 60, which is unfortunate. Another annoying mistake is the frequent use of “were” instead of “where”. Such OSME News Geoff Welch Conservation and Research Fund: change to sub-committee members Due to pressure of work, Ramaz Gokhelashvili has had to retire from the committee and he is replaced by Vasil Ananian from Armenia. Vasil is a regular contributor to Sandgrouse and one of the most active birdwatchers in the Caucasus. Increased funding for work in the United Arab Emirates OSME is pleased to announce that additional funding for conservation and research projects in the United Arab Emirates, and occasionally elsewhere in the Arabian peninsula, is now available thanks to the establishment of a partnership with the Emirates Natural History Group (Abu Dhabi). Applications for funding will be considered following the existing CRF guidelines—see the OSME website www. 84 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Sa BIRDWATCHING GUIDE To & _____ STEVE pupiey minor points aside, the book provides an excellent up-to-date guide to Lesvos and will undoubtedly prove very useful for any visitor; thoroughly recommended. Dawn Balmer osme.org for details. This partnership provides an opportunity to support more small projects in the region or, where of outstanding need or importance, larger projects. Recipients will be expected to provide a report suitable for publication in the Group’s monthly newsletter Focus or in its annual refereed journal Tribulus and, if possible, to give a presentation to the Group if in the Emirates. The OSME Region List of Bird Taxa (ORL) We are aware that not all of our members have reliable and fast access to the internet and therefore the ORL team has produced a printed version of the List that is available from OSME, price £8 including post and packing. To order a copy, please contact OSME Sales, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK (sales@osme.org). The ORL team has also produced a simplified version of the List, which provides a quick reference to the recommended names and systematic order of the birds occurring in the OSME region. Copies are available as above or by download from the OSME website. OSME Summer Meeting and AGM 2010 This year’s Summer Meeting and AGM will again be held at the BTO Headquarters (The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK) on Saturday 10 July. There is ample free parking. The bus station is about 10 minutes walk away and the railway station about 15 minutes. Road access is via the All London—Norwich road, connecting with the Al4 from the north and Midlands. There are regular trains on the Birmingham—Norwich line, and also from Cambridge and London Kings Cross. Full details of the day are given in the enclosed programme. OSME raffle 2009 and 2010 The winners of the 2009 raffle to raise funds for OSME’s core activities and the Conservation and Research Fund were: e 1st prize Ron Herbert—Opticron telescope and tripod kit e 2nd prize John Bartley—Naturetrek holiday voucher e 3rd prize C Northwood—Country Innovations coat e 4th prize Clare Stringer—Birds of the Western Palearctic interactive DVD e 5th prize Ron Herbert—British Birds interactive DVD e 6th prize Mike Jennings— Mule pack e 7th prize Mark Day—Wildlife Recorder computer programme | ¢ 8th prize Chris Spooner—Birds of Turkey book Congratulations to the above and very many thanks to the companies that donated the prizes and to everyone who bought tickets. We are running another raffle this year and a book of tickets is enclosed (UK addresses only). As explained last year, 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. Extra books of tickets can be obtained from Chris Lamsdell, 4 Hardings Close, Iver, Bucks SLO OHL, UK (ads@osme.org). This year’s prizes are: e Ist prize Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 binoculars e 2nd prize Naturetrek voucher £250 holiday e 3rd prize Country Innovations New Venture waistcoat e 4th prize BirdGuides Breeding Birds of the Western Palearctic DVD e 5th prize A&C Black Birds of Turkey e oth prize A&C Black Birds of the Middle East (new edition) A small number of members contacted OSME last year expressing a preference not to receive raffle tickets unsolicited. Unfortunately, because of the way the mailing of Sandgrouse is organized, it is not possible to omit inserts from individual mailing envelopes so we express our apologies to those affected and hope that they will appreciate that the raffle is a cost-effective way of raising money to support OSME’s work and, importantly, no-one is under any obligation to purchase tickets. Gift Aid Approximately half of OSME’s UK members have completed a Gift Aid declaration form which allows OSME to reclaim from HM Revenue and Customs 28 pence for every £1 paid in membership subscriptions or as donations at no additional cost to the members involved. With this year’s increase in subscription rates and anticipated changes in UK taxation arrangements in 2011, OSME is keen to maximize the benefits to the Society that this simple means of income generation offers. Therefore if you are a UK taxpayer and have not yet completed a Gift Aid form, please contact the OSME Treasurer, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire 5G19 2DL, UK (treasurer@osme.org). Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 85 News & INFORMATION Dawn Balmer (compiler) EGYPT Tom Coles Memorial Training events In memory of Tom Coles, who passed away in January 2008, his family and friends have created a Memorial Training Events fund for use in Egypt, administered by Nature Conservation Egypt. The first event provided training in raptor identification for 25 Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency rangers and others at Ayn Sokhna in April 2009. Further training events in bird ID and census techniques are scheduled for 15-18 April 2010. (Source: Moldovan Istvan) Local group impact on Qarun lake Egypt's first IBA Local Conservation Group/ Site Support Group has persuaded one of the country’s largest construction groups to end the dumping of waste at Qarun lake, which holds regionally important numbers of waterbirds in winter. The construction company has also pledged to restore an area of saltmarsh, destroyed by tourism development along the lake shore, as a bird sanctuary. Because of deleterious environmental changes, the local subspecies of Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala norrisae is now extinct. The Lake Qarun Protected Area LCG/SSG was established by Nature Conservation Egypt (BirdLife Partner) in 2008, with a grant from the Aage V Jensen Charity Foundation. Slender-billed Gull Larus genei, which began breeding in the 1990s, has now reached c8500 pairs at Qarun lake whilst numbers of breeding Spur-winged Lapwings Vanellus spinosus also meet IBA criteria, as does the wintering population of Black-necked Grebes Podiceps nigricollis. A salt extraction processing plant has been set up, which over time will improve water quality and permit habitats to be restored, as well as providing local employment. However, unregulated tourist developments along the southern shores of the lake are destroying the best waterbird habitats, particularly mudflats and saltmarshes, and 86 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) result in increased disturbance to birds. Hunters, including organised parties from Europe, regularly ignore the lake’s protected Status. The SSG was set up to enhance biodiversity conservation and benefit-sharing with local communities, in recognition that local people could make a significant contribution towards conservation efforts by reducing exploitation and hunting in the protected area. SSG members have removed shooting blinds erected by duck hunters, and plan to erect signboards with information about the lake’s protected status, and its importance as an IBA. They are also involved in awareness raising and education activities with schoolchildren. The local government has an ecotourism strategy for Qarun lake, which is increasingly seen aS a premium tourist destination. The SSG has proved to be an important point of contact between the lakeside community and the Protected Area authority, and also the Egyptian government. (Source: BirdLife International) GEORGIA Website change The Batumi raptor count project has a new website, www.batumiraptorcount.org, where regular updates can be found. (Source: Pieter Vantieghem) IRAQ Hunting Houbara Bustards in Iraq The open shrubby steppes and flat arid habitats in Iraq are favoured wintering grounds of migrant Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis macqueenti. This species is classified by BirdLife on behalf of the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable because it has undergone rapid population declines over three generations (20 years) owing largely to unsustainable hunting levels. Because of the absence of wildlife protection legislation under the newly-established Iraq government, many areas around the country are witnessing over-hunting activities. “A recent hunting expedition in Iraq reportedly killed over 100 Houbara Bustards alone” said Omar Fadil from Nature Iraq. As a result, Nature Iraq are calling for restrictions on the transport of hunting birds entering or leaving Iraq and requesting that the Iraq government enact wildlife protection legislation and establish hunting limits and/or bans for specific species like Houbara Bustard. They are also asking for more support and education to help the Iraqi security forces actively control hunting activities. (Source: BirdLife International) ISRAEL Help needed for Griffon Vultures Help is needed with a Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus nest surveillance project at Gamla Nature Reserve in the Golan Heights. The project runs December 2009 until the end of June 2010. Daily observations are carried out during daylight hours (8 hours a day). Volunteers are asked to work 6 days a week (including weekends) and will have one day off. Accommodation and transport to the reserve will be provided. Volunteers should have some background in birdwatching and/ or nature conservation, and volunteers will have to commit to at least four successive weeks. The volunteers should be able to communicate in at least basic English, have some Excel skills, have valid permission (visa) to stay in Israel and should be fully covered with life/health insurance. For more information please write or telephone Gamla Nature Reserve ++972-4-6822282, fax 4-6822285, yaelch@npa.org.il. RUSSIA Sociable Lapwing survey Five teams have been involved in surveying Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius at Manych in September 2009, just north of the OSME region. The second international expedition to the Kumo-Manych depression in south Russia (Stavropolskij krai and republic of Kalmykia) Was organized in September 2009 to survey this vast wetland area for this species. From 3-16 September the area was surveyed by five independent field teams, consisting of members of the RSPB, Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan, Stavropol State University and local ornithologists. Around 4000 Sociable Lapwings were recorded with up to 2000 birds considered to be different individuals. The highest single day count reached 900 birds. Only one bird was found with colour-rings, ringed as a juvenile in Kostanaj region July 2009. These counts confirm the importance of this area for Sociable Lapwings as a major stopover site along the western migration route, crucial for refueling before they leave for their wintering grounds in northeast Africa. (Source: Maxim Koshkin) SAUDI ARABIA ABBA Report Mike Jennings has published a new report ‘Wintering Birds in Northern Saudi Arabia: February 2009’ (ABBA Survey 40). The report is available as a PDF free to Phoenix subscribers. Hard copies are available for £10 plus postage from Mike at Warners Farm House, Warners Drove, Somersham, Cambridgeshire, PE28 3WD, UK (ArabianBirds@dsl.pipex.com). SYRIA Photographs required for book Ahmad Aidek has written an identification book in Arabic about the birds, flowers and mammals of northeast Syria. He plans to print 1000 copies and distribute them for free. Information in Arabic is clearly enormously important in a country where awareness about wildlife is very limited. Photographs are being included and there are still some gaps to be filled. The species required are See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis, Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus, Traq Babbler Turdoides altirostris, Wolf Canis lupus, Rtippell’s Fox Vulpes rueppellii, Striped Hyena Hyaena hyaena and Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica. Anyone willing to help can contact Paul Doherty at paul@birdvideodvd. com. (Source: Paul Doherty) Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 87 TURKEY Sermon helps conserve wetland Lake Burdur is internationally important for wintering and passage waterbirds and has been threatened in recent years by pollution, urban development and _ unsustainable agricultural practices. In response, Doga Dernegi—the BirdLife Partner Designate for Turkey—recently drafted a sermon to educate the local community of Burdur on the importance of conserving their lake. It is estimated that through the sermon Doga Dernegi reached c52 000 people at over 1000 mosques in the villages, towns, districts and provincial centre of Burdur. The first of its kind in Burdur, the sermon highlighted the responsibility of humans in protecting the environment and wildlife and was a collaborative effort between Doga Dernegi, Burdur’s provincial mufti and Burdur Centre Ulu Mosque Imam Nuri Cinar. The lake is facing degradation pressure due to the unrestricted use of water resources that feed the basin, leading to its rapid retreat and a marked decrease in crop productivity and soil quality. Poor management of water resources continues to threaten the ecosystem’s balance, its ecological integrity and the species which depend on it. To raise awareness about the ecological importance and natural assets of Burdur lake and to achieve conditions for sustainable management of the site in the long-term, Doga Dernegi implemented the ‘Conserving Lake Burdur Project’ with support from the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) Project. The recent sermon has been the latest activity to educate local people about the importance of the lake, its unique ecology, and how it should be managed. Through the WOW project, Doga Dernegi and its partners have been actively raising awareness about the lake’s importance across Burdur and have trained 1524 farmers from 44 villages on the use of drip irrigation systems. Doga Dernegi have also been working with the Ministry of Education, local volunteers, bird watchers and teachers, to create a special education programme tailored for children ages 6 through 14 years. Initially rolled out in four elementary schools, the education programme includes a multitude of activities to foster an appreciation of wetland habitats 88 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) and wetland-dependent species. This includes an art exhibition featuring over 200 pictures, a poster and bird checklist for use in school gardens and a school-wide water conservation campaign. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES New flamingo breeding colony Anew breeding colony of the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus was discovered by a team of biologists from the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD). The colony was discovered within the ‘Bul Syayeef’ Marine Protected Area during a routine monitoring survey of the coastal areas west of Abu Dhabi. The biologists counted 1954 nests and 800 chicks at two sites in the new colony and also recorded more than 18 000 flamingos in intertidal areas between Musaffah and Bul Syayeef Musaffah. This discovery demonstrates the importance of the area. It also highlights the urgency with which such areas need to be protected, as rapid development engulfs the coastal areas of Abu Dhabi, particularly in the coastal area of Musaffah. Dr Salim Javed, EAD’s Deputy Manager, Bird Conservation, said “The entire inter-tidal mudflat and salt marsh areas to the west of the Musaffah channel are highly important for the flamingos as well as many other shorebirds. Importance of the newly discovered breeding site was already recognized based on satellite tracking of flamingos, undertaken by EAD since 2005.” EAD is also collaborating with the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council on coastal profiling of areas earmarked for protection within the Abu Dhabi capital area. (Source: EAD) OTHER NEWS Update on ABBA The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia is with the publishers. Despite this important stage of the ABBA project being reached the ABBA database and Phoenix are continuing. Those resident in or visiting Arabia in the last 12 months are invited to send details of their observations of breeding or potentially breeding birds to the ABBA project so that these can be included in the database. It is important that changes in species range, fluctuations in species and regional numbers, species ecological factors and conservation aspects, effects of climate change etc etc are recorded as they occur so that this resource can always be as complete and up to date as possible. Notes on actual breeding occurrences, ecological aspects, food, habitats, conservation, behaviour etc are welcomed for Phoenix. Those wishing to receive information from the ABBA database should state the region, time period or species they are interested in. Data is passed on free for research, conservation or personal use. Please contact Mike Jennings at the address above. EcoMENA web community An EcoMENA web community has been established (www.EcoMena.com). It covers environmental issues in the Middle East and North Africa region and everyone is welcome to join. (Source: Fares Khoury) Extinction threat to Middle East’s most threatened bird Conservationists trying to prevent the extinction of the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita are distraught that one of the last remaining wild birds in the Middle East has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia, bringing the known wild Middle Eastern population of this Critically Endangered species to just four individuals. A satellite-tracking project led by BirdLife International and the IUCN, in collaboration with the Desert Commission of the Syrian government, established that the Syrian adults migrate to the Ethiopian highlands each winter, but the wintering area of younger birds remains a mystery. This migration across the deserts of the Middle East to northeast Africa puts these birds under threat from the region’s many hunters. Researchers from BirdLife, the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and IUCN, trying to find out more about the movements of the young birds, fitted two birds with satellite tags, and it is one of these birds, a female, which was shot. “We were excited that tagging a sub-adult ibis may have helped us to solve the mystery of where young ibises spend the winter, but now we may never know” said Eng. Ali Hamoud of the Syrian Desert Commission. “The shooting of a young bird from such a tiny population is devastating news and it shows that hunting is a major threat to this species.” Three birds from a_ semi-captive population in Turkey were released in 2008 to see if they would migrate. They flew south as far as Jordan but subsequently were found dead. Initially, it was feared they had been poisoned, but later it was realised that the birds had been electrocuted, emphasising that other threats can have a devastating impact on the future of the Northern Bald Ibis in the Middle East. More satellite-tagged birds released from Turkey in 2009 flew south as far as Saudi Arabia but they too disappeared not much more than 100 km from where the Syrian bird was shot. Although their fate has not been established, researchers believe these birds too may have succumbed to hunters. The hunting of Northern Bald Ibis is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. HH Prince Bandar Bin Saud, Secretary General of NCWCD (National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development) said that “Upon hearing the news of Northern Bald Ibises in Saudi Arabia, NCWCD immediately reacted and dispatched a team to search for the birds. Local people reported to the commission that an ibis had been shot illegally by hunters.” As a response to the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco became Species Champion for Northern Bald Ibis providing crucial support to this challenging programme through the Prince Albert Ilof Monaco Foundation. BirdLife is more determined than ever to conserve this emblematic species that has braved the Middle East and North African deserts for millennia inspiring cultures and religions of the region. (Source: BirdLife International) The Nature of Iraq—from Marshes to Mountains A story in pictures and words of the work of Nature Iraq in a forgotten wildlife paradise will be displayed at the Birdscapes Gallery at Glandford, Norfolk, UK from 4-25 July 2010. It is hosted by Nature Iraq and BirdLife International. Contact richardporter@dialstart. net for further information. (Source: Richard Porter) OBC celebrates 25 years Congratulations to the Oriental Bird Club who celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2009. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 89 Slender-billed Curlew: the search intensifies Given the extreme rarity of the Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris, a concerted global effort to try to ‘rediscover’ the species was launched by the Slender-billed Curlew Working Group (SBCWG) in December 2009. This effort is encouraging birdwatchers to visit all known and potential passage, wintering and moulting sites to search for the species. This focus on non-breeding sites is considered to offer greater chances of success compared to efforts to locate a probable handful of birds on a vast area of potential breeding habitat. Additionally, detailed and up to date information on the field identification of the species has been produced to aid observers. Further information on how to assist in this search is available from www. slenderbilledcurlew.net and the following publications: e Cleeves, T, N Crockford & P Kohler. 2008. Die grote feldornithologische Herausforderung Europas: Die Suche nach dem Dunnschnabelbrachvogel [The Slender-billed Curlew Quest: the greatest European birding challenge]. Der Falke 55 (11): 419-428. e Cleeves, T, N Crockford & P Kohler. 2009. The Slender-billed Curlew quest. Birdwatch 199: 43-47. (this and the next publication are available at www.slenderbilledcurlew. net) e Delany, 5S (ed). 2009. Special Slender- billed Curlew issue! International Waterbird Census Newsletter 12: 1-15. The report of the unsuccessful Slender- billed Curlew expedition to Ayaqaghitma lake, Uzbekistan, in spring 2008, partially funded by OSME and which included the playing of Slender-billed Curlew calls from the top of a lorry located c300 m from the shoreline, can be downloaded from the latter website. The RSPB has awarded Sadegh Sadeghi Zadegan 2000 US$ for surveys in Iran to search for the species. Request for biometrics. In collaboration with SBCWG, the RSPB are drafting a proposal to search bird markets all around North Africa and the Middle East. This will include practical guidelines, with details of possible confusion species, to facilitate measurement 90 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) and identification of possible curlews for sale in the markets. Details of morphometrics (bill length, bill + skull, tarsus, wing length, wing formula etc) of Slender-billed Curlew, Steppe Curlew Numenius arquata suschkini and Steppe Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus alboaxillaris are required. If you are able to help please contact Nicola Crockford at nicola.crockford@rspb. org.uk. Request for photos. As part of the SBCWG’s work, investigation is currently being made into the identification of several forms of Numenius in the Palearctic region and adjacent areas. The group is therefore seeking photos of the following taxa: N. tenuirostris, N. a. arquata, N. a. orientalis, N. a. suschkini, N. p. phaeopus, N. p. alboaxillaris, N. p. variegatus and N. p. hudsonicus. Due to a lack of data and ambiguity associated with Numenius from eastern Europe/western Asia, photos from this area are particularly sought. All photos should be sent to Ross Ahmed (rossahmed@gmail. com) and correspondence should include any relevant details such as photographer, date taken and location. Photos should preferably not be manipulated before sending, although edited photos are also welcome. 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 2009 unless stated otherwise. Records and photographs for Sandgrouse 32 (2) should be sent by 15 June to atr@ osme.org. AFGHANISTAN As we receive few records, all records from Richard Seargent, Helmand province, are included. A Merlin Falco columbarius was at Camp Bastion on 4 Dec, a Black Kite Milvus migrans at Camp Bastion on the late date of 22 Dec, three Long-legged Buzzards Buteo rufinus were at Pimon 18 Nov and an adult Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax at Nad Ali 1 Dec. At least 5000 Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus were north of Wahid 17 Nov and 15+ were over Camp Bastion 23 Nov. On 1 Dec a White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis and a Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis were at Nad Ali. A Hume’s Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris was at Silab 20 Nov, a Hume’s Whitethroat Sylvia althaea at Camp Bastion 23 Nov and a Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros at Nad Ali 1 Dec. A Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla was at Pimon and 36 Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis were at Camp Bastion 21 Nov. A Sykes’s Wagtail Motacilla flava beema was at Nad Ali 02 Dec and Water Pipits Anthus spinoletta at Wahid 17 Nov and Nad Ali 2 Dec. BAHRAIN There were 3300 Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus between Tubli, Sitra and east of Alba on 30 Nov. Two Black Storks Ciconia nigra were at the southern outflow 30 Nov and are the second record for Bahrain, two Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia were also present. A Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius was at Hamalah experimental farm 30 Oct. Good numbers of Hypocoliuses Hypocolius ampelinus were at Barber 8 Nov. CYPRUS A pair of Red-crested Pochards Netta rufina present for several weeks at Oroklini marsh, Larnaca, appeared with 10 chicks on 1 Jun, the first breeding record for Cyprus. A total of 366 Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus, in 8 flocks, were recorded flying south around the Akamas peninsula on 8 Aug, a good count for the early date. A Saker Falcon Falco cherrug was at Phasouri reed beds 7 Oct. Around 300 Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo flew southeast over Paphos foothills at sunset 21 Aug, the earliest large migrant flock for over 10 years. Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus is less than annual in Cyprus so one at Mandria 17 Aug and one Polis beach 10-21 Aug was a good show. The sixth record of Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva involved a bird at Paphos headland, 27 Aug—11 Nov, and could be the same bird that has appeared every August since 2007. Two Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinereus at Chrysochou bay, Polis, on 8 Aug was only the 10th record since 1997 and a Red Knot Calidris canutus at Akrotiri, 26 Sep—6 Oct, was anotable record. The first record of Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii involved a first-winter bird at Lady’s Mile 2-5 Dec and a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos at Akhna dam 30 Sep-—1 Oct was the fourth record for the island. A Black- winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni, a rare migrant, was at Akhna dam 13 Aug. An adult Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus was at Larnaca salt lake 12 Dec, a Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia at Akhna dam 18-20 Jun and a Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis at Zakaki marsh 12 Nov. A Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis at Mandria on 3 Nov will be the seventh record if accepted. Savi’s Warblers Locustella luscinioides are very rare in autumn: one at Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Di Zakaki marsh 27 Oct. Also unusual was a River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis at Agia Napa sewage works area on 23 Aug, which will be the 12th record and the first for 3 years. Most previous records were of birds in the hand, trapped by ringing teams so a bird identified in the field is unusual. At least ten juvenile Barred Warblers Sylvia nisoria at Agia Napa sewage works area 18 Aug is the largest group on record in Cyprus. Rufous- tailed Scrub Robins Cercotrichas galactotes were at Marathounta 21 Aug and Agia Napa sewage works area 22 Aug. This is the third consecutive year that Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia have occurred in winter: from 6 Nov birds were recorded in the Marathounta area, with a maximum of 12 on 11 Nov; surprisingly there was only one previous country record prior to 2007. Four Richard’s Pipits Anthus richardi were at Patriki pools 15 Sep and two at Mandria 1 Oct. A Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella was at Phasouri reed beds 8 Nov and a first-winter Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea at Pissouri cliffs 13 Sep. ; oS Ie et” EB Istvan 2 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) : : Sa oO ee x Plate |. Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe podobe, Wadi Gamal, Egypt, 24-26 Nov 2009 at least. © Moldovan EGYPT Two Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca were on the east side of Elephantine island, © Aswan, 8-10 Sep, eight Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca were along the west bank, opposite the botanical gardens, Aswan, 23 Nov 2009. A Black Stork Ciconia nigra at West Aswan 24 Nov is a notable record as this species does not winter here, also c10-15 Yellow-billed Storks Mycteria ibis were at Abu Simbel 7-8 Sep. A White Stork Ciconia ciconia was found dead at Sharm el-Sheikh sewage pools on 17 Nov and it was wearing — a ring from the Hiddensee ringing scheme, Germany. A group of 95 Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus was on a sandbank at Aswan 2 Nov. A flock of 110 Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus descended to overnight in the Blue Canyon, St Katherine city 18 Nov. On 17 Nov at Sharm el-Sheikh sewage pools, ten Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes, two Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina, a first-year Eastern Imperial Eagle Aguila heliaca and a light phase Booted Eagle Aquila pennata were recorded. An African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis was seen from the Tut Amon Village road, Aswan, 8-10 Sep and 2 adults and one juvenile Common Crane Grus grus were at Sharm el-Sheikh sewage pools 17 Nov. At least 80 Crab-plovers Dromas ardeola were at Hamata mangroves 13 Sep and 36 Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius at Wadi Lahami 11 Oct, 10 birds there 18 Oct. Collared Plovers Charadrius tricollaris were found in the fishponds along the Tut Amon Village road south of Sahara City, by Aswan, with one 9 Sep and three the following day. At least 5-6 Greater Painted Snipes Rostratula benghalensis were at the fishponds, Aswan, 8-10 Sept, one bird was along the Nile (west side) in a muddy area, road to Gharb Sahel (Siheil) village, and a female was at West Aswan, both 17 Nov. A Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinerea was at Wadi Lahami 25 Nov. On 27 Nov at Zafarana, 25 Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis, 20 Armenian Gulls Larus armenicus and 20 Slender-billed Gulls Larus genei were recorded. An adult Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus was above the Nile, Aswan, 17 Nov. About 20 Swift Terns Sterna bergii were at Zafarana 27 Nov. At least 6-8 African Collared Doves Streptopelia roseogrisea were along the main road Hamata—Wadi Lahami feeding in the desert and around acacias in mid-Sep and two were ringed at Wadi Gamal 14 Oct. Three Namaqua Doves Oena capensis were at Wadi Lahami 12 Oct and one at Equinoxe El Nabaa hotel (30 km N of Marsa Alam) mid Sep. A Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris was at Abu Simbel 22 Nov, a Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus at Wadi Gamal 12 Oct and two Armenian Stonechats Saxicola (maurus) armenicus were at Sharm el-Sheikh sewage pools 17 Nov. A Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was at Wadi Feiran 19 Nov, two Cyprus Warblers Sylvia melanothorax at Wadi Gamal 24 Nov and two Fieldfares Turdus pilaris at Wadi Dome 28 Nov. A Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe podobe was at Wadi Gamal 24-26 Nov at least (Plate 1). A male Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna was at Giza (Pyramids) 16 Nov, a male at St Katherine city two days later, and a male Wadi Gamal 26 Nov. A singing male Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha was at Wadi Dome 28 Nov. A Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius was at Giza 16 Nov and at St Katherine 18 Nov, a male Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea in fresh breeding plumage was at St Katherine city 18 Nov, a male Red Avadavat Amandava amandava was nest building in the large reed massifs around Crocodile island, Luxor, 10-12 Sept and two African Pied Wagtails Motacilla aguimp were at Abu Simbel 22 Nov. A flock of 15 Trumpeter Finches Bucanetes githagineus was in West Aswan, 17 Nov, where they are rarely recorded. IRAQ In May and June Nature Iraq biologists again carried out detailed surveys of the country’s birdlife in order to help assess the most important sites for wildlife conservation—the Key Biodiversity Areas. The surveys were the most comprehensive ever made in Iraq, achieving widespread coverage. They were the fifth summer survey undertaken in the southern marshes, the second in Kurdistan and the first in the west at this season. The known breeding range of over 80 species was extended, mostly in the little-known west and Kurdistan, where two species were added to the Iraq list: Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani and Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne obsoleta, the latter observed nest building. The surveys also revealed that Iraq’s three near-endemic species, Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris, Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus and the globally endangered Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis had all extended their known breeding range. The globally vulnerable Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris was discovered breeding at 13 sites in good numbers. Whilst ten sites were in the southern marshes, where the species is known to breed, those in the north and west represent a range extension. Over 1000 birds were counted, with 585 at one site in the marshes. The near-threatened Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Red- crested Pochard Netta rufina were found for the first time breeding in Iraq: the Ferruginous Duck at six sites in the southern marshes with an impressive 1100 individuals at one of them. The endemic subspecies of Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis was recorded in high numbers in the marshes at 13 sites, with a high count of 275 at one locality, representing Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 93 5% of its population. As in previous surveys, the population of herons and their allies appeared healthy, with 8 species breeding. Darters Anhinga rufa were found at two sites. The high densities and species diversity of birds of prey in Kurdistan were impressive: 17 species breeding or probably breeding, including Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (13 sites), Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus (ten sites), Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes (eight sites), Booted Eagle Aquila pennata (eight sites), Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus (one site), Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos (three sites), Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus (16 sites) and Hobby Falco subbuteo (one site). Birds of prey are very good indicators of the health of the environment. The globally endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was found at 20 sites, totalling over 70 individuals. This demonstrates very clearly the importance of Kurdistan and west Iraq for this species. The globally vulnerable Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni was breeding or probably breeding at a total of 14 sites, with over 110 birds recorded. Amongst the wading birds, large colonies of breeding Collared Pratincoles Glareola pratincola were discovered throughout the country and the population of White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus in the southern marshes showed that it is of global importance for this little studied species. Slender-billed Gulls Larus genei were present at over ten sites in the south and two in Kurdistan, where one colony held 1600 pairs and the other 2400 pairs—over 2% of the world population. Once again important discoveries were made about the Basra Reed Warbler. Over 200 were recorded during the marshland surveys and a new breeding site—and range extension—Wwas discovered in the north. Two more globally near-threatened species were observed at localities where they were probably breeding: European Roller Coracias garrulus at 20 sites and Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea at eight sites. However it was not possible to confirm whether the ten pairs or territories of the near-threatened Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata found in April were nesting birds or migrants. The findings of these important KBA surveys demonstrate that there are many exciting discoveries to be made in Iraq. 94 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) ISRAEL A female Baikal Teal Anas formosa was reported at Hula lake on 6 Nov and will be the first for Israel if accepted. Four family parties of Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca were in the Judean plains during July and two Red- throated Divers Gavia stellata were at Acre 23 Dec till years’ end and are the fourth record for Israel. A first-calendar year Striated Heron Butorides striata was at Ma’agan Michael on 4 Nov and is the northernmost record in Israel. A Brown Booby Sula leucogaster was off Eilat’s North Beach during Dec. Several Crested Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus were noted on migration during the Northern Valleys Migration Survey in Sept and one returned to Eilat for its third winter during Nov. An adult Black-winged Kite of the Asian form vociferos was at Eilat 29 Sept—1 Oct and another of the same form was at Hula 29 Nov-1 Dec representing the 10th and 11th records. An African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis remained at Hula all Dec. An adult Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo flew over Vardun, S Judean plains, on 30 Sep, a first calendar year bird was at Hula 11 Nov and one was there 20 Dec onwards. A Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius was at Hula 13 Dec, two White-tailed Lapwings Vanellus leucurus were at Mitzpe Ramon 27 Sep, a Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva was at Ashdod 31 Oct-1 Nov and one at Tishlovet reservoir, Jizreel valley, 11 Nov. Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica were recorded from En Hamifraz fishponds, Zvulun valley, 20 Sep and from Nahsholim, Carmel coast, 25 Sep whilst two Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinerea were at Ma’agan Michael 15-16 Aug and En Hamifraz fishponds, Zvulun valley, 29 Aug-3 Sep. A Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos was at Ma’agan Michael 30 Sep-6 Oct and is the ninth for Israel. An adult Great Black- backed Gull Larus marinus returned to Acre for its fourth winter on 2 Dec and was joined by a first calendar-year bird 25 Dec. There were 20 Bridled Terns Onychoprion anaethetus off Eilat’s North Beach 18 Jul, 10 on 11 Aug and eight 31 Aug. In addition, as in summer 2008, a pair returned to Nachlieli island off the N Mediterranean coast and attempted to breed within a colony of Common Terns Sterna hirundo, but did not succeed. Daurian Isabelline Shrikes Lanius 1. isabellinus were at Rishpon, Mediterranean coast, 18 Sep, Maoz Hayim 15-16 Oct and Ein Shahak, Arava, 23 Oct. There was an intriguing record of a White-winged Lark Melanocorypha leucoptera, heard but not seen, over Bahad 1, central Negev, 20 Nov. A Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola was ringed at Ma’agan Michael and present 1-2 Dec, the seventh record for Israel, and a Green Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus was ringed at Netiv Halamed-He, Judean plains, 14 Oct, fourth for Israel. There was an amazing fall of Siberian Stonechats Saxicola maurus with 129 at Eilat 9 Nov, the highest number ever recorded in Israel. A Rufous- tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna was at Belvoir, east Galilee, 20 Nov, two Common Rosefinches Carpodacus erythrinus were ringed at Hula 19 Dec and a Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica was at Nafha, central Negev, 14 Nov. JORDAN Purple Herons Ardea purpurea were at Ghawr As Safi 14 Aug and two at Azraq wetland 5 Nov. Two new sites were discovered for Sooty Falcon Falco concolor; three were between Fifa and Tafila on 3 Sep and up to four were in Wadi Eheimer, near Rahma, Wadi Araba, 27 Sep. A European Honey Buzzard Pernis apwworus was at Aqaba pools 17 Nov, three Little Crakes Porzana parva at Azraq wetland 18 Aug and a flock of Eurasian Stone-Curlews were singing at sunset at Pella 9 Aug. Two adult Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius were in the airport area, 25 km south of Amman, on 17 Nov and were the third record since the 1960s if accepted by JBRC. Three Ruffs Philomachus pugnax were at Aqaba pools 17 Nov, Namaqua Doves Oena capensis were recorded near Baptism Site 12 Aug, at Wadi Feifa on 14 Aug and Azraq wetland 18 Aug. A Barn Owl Tyto alba was at Madaba city centre 5 Aug, a Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis at Ghawr As Safi 15 Aug and Pied Kingfishers Ceryle rudis at Ziglab dam 10 Aug and three there 8 Nov. A Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis was at Suweila, Jordan valley, near King Hussein bridge border crossing 15 Nov, two Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters Merops persicus were at South Shuna 6 August and one Azraq wetland 18 Aug and a Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis was at Suweila, Jordan valley, near the King Hussein bridge border crossing 15 Nov. There are very few autumn records of Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata so c100 at Ruweished 19 Oct is notable. Three Woodlarks Lullula arborea were at Kufrinja 6 Nov and a family group of Arabian Babblers Turdoides squamiceps was at Wadi Hasa 15 August. There are few recent records of Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta SO a pair with a nest in the Dlagha area, south of Petra, 15 Apr is noteworthy. On 18 Nov an Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni was recorded at Aqaba and will be the second record if accepted. Around 60 Syrian Serins Serinus syriacus were in the Artemisia highland steppe, 20 km north of Wadi Musa/Petra, on 6 Nov. KAZAKHSTAN An adult Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayti at the Sorbulak lake system, 80 km NW of Almaty, on 16 July was the first record for Kazakhstan. A Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis on the northeastern edge of the Priaralskye Karakumy sand massif on 6 June was c200 km north of its usual breeding range and a breeding pair of Eastern Black-eared Wheatears Oenanthe (hispanica) melanoleuca in the very south of Kostanay region on 10 June were c700 km northeast of the species’ known breeding areas on the Mangyshlak peninsula. KUWAIT Two Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons were at Shuaiba golf course 14-18 Nov, the second record for Kuwait (Plates 2 & 3). A Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca was at Doha South reserve 5 Nov (sixth record) and one at Jahra Pool reserve (JPR) 13 Nov and 2 Dec (seventh record). Three Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus were at JPR 14 Dec and two Bitterns Botaurus stellaris were at the Manchester club site 2 Dec. The first Indian Pond Heron Ardeola gray for Kuwait was at Al Abraq on 7 Nov. A Socotra Cormorant Leucocarbo nigrogularis was at Khiran Pearl city 4 Jul, with eight there 8 Aug and 15 on 5 Sept, the highest daily count since Aug 2000. Two Darters Anhinga melanogaster at JPR 20 Sep were the first record for Kuwait. A Merlin Falco columbarius was at the Pivot Fields 28 Oct and the 11th record of Black- winged Kite Elanus caeruleus was there 17 Sep Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 95 Plates 2 & 3. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons, Shuaiba golf course, Kuwait, 14-18 Nov 2009. © Pekka Fagel with another record at Al Abraq 23 Oct. The first White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla for Kuwait was at JPR 25 Nov. Twenty Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus were at JPR 20 Oct and one Jahra East Outfall 31 Oct. A Hen 96 Sandgrouse 32 (2010 Harrier Circus cyaneus was at the Pivot Fields 3 Dec, a Shikra Accipiter badius and a Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes at Al Abraq 2 Oct and a Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis at JPR 20 Oct. At Jahra East Outfall a Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio was present 14 Sep and a Common Crane Grus grus 17 Sep. The fifth record of Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius involved two birds at the Pivot Fields 8-13 Nov, the sixth record of Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria was at the Pivot Fields 1 Nov and two there 13 Nov. A Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa was at Sulaibikhat 17 Jul and a Black Tern Chlidonias niger was still present Sulaibikhat bay 4 Jul. In Jahra bay a Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus and a Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus (second record) were recorded 1 Jul. The seventh record of Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis was at the Pivot Fields 6 Nov and 30 Nov. Up to two Indian Rollers Coracias benghalensis were at Jahra Farm Jul and Aug and one Pivot Fields 20 Oct and 4 Nov. The first Hypocoliuses Hypocolius ampelinus of the winter was a group of nine at Jahra Farm 21 Oct and a flock of 60+ was on Green Island 30 Nov. A Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris at Messila Beach 4 Sep was the first Kuwait record and a Woodlark Lullula arborea was at Jahra Farm 4 Dec. Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis was recorded breeding for the first time in Kuwait and a juvenile photographed at Jahra East Outfall 18 Jul. Another juvenile was at JPR 12 Sep. There were two records of Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus, one at Al Abraq 16 Oct and one Jahra East Outfall 22 Oct. The first Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus for Kuwait was at Jahra Farm 29 Oct, a Yellow- browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus at Jahra East Outfall 21 Oct, a Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus Al Abraq 2 Oct and a Common Babbler Turdoides caudata at Sulaibikhat 7 Aug. At Sabah Al-Ahmed natural reserve a Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe chrysopygia was recorded 21 Oct and the eighth record of Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe albonigra was there 12 Dec. The ninth Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus was at JPR 4 Nov. A Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi was at Jahra East Outfall 17 Sep, a Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Jahra Farm 4 Dec and a Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus at Al Abrag 4 Sep. A Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla was at Al Abraq 6 Nov along with Kuwait’s second Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica 56 years after the first record. LEBANON Two Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus were present at Ehden reserve 8 Nov. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius has been proved to breed: a pair was found with at least one recently hatched chick near Tripoli 23 Jun. Other pairs demonstrating territorial behaviour were recorded at Dbayeh and north of Cheikh Zennad. There were single Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus 17 Oct and 27 Nov and 20 Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres 20 Oct at El Mina, Tripoli. A Red- necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus was a good find at Cheikh Zennad on 29 Jul, the 7th country record. Six Hawfinches Coccothraustes coccothraustes were at Balamand, near Tripoli, 16 Nov and ten at Amioun 28 Nov. OMAN The highlight was Oman’s first Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus, on Mahawt island near Barr Al Hikman 31 Oct; this species has been recorded in the UAE and Yemen. A single Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons was at Sohar Sun farms 15 Nov while in the south, two were at Khor Mughsayl 27 Nov and six Khor Rouri 28 Nov. On 15 Nov, six Greylag Geese Anser anser were at Sohar Sun farms and one at nearby Liwa. Individuals of the rarely recorded Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus were seen off Ras Janjari in southern Oman 16 Jul (one), 17 Jul (three) and 18 Jul (two). Also off Ras Janjari were up to 500 Persian Shearwaters Puffinus persicus 16-17 Jul, a single Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus, a rare species, 16 Jul, 8000-10 000 Flesh-footed Shearwaters Puffinus carneipes per hour 17 Jul, two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma monorhis 18 Jul and three off Mirbat 20 Oct. Amur Falcons Falco amurensis were seen at Khor Mughsayl 9 Nov (one), near Tawi Attair 29 Nov (seven including two adult males) and Jebel Qara 10 Dec (six). A lateish adult Sooty Falcon Falco concolor was on Jebel Qamar 27 Nov and a Saker Falcon Falco cherrug at Ras Al Hamra 21 Oct. A sub-adult female Shikra Accipiter badius was at Salalah 16 Jul, an interesting date. Two European Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus were at Salalah 1 Dec (this species is irregular in Oman) and one Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus was at Khor Tagah 8 Nov. A single Greater Spotted Eagle Aguila clanga Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 97 was at Salalah nature reserve 16 Jul, a very unusual date for a migrant and winter visitor. Two Purple Swamphens Porphyrio porphyrio at Khor Rouri 30 Jul were the 5th Oman record, the first since 1995 and a single Red- knobbed Coot Fulica cristata there 3 Nov and 8 Nov was the 6th record. Single Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo were at Rahab farm, near Marmul, 11-17 Oct, Khor Sawli 25 Oct, Jarziz farm, Salalah, 29 Oct and Khor Rouri 8 Noy; the last three sightings were probably of the same bird. A juvenile Crab-plover Dromas ardeola at Qurm, 18 Oct, is now unusual at this site. A Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus was at Muntasar 24 Oct and another Qurm park 1 Nov. Two adult Sooty Terns Onychoprion fuscata were off Ras As Sawadi 13 Jul and two off Mirbat 20 Oct. Two Sooty Noddies Anous tenuirostris were off Ras Janjari 17 Jul and one 18 Jul. A Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia (orientalis) meena was at Muntasar 24 Oct. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus is unusual in the north; a single female was at Muscat 18 Dec. An Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius was at Al Beed farm 23 Oct, another Muntasar 28 Oct and a third Khor Mughsayl 3 Nov. A Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor was at Natih 15 Oct. A single Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus, a male, was at Ayn Hamran 17 Oct, one Muntasar 28 Oct and four Thumrait 17 Dec. A Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola, a very rare visitor to Oman, was at Qurm park on 1 Nov. A Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni was at Muntasar 14 Jul; this elusive species is rarely seen. Two Oriental Skylarks Alauda gulgula were at Sohar Sun farms 25-26 Oct and one 29 Oct. A Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was at Ayn Hamran 28 Nov. A Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata at Al Beed in the central desert on 23 Oct and another at Ayn Hamran 25 Oct were the first records since 2004. A flock of 20 Spanish Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis was on Masirah island 12 Nov. Two Forest Wagtails Dendronanthus indicus were on Masirah 28-29 Oct; this species seems to be becoming more regular. A single Masked Wagtail Motacilla (alba) personata was on Masirah 19 Sep though is most frequently recorded at Sohar Sun farms where six were seen 3 Nov. A Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii was on Masirah 30 Oct 98 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) and a Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla at Qitbit I @cr : QATAR At least two pairs of Squacco Herons Ardeola ralloides successfully bred at Abu Nakhla wastewater area in June, the first Qatar breeding record. An adult male Amur Falcon Falco amurensis at Arakhiya farm 4-6 Dec and a juvenile there 18 Dec (Plate 4) were the first and second records for Qatar. Plate 4. Juvenile Amur Falcon Falco amurensis, 18 Dec 2009, Arakhiya farm, Qatar. © John Thompson Plate 5. Juvenile Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes, 30 Oct 2009, near Al Kharrarah, Qatar. © Dileep Kumar Plate 6. Juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, 30 Oct 2009, Abu Nakhla, Qatar. © Gavin Farnell Other first records were a juvenile European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus over Al Khor aerodrome 10 Oct and a juvenile Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes on a small farm near Al Kharrarah 30 Oct (Plate 5). A Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus at Arakhiya farm 4 Sep-2 Oct is the second Oatar record. Three observations at different locations of Short-toed Snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus 3 Oct-26 Nov were the first sightings since 1988. A juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca at Abu Nakhla 30 Oct (Plate 6) had been ringed and tagged with a yellow oval tag 28 Jul in Naurzum nature reserve, Kostanay, Kazakhstan; another second record for Qatar. Two pairs of Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta successfully bred at Al Kharaanah wastewater lagoons in June; the only previous breeding record was in 1984. Eight Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius at Arakhiya farm 20-28 Nov were the first since 1985; four were still present 18 Dec. RUSSIA Manych wetland lies just to the north of the OSME region but is close enough to entice members to venture that little further for spectacular birding. In March Greater White- fronted Geese Anser albifrons numbered c14 500 but Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis numbers totalled just 132; the visit was clearly too early for the large influx of spring migrants from the Danube delta. A count of c5010 White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala on 2 Apr was the highest in recent years. The first Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus started to move through around this date and the first Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo were on territory; summer migrants such as Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops and Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla (flava) flava had started to appear. By 11 Apr just one Greater White-fronted Goose remained and numbers of White-headed Duck were down to c3800. On 14 Apr a third nesting pair of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla was discovered. On 9 May a flock of c3600 Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus was seen on the northeast of the main Manych lake north of Divenoe island. The first Booted Warbler I[duna caligata and the second Eastern Olivaceous Warbler [duna pallida for the area were seen 12 May. Counts in September. included c12 000 Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus, cl10 000 Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola nordmanni and c35 000 Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea. On 26 Nov 124 Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus were seen but just one Bewick’s Swan Cygnus (columbianus) bewicki. About 1500 Greater White-fronted Geese but only two Red-breasted Geese had returned by 28 Nov; c450 White-headed Ducks were still present with an impressive c1500 Smews Mergellus albellus. Many thanks to Jeff Gordon for his last bulletin from Manych. Within the OSME region, a large tit flock at Essentuki lake 10 Nov included a single Marsh Tit Poecile palustris, the first in five years of almost daily visits to this site. SAUDI ARABIA A White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus at Sabkhat al Fasl, Jubail, on 30 Oct was the first country record. Other good records from this site included Greater Spotted Eagles Aquila clanga on several dates 23 Oct-19 Nov with a maximum of seven 30 Oct, at least 30 Purple Swamphens Porphyrio porphyrio on most visits, a flock of 15 Crab- plovers Dromas ardeola 6 Nov, two Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus 4 Sep with a single 9 Oct, a single Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus 30 Oct and 6 Nov and a single White- tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus 9 Oct, 30 Oct and 6 Nov. An adult male Crested Honey Sandgrouse 32 (2010) O9 Buzzard Pernis ptilorynchus was at Dhahran on 4 Dec; there are few confirmed records from Saudi Arabia. A web search then revealed a picture of an individual in flight at al-Hamrah, Jeddah, 13 Nov. A juvenile Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus was at Qaryat al Ulya 19 Nov. A Purple Swamphen seen intermittently 15 Oct-11 Dec was the first record from the Phragmites lakeside reedbed at Dhahran. The winter roost of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis at Dhahran peaked at 153 on 2 Dec with 110 present 31 Dec. A Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus in winter plumage at north Khobar 31 Dec was early. Four Chestnut- bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus were near the domestic oil refinery at Yanbu 2 Aug. An Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius was near Dhahran effluent lake at dusk 11-12 Sep and up to four were at Sabkhat al Fasl 7 Aug—4 Sep. A White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis was at Sabkhat al Fas] 21 Aug and 4 Sep. A male Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis was present 22 Oct-20 Nov at Dhahran effluent lake and a female was at Sabkhat al Fasl 23 Oct. Many thanks to Graham Lobley; this is his last bulletin from Saudi Arabia. SOCOTRA During a visit 24 Dec 09-6 Jan 2010 a number of vagrants were recorded, notably a Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, Black Kite Milvus migrans, two Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus, one, possibly two, Marsh Sandpipers Tringa stagnatilis, four Slender-billed Gulls Larus genei, a single Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius and a Citrine Wagtail Moracilla citreola. It would appear that up to five Indian Pond Herons Ardea grayii were present (at three sites) and there must be a real possibility of this species breeding on the island. Two Caspian Terns Sterna caspia were of note during the visit as was a flock of 105 Sanderlings Calidris alba at Ditwa lagoon— Yemen’s first Ramsar site. SYRIA As usual, there were very few birding visitors in the second half of the year; this is a pity, as autumn migration is as exciting as spring but much less is known about it. Large numbers of passerines were passing through in mid-September but raptors were not yet moving in large numbers; Montagu’s 100 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Harriers Circus pygargus were regular but the only Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus was a male at Mheimideh 21 Sep. The desert was exceptionally dry and all the reservoirs were empty—there was only a muddy puddle in Sed Wadi Abied—but there seemed to be more larks than in September 2008: Hoopoe Larks Alaemon alaudipes and Bar-tailed Larks Ammomanes cinctura were widespread. Some spectacular passages of hirundines, Alpine Swifts Tachymarptis melba and European Bee- eaters Merops apiaster were seen along the coastal mountains. A ‘chittering’ flock of at least 22 Little Swifts Apus affinis at Sed Wadi Abied 14 Sep is probably the largest count from Syria and the strongest evidence yet that they breed somewhere on the massive cliffs surrounding the Sed. A pair of White-cheeked Bulbuls Pycnonotus (leucogenys) leucotis was at Mohassan 21 Sep; this is a new site, about 10 km downstream from the classic site by the Deir ez-Zor footbridge. There have been two records from Mheimideh, 10-15 km upstream, so this species is clearly not limited to the city of Deir ez-Zor. Common migrants in the desert oases included Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria, Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus and Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva, with the occasional Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum. Seven species of shrike were noted including a female-type “Turkestan Shrike’ Lantus isabellinus phoenicurotdes at Talila 22 Sep and Syria’s second Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris at Mohassan 21 Sep. A Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus flushed into a bush at Talila on 21 Sep received an unpleasant surprise: a ‘Northern’ Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor was already in the bush. The shrike chased the Great Reed Warbler, flicked it over, killed and ate it. TAJIKISTAN A White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus in the Chapayev fish ponds 18 Oct was a late record. Among the Common Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus on _ the Syrdarya river in Khujand 30 Oct, there were eight Brown-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus, far to the northwest of their known distribution in Tajikistan. Tibetan Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes tibetanus were seen near Qarakul 7 Jul and near Khargushi pass 24 Jul. These seem to be the only records of the species in recent years, although it is probably resident. A male Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosa was in Khorugh 20-22 Jul and 31 Jul, adding to the small number of recent records. A male Bluethroat Luscinia svecica at Khorugh 23 Jul was probably an early migrant. TURKEY Fifteen See-see Partridges Ammoperdix griseogularis were seen near Sanliurfa 21 Jul and five at Birecik 29 Jul. Unusually large numbers of Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea were roosting at Mogan Golu, Ankara, end of November with a maximum of 1224 on 29 Nov. In the Kizilirmak delta there was an impressive count of 400 Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca 25 Nov, two Common Eiders Somateria mollissima 17 Aug-—20 Sep and an early record of two Velvet Scoters Melanitta fusca 1 Aug. The Kaizilirmak delta also had a late record of four Purple Herons Ardea purpurea 28 Nov. Autumn migration of Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus produced two notable counts from the Hatay region with 890 north of Samandag 24 Sep and 608 at Ziyaret Dagi 3 Oct. Two Pygmy Cormorants Phalacrocorax pygmeus at Mogan Golu 28-29 Nov were unusual. Autumn raptor migration produced several notable records including a Saker Falcon Falco cherrug in Istanbul 14 Nov and two at Denizli 22 Nov; a Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus at Beykoz, Istanbul, 24 Sep (11th record for Turkey); single White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla at Askale, Erzurum, 25 Oct and 3 Dec; six Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus at Yayladag, Hatay, 3 Oct; a Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus at Bahcekoy, Istanbul, 25 Oct; notable counts of Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina from Hatay with at least 951 in three hours at Aylibeycagili 26 Sep and 516 at Ziyaret Dagi 3 Oct; single Greater Spotted Eagles Aquila clanga at Bahcekoy 29 Sep, the Meric delta 25 Oct, Ziyaret Dagi 2 Oct, Yayladag 3 Oct, Toygartepe, Istanbul, 7 Oct and the Goksu and Gediz deltas 22 Nov, with two Antakya 30 Sep; Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis at Subasi, Antakya, 21 Sep and Uzundere, Erzurum, 24 Sep; and single Eastern Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca at Beypazari 13 Sep, Goyntik, Bolu, 22 Sep and Hafik, Yenigaga and Uzundere all 24 Sep. A Great Bustard Otis tarda at Toygartepe on 11 Jun was an exceptional record, as were Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax in Istanbul on 9 Nov and Trabzon 15 Nov. Corncrakes Crex crex were recorded in Samsun 15 Aug and Birecik 10 Oct and a Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla was at ISneada, Kirklareli, 30 Jul. There were unseasonal records of Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus at Kizilirmak delta with six 30 Nov and five 3 Dec. Other interesting waders were Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus at Buyukcekmece lake, Istanbul, 27 Aug and Saltukova, Zonguldak, 16 Sep, with two in the Kizilirmak delta 29 Sep; a Great Snipe Gallinago media at Mogan Golu 9 Aug; a Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Gediz delta 23 Aug; a Red Knot Calidris canutus Sinop 26 Sep; and single Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus at Samandag 29 Aug and Ayvalik, Balikesir, 19 Sep. An exceptional 128 Cream-coloured Coursers Cursorius cursor were counted along a 10 km section of road between Ceylanpinar and Akgcakale 6 Aug; more typical were groups of four near Sanliurfa 21 Jul and 21 Sep. A Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni was in Erzurum 27 Sep. Two Audouin’s Gulls Larus audouini at Samandag on 5 Aug were the first record for this area; a Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus was back in Haydarpasa, Istanbul, 30 Oct; and up to five Great Black-headed Gulls Larus ichthyaetus were roosting at Mogan Golu late November. Single Arctic Skuas Stercorarius parasiticus were at Filyos, Zonguldak, 6 Sep and Riva, Istanbul, 13 Dec. Six Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata were near Sanliurfa 21 Jul. A Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo was at Birecik 21 Jul; there were single records of Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis from the south 4 Jul and 30 Sep and a Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus in the Kizilirmak delta 24 Nov. The maximum count of Little Swifts Apus affinis in the period was 12 at Subasi, Antakya, 3 Oct. Four Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters Merops persicus were seen 97 km west of Akcakele 6 Aug. Great Grey Shrikes Lanius excubitor were in Edirne 25 Oct, Ceylanpinar 2 Nov and Yamak, south of Ankara, 28 Nov. A Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti was at Birecik, a regular locality, 7 Jul. Paddyfield Warblers Acrocephalus agricola were ringed at the Aras ringing station in Igdir 13 Aug and 6 Sep. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 101 Ten Iraq Babblers Turdoides altirostris were at Birecik 7 Nov. A Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna in the Hatay 7 Nov was notable, as were a Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus in Van 10 Jun and three Desert Finches Rhodospiza obsoleta at Kirikhan, Hatay, 7 Aug. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES An Arabian Partridge Alectoris melanocephala in Masafi Wadi 3 Nov was a surprise find away from Al Ain, where released birds have previously been seen. A bird showing characteristics of Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus (ibis) coromandus at Wamm farms 8 Aug-—11 Sep was the first UAE record of this form. A Masked Booby Sula dactylatra off Khor Kalba harbour 19 Jun-—16 Sep, joined by a second bird 26 Aug, were the 10th and 11th record for the UAE. What was presumably the same bird was Off Ra’s Dibba 11 Sep. Up to four Lappet- faced Vultures Aegyptius tracheliotos were in the Dubai Desert conservation reserve 12 Sep-18 Nov and a first-winter Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina was at various Dubai sites 29 Oct-14 Nov. A female Amur Falcon Falco amurensis at Ghantoot 17 Dec was the 12th UAE record. Single Sooty Falcons Falco concolor were at Wamm farms 23 Aug and 19-20 Sep, with another bird Dubai Pivot Fields (DPF) 11 Sep. The only record this winter of Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius was of six photographed 19 Nov at Khor Kalba beach, an unusual location. Two Eurasian Dotterels Charadrius morinellus at Ghantoot 11-17 Dec were the 22nd UAE record. A Great Snipe Gallinago media at Wamm farms 22 Sep was the 11th UAE record and a Red Knot Calidris canutus at Khor al-Beida 2 Nov was the 9th UAE record. Two Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola nordmanni were at Wamm farms 4-12 Sep. A Black Tern Chlidonias niger at Wamm farms 22-28 Aug was the 12th UAE record. A Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallus at Al Ain water treatment plant (Al Ain WTP) 24-27 Oct was the 5th recent UAE record. One Little Swift Apus affinis was over DPF area 2-9 Dec. An adult male Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus cristatus returned to DPF from 3 Oct till at least late December. Only one definite Pale Martin Kiparia diluta was reported, from Al 102. Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Ain WTP 11-18 Dec. A Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon at Al Ain WTP 3-5 Nov was the 14th UAE record and a Yellow- browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus on Lulu island 24 Oct was the 15th UAE record. A first-winter male Pied Stonechat Saxicola caprata at Wamm farms 11-21 Sep was the 14th UAE record. A Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus Safa Park 21-23 Oct was the 8th record away from Abu Dhabi island. Up to five Olive-backed Pipits Anthus hodgsoni were in Safa Park 23 Oct-year’s end; one 23 Oct showed characteristics of the nominate form. YEMEN An adult Shikra Accipiter badius sphenurus was filmed feeding on an adult male Hadhramawt Agama Acanthocercus adramitimus in Wadi Sharif 4 Sep. A total of c150 mostly juvenile Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis were found 22-25 Dec around chicken farms at Sanhan where they were observed feeding on chickens, in sacks, that had apparently died from the cold; one, possibly two juvenile Greater Spotted Eagles Aquila clanga and at least two juvenile Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca were also present. A male Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs was filmed in the northern Tihama 7 Sep. Hume’s Owls Strix butleri were calling in Wadi Yowr, Jebel Milhan, 30-31 Dec. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following assisted in the compilation of this review: Pierre-André Crochet, Korsh Ararat, Simon Aspinall, Raffael Ayé, Jamie Buchan, Mohammed Dhessat, Cisti Domsa, Adrian Drummond-Hill, Hugues Dufourny, Omar Fadil, Pekka Fagel, Brian Foster, Jeff Gordon, Barak Granit, lan Harrison, Dick Hoek, Shady Indary, Moldovan Istvan, Brendan Kavanagh, Fares Khoury, Howard King, Anssi Kullberg, Graham Lobley, Daniel Mauras, Mary Megalli, Christian Monnerat, David Murdoch, Lajos Nemeth, Mike Orr, Tommy Pedersen, Yoav Perlman, Mike Pope, David Porat, Richard Porter, Richard Prior, Feras Rahahleh, Colin Richardson, Mudhafar Salim, Attila D Sandor, Richard Seargent, David Stanton, Karen Wade, Geoff Welch, Pamela Anne Williams, Nizamettin Yavuz. Dawn Balmer, 7 Fisher Way, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2LD, UK. dawn.balmer@bto.org David Murdoch, Flat 3, 5 Eaton Crescent, Bristol BS8 2EJ, UK. damurdoch@hotmail.com The premier monthly bird magazine “At the top of the market for serious birders” BIRDING ; For a FREE sample issue write to: Birding World, Stonerunner, Coast Road, Cley next the Sea, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 7RZ or email: sales@birdingworld.co.uk The varied, lavishly illustrated articles include: latest rarity reports and news articles from Britain and abroad, discussing the identification and background authoritatively, as well as lavishly illustrated in colour, authoritative identification texts by world experts, on birds like Azorean Atlantic Gull, American Black Tern, Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher and Brown Shrike, and practical overseas birding ranging from Costa Rica to Japan and from the Cape Verde or visit Islands to the Czech Republic. www. birdingworld. co.uk The OSME region Lies between Europe, China and the Horn of Africa on two major migration flyways crossing Central Asia’s wind-swept steppes, the Caucasus’ towering mountains, Arabia’s wide arid deserts and the tropical seas of the Indian Ocean. An awesome place for birds and birdwatchers. Fo BE tee sai RNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA OSME = OSME brings together those curious and knowledgeable about the region’s birds Encourages Publishes SANDGROUSE conservation and research an internationally respected journal with papers on through a fund the birds of the OSME region written by local and for small-scale projects. visiting scientists and enthusiasts. OSME c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK To join OSME visit www.osme.org UK registered charity no. 282938 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) 103 After 25 years supplying the best natural history books... we now offer a huge range of wildlife equipment too www.nhbs.com Stealth Gear Extreme One Man Wildlife Photographer’s Jacket Photography ee: Camouflage Chair Hide £179.99 | #182966 > y warm and dry this winter - £74.99 | #180117 virders too. 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Extend the handle — retention rates. f rugged, ultra-lightweight scope by using a stick or piece of wood. includes infrared illumination. www.nhbs.com - Thousands of Wildlife Equipment Products In Stock : / 104 Sandgrouse 32 (2010) Editor Dr Peter Cowan, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman ¢ sandgrouse@osme.org Editorial Advisers Vasil Ananian, Simon Aspinall, Paul Goriup, Mike Jennings, Dr Fares Khoury, Guy Kirwan, Dr Stephen Newton, Arend Wassink Photographic Editor Paul Doherty Reviews Editor Guy Kirwan Identification Consultants Arnoud van den Berg, Chris Bradshaw, Steve Madge, Richard Porter ADVICE FOR AUTHORS The Editor will consider for publication papers and notes on the birds of the OSME region. ‘Russia’ on the OSME region map refers to the Russian Federation’s North Caucasus (to 45°N). Papers which additionally include birds in areas outside the OSME region or which are concerned with the birds of areas of which the OSME region, partially or completely, is an important part eg the Saharo-Sindian region or Siberian—African flyways, will also be considered. Please consult the Editor if in doubt about the suitability of material. All correspondence between authors and Editor, including initial submission of mss, will be by email. All mss must be in UK English and use Word. Consult recent issues of Sandgrouse for style conventions but apply minimal text formatting eg no rules, small caps or text boxes. All figure, table and plate captions should be in the text file at the end of the ms. Tables can be placed at the end of the Word document or be attached separately. All diagrams, maps, graphs and photos must be attached as individual files in a popular format. The Editor encourages the submission of maps and colour photos. All mss for publication are sent for review. Avian nomenclature and ‘species sequence should follow the OSME Region List, www.osme.org, unless argued convincingly otherwise. OSME region ISSN 0260-4736 ; Mongolia Russian Federation Soy Moldova oy ; tL +f Ga a 4 hy \/ | Ukraine Kazakhstan N § {Romania (oy ae aT a Nf ¢ 5 Bulgaria - — Kyrgyzstan Ve pe Russia ~ ig fh, a9 r S : a Oe = ae Georgia Uzbekistan China ON Armenia & é ney ? < Az pie CG “yy eens fl Turkey orhe ‘& Turkmenistan Fadzhikistan . . ee es : OSME region map design Bo ee foe : by Ian Fisher and es Cyprus { te Lebanon SYtia Afghanistan 5 ; colleagues at the RSPB f West Bank . 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