Sandgrouse

VOLUME 35(2) 2013

OSME

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THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

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114 Unravelling Meinertzhagen-generated confusion concerning the
occurrence of Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta in Egypt and the
Near East, ^vith a review of the species' status in the Middle East.
Guy M Kirwan & Andrew Grieve

126 The first confirmed records of Cory's Shearwater Calonectris

(diomedea) borealis for the United Arab Emirates and Oman, in 2011.
Oscar Campbell, Robert L Flood, Khalifa al Dhaheri & Graham Talbot

132 Presence of the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fidvus in lowland
Turkmenistan. Tiziano Londei

134 A mixed pair of pale and black morph Mourning Wheatears
Oenanthe lugens lugens in the southern highlands of Jordan.

Fares Khoury, Muna Haddad, Sharif Al-Jbour & Feras Rahahleh

138 First record of Mesopotamian Crow Corvus corone capellanus in
United Arab Emirates. R Gubiani, SB Muzaffar & T Pedersen

140 Large increase of the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
population on Masirah island, Oman. I Angelov, T Yotsova,

M Sarrouf & MJ McGrady

153 A description of the nest and eggs of the Arabian Wheatear
Oenanthe lugentoides, Oman. Andrew Dixon

156 A Striated Heron Butorides striata at Azraq, Jordan. Tareq Qaneer &
Greg Butcher

158 White-winged Terns Chlidonias leucopterus breeding at high
elevation in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Jens Hering & PA Buckley

161 From the Rarities

Committees. Ian Harrison
(compiler)

165 Review.

167 OSME News. Geoff Welch

168 News & Information.

Dawn Balmer (compiler)

175 Around the Region.

Ian Harrison & Chris Lamsdell
(compilers)

Photo above: Graceful Prinia
Prinia gracilis, Bar Al Jissa
(Muscat), Oman, February.

© Andrew Adams

Cover photo: Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis, Beit Shean
valley, north Israel, 23
October 2010. © Lior Kislev

Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

113

Unravelling Meinertzhagen-generated
confusion concerning the occurrence of
Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta in Egypt and
the Near East, with a review of the species’
status in the Middle East

GUY M KIRWAN & ANDREW GRIEVE

We present evidence to dispute the often-stated 'fact' that the recently recognised species. Pale
Sand Martin Riparia diluta, a principally Central Asian breeder, has been recorded in the Near East
and Egypt. Claims from the latter country are based solely on misidentified specimens collected
by Michael Nicoll and Richard Meinertzhagen, and the second-named was also responsible for
equally erroneous claims from southernmost Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Some of these reports
have been perpetuated in subsequent literature down to the present. Statements concerning the
species' occurrence and status in Israel are to some extent contradictory and require clarification;
we therefore consider that more proof of its presence in that country than has been provided to date
is required. Status in Iran is also discussed in the light of significant recent advances in knowledge
of separating R. diluta from Common Sand Martin R. riparia. The sole available evidence for the
species' occurrence therein appears to be a recent, unpublished, photographic record. Finally, we
present a resume of other Middle Eastern records of Pale Sand Martin, all of them since the year
2000, from the easternmost portion of the Arabian peninsula.

INTRODUCTION

During the course of the last cl5 years the extent to which The Natural History
Museum (NHM, Tring, UK) bird collection and the ornithological record in general are
compromised by specimen fraud perpetrated by Richard Meinertzhagen has become
increasingly apparent (see eg Rasmussen & Prys-Jones 2003). However, not all problems
concerning Meinertzhagen's specimens are the result of fraudulent activity; some, like
those of his peers, apparently pertain to simple misidentifications. Here we discuss
Meinertzhagen-generated errors concerning the status of Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta
in Egypt and the Near East. It merits stating at the outset that knowledge concerning the
characters unequivocal of R. diluta and those taxa considered most closely related to it
were subject to considerable confusion amongst ornithologists well into the second half
of the 20th century, some of them with far more experience of the relevant forms than
Meinertzhagen. Nonetheless, in the present case, the erroneous statements he published
have, to a greater or lesser extent, been accepted and perpetuated until the present day.

R. diluta was, until recently, generally considered a subspecies of Common Sand
Martin R. riparia, but is now increasingly frequently regarded as a species apart, based on
vocal and morphological differences, and the realisation that the two breed in separate
colonies over a broad area of sympatry in Central (Middle) Asia (Gavrilov & Savchenko
1991, Goroshko 1993, Loskot & Dickinson 2001, Turner 2004, Rasmussen & Anderton
2005, Loskot 2006), but also in mixed colonies with no evidence of mixed pairings eg at
lake Alakol in eastern Kazakhstan (P Alstrdm, AG, PA Lassey and L Svensson pers obs).
Molecular evidence also supports their specific status (Pavlova et al 2008). Pale Sand
Martin breeds from central Siberia and southern and eastern Kazakhstan east to the river
Lena in the north and eastern China in the south. Northern populations {eg R. d. diluta
and R. d. gavrilovi) are migratory, moving south principally to winter in the northern
Indian subcontinent as far south at least as Maharashtra (Rasmussen & Anderton 2005)
and perhaps South-East Asia (Turner 2004). In the latter region, Robson (2008) mentioned
records for East Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and Malaysia, but Bakewell (2010) pointed out

114 Sandgrouse 35 {2013)

Plate I. Meinertzhagen specimens of sand martins Riparia, most of which were originally identified as Pale Sand
Martin R. diluta, but all of which are Common Sand Martin R. riparia, as follows, from left to right. BMNH I965-M-
8263, collected at Wadi Natrun, Egypt, 14 April 1923; BMNH I965-M-8264, collected at the same locality on the
same date; BMNH I965-M-8262, collected at Hadda, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 3 April 1948; BMNH I965-M-8240,
collected at lake of Antioch, Turkey, 17 May 1933; BMNH I965-M-8239, collected at the same locality on the same
date; BMNH I965-M-826I, collected at the same locality, 28 May 1933; and BMNH I965-M-8260, collected at the
same locality on the same date. Guy M Kirwan/© Natural History Museum, Tring

that none of the several claims from the last-named country are acceptable. This illustrates
how prevalent the problem of separating diluta appears to be. Some authors have included
eastern Iran within the breeding range of diluta (eg Vaurie 1951, Kumerloeve 1961, Erard
& Etchecopar 1970), but this should also be re-evaluated given modern knowledge of the
species' identification. Occurrence in the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula in
winter has been well established within the last decade (Porter & Aspinall 2010) and is
considered further here only in the Discussion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We examined potentially misidentified Egyptian and Middle Eastern specimens of R.
diluta in the following museums: NHM, Tring, UK, the Field Museum of Natural History,
Chicago (FMNH), and, through the assistance of JM Bates and J Engel, the American
Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH). Relevant specimens for investigation
were established from the literature, with additional material from adjacent regions
being examined where appropriate. Specimen identification followed a standard protocol
combining plumage features, which focused on overall upperparts coloration (paler and
more greyish in diluta compared to riparia), much less contrasting (paler) ear-coverts of
diluta but obviously dark lores and eye, underparts pattern, especially the nature of the
breast-band (less clear-cut and often broken in diluta) and throat colour (often pure white
in diluta), and the presence and pattern, or absence, of tarsal feathering, with mensural
data. We relied on our combined field experience of R. diluta on its Central Asian breeding
grounds (AG) and, to a lesser extent, its wintering areas in southern Asia (GMK), as well
as Loskot's (2006) work on variation and identification of specimen material.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 115

Plate 2. Specimens of Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta from India, collected by WN Koelz and held at the Field Museum
of Natural History, Chicago, showing differences in underparts pattern from Iranian specimens of Sand Martin R.
riparia innominata taken by the same collector (see Plate 3, Table I). © Guy M Kirwan

Among plumage characters, the pattern of the breast-band and ear-coverts are
unquestionably the most important, although some overlap between diluta and riparia is
known (Schweizer & Aye 2007). The pattern of tarsal feathering, as noted by Loskot (2006)
can be difficult to accurately establish on museum specimens for several reasons, including
the possibility that any such feathers have been lost. In general, in R. riparia "one or two
small feathers may be present above the feather tuft near the base of the hind toe, but
these never reach the middle of the tarsus, and the upper half of the tarsus always remains
bare" (Loskot 2006). Nonetheless, we must point out that our own research, in conjunction
with that of our colleagues L Svensson and H Shirihai, indicates that the tarsal feathering
differences reported by Loskot (2006) require considerable clarification, especially with
respect to other sand martin taxa in the Middle Eastern region, most notably R. r. shelleyi
and R. r. eilata. The two most important mensural characters are wing length and tail fork
depth (Schweizer & Aye 2007). In adults, nominate riparia usually has the wing <111 mm
(all values approximate), versus diluta <104 mm, while in juveniles the respective values are
<108 mm and 105 mm (Loskot 2006). With respect to tail fork values, adults of nominate
riparia typically measure >13 mm versus >6.5 mm in diluta, with juveniles scoring >8.5 mm
and 7.5 mm, respectively (Loskot 2006). Most of the above-mentioned characters are to

116 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 3. Specimens of Sand Martin Riparia riparia innominata from Iran, collected by WN Koelz and held at the Field
Museum of Natural History, Chicago, all of which were suggested to be hybrid R. riparia x R. diluta by Charles Vaurie
(see Table I ). © Guy M Kirwan

some extent diagnostic, but there is overlap in many of them and all of our identifications
were based on as broad a sample of these as possible.

All mensural data were collected by GMK, with the exception of those specimens
held at AMNH, which were measured by John M Bates. Wing (flattened chord) and tail
measurements were taken to 0.5 mm accuracy using a standard metal wing rule with a
perpendicular stop at zero. Our results are presented below according to country/region.

RESULTS

Egypt

The case of the Egyptian specimens of 'diluta' provides a classic example of 'hand-me-
down' assumption, with numerous sources, many of them highly authoritative including
the definitive national checklist (Goodman & Meininger 1989) and many keynote reviews
of the family {eg Turner 2004), having unwittingly or uncritically persisted in repeating
the original error. Writing about R. r. diluta, Meinertzhagen (1930) stated "A single bird
obtained on 24/ix. by Nicoll, near Cairo, belongs to this form, and several obtained near
Cairo and in the Wadi Natrun between 9/iii. and 19/iv. On 14/iv./1923 there were large
flocks of this form at the Wadi Natrun, among which were some conspicuously large birds.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 117

one having a wing of 113 mm. No record
from Sinai, though they doubtless occur."

The latter bird would be long-winged by
any standards, but is well outside the range
of any R. diluta identified according to
modern standards (Cramp 1988, Loskot
2006: 217). Two of these specimens are
held at NHM (Table 1, Plate 1) and the
rest were, at least formerly, presumably
at the Giza Zoological Museum, although
at no point does Meinertzhagen (1930)
make explicit the total number of Egyptian
diluta specimens or where they are held.

Given the extent to which Meinertzhagen
endeavoured to falsify the ornithological
record (many publications since Clancey
1984, then Knox 1993), it is even plausible
that his mention of 'several' taken between
9 March and 19 April refers to nothing
more than the two NHM specimens.

Nevertheless, given that we suspect the
present case to exemplify nothing more
than lack of knowledge, rather than deliberate fraud, it might initially appear strange
that he should employ subterfuge to support his hypothesis that diluta occurs in Egypt.
It merits emphasising that knowledge of diluta, then considered only subspecifically, was
sufficiently weak at the time to make Meinertzhagen's claims entirely plausible, or at least
difficult to question, especially given a lack of complete knowledge concerning the nature
of plumage variation within the local race of R. riparia, shelleyi, which persists to the present
day. Despite that we have been unable to trace or examine all of the specimens to which
Meinertzhagen (1930) referred (including Nicoll's September specimen), we consider that
the species should be removed from the Egyptian list given that those specimens that
are available clearly concern R. riparia and because Meinertzhagen throughout his career
failed, more or less consistently, to reliably differentiate R. diluta and R. riparia (see Saudi
Arabia, Turkey and Discussion).

Other commentators have been content to maintain R. diluta on the Egyptian list,
albeit proffering varying levels of support and occasionally misquoting the original
source. Etchecopar & Hue (1967) cited Egyptian records in March, April and September
(repeated by Turner & Rose 1989) obviously following Meinertzhagen (1930). However,
three years later the same authors made no mention of Egypt under the range of R. diluta
in the Middle East (Hiie & Etchecopar 1970). Cramp (1988: 238) stated only that R. diluta
had been collected in Palestine and Egypt (occurrence in Palestine was seemingly first
mentioned by Meinertzhagen 1954; see below). Goodman & Meininger (1989) considered it
to be a passage migrant through Egypt without proffering further details, although given
the complete lack of records from further south in Africa (Keith et al 1992), it is unclear to
where these birds might have been en route. Shirihai (1996: 377) mentioned East Africa as
forming part of the wintering range of R. diluta, but no other author seems to admit this
possibility (Urban & Brown 1971, Britton 1980, Nikolaus 1987, Zimmerman et al 1996, Ash
& Miskell 1998, Ash & Atkins 2009, Redman et al 2009). In this respect, it merits mentioning
that, among specimens of R. riparia from elsewhere in Africa held in the Chicago and
Tring museums, we are unable to locate any misidentified R. diluta. In contrast to other

Plate 4. Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta, Sohar Sun farms,
Oman, March 2004; note the obviously dark lores/eye,
contrasting with the rest of the head, ear-coverts grading
into paler throat (lacking obvious demarcation) and
breast-band obviously narrower and paler in its centre.
© PA Lassey

118 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

authors, Keith ct al (1992) stated that there was only one record from I'gN’pt, while Turner
(2004) mentioned that nominate diliita has been reecnded from western T’gN'pt. Most
recently, Moldowm (2010) continued to list R. dilittn for the coiintr\' (as a 'passage x isilor')
in his 'provisional' checklist, claiming to ha\e examined and xalidaled the two NllM
specimens, as well as mentioning that "some birds caught 1 liirghada sewage works [on
the Red sea coast] as Sand Martin R. ripnrin likely to he Pale Martin". The latter statement
is inadmissible without thorough documentation, and superficially appears to he based on
an entirely retrospective consideration. Although Moldoxan (2010, and M| Blair therein)
claimed to ha\'e examined the two specimens, their personal familiarity with R. dilidii is
unclear to us, and given that other NHM specimens of R. ripariu are also mislabelled as
diluta it would be easy for a relati\'ely inexperienced worker to continue to promulgate
the misidentification based on an uncritical examination and comparison with other
incorrectly labelled material.

Iran

Occurrence in Iran has been mentioned in the literature on several occasions Kumerloeve
1961, Erard & Etchecopar 1970), but diliitn is not stated to occur in the country by many
other keynote works {eg Turner 2004, Scott & Adhami 2006, Porter & Aspinall 2010). Vaurie
(1951) seems to have been first to promulgate the hypothesis that R. diluta does occur in
the country, claiming that birds found by Zarudny (1911: 221) breeding in Seistan and
Kerman 'pirobably' belonged to this form. However, we have found nothing in Zarudny's
o^vn writings to suggest that he considered diluta to comprise part of the Iranian avifauna,
\vhich is significant given his own (partially flawed) contribution to the taxonomy of these
swallows (Zarudny 1916). As subsequently demonstrated by Loskot (2006), Zarudny (1916)
described a new (pale) race of R. r. innominata based on a mixed series of specimens of R.
riparia and R. diluta. The two Iranian specimens from this series, taken at Dzhelalabad
(Seistan) in late June, are both referable to R. riparia (Loskot 2006). Furthermore, Vaurie (1951:
8) listed no diluta specimens from Iran. The same author did, however, list 18 specimens, of
all ages and sexes, taken by WN Koelz in western Iran (Luristan) on various dates between
May and October, which Vaurie considered to be intermediate between R. riparia and R.
diluta. All of these specimens are held at FMNH and AMNH, and were re-examined by
GMK, John M Bates and J Engel, along with several other Koelz specimens of R. diluta from
India (Plate 2). The results of this examination revealed that all of these specimens, which
come from two localities, Borujerd (= Brujird; 33° 54' N, 48° 45' E) and Dow Rud (= Durud;
33° 29' N, 49° 04' E), can confidently be identified as R. r. innominata Zarudny, 1916 (Table
1, Plate 3), based on a combination of plumage characters, presence and pattern of tarsal
feathering, and morphometries (following Loskot 2006). As noted by the latter author, R.
r. innominata possesses a breast-band quite equal in strength to that of R. r. riparia, thereby
assisting to alleviate any potential confusion between what is otherwise a relatively pale
form of R. riparia and R. diluta. Recently, A Ouwerkerk photographed what appears to be
a single R. diluta near Minab, Hormuzgan, on 25 January 2007 (which we identified on the
basis of underparts pattern and coloration of the upperparts). Given the recent revelation
that R. diluta overwinters in the southeast corner of Arabia (see Discussion) that some
birds migrate through Iran, and indeed presumably overwinter there too, at least in the
far south, becomes unsurprising.

The Levant

There does not seem to be any record of R. diluta for Lebanon (Ramadan-Jaradi et al 2008), but
Meinertzhagen (1954: 280) mentioned diluta for Syria, which claim was repeated by Turner
& Rose (1989). However, this mention of Syria refers to Meinertzhagen's specimens from

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 119

Table I. Mensural and other data for relevant Riparia specimens from Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, togeth-
er with comparative data for several Indian specimens of Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta (probably migrants from
further north, rather than local breeders) collected by WN Koelz, who was also responsible for all of the Iranian
specimens listed here. Wing (flattened chord) and tail-length measurements (mm) were taken using a standard
metal wing rule with a perpendicular stop at zero. In addition to the pattern of any tarsal feathering, plumage char-
acters (principally the general coloration of the upperparts, throat colour, and the breast-band pattern) were also
used to identify each specimen to species, following Loskot (2006). All measurements by GMK, except for those
specimens held in New York, which were measured by JM Bates. Note that age and sex information is based sole-
ly on label data. Museum acronyms: AMNH = American Museum of Natural History (New York); BMNH = The
Natural History Museum (Tring, UK); and FMNH = Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago).

Museum Age / sex

registration

no.

Collection

locality

Collection

date

Wing

Tail

Comments

T arsal
feathering

Sand Martin Riparia riparia

BMNH

M-8263

1965- male

Wadi Natrun,

Egypt

14.4.1923

107

57

labelled as diluta
by Meinertzhagen

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

BMNH

M-8264

1 965- female

Wadi Natrun,

Egypt

14.4.1923

1 1 1

58

labelled as diluta
by Meinertzhagen

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

BMNH

M-8261

1965- male

Lake of
Antioch,
Turkey

28.5.1933

106.5

56

labelled as diluta
by Meinertzhagen

tiny tuft of
feathers above
tarsal joint

BMNH

M-8260

1965- male

Lake of

Antioch,

Turkey

28.5.1933

99.5

52

labelled as diluta
by Meinertzhagen

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

BMNH 1965- female (not
M-8240 breeding)

Lake of

Antioch,

Turkey

17.5.1933

105.5

50

labelled as riparia
by Meinertzhagen

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

BMNH 1965- male (not
M-8239 breeding)

Lake of

Antioch,

Turkey

17.5.1933

107

52.5

labelled as riparia
by Meinertzhagen

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

BMNH

M-8262

1965- male

Hadda, Jidda,
Saudi Arabia

3.4.1948

113

62

labelled as diluta
by Meinertzhagen

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

FMNH

233289

juvenile

male

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

19.7. 1941

98

46

labelled as hybrid
riparia ^ diluta by
Vaurie

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

FMNH

233290

juvenile

female

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

1. 10.1941

102.5

49.5

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

some tarsal
feathering

FMNH

233291

ad female?

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

27.9.1941

1 1 1

56

labelled as hybrid
by Vaurie, but
obviously a R.
riparia

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

FMNH

233292

juvenile

male

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

28.9.1941

101

58

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

FMNH

233293

juvenile

male

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

19.7. 1941

99

51

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

FMNH

233294

juvenile

male

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

18.7. 1941

98

46

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

FMNH

233296

juvenile

female

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

2.I0.I94I

100.5

55

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

120 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

FMNH

233295

first-winter

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

2. 10. 1941

FMNH

233297

juvenile

female

Brujird.
Luristan, Iran

16.8. 1941

FMNH

233298

juvenile

female

Brujird.
Luristan, Iran

18.7. 1941

FMNH

233299

juvenile

female

Brujird.
Luristan. Iran

30.9.1941

AMNH

462505

ad female

Brujird,
Luristan. Iran

27.9.1941

AMNH

462506

juv female

Brujird,
Luristan. Iran

30.9.1941

AMNH

462507

ad male

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

1 . 1 0. 1 94 1

AMNH

462508

ad female

Brujird,
Luristan, Iran

2.I0.I94I

AMNH

462509

female

(ovary

granular)

Durud,
Luristan, Iran

16.5.1942

AMNH

462510

female?

Durud,
Luristan, Iran

16.5. 1941

AMNH
4625 1 1

ad female

Durud,
Luristan, Iran

22.10.1941

Pale Sand Martin Riparia diluta

FMNH

233288

male

Bheraghat,

India

1 5. 1 1 . 1 946

FMNH

233287

female

Sind, India

25.01.1934

FMNH

233284

not sexed

Sind, India

7.12.1939

FMNH

233286

not sexed

Sind, India

5.12.1939

FMNH

233285

not sexed

Sind, India

6.12.1939

FMNH

233283

male

Sind, India

7.12.1939

103

54

labelled as hybrid
by Vaurie, but
obviously a R.
riparia

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

100

49

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

no perceivable
tarsus feathering

97

52

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

107

57

labelled as hybrid
by Vaurie, but
obviously a R.
riparia

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

1 1 1

56

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

99.5

46

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

minimal tarsal
feathering

1 10.5

55.5

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

103

52

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

1 1 1

55.5

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

109

incom-

plete

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

106

50

labelled as hybrid
riparia x diluta by
Vaurie

tuft of feathers
above tarsal joint

101

48

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

some tarsal
feathering in line
above tarsal joint

100

50

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

extensive tarsal
feathering above
tarsal joint

102.5

50

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

extensive tarsal
feathering above
tarsal joint

96.5

incom-

plete

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

some tarsal
feathering in line
above tarsal joint

98

53

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

extensive tarsal
feathering above
tarsal joint

102

54

labelled as diluta
by Vaurie

extensive tarsal
feathering above
tarsal joint

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 121

the now-drained lake of Antioch (Amik Gdlii), in the southernmost part of modern-day
Turkey (see below), making subsequent checklists of Syrian birds correct to have ignored
this statement (Baumgart et al 1995, Murdoch & Betton 2009). Hue & Etchecopar (1970)
noted that R. diluta had been recorded in Palestine presumably based on Meinertzhagen
(1954: 280); neither offered details. The most detailed information concerning diluta in
the Near East comes from Israel, where Shirihai & Colston (1992) and Shirihai (1996)
described it as an uncommon passage migrant, mainly through the southeast of the
country and almost exclusively in spring. R. diluta was considered by these authors to
constitute up to c20% of Sand Martins passing through in spring, but more usually <10%,
mid March-mid June, with most between late March and the first week of May peaking
on 5-20 April. In autumn, Shirihai (1996) regarded diluta as considerably less numerous,
comprising c5% of the Sand Martin passage. However, in stark contrast, Morgan &
Shirihai (1997: 15) described the situation as follows 'The major subspecies involved is the
Central Asian R. r. diluta, and nominate R. r. riparia is uncommon and occurring almost
only in spring." Yet, the same authors go on to report that all of the ringing recoveries
and controls at Eilat (admittedly only eight) involved the following countries, Estonia,
Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Russia and Tunisia (Morgan & Shirihai 1997: 16), ie all
apparently from the range of nominate riparia, which seems decidedly curious if diluta
really is so predominant, although it is conceivable that the range of nominate riparia is
more likely to yield ring recoveries through greater human population densities, better
knowledge of the significance of bird ringing, etc. This is in unexplained contradiction to
Shirihai (1996), and given such a marked discrepancy (and the lack of any documentary
evidence of diluta in the Middle East, away from the southeast corner of Arabia and Iran;
see Discussion and below, respectively) suggests to us that more concrete proof of its
occurrence in Israel is required, despite that Shirihai & Colston (1992) and Shirihai (1996)
presented mensural data and plumage details supporting the identifications. We suspect
that R. r. shelleyi, which is known to breed only in Egypt but may wander more widely,
might be a complicating factor in analysing Riparia records in Israel. Loskot (2006) recently
demonstrated that morphometries alone certainly are insufficient for species identification
in many cases. The Israeli Records & Distribution Committee continues to regard diluta as
a subspecies of R. riparia to the present (A Cohen in litt 2011).

Saudi Arabia

In his magnum opus. The birds of Arabia, Meinertzhagen (1954: 280) mentioned collecting a
R. r. diluta from a flock containing both nominate R. riparia and this form at Hadda, near
Mecca, on 3 April 1948. The specimen (BMNH 1965.M.8262) is also held at Tring and is an
obvious R. riparia, based on morphology (Plate 1) and measurements {eg very long wing,
see Table 1). Perhaps strangely, this Arabian record of diluta appears to have been largely
ignored in the subsequent literature, unlike most other Meinertzhagen specimens and
claims of diluta discussed here.

Turkey

Meinertzhagen (1935) claimed that he found R. r. diluta breeding in late May at the lake of
Antioch (the now-drained Amik G51u), in southernmost Turkey, very close to the Syrian
border, whilst nominate riparia were still on passage at the same site. Meinertzhagen
mentioned taking two specimens of each form. We examined these four specimens (held
at NHM) and found that all of them are clearly R. r. riparia based on plumage (Plate 1)
and, to a lesser extent, measurements (Table 1). As there are no other claims of R. diluta in
Turkey (Kirwan et al 2008) any notion that it has occurred there to date can be categorically

122 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

discounted. Kumerloe\’e (1%1: 138), Roselaar (I'-RS) .ind kcisp.uvk (1^)%) all

rightly ignored Meinertzhagen's (h)33) mention ot diliitti in lurkew

DISCUSSION

Perhap>s the first Middle Eastern record ot R. liilula to ha\e been assessed, and accepted,
by a records committee, is from Oman, where, on 8 l'ebruar\- 2t)t)2, H ».<i; N Sargeant
observed one of this taxon at Sohar Sun farms, in the north ot the counti\' (liriksen cl
al 2003). Subsequently, AG, 1V\ l.asse\' and BN llill closeK’ (.d^serxed and photographed
five individuals at the same locality on 2t>-27 March 2004 (Plate 4), and 1 1 larrison and 1)
Sargeant observed another bird in the same place on IB Eebruarv 2007, although this record
has not been formally submitted. There is also a record from Qurm park, Oman, of a single
bird on 1 November 2000 (1 Tengklint), but this too has not been submitted. There is also
another report in Oman, involving two, also at Sohar Sun farms, on 28 December 2004
(Balmer & Betton 2005), and Schweizer & Ave (2007) published two photographs, by 1 1 &
J Eriksen, of a bird, also at Sohar, simply dated 'January'. However, in the neighbouring
United Arab Emirates, the species now appears to winter regularly, albeit in variable
numbers: the first record is dated 14 January 2000 and the peak single-day count involved
80 in late December 2006 (Pedersen & Aspinall 2010). Reports appear to have been at least
annual since the first (c/ Schweizer & Aye 2007), with most between December and early
April, but there is at least one May report (Balmer & Betton 2002) and there was a veritable
'rush' in early 2005, when up to 30 individuals were present at Al Wathba lake alone
(Balmer & Betton 2006). Several photographs of R. diluta from the United Arab Emirates
have been published, most recently in Balmer & Murdoch (2010: 189). This pattern of
exclusive or near-exclusive occurrence in the southeast corner of Arabia is mirrored by
other vagrants and winter visitors from the Indian subcontinent region, eg Indian Pond
Heron Ardeola grayii, Forest Wagtail Dendronanthiis indicus, Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo
smithii and Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatiis, amongst others. Elsewhere in the Middle
East, these taxa are unknown or virtually so, even in comparatively well-watched Israel.
So, while we certainly would not eliminate the possibility of vagrancy by R. diluta to, or
even small numbers passing through, Israel, the presence of many thousands, if not tens
of thousands on regular spring migration (as implied by Shirihai & Colston 1992, Shirihai
1996 and, especially, Morgan & Shirihai 1997), seems improbable.

There may be other records of R. diluta from Arabia, especially its eastern seaboard, but
because of its previous treatment as a race of R. riparia, observations may be effectively
'buried' from view, or even discounted as uninteresting by their observers. On Bahrain,
Hirschfeld (1995) noted that R. diluta could occur, but did not seemingly encounter it
during the three years he spent on the island. Elsewhere, other national avifaunal reviews
have not attempted to discriminate between races of R. riparia sensu lato {eg Richardson
1990, Nightingale & Hill 1993, Gregory 2005).

Finally, we note that there are other Meinertzhagen specimens belonging to the R.
riparialR. diluta group that were either misidentified by their collector or are otherwise
problematic. PC Rasmussen and R Prys-Jones (pers comm) have examined Meinertzhagen's
two specimens of R. r. ijimae and one of R. diluta collected in Afghanistan: the latter proves
to be R. diluta and the two R. r. ijimae are apparently fraudulent. These specimens will
be discussed in detail by Rasmussen and Prys-Jones' forthcoming work on the Asian
specimens of Richard Meinertzhagen. As a result of the type of problems described here, it
seems that there is still comparatively much to learn concerning the relative distributions
of these two species in Central Asia and related regions.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 123

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

At NHM, Tring, we are, as ever, indebted to the staff, especially Robert Prys-Jones, Mark Adams, Hein van
Grouw and Alison Harding, for their invaluable assistance with specimens and relevant literature. GMK
is grateful to the following staff at FMNH, Chicago, for assistance during his most recent visit: John Bates,
David Willard and Mary Hennen. We thank John Bates and Josh Engel for examining Iranian Riparia speci-
mens held at AMNH, New York, on our behalf, and Paul Sweet for permitting their access to this material.
Effie Warr's unpublished annotated checklist of Arabian birds (copy in GMK's possession) was invaluable
in researching claims of R. diluta from the peninsula, and Ron Demey assisted with some Afrotropical lit-
erature. Rob Felix alerted us to the recent record of R. diluta in Iran. Lars Svensson and Hadoram Shirihai
discussed some of our findings, although they do not necessarily agree with all of them. Ian Harrison
updated our knowledge of the status of Pale Sand Martin in Oman, as did Avner Cohen for Israel. Yoav
Perlman sent several photographs of 'mystery' sand martins trapped in the latter country. We thank the four
reviewers for their comments and contribution to this manuscript.

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Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 125

The first confirmed records of Cory’s
Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis for the

United Arab Emirates and Oman, in 201 1

OSCAR CAMPBELL, ROBERT L PLOOD, KHALIFA AL DHAHERI &

GRAHAM TALBOT

Until very recently, the distribution of seabirds in the gulf of Oman off the United Arab
Emirates was relatively poorly known. Knowledge was from a scattering of old records
made from merchant ships, a small number of mainly coastal trips made by local birders,
and, to a greater extent, land-based observations. However, since June 2010, a small but
enthusiastic group of local birders have made afternoon boat trips to search for seabirds
from Kalba harbour, Sharjah emirate, on the UAE east coast. Most trips have been on a
boat skippered by a local fisherman, Abdulla al Zaabi. In 2011 trips were near-weekly
mid April-late September and some trips gathered truly pelagic records, ranging up to 50
km offshore. A number of species regularly seen on these trips were previously regarded
as exceptionally rare vagrants, or even unknown, in UAE waters. Perhaps the least
anticipated was Cory's Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis. Indeed, Cory's were seen
on three dates mid May-early July in 2011. The OSME Region List (2010) records this taxon
as suspected but unconfirmed. The similar looking and closely related taxon Scopoli's
Shearwater C. (d.) diomedea was assumed to account for records from eg Oman and the gulf
of Aqaba, presumably because of its occurrence in the eastern Mediterranean.

RECORDS OF CORY’S SHEARWATER IN 201 I

First record

12 May, observers KalD and Derrick Wilby (Plate 1). A single bird was found at 17.15 h, c20
km east-northeast of Kalba. It was first located sat on the water among Persian Shearwaters
Puffinus persicus. It then flew and was followed at speed for several minutes with the last
sighting at 25° 07.400' N, 056° 35.787' E. The area was re-visited two days later but the bird
was not present.

Second record

22 June, seven observers including GT (Plates 2, 3). A single bird was found at 16.00 h, c5
km east-southeast of Kalba.The co-ordinates were not noted. It was observed at dose range
as it flew steadily eastwards.

Third record

1 July, eight observers including OC (Plates 4-7). A large feeding flock of Persian and
Flesh-footed Shearwaters P. carneipes and Bridled Terns Onychoprion fuscata was located at
17.30 h, c24 km east-southeast of Kalba. A single Cory's was seen to settle on the sea among
them. The flock was approached and the Cory's Shearwater observed at close range on the
sea and then followed for cl5 minutes as it flew south. Co-ordinates for the last sighting
are 24° 54.772' N, 056° 37.289' E, within Omani waters. The initial sighting was either
within or very close to UAE waters.

The Emirates Bird Records Committee (EBRC) accepted the records as referring to three
different Cory's Shearwaters Calonectris (diomedea) borealis, based mainly on plumage
aspects and wear. The Oman Bird Records Committee also accepted the third record as a
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis.

126 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate I . Cory’s Shearwater Calonearis (diomedea) borealis, c20 km east-northeast of Kalba, UAE, 1 2 May 2011. This
is a typical Cory’s in every respect and its identification is straightforward. It has a relatively rather large head, broad
wings, and heavy bill. Its overall hefty structure eliminates Scopoli’s C. (d.) diomedea and suggests a male Cory’s. The
underwing pattern is diagnostic of Cory’s. The exposed primaries are dark, while the under primary-coverts are
white, giving an evenly-rounded pale/dark border between the two feather tracts (particularly clear on the left wing).
The under primary-coverts dark spots are not visible. © Derrick Wilby

Plates 2 & 3. Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis, c5 km east-southeast of Kalba, UAE, 22 June 2011.
Not as hefty-looking as the individual in Plate I, but still a fairly straightforward Cory’s. Its structure lies outside of
the range of Scopoli’s C. (d.) diomedea, except possibly the largest males. It certainly is broad-chested and has a fairly
large bill. That aside, the underwing pattern is diagnostic of Cory’s. The exposed primaries are dark, while the under
primary-coverts are white, giving an evenly-rounded pale/dark border. This pattern is evident on both underwings,
but the left underwing primaries (Plate 3) show a hint of a reflective quality and look slightly greyish. This effect is
accentuated when strong light catches the underwing. The under primary-coverts on both wings show two dark
spots. © Huw Roberts

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 127

Plates 4-7. Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis, c24 km east-southeast of Kalba, UAE/Oman I July
2011. This is not a straightforward Cory’s given the photographs. The left underwing pattern in Plate 4 (top left)
rings alarm bells when presented as a Cory’s. The region of the primaries appears like a pale/whitish triangle, strongly
suggesting white fingers merging together in a photographic effect. In other words, it looks like a Scopoli’s Shearwater
C. (d.) diomedea. However, the structure is not typical of a Scopoli’s, particularly evident in Plate 5 (top right: bill,
head and body) and Plate 6 (bottom left: bill). It is also worth noting that observers saw this Calonearis shearwater
alongside two Flesh-footed Shearwaters Puffinus carneipes and noted that it dwarfed them. Confirmation that we are
dealing with a Cory’s Shearwater comes from Plate 7 (bottom right). Despite the fact that the photograph lacks detail,
it is evident that the exposed primaries are dark. Knowledge of interpreting photographs of seabirds in flight indicates
that the dark is genuine and not a result of some shadow effect. The under primary-coverts dark spots are not visible.
© Oscar Campbell (Plates 4-6), Steve James (Plate 7)

JDENTIFICATION

The first British record of Scopoli's Shearwater was confirmed with photographs off
the Isles of Scilly, 2 August 2004. The official finders' account includes a summary of
criteria used by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) to assess claims of Scopoli's
Shearwaters (Fisher & Flood 2010). BBRC's criteria were drawn upon by EBRC in their
decision making and Adam Rowlands, chairman of BBRC, was consulted and provided
further useful feedback. The critical criteria relate to size and structure and, in particular,
underwing pattern. Other plumage features such as head pattern are extremely difficult
to assess due to the effects of light on the eye and the camera. Even using such criteria, the
separation of Cory's from Scopoli's Shearwaters is not always straightforward and, based
on current knowledge, some birds cannot be identified to taxon (Howell & Patteson 2008).
We draw upon the latter article and our own experiences to discuss the main identification
criteria below (in order of importance) and we use the captions to the plates of the three
birds in question to apply these criteria and to confirm their identification as Cory's. Also,

128 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

the criteria will be useful for birders on future seawatcbes and pelagic trips in the OSMb
region.

Uniienving pattern

The single most useful criterion for field separation of Cor\’'s and Scopoli's is the
underwing pattern, although it is not without its problems. The exposed primaries of a
typical Cory's are dark, while the under primar\’-co\erts are white. This gixes an ex'enly-
rounded pale/dark border between the two feather tracts. The under primary-coverts
typically show two dark spots (Robb ct nl 2008). The spots are dark marks in the outermost
two greater primary coverts. These may be \ isible in good photographs, though some
caution is required because the co\’erts ma\’ be out of place or one may overlap the other.
The under primary-coverts of Scopoli's are white, like Cory's, but the exposed primaries
have white tongues along the inner webs of the outer primaries giving white fingers
protruding into the hand. The under primary-coverts typically show one dark spot in the
outermost greater primary covert. However, one quality of the underside of the remiges
(and indeed the larger coverts) of Cory's and Scopoli's, like all Procellariiformes it seems,
is that they are reflective. A Cory's flying away with its underwings catching the light
could easily appear to have much whitish in the primaries, suggesting Scopoli's and
photographs of such a bird might look convincing for Scopoli's {eg see Plate 4). Conversely,
the ^vhitish fingers of a Scopoli's might be hard to see if the underwings are in shadow, or
the bird is flying against strong light.

Caveats aside, a typical Cory's and a typical Scopoli's, if seen well, can be separated
(Plates 8 and 9), but unfortunately not all birds are typical. Some skins of Cory's at the
Natural History Museum, Tring, UK, show short whitish fingers, and this is borne out
by observations in the field at the breeding grounds (RTF pers obs). This did not escape
Howell & Patteson (2008) who offered the following guidelines for the underwing
primaries: (1) all dark is Cory's, (2) short whitish tongue on plO only is presumed Cory's,
(3) whitish tongue on p9 only is presumed Cory's, (4) whitish tongues on 2-3 primaries
among p8-10 is Cory's or Scopoli's, (5) distinct white tongues on 3 or more primaries
including plO is Scopoli's. Extensive studies in the Mediterranean and Atlantic hope to
clarify matters further (RTF & D Lopez-Valasco in prep).

Size and structure

On average, Cory's is an altogether larger and heftier bird than Scopoli's (up to 46%
heavier; Thibault et al 1997). It is larger-headed, broader-winged, and heavier-billed.
However, males average larger than females so that a male Scopoli's may overlap in size
and structure with a female Cory's. Thus, it is only male Cory's and female Scopoli's that
are likely to stand out in the field as, respectively, visibly relatively large and hefty or small
and slight (Plates 8, 9).

Other plumage features

Scopoli's compared to Cory's is said to have a paler greyer head and possibly upperparts,
and less grey markings on the chin and throat. However, in worn plumage Cory's dark
feathers fade so that the head and upperparts become paler and greyer like Scopoli's. In
fresh plumage dark feathers are at their darkest so that the head and upperparts of a fresh
Scopoli's are darker than a faded Cory's. In addition, it is well known that light influences
the apparent tone of feathers {eg overcast skies versus strong sunlight). All in all, colour of
the head and upperparts is not a helpful distinction.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 129

Plate 8 (left). Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) diomedea off Catalonia, Spain, 10 September 2011. A
typical Scopoli’s. The diagnostic underwing feature of dark bordered long white inner webbings to the primaries
stands out in this photograph (particularly important that it shows this in p8-pl0). They give the impression of white
fingers extending beyond the underwing coverts along the primaries. Also note the slim bill, head and body. Indeed,
compared to the Cory’s C. (d.) borealis in Plates 1-6, this individual looks emaciated and most likely is a female. Note
one distinct dark spot in the outermost under primary-coverts. © Ashley Fisher

Plate 9 (right). Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) borealis off the Scilly isles, UK, I August 2008. A typical
Cory’s. Note the large head, broad wings, and heavy bill. The exposed primaries are dark, while the under primary-
coverts are white, giving an evenly-rounded pale/dark border. Note two distinct dark spots in the outermost under
primary-coverts. © Ashley Fisher

RANGE

Scopoli's Shearwater breeds almost exclusively within the Mediterranean, while Cory's
Shearwater breeds almost exclusively across the Macaronesian islands in the northeast
Atlantic (excluding the Cape Verdes, the breeding islands of the similar-looking but much
smaller Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii). Difficulty in at-sea identification of
Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters have made it difficult to determine their non-breeding
distribution. Del Nevo (1994) and Thibault et al (1997) suggested that Scopoli's mainly
winters off South African coasts and Cory's concentrates off the eastern United States
before moving to the southwest Atlantic. However, on the basis of new field characteristics
(Gutierrez 1998), it was possible for Camphuysen & van der Meer (2001) to identify many
Cory's off South Africa, refuting conventional thinking. The regular presence of both taxa
off North Carolina, USA, during spring-autumn (Howell & Patteson 2008) and in the
central South Atlantic during March-April (RTF pers obs) provides further evidence that
the two taxa do not segregate in the non-breeding season. Numbers of both taxa are found
off South Africa during November-April and both enter the southwest Indian ocean (eg
Ryan 1997, Oschadleus et al 2001, Camphuysen & van der Meer 2001). This is one possible
origin for Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters seen off Arabia and suggests that either form
could occur in the region.

130 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Of course, we cannot exclude the possibilit\' that Scopoli's Shearwater enters Arabian
waters from the Mediterranean \ia the Suez canal. Indeed, this was suggested hv
small numbers that summered regularh' at the head of the gulf of Aqaba, I'.ilat, Israel,
throughout the 1980s and until the early 1990s (Shirihai 19%). In additii>n, there are nine
accepted records of Scopoli's for Oman, with the most recent in lune 200('» (I'riksen cl
al 2012). However, recent records of well-photographed birds fixMu the gulf of Acjaba at
Eilat (cy up to eight in 2011), after \ er\’ few records since the earh- I9‘-)0s, all appear to be
Cory's (Y Perlman pers comm; see cy the front co\er of Sa//</y/()//S(’ 32(2) which sl'niws the
underside of a flying Cnloiicctri^ {dionicdcn) borcniis photographed at Idlat, April 2010).

All of this raises uncertainties about Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters in Arabian
waters— about the regularity of occurrence, the frequency in each month of the year, and
the relative proportion of each taxon.The identification criteria summarised in this paper
and the continuation of pelagic trips off the east coast of the UAE should contribute to
clarifving matters.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the UAE birders \\’ho took part in the many boat trips that departed from Kalba in 2011. Derrick
Wilby, Dave Clark, Huw Roberts, Ste\'e James, Luke Naismith, Andrew Ward, John Rogan, Simon Lloyd,
Gregoix’ Aske^v and Scott Young \vere all present on at least one of the 'Cory's trips' and contributed helpful
comments, photographs, and companionship in the field. We are also grateful to Adam Rowlands, Trevor
Hardaker, Yoav Perlman and Jens Eriksen for providing information. In particular, we thank Abdulla al
Zaabi, the skipper; ^vith superb eyesight and skilled boatmanship, he has made it possible for the UAE
birding community to get to grips with and enjoy many rare seabirds.

REFERENCES

Eriksen J, D Sargeant & R Victor. 2011. Oman Bird List Edition 6 Online update, www.birdsoman.com/obl6-
update.html. [Accessed 30 August 2012]

Camphuysen, CJ & J van der Meer. 2001. Pelagic distribution, moult and (sub-) specific status of Cory's
Shearwaters Calonectris [d.] diomedea/borealis wintering off southern Africa. Marine Ornithology 29; 89-96.
Fisher, EA & RL Flood. 2010. Scopoli's Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain. British Birds 103: 712-717.
Gutierrez, R. 1998. Flight identification of Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters. Dutch Birding 20: 216-225.
Howell, SNG & JB Patteson. 2008. Variation in Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters. Alula 1; 12-21.
Oschadleus, D, L Underhill & P Ryan. 2001. Safring News; Cory's & Scopoli's Shearwaters. Africa - Birds &
Birding 6(2): 22-23.

OSME Region List of Bird Taxa. 2010. www.osme.org/orl/index.shtml. [Accessed 30 August 2012]

Robb, M, K Mullamey & the Sound Approach. 2008. Petrels Night and Day. The Sound Approach, Poole, UK.
Ryan, PG. 1997. Order Procellariiformes, family Procellariidae: petrels, shearwaters and prions. In: Harrison,
JA, DG Allan, LG Underhill, M Herremans, AJ Tree, V Parker & CJ Brown (eds). The atlas of southern
African birds, vol 1: Non-Passerines. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, ppl6-20, 757-761.

Shirihai, H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.

Thibault, JC, V Bretagnolle & C Rabouam. 1997. Birds of the Western Palearctic Update, vol 1(2). Oxford
University Press, UK.

Oscar Campbell, British School Al Khubairat, PO Box 4001, Abu Dhabi, UAE. oicampbell25@yahoo.com
Robert Flood, Isles of Scilly, UK. Iive2seabird@gmail.com
Khalifa al Dhaheri. Khalifa_7@yahoo.com

Graham Talbot, 66 Sheung Szewan, Clearwater Bay, Hong Kong, talbot.graham@gmail.com

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 131

Presence of the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus
in lowland Turkmenistan

TIZIANO LONDEI

A recent evaluation of historical and current records of griffon Gyps vultures throughout
the former Soviet Union (Katzner et al 2004) found ''almost no information on vultures
from Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan" ie a considerable part of Central (Middle)
Asia. Distribution of the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus in Turkmenistan, mapped in a very
recent guide to Central Asian birds (Aye et al 2012) is almost the same as in Dementiev &
Gladkov (1951) ie limited to the mountains at the southern and the eastern boundaries of
the country.

I have recently seen Eurasian Griffons in western and northwestern Turkmenistan. On
9 August 2012 at 10.30 h local time eight birds were circling above the northwestern slopes
of the Great Balkan, an isolated massif in the lowlands near the Caspian sea. They were
gaining height together near rocks, as griffons usually do when they leave a communal
roost. My distant observation point (39° 42' N, 54° 23' E GPS) was at c500 m asl in a hill
steppe which changed to flat gypsum desert with sand tracts at lower altitude further
north. Livestock (sheep) were progressively scarcer. The day after, at 15.50 h local time, I
observed a pair of Eurasian Griffons passing along cliffs in the Yangykala canyon (40° 28'
N, 54° 43' E, Plate 1). Seen from above they exhibited the white downy ruff and pale wing-
coverts with contrasting dark blotched band, characteristic of adult birds. This remote
canyon is a spectacular product of the erosion of an ancient sea bed, which is now at c200
m asl. It was an extremely dry area and although I explored the surroundings in the late

Plate I. One member of the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus pair seen in the Yangykala canyon, Turkmenistan, 10 August
20 1 2. © Giuliana Marzi

132 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

afternoon and next morning, 1 found no sign of either domestic or wild mammals except
for one, blurred, gazelle trail.

My first sighting suggests the presence of a griffon colon\' 2l)t) km minimum distance
from the nearest known griffon area, the northernmost loi^thills of the kc^pet Dag. It
might be a small colony— griffon colonies are small in similar regions (Dementiex' &
Gladkov 1951, Katzner ct nl 2004)— nesting on the rocks ot the Great Balkan and scax enging
on the relatively productixe pastures of its ftH^hills. M\' second sighting suggests a
xvider geographic distribution; to almost 100 km turther north, and a harsher habitat. A
consequent question is xx hether the obserx ed pair of adult birds were local breeders, long-
ranging foragers, or vagrants. Radiotracking in desert regions (Bahat 1995) showed adult
birds less prone to vagrancy than immatures, thcuigh they xvere able to forage very far
axvay from the colony; but such long flights might result from the choice to reach grazing
areas intensix’ely used by ungulates, xvhich xvould not be the case at Yangykala. Although
mountains seem preferred, griffons can also inhabit plains provided that broken terrain is
available (Dementiev & Gladkov 1951); Yangykala xvould offer extensive cliffs as nesting
sites and thermal-producing ground. A further question is whether my sightings resulted
from a Eurasian Griffon presence overlooked for a long time, or recent range expansion.
The same question applies to the Eurasian Griffons in neighbouring southwestern
Kazakhstan, to the north, most of them seen only recently and with no sign of breeding
(years 2000-2011, map in Sklyarenko & Katzner 2012). Dolgushin (1962) mentioned a
record from the Mangghystau peninsula. Taken together, these sightings suggest a rather
xvide distribution of the Eurasian Griffon in the lowlands east of the Caspian sea.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Giuliana Marzi assisted in the field and Arend Wassink suggested literature on Kazakhstan.

REFERENCES

Aye, R, M Schxveizer & T Roth. 2012. Birds of Central Asia. Christopher Helm, London.

Bahat, O. 1995. Physiological adaptations and foraging ecology of an obligatory carrion eater - the Griffon
Vulture {Gyps fidvus). PhD dissertation, Tel- Aviv University, Tel- Aviv.

Dementiex^ GP & NA Gladkov (eds). 1951 (English translation 1966). Birds of the Soviet Union. Vol 1. Israel
Program for Scientific Translations, Jerusalem.

Dolgushin, lA. 1962. [Birds of Kazakhstan.] Vol 2. Akad. Nauk Kazakhskoi SSR, Alma-Ata. [In Russian]
Katzner, T, A Gavashelishvili, S Sklyarenko, M McGrady, J Shergalin & K Bildstein. 2004. Population and
conserx^ation status of griffon vultures in the former Soviet Union. In: Chancellor, RD & B-U Meyburg
(eds). Raptors Worldwide. WWGBP/MME, pp235-240.

Sklyarenko, SL & T Katzner. 2012. The status of populations of vultures in Kazakhstan. Ornithological News
of Kazakhstan and Middle Asia 1: 178-185. [In Russian with English summary]

Tiziano Londei, Via San Vincenzo 20, 20123 Milano, Italy, londeit@tin.it

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 133

A mixed pair of pale and black morph
Mourning Wheatears Oenanthe lugens lugens

in the southern highlands of Jordan

FARES KHOURY, MUNA HADDAD, SHARIF AL-JBOUR & FERAS RAHAHLEH

The black morph of Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens lugens, commonly named the
'Basalt Wheatear', has been recorded mainly in the basalt desert of northeast Jordan and
southern Syria (Andrews 1994). The classification an.d taxonomic status of this population
have been the subject of several reports since its discovery several decades ago (Wallace
1983, Tye 1994, Fdrschler et al 2010, Khoury et al 2010, Shirihai et al 2011). It was first described
as a Mourning Wheatear by Tye (1994), and thereafter treated as a black morph of nominate
lugens. The fact that there appeared to be no recent evidence of mixed pairings of pale and
black morph birds {cf L Cornwallis in Cramp & Simmons 1988) was used in support of
taxonomic separation by Shirihai et al (2011). The geographical restriction of the black birds
combined with the near absence of normal, pale morph, birds in the basalt desert, which
is evident at least during the breeding season, originally stimulated discussions about
a possible taxonomic distinction. The black form of Mourning Wheatear is considered
very rare in Jordan and restricted during the breeding season to those parts of the black
basalt desert which include the suitable habitat structures typical for breeding Mourning
Wheatears (Khoury et al 2010). The few scattered records of Mourning Wheatears with
black plumage outside the basalt desert, notably in Egypt and Israel, were assumed to be
of visiting or dispersing birds, based on previous observations of Mourning Wheatears
which carry out short movements after the breeding season {eg Khoury & Boulad 2010).
Recently, Shirihai et al (2011) proposed the black form as a separate subspecies, Oenanthe
lugens warriae, due to its morphological distinction, mainly plumage coloration. Shirihai et
al (2011) decided on subspecies level for the taxon based on a previous mtDNA analysis
which revealed no genetic differentiation among the black and pale forms of nominate
lugens found in Jordan (Forschler et al 2010). In this note, we report on a mixed breeding
pair of pale and black morph Mourning Wheatears outside the basalt desert.

OBSERVATIONS

Location and habitat of the black morph individual
During field work on 16 April 2012 in
the mountains near Rajif, south of Wadi
Mussa, a wheatear with black plumage was
discovered sitting on a large rock (30° 09' N,

35° 27' E, 1640 m asl) along the road leading
to Ma'an. The bird was identified by FK
immediately as being a black morph of O. /.
lugens (Plate 1, see description below). The
black individual was thus recorded during
the breeding season at a distance of 250
km southwest of the basalt desert which
contains the known breeding grounds of
'Basalt Wheatear' (Khoury et al 2010).

The bird held territory along a small
valley and adjacent slopes. The habitat

Plate I. Black morph Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe I.
lugens, 17 April 2012, Rajif, southwest Jordan. © Sharif
al-Jbour

134 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 2. Hybrid juvenile of a mixed pale/black morph pair of Mourning Wheatears Oenanthe I. lugens, 30 May 2012,
Rajif, southwest Jordan. © Fares Khoury

consists of arid/semi-arid highland steppe, dominated by the dwarf shrub Artemisia sieberi;
but the vegetation was degraded due to overgrazing. The area was generally undulating
with small flat plateaus and steep to moderate slopes with abundant rocky outcrops.
Hills were separated by valleys which contained rock piles and boulders. The exposed
limestone rocks and boulders were typically pale yellowish to off-white, and there were
no basalt rocks. Isabelline Wheatears O. isahellina were also breeding in the area, although
they tended to occupy flat plateaus and gently sloping terrain, as typical of this species
(Cramp & Simmons 1988). Mourning Wheatears occupied rocky and steep slopes, and all
individuals observed in the area, except for the adult male dealt with here, were normal
pale morph O. 1. lugens. The black morph bird was observed again on several occasions
during April, May, August and September.

Behaviour

The black individual was clearly a male holding territory when first recorded in April:
it sang the typical song of O. 1. lugens on elevated perches and occasionally chased away
an Isabelline Wheatear entering its territory. A neighbouring male of the pale morph of
O. /. lugens was also singing down the valley, but direct interactions with conspecific
neighbours were not observed. The black morph male was paired with a normal type
(pale) female which was seen on 16 April within the territory of the black male, moving
among rock boulders, possibly nest site prospecting, and sitting on heaps of stones at
the foothill below a steep slope. The male often approached the female to a few metres,
without showing any antagonistic behaviour. During short visits in late April/early May,
the black morph male was mostly recorded while feeding and singing, whereas the female
was rarely seen. On 30 May, two recently-fledged juveniles were seen at the foothill and
were fed once by the male and another time by the female. One was photographed (Plate
2). During later visits in August/September, only the male was observed and the juveniles
presumably had dispersed. We were able to verify the identity of the adult male in
September by trapping it using a clap net with mealworms as bait (Plates 3-6, handled and
ringed by FK). It is a pity that the plumage of the young birds after moult of their juvenile

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 135

Plate 3. Upperwing of black morph Mourning Plate 4. Lower side of wing of black morph Mourning
Wheatear Oenanthe 1. lugens, adult male in fresh Wheatear Oenanthe I. lugens, adult male, Rajif, southwest
plumage, Rajif, southwest Jordan, ! September 2012. Jordan, I September 20 1 2. © Feros Rohoh/eh
© Feras Rahahleh

body feathers could not be determined. At least one normal, pale morph bird was recorded
along the borders of the male's territory in early September and no other black lugens was
observed in the vicinity.

Description of plumage of adult male and juveniles

The adult male showed the typical combination of 'Basalt Wheatear' features {cf Shirihai
et al 2011) which include entirely black plumage, except for the white on the inner webs
of primaries that reach the shaft (Plates 1, 3, 4), small white rump (Plate 5), and white
undertail coverts which lack the rufous/rusty-buff colour of normal, pale morph O. 1.

lugens (Plate 6).

The bird trapped early September at the site was identified as an adult (most probably
the same adult male) and not one of the young birds. This was determined by the lack of
contrast in wing feathers including the greater coverts. The primary coverts had rather
rounded tips without any traces of white (Plate 3). The following measurements were taken:
wing length 99 mm, tail length 66 mm, and bill length (to skull) 17 mm. The 6th primary
was not clearly emarginated and PI was slightly shorter than the primary covert tips.

Except for the greyish mantle and dark sides of chin characteristic of black morph
juveniles, the fledged juveniles generally had a similar plumage to the juvenile pale morph
(Plate 2), and even had the rusty undertail coverts typical of the normal variety of O. 1.
lugens (see Khoury et al 2010 for photos of juvenile black and pale morph O. 1. lugens).

CONCLUDING REMARKS

This is the first confirmed record of a mixed pair, which is well outside the breeding
grounds of the black morph/subspecies 'warriae'. This record provides some additional
information relevant to evaluating the taxonomic status of the 'Basalt Wheatear' (black
morph vs O. /. warriae; Shirihai et al 2011). With this record, the geographical and
ecological restriction of breeding black Mourning Wheatears to the basalt desert cannot
be considered absolute. Records of this variety at a considerable distance from the basalt
desert of northern Jordan and southern Syria, eg in Egypt, were assumed to be winter
visitors or vagrants; however they may also indicate that the black variety does exist
elsewhere but at extremely low frequencies.

The black Mourning Wheatear male of Rajif, which appeared identical to the birds
belonging to the basalt warriae population, was obviously successful in attracting and
pairing with a female of the normal variety. Reproductive separation of Basalt Wheatear
from pale morph Mourning Wheatear was not demonstrated; evidence of very close

136 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 5. Rump and tail of black morph Mourning Plate 6. Undertail coverts of black variety Mourning
Wheatear Oenanthe I. lugens, adult male. Rajif, Wheatear Oenanthe I. lugens, same bird as in Plates
southwest Jordan. I September 20 1 2. © Feros Rohoh/eh I. 3-5. Rajif. southwest Jordan. I September 2012. ©

Feras Rahahleh

taxonomic relationship (Mayr & Ashlock 1991). This observation also raises tjuestions
about the importance ot certain features in display and territory signalling cy the size of
the white rump patch (see Shirihai et al 2011) which differs among the two varieties.

The record reported here does not necessarily refute the subspecies status recently
suggested by Shirihai et al (2011). A particular phenotype distinguishing one geographic
subspecies may occur in other populations, but a clinal decrease in its frequency away
from its main population can be expected. Data supporting this are however lacking,
and their collection would require considerable time and effort due to the rarity of the
black variety outside the basalt desert. A more realistic approach would be to study the
frequency of pale birds and mixed pairs, and plumage of offspring before and after first
body moult, in and near the basalt desert during the breeding season, with further field
studies on behaviour, eg song, in the Jordanian, Syrian and possibly also the adjacent
Saudi Arabian part of the basalt desert, where ‘O. lugens warriae' apparently has its main
population (Khoury et al 2010).

REFERENCES

Andrews, IJ. 1994. Description and status of the black morph Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens in Jordan.
Sandgrouse 16: 32-35.

Cramp, S & K Simmons. 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, vol 5. Oxford University Press, UK.
Fdrschler, MI, F Khoury, F Bairlein & M Aliabadian. 2010. Phylogeny of the Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe
lugens complex. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 56: 758-767.

Khoury, F & N Boulad. 2010. Territory size of the Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens along an aridity
gradient. Journal of Arid Environments 74: 1413-1416.

Khoury, F, MI Fdrschler, M Janaydeh, M Aliabadian & A-R Al-Hmoud. 2010. Distribution, habitat and
differentiation of the poorly-known black morph of Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens lugens in
Jordan. Sandgrouse 32: 113-119.

Mayr E & PD Ashlock. 1991. Principles of Systematic Biology. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Shirihai, H, GM Kirwan & A Helbig. 2011. A new taxon in the Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens complex.
Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 131: 270-291.

Tye, A. 1994. A description of the Middle Eastern black morph of Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens from
museum specimens. Sandgrouse 16: 28-31.

Wallace, DIM. 1983. The first identification of the Eastern Pied Wheatear in Jordan. Sandgrouse 5: 102-104.

Fares Khoury, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, American University of Madaba, Madaba, Jordan. f.khoury@aum.
edu.jo

Muna Haddad, Baraka, PO Box 926409, Amman 11190, Jordan.

Sharif Jbour, BirdLife International Middle East Division, PO Box 2295, Amman 11953, Jordan.

Feras Rahahleh, Aqaba Bird Observatory, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 137

First record of Mesopotamian Crow Corvus
corone capellanus in United Arab Emirates

R GUBIANI, SB MUZAFFAR & T PEDERSEN

On 26 November 2012 a lone Mesopotamian Crow Corvus corone capellanus was seen
feeding on the carcass of a young Socotra cormorant chick Phalacrocorax nigrogularis on
Siniya island in the Arabian gulf (Umm al Quwain emirate, UAE). Siniya island is located
clOO m offshore to the east of Umm al Quwain town. The bird was feeding on the shore of
the inner lagoon (25° 37' 6.00" N, 55° 37' 27.68" E) at cl4.22 h and was viewed for 5 minutes
(Plate 1). The crow then flew directly in front of the observer (RG) permitting photos of
the bird in flight (Plate 2). TP confirmed identification from the photos. The Emirates Bird
Records Committee accepted the record as the first for the UAE. Subsequent observations
of the bird have occurred sporadically in the same area on Siniya island, up to as recently
as 21 March 2013.

The Corvus corone/cornix complex consists of crows that have variable plumage and
are widely distributed in the Palaearctic (Mayr & Greenway 1962). Although the common
name Hooded Crow is attributed to the 'cornix' group, they are usually treated within
Corvus corone by most authorities (Jonsson 1992, Cramp and Perrins 1994) although some
authors regard them as a separate species Corvus cornix (Porter & Aspinall 2010). Hooded
Crows are characterized by a combination of glossy black on the head, throat, underwings,
primaries and tail and ashy grey in between (Cramp & Perrins 1994). Genetic analyses
confirm that Hooded Crows belong to Corvus corone (Haring et al 2012). Previously
described cornfx-group subspecies (Mayr & Greenway 1962) are also largely supported
by genetic analyses that cluster Corvus corone capellanus, the Mesopotamian Crow, within
the western clade of C. corone (Haring et al 2012). The Mesopotamian Crow has the glossy
black pattern characteristic of Hooded Crows but the ashy grey is replaced by whitish
tones, giving it its alternative common name, the Iraq Pied Crow (Cramp & Perrins 1994).
It is resident in Iraq and southwest Iran (Porter & Aspinall 2010). Interestingly, the Siniya
island individual appears to have black feathering on the front of the tibial region of the
leg with white at the rear (Plate 1) whereas the painting in Porter & Aspinall (2010) shows
pale grey feathering around the Thigh' and that in Madge & Burn (1999) black.

Plate I. Mesopotamian Crow Corvus corone capellanus on the ground, Siniya island, UAE, 26 November 2012. ©
Robert Gubiani

138 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 2. Mesopotamian Crow Corvus
corone capellanus in flight. Siniya
island. UAE. 26 November 2012. ©

Robert Gubiani

Strong winds,

thunderstorms and rain
were reported for the whole
region from 8-16 November,

^vith the weather moving
in an easterly direction
from Kuwait over Saudi
Arabia and directly over the
UAE and Oman (Emirates
Meteorology Portal 2012). We speculate that high winds and storm activity in the area
could have driven the lone individual to the UAE. A Mesopotamian Crow was observed
in Kuwait from 23 October 2012, the first confirmed record for Kuwait (al Ghanem 2013).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Funding for the field activity on Siniya island was provided by UAE University and the Mohammed Bin
Zayed Species Conservation Fund to SB Muzaffar.

REFERENCES

Cramp S & CM Perrins. 1994. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, vol 8. Oxford University Press, UK.
Emirates Meteorology Portal. 2012. Weather changes 8 November 2012. www.Meteo.ae. [Accessed 12
December 2012]

al Ghanem, K. 2013. The First Mesopotamian Crow for Arabia. Phoenix 29: 1.

Haring, E, B Da'ubl, W Pinsker, A Kryukov & A Gamauf. 2012. Genetic divergences and intraspecific
variation in corvids of the genus Corvus (Aves: Passeriformes: Corvidae) - a first survey based on
museum specimens. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 50: 230-246.

Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe, with North Africa and the Middle East. Christopher Helm, London.

Madge, S & H Burn. 1999. Crows and Jays. Christopher Helm, London.

Mayr E & JC Greenway. 1962. Check-List of Birds of the World, vol 15. Museum of Comparative Zoology,
Cambridge, USA.

Porter, R & S Aspinall. 2010. Birds of the Middle East. Christopher Helm, London.

Robert Gubiani, PO Box 62753, Abu Dhabi, UAE. robgubiani@gmail.com

Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Department of Biology, UAE University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE. s_muzaffar@uaeu.ac.ae
Tommy Pedersen. 777sandman@gmail.com

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 139

Large increase of the Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus population on
Masirah island, Oman

I ANGELOV, T YOTSOVA, M SARROUF & MJ MCGRADY

Field surveys for nesting Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus were conducted during 17 days in
February and May 2012 on Masirah island, Oman. Fifty-three nesting territories were found, one of
the highest breeding densities in the world; 52 were occupied by pairs. 85% of breeding territories
were in the northern half of the island, where the main municipal dump was located. We estimate
that there are 65-80 territorial Egyptian vulture pairs on the island (> 4 times the previous estimate),
and 260-386 individuals. Of 40 pairs for which age of both breeders was determined, 38 were adult/
adult pairs, one was an adult/subadult pairing and one of two subadults. Ninety-two active and old
nests were found, all located in holes and crevices on steep slopes or cliffs at a mean elevation of 119
m asl (n = 32). Breeding performance was low compared to studies elsewhere, with 0.46 fledglings/
territorial pair, 0.82 fledglings/incubating pair and 1.13 fledglings/successful pair being produced
(n = 39). Fish and domestic livestock remains were important food sources. Unintentional poisoning
and electrocution are possible threats, but there was no evidence that these threats were active.

The absence of wild mammalian carnivores on the island (which can lead to poisoning events),
the lack of human disturbance at the nests, and the existence of the rubbish dump and the way in
which waste is handled may be the main factors contributing to the large resident Egyptian Vulture
population on Masirah.

INTRODUCTION

The Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus is a medium-sized scavenger distributed
throughout southern Europe, mostly northern Africa, the Middle East, Transcaucasia,
Central (Middle) Asia, Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent (Ferguson-Lees &
Christie 2001). Its historical distribution is much reduced, especially in more southern
areas of Africa (Mundy et al 1992). In recent decades populations in many areas have
declined dramatically, notably in the Balkans, Italy, Turkey, large parts of the Middle East,
East Africa, Central Asia and India (BirdLife International 2012), while a few populations
have been more or less stable or show slight increases (Del Moral 2009, Kobierzycki 2011,
Porter & Suleiman 2012). The mainland populations on the Arabian peninsula are thought
to have declined by 90% in the last 50 years (Jennings 2010).

Historical information on the Egyptian Vulture population of the island of Masirah,
Oman, is available. A whole-island survey September 1944-May 1945 found 10 pairs,
although the author misidentified them as Black-winged Kites Elanus caeruleus (Green
1949). The population probably remained stable for some time, and a survey in March
1975 estimated there to be 12 breeding pairs (Griffiths & Rogers 1975). In recent times the
population has most probably increased, as suggested by the observation of more than 40
birds at the Masirah rubbish dump in May 2005 (Sargeant & Harrison 2005).

In 2008 the Egyptian Vulture was categorized as endangered (BirdLife International
2012), and since then populations have continued to decrease in a number of countries eg
Greece (Xirouchakis & Tsiakiris 2009), Spain (Del Moral & Marti 2002), countries of central
West Africa (Rondeau & Thiollay 2004, Thiollay 2006), Bulgaria (lA pers obs). Oman is
thought to have a population of only clOO pairs (Jennings 2010). This backdrop of globally
declining numbers, a purportedly small Omani population and an interest to better
survey and document the birds on Masirah, an IBA (Evans 1994), provided the impetus for
this survey of breeding Egyptian Vultures on the island, which aimed to collect baseline
information on their numbers and distribution, and on productivity.

140 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

STUDY AREA AND METHODS

Field surveys were conducted 23 Febriuiry-l March and Ma\ 2012 (17 daNs) on

Masirah island (c20.42° N, 58. 7*-^' Fy Oman. Masirah is located ch) km oil llie east coast ol
Oman in the Arabian sea (Figure 1); it is 05 km long and o lo km w ide with an area oi ('044
km4 Masirah is characterized by a desert landscape w ith hills iii its central aiul eastern
parts, reaching elexations up to 25o m asl. X'egetatitMi is mosth’ dwart-shriib, including
Limonimn and Suncdih The human population is tound mosth' in the northern halt ol the
island, and numbers clO 000. Fishing is the main lixelihocKk but there is also tin Omani
airbase on the island.

Sur\'eys were made during c320 km of car tra\el and ('40 km of walking into areas
remote from roads and tracks. Car sur\eys were t\’pically done with four people (driver
and three observers). Figure 1 shows the routes trax’elled during surveys. I'requent stops
were made along the routes and all cliffs and hills offering suitable breeding habitat
for Egyptian Wiltures were checked for nests, using binoculars (10x50) and a telescope
(20-60x60). Given the terrain this meant that cliffs up to c500-1500 m from the routes were
checked. The sky was scanned for vultures.

During February, territory occupancy was recorded and we tried to determine the age
and breeding status of the pairs. Timing of egg laying was recorded based on observations
of pairs at nest sites and age of chicks, both nestlings and already fledged young around
nests. Active nests were not visited (with one exception) so as to avoid potential disturbance
prior to and during incubation. Aging birds in the field followed Clark <& Schmitt (1998). In
May visits were made to as many nests as possible in order to record the number of chicks
in the nest, investigate reasons for breeding failure, collect prey remains and record the
following parameters for each nest: latitude/longitude, elevation, aspect and nest cavity
dimensions. Reproductive rates were calculated excluding nests where nestlings were < 40
days old because we were unsure of the survival-rate-to-fledging of such young nestlings.

Ad hoc observations were made at the municipal rubbish dump (20° 34.575' N, 58°
52.814' E) to get an idea of the number and age composition of vultures using the dump.

RESULTS

Fifty-three occupied breeding territories were located (Figure 1), 52 were occupied by pairs
and one by a single territorial bird. Of these, 45 (85%) were located in the northern half and
8 (15%) in the southern half of the island. Thus, at a minimum, the nesting density of the
Egyptian Vulture on the island is 8.17 pairs
per 100 km^; the mean nearest neighbour
distance was 1.02 km (range: 120-6670 m).

In total 92 nests were found. Nests were
always in holes or crevices on very steep
slopes or cliffs that had an abundance of
potential nesting cavities (Plate 1). Nest
sites were located high up (mean elevation
119 m, n = 32) on ridges and hills that
were remote from human habitation and
also provided good protection from the
weather. At least 93% of the nests located
were accessible without the use of climbing
equipment. Nests faced mainly north (8),
east (7) and west (5). On average, nesting
cavities (n = 21) were 115 cm wide, 113 cm

Plate I. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus breeding
habitat within a large wadi in the northern part of Masirah
island, Oman. © Ivaylo Angelov

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 141

12 Kilometers

Indian ocean

Figure I. Locations of the 53 Egyptian Vulture breeding territories (asterisks) and survey routes (lines) travelled on
Masirah island, Oman.

142 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

0-4.99 5-9.99 10-14.99 15-19.99 20-24.99 25-29.99 30-34.99 35-39.99 40-44.99

Figure 2. Distribution of Egyptian Vulture breeding territories (n = 53. vertical axis) in relation to the distance (km)
to the municipal rubbish dump on Masirah. Oman, in 2012.

T and had an entrance height of 74 cm

deep

(Plate 2). Density of nesting territories was
apparently higher in the vicinity of the
rubbish dump (Figure 2).

Egyptian Vultures on Masirah laid eggs
October-March (n = 25, Figure 3), with
most laying in January and February. It
is possible that some pairs may lay eggs
during May-September, but the timing of
our surveys precluded determining this.

Of 42 pairs examined, 25 (59.5%) laid eggs
(Plate 3). Reproductive data from three
nests were excluded from further analyses
because one was still incubating in May
and the nestlings at two were <30 days old
when visited in May. Six of 22 pairs (27.2%)
failed during incubation or lost their young
after hatching. Thus, 18 nestlings >40 days
of age were produced from 16 pairs that
hatched eggs (Plate 4). Egyptian Vultures
on Masirah produced 0.46 juveniles per
monitored pair (n = 39), 0.82 juveniles per
breeding pair (n == 22), and 1.13 juveniles per
successful pair (n = 16).

Prey remains from 10 nests were
collected. All contained fish and domestic

livestock remains, and these animal groups probably represent the main food source
for the Egyptian Vultures on the island. Remains were also found of gulls Larus, a
single domestic cat Felis catus and a single Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis. The
only significant congregations of foraging vultures were observed at the municipal
rubbish dump (Plate 5), where up to 26 birds were observed (Table 1). Smaller, apparently
ephemeral, groups were seen at locations around the island (Plate 6). Immature and adult
Egyptian Vultures were also observed roosting communally on east and south facing
cliffs at higher elevations, particularly in the area of Jabal ash Shabbah, c6.5 km south of

Plate 2. Fully feathered juvenile Egyptian Vulture
Neophron percnopterus (lying at back) in deep and well
sheltered nest cavity, Masirah island, Oman. © Ivaylo
Angelov

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 143

Figure 3. Timing of egg laying (n = 25) for Egyptian Vultures on Masirah, Oman, in 2012.

the rubbish dump. On 14 May, 18.00-19.30 h, one such roost held 35-38 Egyptian Vultures,
including 18-20 immatures (apparently non-territorial birds).

DISCUSSION

Our survey confirmed 53 occupied breeding territories of Egyptian Vultures on Masirah,
which is almost 4.5 times the number previously thought to be breeding on the island
(Griffiths & Rogers 1975). Given the increase in human population in recent years, and
thus the increased amount of waste being disposed of at the rubbish dump, it seems likely
that at least some of the increase is real and not the result of improved survey. Although
we recorded many more territories than previous observers, some pairs were most
certainly missed by us because we did not survey all areas on the island, and the time
frame of field work was limited. Taking into account the amount of apparently suitable
habitat that we did not survey and the effect nearness to the dump site had on the density
of territories we estimate the current breeding population to be 65-80 breeding pairs {ie a
5.4-6.6 fold increase from previous reports). Our findings clearly suggest that the Oman
national population size of the Egyptian Vulture is underestimated at 100 pairs (Jennings
2010). MJM (unpublished data) counted 15+ hatchling Egyptian vultures from the year at
two different rubbish dump sites (the main dump for Muscat and at Quriyat) in northern
Oman in August 2012. It is likely that many if not all of those would have been produced

Table I. Egyptian Vulture age structure at the municipal rubbish dump on Masirah, Oman, 2012. 1st plumage
refers to juvenile bird.

Date

Time

1st plumage

2nd plumage

3rd plumage

4th plumage

Adult

Total

23 Feb

07.30-08.30 h

0

7

4

1

10

22

9 May

08.10-08.25 h

0

1

1

0

12

14

1 1 May

14.45-15.00 h

2

5

1

0

18

26

15 May

06.50-07.05 h

0

3

1

0

8

12

144 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

at nest sites in Oman because migrants trom more northern areas winiki have arri\ eh
in Oman by then. This e\ idence ot productive nests in northern l')mai'i supplies additional
support to the idea that Oman's breeding population ot I'gs ptian X'ulture is larger than
100 pairs.

Donazar et al (2002) found that 33.(V\» c'>t I'gN ptian X’ultures on the C'aniir\' isKmds off
northwest Africa were breeders. If one assumes that the ratio of breeders ti> non-breeders
on Masirah is similar and that the confounding influence of moxement between the
islands and mainland is not xery different between the Canaries and Masirah (see Agudo
et 111 2010a, b), then the number of Egyptian X'ultures on Masirah is estimated to be at least
386. The minimum size of the Masirah population can also be estimated by using the ratio
of immatures to adults at the rubbish dump in spring ( Table 1). So, with hS breeding pairs,
comprised almost entirely of adult/adult pairings and a ratio of adults to immatures at
the dump site being chi, it can be conser\’ati\'elv estimated that 260 individuals occur on
the island. Five visits xvere made during different parts of the day to the Masirah rubbish
dump on 11-12 October 2012, and counts of the vultures there were made from different
vantage points. A maximum of 76 vultures was observed, comprising birds of all ages,
including birds reared in 2012 (ESO unpubl data). These October counts do not undermine
our island population estimate, but highlight a confounding aspect: the potential existence
in October of non-territorial birds that were reared on the mainland or in other nearby
countries (see Cunningham 2002, Meyburg et al 2004).

Nest site locations on Masirah (high steep slopes) are like those reported by Green
(1949) and, taking into account the lack of predation pressure on Masirah, the locations
of nest sites were similar to those used by island populations elsewhere {eg Gangoso
& Palacios 2002). We did not analyse all factors that might affect spatial distribution of
territories {eg distribution of suitable nesting sites or distribution of human habitation), but
this lack of analyses does not detract significantly from the impression that the rubbish
dump is important. Survey effort, as measured by the length of the routes, was not
systematically biased and so the north-south difference in breeding density is probably
not a sampling effect. The density of breeding territories was highest around the rubbish
dump, almost certainly because it is a reliable source of food for the vultures. Most waste
collected by the local sanitation services and from private fishing boats is brought to the
dump, and thus it provides an abundant and relatively stable source of food for vultures.
Timing of breeding recorded on Masirah appears to be slightly later than on Socotra

Plate 3 (left). Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus nest with four eggs, one of which lacks pigmentation, Masirah
island, Oman. Worldwide, we know of no record of Egyptian Vulture clutch size > 3. © Ivaylo Angelov

Plate 4 (right). Two Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus juveniles (at back) in nest showing individual plumage
variation, Masirah island, Oman. © Ivaylo Angelov

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 145

Plate 5. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus perched on the fence of Masirah island’s municipal rubbish dump,
Oman. © Ivaylo Angelov

Plate 6. Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus are commonly seen feeding on road kills or on dead domestic
animals disposed of near roads, Masirah island, Oman. © Ivaylo Angelov

146 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Table 2. Distances from the municipal rubbish dump on Masirah to nest sites of Egyptian Vulture pairs known to
have failed at the egg or nestling phase.

Distance to rubbish
dump (km)

Pair 5 Pair I I

8.08 2.53

Pair 12 Pair 16

7.2 8.32

Pair 24 Pair 25

37.48 8.83

and slightly earlier than elsewhere on the Arabian peninsula (Jennings 21)10, I’orler &
Suleiman 2012). However, our data are from a single year and we do ncU knt>w ht)w liming
of breeding varies between \'ears. Also, because timing of breeding ct>uld be affected by
food availability, the existence of the rubbish dump on Masirah might contribute It) a lack
of variabilitv in timing of nesting.

Twenty-seven percent of the reproductive pairs failed at the egg or chick stage. It is
unclear why these nests failed, and Table 2 shows no clear spatial pattern. That at least
one nest close to the dump site failed suggests that nest failure is not always due to lack
of food. Further study could determine whether proximity to the rubbish dump is related
to long-term productivity. Hewever, timing of breeding and the onset of territoriality and
the consequent ranging that is more focussed on the nest may also influence the effect
of the rubbish dump on breeders. The reproductive rates on Masirah (0.46 fledglings/
territorial pair, 0.82 fledglings/breeding pair and 1.13 fledglings/successful pair) are the
lowest of which w^e are aw^are (Abuladze & Shergalin 1998, Cortes-Avizanda et al 2009,
Donazar et al 2002, Garcia-Ripolles & Lopez-Lopez 2006, Kobierzycki 2011, Liberator! &
Penteriani 2001, Margalida et al 2012, lA pers obs Bulgaria). As stated above with regard
to nesting density, proximity to the rubbish dump may affect reproduction. A study of
a dense population in Turkey that preferentially foraged at a rubbish dump, found large
variation in breeding success between two consecutive years (Jen et al 2011). A long-term
study is needed to better understand the scale of annual variation in breeding success and
to properly establish the reasons for the apparently low breeding performance on Masirah,
and w^hether density dependent effects are evident.

Domestic livestock and fish remains were the main food consumed by the vultures.
Local people report that a species of catfish {Arius sp), which has little commercial value,
is discarded if caught, and this may result in tens or hundreds of such fish washing ashore
on some days, where they become food for the vultures (Plate 7). The importance of this
sometimes plentiful food source could be the basis of further study.

POTENTIAL THREATS AND CONSERVATION

At present the high density of breeders, large proportion of adult/adult pairings and good
numbers of immatures (though some of these may be immigrants from the mainland)
suggest that the Egyptian Vulture population on Masirah is healthy. While we saw almost
no evidence of any major active threats to the vultures on Masirah, vulture populations
can be affected by factors that increase mortality (Plate 8) or reduce breeding success,
including direct and indirect poisoning, electrocution, declines in food availability and
habitat loss (Donazar et al 2002, Hernandez & Margalida 2009).

The breeding density of Egyptian Vultures on Masirah (8.17 pairs per 100 km^) is
extremely high, exceeded only by once-dense urban populations (Alleon 1876, Galushin
1971) and probably by the extant population on Socotra (Cramp & Simmons 1980,
Margalida et al 2007, Porter & Suleiman 2012). While the rubbish dump is a source of
consistently available food and is normally beneficial to the vultures, vultures feeding
there could be affected if poisoned or contaminated material is available. Because vultures
will feed in aggregations, single contamination incidents can have disproportionate effects

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 147

Plate 7 (above). Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
feeding on a fish that has been washed ashore, Masirah
island, Oman. © ivaylo Angelov

Plate 8 (right). Dead adult Egyptian Vulture Neophron
percnopterus found in a wadi relatively high in the hills,
Masirah island, Oman. © Ivaylo Angelov

on the Masirah population or even the wider population (Tewes 2002). Currently, local
herders on Masirah do not appear to use poisons and there are no large predators on the
island that threaten domestic livestock. This situation is similar to that on Socotra (Porter
& Suleiman 2012), where Egyptian vultures also occur at very high densities. Local people
on Masirah reported that vultures used to very occasionally attack newborn livestock, but
it is not known whether this behaviour still persists or is decreasing due to the increased
amount of other food available to the vultures on the island.

Hunting is forbidden in Oman, and as long as it remains so, illegal shooting probably
has little impact on Egyptian Vultures on Masirah and throughout the country. In recent
years networks of medium-voltage power lines have been installed on the northern side
of the island. The pylon design used in this network (Plate 9) is potentially dangerous
because large birds such as Egyptian Vultures could be electrocuted when perching on
them if they touch a wire with a wing. Quite a lot of work has been done in other parts
of the world to design acceptable ways of constructing power lines and pylons that are
not dangerous to birds (eg Jenkins et al 2010). Discussions with the electricity company
should be initiated to better understand this potential, and change the design of the power
lines and pylons to more bird-friendly types. The effect of these power lines on Egyptian
Vultures on the island (and other soaring birds) is unknown, and should be studied.
Although it seems that there are currently few problems, this threat may grow because
electrification of the island will undoubtedly expand.

Changes in food availability, availability of secure sites for nesting, and other
influences, such as the potential modernization of waste disposal could negatively affect
the Egyptian Vulture population on Masirah. The increasing human population in Oman,
including on Masirah, along with living standard changes, is likely to increase the amount
of waste of all types being disposed. While we are unaware of any plans to modernize
waste disposal on Masirah, improvements in waste management are being made in other
parts of the Sultanate. The effects of modernizing waste disposal management in Oman

148 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 9. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus perched on electricity pylon, with vertical insulators above a
horizontal crossbar, a design type that is considered dangerous in terms of electrocution risk, Masirah island, Oman.
© Ivaylo Angelov

on vultures are not known, and observations are ambiguous. Based on a limited number
of surveys at dumpsites in northern Oman (A1 Balushi et al 2013), more modern waste
disposal does not necessarily mean a decline in vulture numbers using dumpsites. The
most modern waste disposal site in Oman, at Al Multaqa, which receives most of Muscat's
biological waste, is used by large numbers of avian scavengers (>230 Egyptian vultures
counted at times during October 2012). Conversely, no vultures were observed on other
sites where disposal is less modern eg Barka (two visits) or Samail (one visit), which had an
apparent abundance of food including carcasses of camels, goats, sheep and cattle.

The management of waste is an important aspect to consider for the conservation of
scavengers (including vultures), and there is a tension between the desire to dispose of
waste in a way that supports human health benefits and a way that makes food available
for vultures. In Europe, for example, stricter animal carcass disposal laws were put in
place due to concerns about the possibility of diseases {eg BSE) spreading to humans,
and as a result food availability to scavengers dropped and special dispensation needed
to be given to so called 'vulture restaurants' that provide safe and plentiful food for
avian scavengers. Additionally, globally, there is a lack of information about health
effects to vultures of scavenging at rubbish dumps, including the potential for infection
by pathogens, ingestion of residues of veterinary drugs or other contaminants, and
other potential effects (Blanco et al 2007). Against a background of global conservation
challenges to avian scavengers and likely improvements to waste disposal in Oman, it is
important that strategies for waste disposal in Oman address the human health element.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 149

but do not undermine conservation. For example, perhaps Vulture friendly' areas within
some dumps could be established, where suitable certified-'clean' organic waste could be
dumped under professional supervision, and thus ensure the availability of safe food for
vultures and other avian scavengers. Modern and traditional dump sites in Oman and
elsewhere are attractive to scavenging raptors (mostly vultures and eagles), and this makes
the dump sites attractive to birdwatchers, including those from other countries. Indeed,
bird-watching blogs and internet sites {eg www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/middle„east/
oman.html) highlight dump sites in Oman as good places to see birds. So, while potential
conservation benefits are obvious, there would also be benefits to tourism that could be
enhanced, first probably on the mainland and then later on Masirah, especially if dump
site managers, municipalities, conservationists and the tourism industry work together to
improve the sites for scavengers.

Although no plans have been made there have been discussions by government
agencies about the possibility of building a bridge connecting Masirah with the mainland.
Such a bridge, if realized, would enable an increased flow of people and investments onto
the island. As in other parts of the world, a bridge may also provide access to the island
for mammalian predators {eg foxes), and this could expose adult Egyptian Vultures, their
eggs and offspring to predation. Predictably, some ground predators {ie cats, dogs, and
rats) do occur on Masirah, but currently their distribution appears to be around human
habitation and away from areas used by vultures for nesting. During the surveys only a
single car with tourists was encountered in the inner parts of the island where Egyptian
Vultures breed. At present, disturbance from recreational activities during the breeding
season does not seem to be a concern on Masirah.

We know that there is a large annual influx of scavenging birds to Arabia from more
northern areas during the non-breeding season. It is not known what proportion of
birds observed at the rubbish dump came from places off the island. The distance to the
mainland (19 km) is not as large as at Socotra (c240 km), and we do not believe it is an
insurmountable barrier to immigration and emigration. Satellite tracking of Egyptian
vultures, whether from Masirah or elsewhere, could help clarify the situation. Even if one
assumes that the distance to the mainland is not a barrier to movement, it is almost certain
that Masirah is not a sink population. However, given the apparently low productivity, it is
also not clear to what extent the population is a source of birds that will breed elsewhere.
We also could not rule out density dependent effects influencing productivity, nor, as
mentioned above, whether the number of birds of all age classes combined was a result
of immigration. Obviously, if the Masirah island population of Egyptian Vultures is
contributing breeding birds to sites away from the island then the importance of the island
population in terms of regional and global conservation is increased.

Fruitful avenues of future work exist on Masirah including the clarification of whether
birds on the island come from elsewhere or leave the island to breed. Opportunities exist
to build local expertise in surveying, monitoring, and conducting research on vultures on
the island, and using the Egyptian Vulture to promote conservation of wildlife there. The
situation on Masirah offers possibilities to better understand general features of Egyptian
Vulture ecology and biology, the ecology of island populations, and provide information
on Egyptian Vultures at the regional scale, highlighting the importance of Arabia for its
resident and visiting Egyptian Vultures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work has been funded by a grant by the Hima Fund (Qatar) to the Environment Society of Oman.
Permits were supplied by the Ministry for the Environment and Climate Affairs. Thanks to field assistants
Ghasi al Farsi, Juma al Araimi and Juma al Humaidi for help during implementation of the field work and
to Dobromir Dobrev for producing the map.

150 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

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Garcia-Ripolles, C & P Lopez-Lopez. 2006. Population size and breeding performance of Egyptian Vultures
(Neophron perenopterus) in eastern Iberian Peninsula. Journal of Raptor Research 40: 217-221.

Green, C. 1949. The black-shouldered kite in Masira (Oman). Ibis 91: 459-464.

Griffiths, Cl & TD Rogers. 1975. Birds ofMasirah island, Oman. Privately published.

Hernandez, M & A Margalida. 2009. Poison-related mortality effects in the endangered Egyptian Vulture
(Neophron perenopterus) population in Spain. European Journal of Wildlife Research 55: 415-423.

Jenkins, AR, JJ Smallie & M Diamond. 2010. Avian collisions with power lines: a global review of causes and
mitigation with a South African perspective. Bird Conservation International 20: 263-278.

Jennings, MC. 2010. Atlas of the breeding birds of Arabia. Fauna of Arabia 25.

Kobierzyeki, E. 2011. Le Vautor perenoptere dans les Pyrenees francaises. LPO Mission Rapaces - Pyrenees
Vivantes.

Liberatori, F & V Penteriani. 2001. A long-term analysis of the declining population of the Egyptian Vulture
in the Italian Peninsula: distribution, habitat preference, productivity, and conservation implications.
Biological Conservation 101: 381-389.

Margalida, A, JR Benitez, JA Sanchez-Zapata, E Avila, R Arenas & JA Donazar. 2012. Long-term relationship
between diet breadth and breeding success in a declining population of Egyptian Vultures Neophron
perenopterus. Ibis 154: 184-188.

Margalida, A, D Garcia & A Cortes-Avizanda. 2007. Factors influencing the breeding density of Bearded
Vultures, Egyptian Vultures and Eurasian Griffon Vultures in Catalonia (NE Spain): management
implications. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 30: 189-200.

Meyburg, B-U, M Gallardo, C Meyburg & E Dimitrova. 2004. Migrations and sojourn in Africa of Egyptian
vultures (Neophron perenopterus) tracked by satellite. Journal fiir Ornithologie 145: 273-280.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 151

Mundy, PJ, D Butchart, J Ledger & S Piper. 1992. The vultures of Africa. Acorn Books, Randburg, South Africa.

Porter, R & AS Suleiman. 2012. The Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus on Socotra, Yemen: population,
ecology, conservation and ethno-ornithology. Sandgrouse 34: 44-62.

Rondeau, G & J-M Thiollay. 2004. West African vulture decline. Vulture News 51: 13-33.

Sargeant, DE & I Harrison. 2005. The Oman birder 2005. Email newsletter.

§en, B, S isfendiyaroglu & J Tavares. 2011. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) research and monitoring -
2011 breeding season report - Beypazari, Turkey. Doga Dernegi, Ankara.

Tewes, E (ed). 2002. A fact-finding mission to prepare the Action Plan for the recovery and conservation of vultures
on the Balkan Peninsula. Black Vulture Conservation Foundation/Foundation for the Conservation of the
Bearded Vulture, Frankfurt Zoological Society.

Thiollay, J-M. 2006. The decline of raptors in West Africa: long-term assessment and the role of protected
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Xirouchakis, SM & R Tsiakiris. 2009. Status and population trends of vultures in Greece. Munibe
(supplement) 29: 154-171.

I Angelov, ivaylo.d.angelov@gmail.com

T Yotsova, Gorno Pole, Madzharovo, Haskovo, Bulgaria, tsvetomira.yotsova@gmail.com

M Sarrouf Environmental Society of Oman, PO Box 3955, Ruwi 112, Oman. Currently: 96 Regent St, Room tl. Downing

College, Cambridge CB2 IDQ, UK. maiasarrouf@gmail.com

M} McCrady, International Avian Research, Am Rosenhugel 59, Krems 3500, Austria, mikejmcgrady@aol.com

152

Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

A description of the nest and eggs of the
Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides, Oman

ANDKIW l)l\c)N

The Arabian Wheatear Ociiinithc lus^cutoidc^ is ec'tnsiJereJ hv sexeral aiilliorilies to be
a distinct species separate troin the Mnurnini; Wheatear (X {ly K'nninps 21)10,

Birdlite International 2013, Gill Donsker 2013). This Irealinent has been siipporteil by an
analysis of the Mourning Wheatear complex using molecular markers and comparal i\'i'
morphometry, which recommended adopting three species; Cl ///yx’z/s, (X lu^ciitoiilc^ and ( X
lii^iibris (Fdrschler ct ul 2010). The Arabian W'heatear is poK'tvpic with two suhspecie.s, tlu'
nominate lii^ciitoidc:^ occurring in southwest Arabia and hoscnwciii inhabiting a drier and
lower altitude biotope in eastern Yemen and southern Oman (Jennings 2010).

Despite being a common breeding species in southern Arabia, with an estimated 800
000 and 130 000 pairs of nominate lugentoides and boseaweiii respectively, there is little
detailed information on the breeding ecology of the species (Jennings 2010). Castell et (d
(2002) noted the lack of published information on breeding biology and described a nest
site of O. /. lugentoides in a low cliff within a crevice lined with flat pebbles leading to the
grass nest, ^vhich was constructed c30 cm from the entrance. A description of the nest and
nestlings of Arabian Wheatear can be found in Castell & Castell (2009), but the eggs do not
appear to have been described.

On 3 April 2012 I found an active Arabian Wheatear nest in Wadi Darbat, near
Salalah, southern Oman. The nest was positioned c20 cm back in a deep recess c2 m up
a rock wall within a relatively shallow cave. The wide-mouthed cave was at the base of
a rock outcrop of a well-wooded hillside: the cave also housed a wood-built stockade,
not in use, and cavities in the 4-6 m high roof provided nest sites for several Tristram's
Starlings Onychognathus tristramii and Rock Doves Columba livia. The nest was similar to
that described previously and a number of small stones had been placed within the cavity
in front of the nest, a common feature of the nests of several wheatear species (Plate 1,
Harrison & Castell 2002), whilst the nest itself was roughly constructed of dried, course
grass with a shallow cup lined with finer grass. The nest held four ovate eggs, which
were unusually heavily marked for a wheatear species (Plate 2). The ground colour was

Plate I. The Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides
nest entrance, in a cave recess, showing numerous small
stones placed at the entrance. Wadi Darbat, southern
Oman. © A Dixon

Plate 2. The clutch of four heavily-marked eggs of
Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides, Wadi Darbat,
southern Oman. © A Dixon

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 153

Plate 3. The male Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides at the nest entrance, Wadi Darbat, southern Oman. The
nest is behind the bird. The rim of the nest and rampart of stones extend out to the left of the bird. © A Dixon

Plate 4. The female Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides at the nest entrance, Wadi Darbat, southern Oman. ©
A Dixon

off-white with spots and blotches of sienna, brown and brick red concentrated towards
the broader end forming an indistinct ring. Both adults, presumably boscaweni, were
photographed close to the nest (Plates 3, 4); the male had a white crown, black throat, a
black terminal band on its tail and rusty-buff undertail coverts, whilst the female had a

154 Sandgroiise 35 (2013)

Plate 6. The female Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe
lugentoides away from its nest, Wadi Darbat, southern
Oman. © A Dixon

Plate 5. The male Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe
lugentoides away from its nest, Wadi Darbat, southern
Oman. © A Dixon

dark grey-brown back, with a lighter grey-brown head and a buff underside that appeared
quite streaky and paler rusty-buff undertail coverts. Both birds were also photographed
away from the nest (Plates 5, 6).

All species of the genus Oenanthe breeding in the Western Palearctic build their nests
inside cavities or rodent burrows and have eggs with a white or pale blue ground, which
are typically lightly spotted with orange, red and brown mainly at the larger end (Cramp
1988). The eggs of Arabian Wheatear described here follow this general pattern but are
much more heavily marked than is typical for the genus. As this is the only clutch of
eggs described it is not possible to state whether or not these heavily marked eggs are
characteristic of the species.

REFERENCES

BirdLife International. 2013. Species factsheet: Oenanthe lugentoides. www.birdlife.org. [Downloaded 16 May
2013]

Castell P & R Castell. 2009. Breeding Birds of the Western Palearctic. Nests, Eggs, Nestlings, Fledglings and
Habitats. BirdGuides DVD, www.birdguides.com.

Castell P, J Coburn, B Pleasance, T Quittenden & M Shobrak. 2002. Further notes on the breeding biology of
some birds in Saudi Arabia. Sandgrouse 34: 33-37.

Cramp S (ed). 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, vol 5. Oxford University Press, UK.

Forschler MI, F Khoury, F Bairlein & M Aliabadian. 2010. Phylogeny of the Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe
lugens complex. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 56: 758-767.

Cill F & D Donsker (eds). 2013. IOC World Bird List (v 3.3). www.worldbirdnames.org. [Downloaded 16
May 2013]

Harrison C & P Castell. 2002. Bird nests, eggs and nestlings of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins, London.
Jennings MC (ed). 2010. Atlas of the breeding birds of Arabia. Fauna of Arabia 25.

Andrew Dixon, 22 Bronant, Talgarth, Brecon, LD3 OHF, UK. falco@falcons.co.uk

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 155

A Striated Heron Butorides striata at Azraq,
Jordan

TAREQ QANEER & GREG BUTCHER

The Striated Heron Butorides striata is a local breeding resident of the Egyptian Red sea in
coastal areas and on islands, north to the southern gulf of Aqaba (Goodman & Meininger
1989). It is also resident on the Saudi Arabian Red sea coast (Jennings 2010). Striated Herons
have been recorded breeding on mariculture platforms off Eilat, northern gulf of Aqaba
(Yosef et al 2002, Perlman 2004). In Jordan the Striated Heron has previously been recorded
once, a single adult in 1991/92 at Aqaba (Andrews 1995, Fares Khoury pers comm).

On 5 November 2012, whilst bird-watching at Azraq wetland reserve, Jordan (Figure
1), a single bird was observed flying on the edge of the water pool (Plate 1). The sky was
clear and light conditions were excellent. The bird was watched from closer up revealing
details such as the long bill, the brownish colour with white spots on the wings, bold
stripes on the neck, bare yellow on lores, white streak below the eye, and relatively short
legs (Plate 2). We concluded that it was a juvenile Striated Heron. A second visit was made
to Azraq reserve, on 12 November 2012, to search for any possible breeding pairs though
no evidence of breeding was found. The record has been accepted by the Jordan Bird
Records Committee.

Aside from it being the second record for Jordan, the significance of this record is that
it occurred at an inland wetland a considerable distance from the sea at Aqaba and Eilat.

southwest of Jordan at Aqaba.

Plate I . Striated Heron Butorides striata, Azraq wetland
reserve, northern Jordan, 5 November 2012. © Omar
A’abed

156 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Omar A' abed for his assistance with photography and Ehab Eid for his help in drafting this short
communication and map preparation.

REFERENCES

Andrews, IJ. 1995. Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Andrews, Musselburgh, UK.

Goodman, SM & PL Meininger. 1989. The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University Press, UK.

Jennings, MC. 2010. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. Fauna of Arabia 25.

Perlman, Y. 2004. Breeding Striated Heron Butorides striatus in Israel. Sandgrouse 26: 65.

Yosef, R, M Rydberg-Hedaen, L Mitchell & H Smit. 2002. The first breeding record of Striated Heron
Butorides striatus in Israel. Sandgrouse 24: 134-135.

Tareq Qaneer, The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, PO Box 1215, Municipality Street, Jubaiha 11941, Amman,
Jordan, tareq.qaneer@rscn.org. jo

Greg Butcher, USD A Forest Service International Programs.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 157

White-winged Terns Chlidonias leucopterus

breeding at high elevation in eastern
Anatolia, Turkey

JENS HERING «& PA BUCKLEY

In Turkey, White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus was considered by Kirwan et al
(2008), ‘‘A fairly widespread and common passage migrant to wetlands and coastal areas,
especially across the eastern two-thirds of the country, which is regularly recorded in
summer and often assumed to breed. . . However, our detailed dissection of the literature,
both published and unpublished, has revealed very few records that can be considered
even strongly suggestive of breeding... and recommend that any definite future nesting
records be thoroughly documented. Nonetheless, it does seem likely that breeding occurs
in Turkey at least occasionally".

We report the discovery of three White-winged Tern breeding colonies in 2011/2012 in
eastern Anatolia, Turkey, each at high elevation. Two of the three were along busy main
highways, and once sites were occupied by conspicuous adults, it is hard to imagine their
being unnoticed by passing birders or ornithologists, so perhaps they have been only
recently established. The third colony was some distance from a main road and could have
been easily overlooked.

The first colony was found by PAB et al on 30 June 2011 c575 km east of Caldiran, Van
province, on the north side of highway E99 at 39° 09' 16.69" N, 43° 57' 59.93" E and 2039
m ASL. To avoid disturbance it was not entered, but adults were clearly incubating eggs/
brooding young in a sedge wetland, as they rose up when disturbed and immediately
settled back on their nests. Visible near the road were 150-200 adults in the air at once, and
this was in perhaps only 25-33 % of the entire colony site. Only a handful of flying adults
were visible in the site's further reaches cO.5-1 km away, but we obtained no additional
estimates of total colony size. We saw no other larid or waterbird species present at the
colony site.

The second colony was also found by PAB et al, on 1 July 2011 at 40° 30' 57.60" N,
43° 16' 15.90" E and 2185 m ASL by highway D070 at Borluk, cl4.5 km southeast of Kars,
Kars province. It was in two sections, the larger in a 0.5 km long sedge-reed marsh
and freshwater pond complex set back 50 m from the south side of the road below five
communication towers atop a nearby hill. A second, much smaller section occupied a
flooded sedge marsh north of D070. To avoid disturbance neither was entered, but adults
were clearly incubating eggs/brooding young and rose up when disturbed, immediately
settling back on their nests.

The site on the south side of the road supported more than 30 White-winged Terns
but being some distance from the road at the back of the ponds, most were not disturbed
by our presence so we surely underestimated their numbers. Many other water birds,
probably breeding, (notably a White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala) were present,
several raptors were patrolling the wetlands and adjacent fields, and the smaller colony
north of the road held at least another 80 White-winged Terns.

The third colony was found by Jens and Heidi Hering on 25 June 2012. Some 50
White-winged Terns were observed on a flooded meadow, several hectares in area, 2.5
km west of lake Balik, Agri province, at 39° 44' 52.31" N, 43° 29' 55.37" E and 2465 m
ASL. An inspection of the shoreline led immediately to attacks from the air by at least
10 individuals. A subsequent check of two small islands, scarcely noticeable in the

158 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate I. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus nest
with freshly-hatched chick and an egg. 2.5 km west of
lake Balik, eastern Turkey, 25 June 2012. © Jens Hering

Plate 2. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus nest
with two eggs, 2.5 km west of lake Balik, eastern Turkey.
25 June 20 1 2. © Jens Hering

middle of the flooded depression, revealed two nests. The first nest contained a freshly-
hatched chick and an egg (Plate 1). In the second nest (Plate 2) there were two eggs, one
of which sho^ved signs of shell chipping (shortly before hatching). The nests, built in low
vegetation, consisted of both green and dry stalks. There were probably several other nests
in the area. The search was discontinued so as not to disturb the birds. The dominant
vegetation species in the breeding habitat were of the wetland herb alliance Eleocharito
paliistris-Sagittarion sagittifoUae, including large stands of Common Water-plantain Alisma
plantago-aquatica. Approximately 20 Redshanks Tringa totanus, some of them alarm calling,
were also present at the fringes of the wetland. It is questionable whether the broods of
the birds nesting here were successful as there was also a large cattle herd grazing in the
shallow water reaches of the flooded area. A further flock of c80 White-winged Terns was
observed over the open water of lake Balik.

DISCUSSION

These three 2011/2012 sites are within a 100-km-long strip at elevations of 2039-2465 m
ASL in Van, Agri and Kars provinces and suggest that at present White-winged Tern
breeding activity within Turkey is centred on the Armenian plateau in eastern Anatolia. It
seems likely that other colony sites remain to be discovered in this general area, and late
June-early July appears to be an optimal time for searches. Based on these observations,
the authors wonder if the White-winged Tern might routinely breed at similar or higher
elevations in suitable locations throughout its range.

Breeding sites at such high elevations were previously not known for this species, which
occurs primarily in lowlands, although broods have allegedly occurred at an elevation of
c2000 m in Armenia. A nest was described at an elevation of 2023 m in northwest Armenia
at lake Arpi (Dahl 1954). In addition, the species bred at cl900 m in the lake Sevan basin
at lake Gilli until about 1928 (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942). There is also a record from Georgia
from lake Madatapa at 2108 m, where a large number of White-winged Terns with fledged
young were observed in July 1934 (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942). Whether or not the terns
actually bred at this elevation must remain an open question, as great heights are also not
avoided on migration. In this respect records exist of sightings from over 3700 m from the
Pamir region of central Asia (Ivanov 1969, Abdusaljamov 1971).

White-winged Terns can be observed regularly in Turkey in summer. Sightings during
the breeding season in central and eastern Anatolia are not uncommon (Husband &
Kasparek 1984, Kasparek 1992, Kirwan et al 2008). There is an older record from the border

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 159

area with Armenia, where in early May 1911 a large number of White-winged Terns
were present near the village of Tash-burun between the Araks river and the foothills
of the Ararat massif (Lyaister & Sosnin 1942). Finally there are records from the Black
sea coast region. On 16 June 1983 two adults and a fledged young bird were observed at
lake Yenigaga (Kihg & Kasparek 1987) and there was a sighting of young being fed in the
Kizihrmak delta 17 July 1992 (Hustings & Van Dijk 1994).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

J Hering is grateful for information on vegetation provided by Dr T Raus (Berlin). His thanks for research
into the literature and for other assistance go to P Becker (Diekholzen), D Conlin (Berlin), H Hering
(Limbach-Oberfrohna), Dr K Liedel (Halle) and D Saemann (Chemnitz). PA Buckley thanks FG Buckley,
M (Jiftgi, B Maybank, D MacNeill, and the members of the Maritimes Nature Travel Club of Halifax, Nova
Scotia, who made the Turkey venture such a success. We both acknowledge D Conlin and manuscript
reviewers for important assistance.

REFERENCES

Abdusaljamov, lA. 1971. [Fauna Tadzikskoj SSR. Tom XIX, c. I, Pticy], Dushanbe. [In Russian]

Dahl, SK. 1954. [Zivotnyj mir Armjanskoj SSR. Tom 1. Pozvonocnye zivotnye. Izd-vo AN Armjansk. SSR], Yerevan.
[In Russian]

Husband, C & M Kasparek. 1984. The Birds ofSeyfe Gdlii. Birds of Turkey 2, Heidelberg.

Hustings, F & K van Dijk. 1994. Bird Census in the Kizilirmak Delta, Turkey, in Spring 1992. WIWO Report No.
45, Zeist, Netherlands.

Ivanov, AT 1969. [Pticy Pamiro-Alaja]. Leningrad. [In Russian]

Kasparek, M. 1992. Die Vogel der Tiirkei: eine Ubersicht. Kasparek Verlag, Heidelberg.

Kilig, A & M Kasparek. 1987. The Birds ofYenigaga Gdlii. Birds of Turkey 6, Heidelberg.

Kirwan, GM, KA Boyla, P Castell, B Demird, M Ozen, H Welch & T Marlow. 2008. The Birds of Turkey.
Christopher Helm, London.

Lyaister, AF & GV Sosnin. 1942. [Materialy po ornitofaune Armjanskoj SSR (Ornis Armeniaca)]. Yerevan. [In
Russian]

Jens Hering, Wolkenburger Strajle 11, D-09212 Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany, jenshering.vso-bibliothek@t-online.de.

PA Buckley, 211 Meadow Tree Farm Road, Saunderstown, RI 02874, USA. pab387@cox.net

160 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

From the Rarities Committees

liifi Harrisoti (avtipilcr)

Observers who ha\e had a coiintr\’ first
record accepted bv a rarities committee are
encouraged to write it up for publication.

CYPRUS

BirdLife C\’prus Rarities Committee mem-
bers: Colin Richardson (chair), Melis
Charalambides, Stavros Christodoulides,
Jeff Gordon, Hugh Buck, Nigel Cottle.
Claims should be sent to Colin Richardson
at richar@cytanet.com. cy

EGYPT

The Egyptian Ornithological Rarities
Committee comprises: Sherif Baha El Din
(chair), Erederic Jiguet (secretary, non-vot-
ing), Web Abdou, Richard Bonser, Andrea
Corso, Pierre Andre Crochet, Andrew
Grieve, Richard Hoath, Manuel Schweizer.
Official external advisors are Istvan
Moldovan, Ahmed Riad and Mary Megalli.
Claims should be sent to eorc.secretary®
gmail.com. See also www.chn-france.org/
eorc/eorc.php?id_content=l where claim
forms can be downloaded.

ISRAEL

Avner Cohen (Secretary), James P Smith,
Barak Granit, Rami Lindroos, Killian
Mullarney, Eyal Shochat, Eran Banker and
Tomer Landsberger. Claims should be sent
to Avner Cohen at israbirding@gmail.com.
See also www.israbirding.com/irdc where
submission forms can be downloaded.

JORDAN

The Jordan Bird Records Committee (JBRC)
comprises: F ares Khoury (secretary), Richard
Porter, Ian Andrews, Feras Rahahleh,
Khaldun Al-Omari. Claims should be sent
to Fares Khoury at avijordan2000@yahoo.
com. JBRC has accepted one record since
the report in Sandgrouse 35(1).

Striated Heron Ihitoriiir^ <frintii. Ciu' A1 A/i\u|
wetland reserve 5 and 12 Noxemher 2012
( r Qaneer). Second record.

KUWAIT

The Kuwait Crnithological Rarities
Committee (KORC) comprises: Mike
Pope (chair), AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan
(secretary), Pekka Fagel, Oscar Campbell
(external adjudicator), Peter Kennerley
(external adjudicator), Brian Foster (hon-
orary member). Claims should be sent to
AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan at alsirhan@alsir-
han.com. KORC has accepted the following
claims since the last report in Snnd<^wuse
35(1).

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca. Two Jahra
pools reserve (JPR) 18 February 2013 (M
Pope). Tenth record.

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus. Two JPR 1
January 2013 (R A1 Hajji). Second record.

Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius. One
Jahra East outfall (JEO) 28 May 2013 (R A1
Hajji). Fifth record.

Black Tern Chlidonias niger. One JEO 29 May
2013 (R A1 Hajji). 12th record

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus. One
Fahaheel park 5 February 2013 (N Hulet).
Third record.

White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe
leucopyga. One Mutla ridge 12 January
2013 (R A1 Hajji). 15th record.

Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis. One A1
Abraq (AA) 10 April 2013 (A & A Nava).
First record.

Masked Wagtail Motacilla (alba) personata.One
JPR 2 March 2013 (M A1 Saddni). Third
record.

Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus. One JPR
4 March 2013 (K A1 Ghanem). 15th record

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. One
AA 10 April 2013 (A & A Nava). First
record.

Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta. Two Khiran
area 5 February 2013 (O A1 Shaheen).
Tenth record.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 161

First breeding records for Kuwait:

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca. First
breeding proven JPR 12 April 2013 (J
Judaa).

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos. First breeding
proven JPR 6 April 2013 (German bird
group).

Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta. First
breeding proven Khiran 14 February 2013
(O A1 Shaheen).

Records not proven: Brown Booby Sula
leucogaster (A1 Kout-Fahaheel 4 Apr 2013),
Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus (20 Apr
2013), Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (23
Apr 2013); Plain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus
neglectus (Khiran chalets 24 Apr 2013).

OMAN

The Oman Bird Records Committee (OBRC)
comprises: Jens Eriksen (recorder), Ian
Harrison, Dave Sargeant, Graham Searle,
John Atkins, Peter Cowan, Simon Tull,
Waheed A1 Farsi, Zahran A1 Abdulasalam.
Claims should be sent to Jens Eriksen at
hjoman@gmail.com from whom claim
forms can be obtained. As of June 2013 the
Oman list stands at 516. OBRC has accept-
ed the following claims since the report in
Sandgrouse 35(1).

Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna
javanica. Three A1 Baleed archaeological
park (ABAP) 4 January-18 March 2013 (J
Debuck et al). Third record.

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris borealis. One
at sea off Khatmat Milahah flying into
Oman waters from UAE 1 July 2011 (O
Campbell). First record of borealis, but
tenth of Cory's/Scopoli's Shearwater
complex.

Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus. Four
near Tawi Atayr 16-18 February 2013 (H
& J Eriksen). Third record.

Watercock Gallicrex cinerea. One Khawr Rawri
6 January 2013 (S Menzie). Fourth record.

Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca. One
Wadi Darbat 23 November-4 December
2012 (P & P Olson, K & O Fritz). First
record.

Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus.
One off Muscat 15 April 2013 (H & J
Eriksen). Sixth record.

African Collared Dove Streptopelia risoria.
One heard Mudday 11 February 2013 (H
& J Eriksen). Sixth record.

Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata. One Sun
farm, Sohar, 13-14 December 2012 (H
& J Eriksen, JD Atkins). First record,
considered escape.

Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus.
One Khawr Rawri (KR) 1 April 2010 (M
Becker). Fourth record.

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis. Adult female
first at East Khawr, then ABAP 5
November 2012-18 March 2013 (H & J
Eriksen). Seventh record.

Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe. One
KR 17 December 2009 (R van der Zwan).
Second record.

European Robin Erithacus rubecula. One
A'Sayh 19 November 2004 (I Harrison).
Fifth record.

Pied Bush Chat Saxicola caprata. One A'Sayh
12 April 2007 (I Harrison, DE Sargeant).
Seventh record.

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus
orientalis. One Sayq plateau (SP) 24
February 2013 (M Schilz). Fifth record.

White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe
leucopyga. One Qurayyat 3 & 17 November
2006 (I Harrison, R Hendrie, SJ Tull).
Eighth record.

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa latirostris.
One at Ras A' Sawadi 14 October 2012 (R
Graf). Third record.

Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla. One Qatbit
18-26 November 2009 (B Richards, A
Lassey, B Hill). First record.

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus. One Sail
Ala 24 April 2013 (H & J Eriksen). Sixth
record.

Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus. 11 SP 28
December 2012 with at least four staying
till 24 February 2013 (I Robbe, H & J
Eriksen). Eighth record.

Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia. Male
Dawkah farm 14-23 February 2013 (M
Schilz, H & J Eriksen). Third record.

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla. One Muntasar
28 January-10 February 2013 (H & J
Eriksen et al). Tenth record.

QATAR

Qatar Rare Birds Committee members:

Jamie A Buchan (chair/recorder), Michael

J Grunwell, Neil G Morris, Simon J Tull.

162 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Claims should be sent to Jamie Buchan at
jamie_buchan(^yahoo.com.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Emirates Bird Records Committee
(EBRC) currenth' comprises the follow-
ing voting members: Oscar Campbell
(chairman), Nick Moran (secretar\’), Huw
Roberts, Mark Smiles, Neil To\ ev, Tomm\’
Pedersen (UAE bird recorder). Ahmed
al Ali and Peter Hellyer are non-\’oting
members. Records are circulated and
assessments published three times per year,
as according to the timetable outlined at
www.uaebirding.com/ebrc.html. Decisions
on assessments, plus EBRC's constitution
and information about the assessment pro-
cess and downloadable report forms are
all available at the same location. Claims
should be sent to ebrc@gmail.com or to
Tommy Pedersen at 777sandman@gmail.
com.

In addition to ongoing work involving
assessment of current records, in August
2013 EBRC will initiate a review of records,
some historical and some more contem-
porar}", of a number of species deemed
difficult to identify (and perhaps subject to
recent confusion) or of questionable origin.
The result of this review will be published
in due course. EBRC has accepted the fol-
lowing particularly significant records from
2012.

Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus
coromandelianus. One Zakher pools 8-26
December 2012 (M Parr et al). Tenth record
and first since 2003.

Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris.
One Al Warsan lakes 14-29 November
2012 (S Varghese, M Ullman et al). Seventh
record; the previous one being January
2012.

Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes.
Up to 12 birds seen on pelagic trips off
Khor Kalba 28-30 June 2012 (A Al Zaabi,
K Al Dhaheri, SL James et al) and another
14-16 September 2012 (G Talbot, A Al
Zaabi et al). Eight and ninth records; last
2010.

Jouanin's Petrel Bulweria fallax. A major and
unprecedented influx in late autumn 2012,
with up to 300 birds seen on pelagic trips
off Khor Kalba 24 October-16 November

2012 (A Al Zaabi, k Al nhaheri, 1
Pederson et al). eiilininaling in (tl)*-) birds
21 Deceniber 2012 (\1 Smiles el ill). Six
pre\ ions reciMxls, ti\e in iUiliimn 201 1 and
one fn>m 20l)4. See also Phoenix 2'-): 21 25.

Cinereous Vullure Aegupius nionaeliii^.
C)ne Dubai lieserl eonser\ation lesiMve
(DDCR) l(v-31 October 2012 (M Smiles,
S Bell, C Simkins el al). Tirst ri'cord,
although birds in b)05 and b)bO/2000
brought to wildlife rescue centres mav
ha\’e been of wild origin.

Himalayan Griffon Vullure Ci//>s
hiinalai/ensiii. One DDCR 13 lb October
2012 (SL James, S Bell, N Suseelan el al).
First record.

Shikra Accipiter hadius. Resident in greater
Dubai area, but only three records away
from there: one winter 20()9/2()l() at
Sila, then a juvenile Sila' public park 28
September-6 October 2012 and nearby 1
December 2012 (OJ Campbell, M Smiles,
SP Lloyd). A juvenile Kharran water
treatment plant 24 November 2012 (OJ
Campbell, M Smiles, A Ward).

Great Stone-curlew Esacus recurvirostris. One
Bu Al Siaief marine protected area 27
September 2011 (S Javed, S Khan) and
seen again Khor Qirqishan (Musaffah) 27
February-6 March 2012 (SWL Strickland
et al). First record (see Tribulus 20: 57-58).

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fiiscicollis.
One Al Ain water treatment plant 18-26
May 2012 (OJ Campbell, D O'Mahony et
al). First record {Sandgrouse 35: 36-38).

Mediterranean Gull Earns melanocephalus.
One adult Mafraq rubbish tip 4
February-19 March 2012 (OJ Campbell, M
Smiles et al). Ninth record; last 2011.

Brown-headed Gull Chroicocephalus
brunnicephalus. One immature Dibba port
11-12 December 2012 (A Jones, T Pedersen,
C Papazoglou, P Panayides). Seventh
record; first since 2001.

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. One
adult Dibba harbour 7-11 December 2012
(M Parr et al). Fifth record; last 2010.

Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris. One seen on
pelagic trip off Khor Kalba 16 November
2012 (M Smiles et al). Fifth record; last
2011.

Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius.
One Wamm farms 20-26 April 2012 (OJ
Campbell et al). Third record; last 2011.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 163

Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis. An
immature Safa park 18-25 February 2012
(A & M Gunther et al). First record.

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus. One Al
Barsha pond park 18 January-1 February

2012 (M Charlton et al) and possibly same
bird Dubai pivot fields 11 March 2012
(T Pedersen et al) and 15 April 2012 (N
Tovey). Second and third records; first
since 2005.

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus. One Ain
al-Fayda 18 February-26 March 2012 (G
Askew et al). Sixth record; last 2011.

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus. One Wadi
Bih (Colin's farm) 20 November 2012 (to
5 January 2013) showing characteristics
of L. c. cristatus (M Ullman et al). Seventh
record; first since 2010.

Mesopotamian Crow Corvus (cornix)
capellanus. One Siniyah island 26
November 2012-23 January 2013, also seen
at nearby Khor al Beida (R Gubiani et al).
First record.

Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra.
One Dalma island 3 December 2012 (OJ
Campbell, GI Ensor). Seventh record; last
2011.

Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe. One
Sila'a 15 November 2012, until 29 March

2013 (OJ Campbell et al). Sixth record; last
2009.

Kurdistan Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna.
One male Jebel Dhanna 22 March-2 April
2012 (R Willbond, SL James, K Al Dhaheri
et al). Second record; last 2004.

Radde's Accentor Prunella ocularis. One Safa
park 10-14 April 2012 (B Baker). First
record.

Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla. One
Wamm farms goat farm 25 November-3
December 2012 (M Ullman et al) and
another Safa park 30 November 2012-25
March 2013 (M Smiles et al). Fourth and
fifth records; last 2010.

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla. One Wadi Bih
26 October 2012 (S Parr). Seventh record;
first since 2001.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following assisted in the compilation of this
review; Colin Richardson (Cyprus), Sherif Baha el
Din (Egypt), Avner Cohen (Israel), Fares Khoury
(Jordan), Mike Pope & AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan
(Kuwait), Jens Eriksen (Oman), Jamie Buchan
(Qatar), Oscar Campbell and Tommy Pedersen
(United Arab Emirates).

Ian Harrison, Llyswen Farm, Lon y Felin, Aberaeron, SA46
OED, UK. ianbirds@gmail.com

164 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Review

Birds of Central Asia

Rattael Aye, Manuel Schweizer & Tobias

Roth

Christopher Helm, London. 2012.

Softback. 336 pages. 143 colour plates

ISBN 978-0-7136-7038-7

I first visited Kazakhstan in 1987 and recall
the problems of finding any suitable literature
covering the countrv. European field guides
did not include the specialities and 1 had to
fall back on the late Vladimir Flint's Birds of
the USSR, which did include all the species
but otherwise fell short by modern standards.
A field guide to the birds of Kazakhstan and
surrounding countries has long been overdue
and finally ^ve have Birds of Central Asia added
to the Helm series of guides.

Tlae book includes details of 618 species
in its 336 pages, covering the area from
Kazakhstan in the north to Afghanistan
in the south. It is a relatively slim volume
and follows the now established format of
previous Helm guides. The first 33 pages
comprise the introductory chapters, including
the usual glossary of terms, a chapter on
taxonomy (of which more later) and 16 half-
page habitat photographs, which if nothing
else serve to showcase the stunning variety of
habitats in the region.

The bulk of the book naturally comprises
the list of species, with the text on the
left opposite the appropriate plate. Initial
impressions of any field guide are often
drawn from a quick glance at the illustrations
and not many readers will be disappointed
here. Thirteen different artists were used
and a number of the 143 plates have been
previously used in other field guides. The
general standard of the artwork varies from
good to very good. The whole point of
illustrations in a field guide is to complement
the text, thus enabling a correct identification
to be made, and in nearly all examples this
will be the case. The text is neatly laid out
with normally 3-5 species per page. Key
identification features are emboldened and the
text is of a high standard. Distribution maps
are included for all but vagrant species and

common non-breeding migrants; although on
the small side, they appear to be as accurate
as possible within the limits of our current
understanding of distribution in the region.

Other than taxonomic splits, only one
unfamiliar species is included in the region's
avifauna, namely the near-mythical Large-
billed Reed Warbler Acroccphalus or inns,
previously known from only one specimen
obtained in northern India in 1867. The species
then went unrecorded for more than 100
years until, due to pioneering work by Lars
Svensson, Raffael Aye and others, it was found
in various specimen collections and is now
known to breed in the region. In brief, visiting
birders should carefully check all presumed
Blyth's Reed Warblers A. dumetorum breeding
at high altitude from Afghanistan northwards
to southern Kazakhstan.

The dramatic rate of taxonomic changes
is making life for those of us who work in the
field a nightmare, and authors must also be
struggling to keep up with the latest thinking.
Many of the generally accepted splits are
included such as Booted Iduna caligata/Sykes' s
Warblers I. rama and Taiga Ficedula albicilla/
Red-breasted Flycatchers F. parva, but some
others might cause consternation. Turkestan
Lanins phoenicuroides and Daurian Shrikes
L. isabellinus are split with arenarius (the
so-called Chinese Shrike) included within the
latter, despite its different wintering grounds.
Mention is made of hybridisation between
Turkestan and Red-backed Shrikes L. collurio,
which is a real problem where the two come
together. I was surprised to see that the
grey shrike complex is now split into three
species, with a 'new' Asian Grey Shrike,
including both pallidirostris and aucheri, two
forms that to my eyes could not be more
different within the complexity of this group.
We now have two golden orioles with kundoo

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 165

now a full species, named Indian Golden
Oriole OrioJus kundoo. Turkestan Tit Parus
bokharensis appears to be lumped with Great
Tit P. major, but without great conviction
in the text, although hybridisation between
the two is widespread. Yellow-breasted Tit
Cyanistes flavipectus started life as a race
of Azure Tit C. cyanus, was then afforded
specific status but is now relegated to a race
of Azure Tit —all very confusing. Perhaps
the biggest shock is the treatment of the
larks. Anyone who has visited the deserts of
Kazakhstan and surrounding areas will have
found the Calandrella larks a problem. We
have been accustomed to the longipennis race
of Greater Short-toed Lark C. brachydactyla
sharing habitat with heinei Lesser Short-toed
Lark C. rufescens. Additionally, the search has
been on to find the leucophaea race of Asian
Short-toed Lark C. cheleensis. We are now led
to believe there are no Lesser Short-toed Larks
in the region and that heinei is in fact an Asian
Short-toed and that leucophaea is probably
another species. It may well have been best
to leave the nomenclature as it was, until the
true status of leucophaea becomes established.
The latest information suggests that the Aral
sea might be the place to look rather than lake
Balkhash, where many of the older records
came from. The Lesser Whitethroats Sylvia
curruca are dealt with well, nominate in the
north with halimodendri occupying other
areas. True desert birds S. minula are probably
scarce and not separable from halimodendri. It
is good to see that the migratory Indian House
Sparrow Passer indicus has been split, as this
taxon breeds alongside the resident House
Sparrow P. domesticus, and the males at least
are diagnosable in the field.

The systematic list is followed by a
collection of doubtfully recorded species prior
to 1950. Some may regard the authors as

being somewhat harsh. Knowing the wealth
of ornithological talent formerly based at
Almaty it would be surprising if White-naped
Grus vipio and Hooded Cranes G. monacha
would have been misidentified and equally
Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata has
been recorded twice from Uzbekistan and yet
does not find favour in this book.

To summarise, the Birds of Central Asia
is an excellent guide and an absolute must
for anyone travelling to the region. Excellent
concise text, good artwork and a wealth
of fine detail. The more you delve into it,
the more you realise the commitment the
authors have for this region. Finding faults
is surprisingly difficult, one could argue
with some of the taxonomy but the authors
clearly state the authorities they have chosen
to follow. Kazakhstan's only endemic bird
Panders Ground Jay Podoces panderi of the
race ilensis could have been better covered as
we are given no indication of how to separate
from the nominate. Common Scoter Melanitta
nigra is treated as specifically distinct from
Black Scoter M. americana, yet the Common
Scoter on plate 11 is labelled Black Scoter. It
would have been good to know in which of
the countries the vagrants have occurred. This
information must have been available to the
authors during their research and it is a pity
they have not shared it with us. All this is,
however, nit-picking and in no way detracts
from the book's usefulness.

As the authors state, there is much to
learn about the avifauna of Central Asia and
this slim volume will greatly facilitate that
process. With the Collins Bird Guide, Birds of
the Middle East, and now Birds of Central Asia
we have three excellent field guides to cover
the OSME region. I cannot recommend the
latest addition too highly.

P A Lassey

166 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

OSME News

Geoff Welch

Certificate of Recognition

While man)’ ot the problems taciiii;
birds and the en\ironment in the OSME
region will only be soKed b\’ the work ot
go\’ernments and NGOs, a great man\’
individuals are seltlessly devoting much ot
their time, energ^’ and resources to 'make
a difference' at a local level. OSME feels
strongly that such commitment should be
recognised and therefore we are launching
an annual Certificate of Recognition award
which includes £200 worth of books from the
Natural Eiistory Book Service (NHBS).

We are delighteci to announce that the
first recipient is Ahmad Aidek from Syria for
the production of A Guide to the Biodwersity
of Deir ez-Zor Area which was published
in 2010 (see Plates 1,2). This photographic

Plate I (top). Ahmad Aidek (second from left) with
local community members. © Ahmad Aidek

Plate 2 (bottom). Cover of A Guide to the Biodiversity of
Deir ez-Zor Area. © Ahmad Aidek

guide ti^ the lima and tauna the iiu'a is tor
tree distributiiMi to KhmI scliools, imi\ ersitii‘s,
conserxation statf and interesti'd locals.
Untortunaleh', due to llu' ongoing sitiKilion
in Syria, it has not \'et been possibU' to seiul
Ahmed his certificate or books.

OSME is now iiwiling nominations lor this
year's award. Nominees should be residents
of the OSME region who have made an
outstanding individual contribution to thi'
conservation of species or sites locally. This
can take the form of research, awarenes.s-
raising or practical action. Nominations
should be no more than two pages of A4 and
clearly state why the action carried out is
'outstanding' and provide details of:

• the issue that was addressed

• the action(s) that was carried out

• the successful outcome.

Additional supporting materials such as
photographs, media coverage etc are also
welcome. Nominations should be sent by
email to the OSME Secretary (secretary©
osme.org) by 31 October 2013. Please note
that self-nominations are not permitted and
the £200 award is for books only and cannot
be taken as cash.

Conservation and Research Fund
news

Due to personal reasons, Christine Booth has
regrettably decided to stand down as chair of
the CRF sub-committee and I would like to
take this opportunity to thank her for all of the
work she did to 'professionalise' the operation
of the CRF. A replacement chair will be
appointed shortly. On a more positive note, I
am pleased to welcome Maxim Koshkin who
will be advising on applications to the fund
from a Central Asian perspective.

Additionally, I am also pleased to
announce that the 'average' level of grant
awarded by the CRF has now been increased
to £1000 and larger grants, up to £2500 will
also be considered— see the OSME website for
details of how to apply.

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 167

News & Information

Dawn Balmer (compiler)

CYPRUS

Call for the adoption of 'zero tolerance'
towards illegal bird trapping

BirdLife Cyprus and F riends of the Earth Cyprus
expressed their concern and disappointment
regarding the state response to the incidents
that took place in the village of Paralimni. On
27 April 2013, residents of Paralimni and the
surrounding area sabotaged the elections for
vice president of governing DISY, demanding
the withdrawal of the anti-poaching unit of the
Cyprus police from the Kokkinochoria area
and the stopping of coordinated anti-trapping
operations with regards to migratory birds,
which the unit has been undertaking during
the spring in cooperation with environmental
organisations. The two organisations were
shocked at the subsequent political decision
to withdraw the anti-poaching unit from the
Kokkinochoria area, caving in to the demands
of protestors to stop the anti-trapping police
operations, thereby safeguarding the interests
of the trappers who can thus continue their
illegal activity undisturbed during the festive
season.

This political decision is disturbing since
it does not give the right message of 'zero
tolerance', something that all stakeholders
agreed at the Larnaca Declaration (July 2011);
instead, it encourages the continuation of
this illegal activity and makes enforcement
less efficient and effective. Moreover this
decision sets a precedent regarding the way
that the most relevant competent authority
for crime enforcement of the state ensures the
implementation of the legislation. BirdLife
Cyprus and Friends of the Earth Cyprus are
calling for true political will and upholding
of the law, without the involvement of party
political considerations, to combat illegal bird
trapping with the use of limesticks and mist
nets, which indiscriminately kills over 150
different bird species due to its non-selective
nature, and results in hundreds of thousands
of birds being killed each year due to the
large scale trapping that takes place. (Source
BirdLife Cyprus)

Griffon Vulture conference

BirdLife Cyprus organized an international
conference for the protection of the Griffon
Vulture Gyps fulvus in Cyprus, which was
held 6-8 March in Limassol, as part of the
project 'GYP AS' (www.gypas.org) for the
protection and reinforcement of the threatened
population of Griffon Vultures in Cyprus. The
conference was attended by scientists from
Cyprus and abroad who specialize on vulture
conservation, as well as representatives of
government agencies and non-governmental
organizations concerned about the protection
of this species.

EGYPT

New agreements for bird sensitive
energy development

The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency
(EEAA), the Migratory Soaring Birds Project's
(MSBP) national partner in Egypt, and the
New and Renewable Energy Authority
(NREA) have signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) crystallising their
collaboration for bird sensitive energy
development in Egypt. The purpose of this
MoU is to provide a framework of cooperation
destined to incorporate and promote the
conservation of migratory soaring birds and
biodiversity in general within the energy
sector in Egypt. Both parties recognise that
the switch from fossil fuels to renewable
energies is necessary as a mechanism to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure
energy sufficiency and promote economic
growth. However, the development of
renewable energy should be undertaken in an
ecologically sustainable manner, and subject
to appropriate environmental planning and
safeguards. Renewable energy can be bird
sensitive through adoption of best practices
being applied in the industry by planners,
policy makers, donors, governments and
renewable energy investors.

EEAA and BirdLife International's
coordinated MSBP funded by UNDP/GEF has

168 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

embarked on the task of dex eloping tools and
guidelines to ensure that the risk assessment
and management process for renewable
energy and associated infrastructure in
Egypt appropriately takes into consideration
and effecti\ely addresses key conser\ation
concerns \\'ith regards to migrator\’ soaring
birds. As part of this partnership, EEAA
backed up by BirdLife International will
proyide NREA ^vith the proper technical tools
and materials de\ eloped through MSBP along
with capacity building actiyities empowering
them to properly address bird conseryation
and renewable energy deyelopment. This
agreement ^yill mark the first step of a long-
lasting collaboration behyeen EEAA and
NREA . that will see bird sensitiye energy
deyelopment in Egypt take off. (Source
BirdLife International)

IRAQ

Nature Iraq's festival in the marshes

Nature Iraq (BirdLife's Partner), held a
spring festival on the banks of the Euphrates
to celebrate the restoration of the famous
Mesopotamian marshes. Richard Porter,
BirdLife's Middle East adviser, had the
privilege of being there and his personal
account can be viewed online at www.bbc.
co.uk/news/magazine-22706024. Richard
commented, "This Festival, on the edge of
one of the world's great wetland complexes,
was a truly memorable occasion, the result of
months of planning and hard work by Nature
Iraq. In such a short period NI has achieved so
much for conservation, often in very difficult
circumstances. I'm now eagerly awaiting
the publication of Key Biodiversity Areas of
Iraq which will cover over 100 sites and
catalogue the results of eight years of extensive
surveys by Nature Iraq biologists. A first
step towards a national network of protected
areas". (Source BirdLife International)

Iraqi conservationist wins the Goldman
Environmental Prize

The Goldman Environmental Foundation
has awarded one of the six 2013 Goldman
Environmental Prizes to Azzam Alwash, CEO
of Nature Iraq. "The Goldman Environmental
Prize for Asia to Azzam Alwash is a prestigious

tribute ti> the dedication and dc'tiMinination
ot individuals who are working in dilfieult
socio-political situatiiMis ti> build a sustainable
world where peoj^e and nature Ciin livi'
in harmony" said Hr Marco 1 ainbertini,
Birdl ife's k'lTX "It is a major acknowledgnu'nt
to ,-\//am personalK <ind indirectly li> tlu‘
organisatioii he is part ol, Naturi' liuq which
we are pixuid to have as the Birdl lie PartiuM'
in Iraq. A si>urce of inspiration, motiwition
and hope for all of us."

As a young boy in Iratj, A//am AKvash
spent many days out in the marshes with
his father, who w'as head of the irrigation
department in the area during the early PlbOs.
He fondly remembers looking over the side
of the boat into very clear water, watching
large fish dart aw^ay, and spending precious
time with his busy father whose work often
required his presence in the field. When
Saddam Hussein rose to power, Alwash
moved to the United States. When the Hussein
regime fell, Alwash knew the time had come
for him to go back to restore the beloved
marshes of his childhood. In 2003, he made
the difficult choice of giving up a comfortable
life in California and moved back to war-torn
Iraq, with the hopes that one day his own
daughters might be able to see the place he
had loved as a child.

In 2004, Alwash founded Nature Iraq and
put his experience in hydraulic engineering
to use, surveying the region and developing
a master plan to restore the marshes. He
reached out to the environment and water
resource ministries to educate government
officials about the environmental, social and
economic benefits of restoring the marshes.

His work was not only politically
challenging; it was dangerous as well.
Despite these hurdles, the Mesopotamian
marshes are starting to flourish again as a
result of Alwash's advocacy; the restored
marshes are slated to be established as the
country's first national park in the spring
of 2013. While continuing the restoration
work, Alwash is now fighting a new threat
to Iraq's environment: an extensive chain of
23 dams upstream along the Turkey/Syria
border, which if completed, would reduce
the flow of water into Iraq to a mere trickle.
He is organizing a flotilla tour to call global

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 169

attention to the threat of water-based conflicts
and turning the dams into an opportunity to
revive conversations about the need to protect
water resources in the broader region.

The Goldman Environmental Prize,
now in its 24th year, is awarded annually to
environmental heroes from each of the world's
six inhabited continental regions. With an
individual cash prize of $150 000, it is the
largest award for grassroots environmental
activism. (Source BirdLife International)

Children make bird boxes

Iraqi children from five schools around the
mountain of Peremagroon in Kurdistan made
and erected over 40 nest boxes as part of a
conservation education programme funded by
the UK Government's Darwin Initiative (Plate
1). A year ago Nature Iraq, in partnership
with BirdLife International and the Royal
Botanic Garden Edinburgh, embarked upon
a multi-faceted, three-year conservation
programme —the first of its kind in the Middle
East. An online course in conservation has
started at Sulaimani University and over 40
students and others have enrolled. Plans are
also taking shape for developing an app
to help identify birds, together with other
animals and plants that children, students
and Iraqi visitors to the region might expect
to see around Peremagroon— one of the most
important areas for biodiversity in Kurdistan.

The most exciting venture has been the
nest box project. Holes for hole-nesting birds
seem to be at a premium in Kurdistan, possibly
because of the destruction of woodland in
the past, and the fact that many trees have
not been allowed to mature. Hopefully this
Nature Iraq project will provide nesting sites
for birds such as the Great Tit Pams major and
Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris. A future step will
be for NI to put video cameras in some of the
boxes. (Source BirdLife International)

KUWAIT

Sociable Lapwings shot

In March three Sociable Lapwings Vanellus
gregarius, 120 Caspian Plovers Charadrius
asiaticus and hundreds of larks were shot in
Kuwait. This is the first confirmed killing of
Sociable Lapwings in Kuwait. These birds
were returning to Kazakhstan where they

would have started to breed. From extensive
research between 2004 and 2012, it is known
that the Sociable Lapwing is declining due to
low adult survival, which is almost certainly
caused by being shot during migration. There
is evidence from known stopover sites in
northeastern Syria and some areas in Iraq
from 2008 and 2009 that these birds are widely
hunted by both locals and visiting falconers
from the Gulf states.

The RSPB acts as co-ordinator for the
implementation of the International Single
Species Action Plan for the species under a
memorandum of cooperation with the United
Nations Environment Programme secretariat
of the Agreement on the Conservation of
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
(AEWA).

In May 2012, the revision of the 2002
action plan was adopted by the 5th meeting of
the parties to AEWA (MOP5) in La Rochelle,
France. This identified the urgent need for
action across Sociable Lapwing range states
to implement and enforce effective hunting
legislation. Sergey Dereliev, AEWA technical
officer, commented, "Although Kuwait
is not yet a Contracting Party to AEWA,
the Government has expressed its interest
in the objectives of the Agreement through
attendance at MOP5, and it could play a
significant role in the Gulf region in helping to
halt the decline of this Critically Endangered
species by implementing and enforcing
hunting legislation. By improving adult
survival by 30% we could see a stabilization
of the current population size on the way to a
future increasing population trend". (Source
RSPB)

KAZAKHSTAN

Lesser White-fronted Goose is 'Bird of
the Year'

Kazakhstan has awarded the Lesser White-
fronted Goose Anser erythropus 'Bird of the
Year 2013'. This goose is included in the Red
Data Book of Kazakhstan, where up to a 95% of
their world population passes through on its
way from breeding to wintering areas, forming
large flocks in the north of the country. This
bird is also part of a conservation action plan
approved by the Ministry of Environmental
Protection of Kazakhstan in 2012.

170 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate I. Iraqi children from five schools around the
mountain of Peremagroon in Kurdistan made and erected
over 40 nest boxes. © Nature Iraq

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 171

Groups of ornithologists from
Kazakhstan, Norway, Finland, Russia and
Bulgaria carry out every year the monitoring
of migrating geese, which is a key activity
in the project "Reducing the threat from
(illegal) hunting on threatened waterbirds in
Kostanay, Kazakhstan", supported by UNEP-
AEWA and coordinated by BirdLife Partner
ACBK (Association for the Conservation of
Biodiversity of Kazakhstan). In autumn 2012,
the counting, which also includes all rare and
game species of waterbirds, produced not
only a result of 35 000 Lesser White-fronted
geese at 89 lakes of two areas, but also 150 000
Red-breasted Geese Branta ruficollis, which
became a sensation since this number is twice
higher than the previous estimates of the
species' world population.

In addition to the field studies, meetings
are conducted with management of game
farms and game wardens, together with
hunters and governmental officers, where
questions on hunting management and
conservation of wild animals are discussed.
Booklets, posters, questionnaires for hunters
with information on the Lesser White-fronted
Goose and other globally threatened bird
species are published annually.

This work is already giving significant
results, such as the setting of quiet zones
in several hunting areas and specific days
for hunting. As a result of these measures,
almost all the migratory flocks of geese were
focused in autumn 2012 in the western side of
northern Kazakhstan, just before they fly to
wintering areas in the south.

Black Lark research

Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis is the
subject of a research project, part funded by
the OSME Conservation and Research Fund,
looking at the species' breeding behaviour.
The project team has set up a blogspot— www.
blacklarks.blogspot.de. It is both informative
and a good read! (Source Geoff Welch)

LEBANON

Hikers walk through Lebanon for the
conservation of birds

The Lebanon Mountain Trail Association
(LMTA) launched on 30 March 2013 its fifth
annual 'thru- walk' from Andaket in north

Lebanon. This year, 150 hikers from nine
countries spent up to 28 days on the
trail, walking for birds and promoting new
hunting regulations. The importance of birds
and bird populations and the critical need
to end hunting malpractices, including the
massacre of migratory soaring birds was
relayed to trailside communities (about 70
villages and towns). Armed with Lebanon's
new hunting regulations, the group of
hikers presented and discussed a string of
new procedures during evening seminars
organized in collaboration with the UNDP/
GEF-funded Migratory Soaring Birds Project
which is implemented by the Ministry of
Environment and BirdLife' s national partner,
the Society for the Protection of Nature. To
learn more about the trail and their activities,
please visit www.lebanontrail.org. (Source
BirdLife International)

SPNL receives 'Best Practice' award
from the United Nations

The Society for the Protection of Nature in
Lebanon (SPNL — BirdLife in Lebanon)
recently received an international 'best
practice' award for their work at the Qolieleh
hima site, southern Lebanon, where they are
preserving the coast and improving living
conditions for local people. Dubai Muncipality
presented the Dubai International Award for
Best Practices to SPNL for community-based
conservation at the coastal hima site. This
award focuses on projects that sustainably
improve the living environment, under
the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme. This year, the ninth session of
the award, they recognised SPNL's work
in reviving a traditional land-use practice,
hima, as a model for improving the quality
of people's lives in an environmentally-
sustainable and culturally-sensitive way.

Carried out in collaboration with the
municipality of Qolieleh, the Site Support
Group, Swiss Agency for Development &
Cooperation, the German non-governmental
organization EURONATUR, ATW-WWF,
Care International and Jensen/BirdLife
International, the project preserves the
southern Lebanese coast and its resources
whilst empowering local people. As well as
attracting different species of marine bird,
the project aimed to benefit local fishermen

172 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

by creating job opportunities, such as marine
guides, and training them on sustainable
fishing methods — and promoted eco-tourism
in the area. The project also in\ol\ed the
neighbouring village communities (in the area
stretching from the south of T\Te Coast nature
reserve to Naqoura) in protecting the coast,
birds and marine life. By raising awareness
and support for nature conserx ation amongst
local people, this w ill also promote sustainable
lix’ing, improx’e dailv income and enhance the
respect they have for their local biodix ersitx’.
(Source BirdLife International)

SYRIA

Northern Bald Ibis update

Despite the current crisis in Syria, the field
team have continued to monitor the ibises,
and have reported the sad new^s that only
one of the Northern Bald Ibises Gerouticus
eremita has returned to the breeding site
at Palmyra this spring. Unfortunately,
there are no signs of any more birds so far
returning from their migration to Ethiopia.
The returning female 'Zenobia' was last year
paired to 'Odeinat', the last male, which was
fitted wdth a small satellite tag that stopped
transmitting in southern Saudi Arabia in July
2012 (www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/
northembaldibis/). It has not been possible
to search for Odeinat, as the last signals did
not give an accurate location. Subsequently, a
total of four birds was seen briefly in January
this year by Yilma Abebe and Tariku Dagne
(a visit supported by the Ethiopian Natural
History Society and the Culture and Tourism
Office of Ethiopia, with funds from RSPB) at
the usual Ethiopian highland wintering site,
but it now seems clear that only one of these
birds has returned to the breeding area.

This looks ominously like it may be the
end for the relict eastern population of the
species, having been rediscovered in 2002
when there were three breeding pairs. Despite
huge efforts the colony dwindled to just one
pair in the past two years and now it seems
to just the one bird. This comes at a time
when coordinated efforts are strengthening
and indeed after the establishment of the new
International Working Group in Jazan, Saudi
Arabia in November 2012.

■Among the hopes k^r maintiiining the
eastern population are turther releases trom
the tiMiner coU>n\ site iit Birc'cik in soutlu'ast
I urke\ w here a semi-w ikl pi>puLition piMsists.
Meanwhile the mh othei' wiki [''0[niliition,
which receix es dedicuti’d consi'i x atii>n
ettorts bx' Si>uss-Massii uation.il park iiiul
the Spanish Birdl ite InternatiiMial I’.utiu'r
SEC) /Birdl ife, has remaiiu'd relatixelx' stiihle
(some recent increases) ox er thi‘ ['•ast 20 ye.irs
despite growing tlex'ekq'>nu'nt [iressiirc's,
but comprises just iwer 100 bri'c'diiig pairs
at only txx’o cok>nies in Morocco (http://
northernbaldibis.blogspot.com.es/p/about-
nbi-projet.html). (Source Chris Bowden)

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

420 bird species found in Abu Dhabi
in 2012

About 420 bird species were found in Abu
Dhabi emirate last year, according to the
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi's (EAD)
annual report for the year 2012. EAD
monitored wild birds throughout the emirate
at nearly 60 sites including various habitats
in different terrains; an average 42 000 birds
were recorded every month. Highlights
included nearly 12 000 breeding pairs of
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
and Greater Flamingos Phoeuicopterus roseiis
breeding at A1 Wathba wetland reserve with
17 chicks fledging successfully. The report
released by Kazan Khalifa A1 Mubarak,
EAD's Secretary General, documents its
efforts in protecting the environment of the
emirate. It highlights the measures taken
in environmental regulatory and policy
framework, conservation of ground water
and biodiversity, ensuring clean air and
minimising climate change and its impacts,
and promoting sustainable communities. The
agency succeeded in protecting approximately
60 000 square metres of mangroves on A1
Reem island after learning of a developer's
illegal attempt to clear the area. An
environmental protection and awareness
plan at the Eastern Mangroves in Abu Dhabi
was also implemented last year. Two patrols
are operated in the area daily to monitor
ecological conditions. (Source Gulf News)

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 173

REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION

Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia:
2013 records

Observers in the Arabian peninsula are asked
to send in their personal observations of
breeding species for 2013 at the end of the
season. ABBA works closely with natural
history groups active in Arabia and with their
ornithological recorders, so that benefits may
accrue to all parties. Information is regularly
passed between ABBA and such groups
and recorders but individual contributors
are strongly encouraged to copy their
ABBA reports to their local group or bird
recorder. Records of observations prior to
2013 are also welcome. Please send records
to Mike Jennings (ArabianBirds@dsl.pipex.
com), Warners Farm House, Warners Drove,
Somersham, Cambridgeshire PE28 3WD, UK.

Crowd-sourcing an atlas of migratory
bird hunting

OSME has received a request from Paul
Jepson of the School of Geography and
the Environment, University of Oxford,
asking us to help with a project to create
an atlas of migratory bird hunting. As he
states, this practice is still widespread yet we
lack an easily accessible overview of where
hunting happens and what the trends are. A
short questionnaire can be found at http://
research.ouce.ox.ac.uk/limesurvey/index.
php?sid=47842&lang=en.

Paul would be extremely grateful if you
could first complete the questionnaire if
you have knowledge of migratory hunting
and secondly circulate news of this project
via your networks and the birding and
conservation social media with a request for
community members to map and contribute
their knowledge. This can be first-hand
knowledge, from reports or books, or from
friends and acquaintances.

The intention is to focus on the
Mediterranean basin first. If successful this
approach could generate a global map to
bring wider attention to the issue and as a
resource for policy and research. It may also
inspire other projects to map the interactions
of people and birds. The idea for this project

arises from collaboration with Cery Levy and
the Bird Effect. (Source Paul Jepson)

GENERAL

Wildlife Middle East News

The latest issue (vol 6, issue 4) was published in
March and includes an article on the breeding
biology, threats and conservation of the
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
at Siniya island. United Arab Emirates. A PDF
can be downloaded from www.wmenews.
com. Submissions for future issues should be
sent to the editor at info@wmenews.com.

Birdfair/RSPB Research Fund for
Endangered Birds

The 2013 round of the Birdfair/RSPB Research
Fund for Endangered Birds is now open.
These grants of up to US$2000 are to support
research work on birds listed by BirdLife/IUCN
as endangered, critically endangered or data
deficient. Further details and an application
form can be found at www.birdgrants.org.
The closing date is 31 October 2013.

Migration blog for Djibouti

A blog about the migration count at Ras
Siyyan, Djibouti and the tracking of an
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus via
satellite captured in Tadjoura, Djibouti has
been set up at http://egyptianvulturedjibouti.
blogspot.co.at/. (Source Mike McGrady)

New Yahoo Group for Arabian
peninsula conservation

A new group called Biodiversity Conservation
Arabian Peninsula has been created on Yahoo
Groups. The purpose is to connect people
actively involved in researching and managing
the region's terrestrial biota. This includes
regional and international scientists, people
from NGOs, government and educational
institutions and environmental authorities. It
aims to promote inter and intra-regional and
personal collaborations: to share knowledge,
ideas, data, publications and biodiversity
news. See http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/
group/Biodiversity_Conservation_Arabian_
Peninsula/. (Source Sarah May, Natural
History and Science Museum, Qatar)

Dawn Balmer, 7 Fisher Way, Thetford,
Norfolk IP24 2LD, UK. dawn.bahner@bto.org

174 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Around the Region

liDi Harrison & Chris Latnsiicll (compilers)

Records in Around the l\e^io)i are published tor interest only; tlieir inclusion divs not
imply acceptance by the records committee ot the rele\ ant countr\ . All records ri'liM-
to 2013 unless stated otherwise.

Records and photographs tor Sa}id^roiise do (1) should be sent b\' 13 December to
atr(^osme.org.

AFGHANISTAN

A Long-tailed Shrike Lanins sehaeh was
singing at the national museum, Kabul,
29 Apr and tour were at Kabul airport 1
May. Single Greenish Warblers Phi/Uoseopus
trochiloidcs were seen in Kabul 24 Apr and
15 May ^\hile a Brahminy Starling Shirnia
pagodannn was recorded there 21 Apr. A
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva was
at Wazir Akbar Klaan, Kabul, 11 Apr and
a Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
was at Kabul 1 May.

ARMENIA

The mid- winter waterbird census in January
identified high numbers of Red-crested
Pochards Netta rufina (5853) and Eurasian
Coots Fulica atra (26 838) at lake Sevan. A
total of 788 Western White Storks Ciconia
ciconia ciconia were counted on the Metsamor
river system. The first record of Desert Finch
Rhodospiza ohsoleta (at least two adult birds)
was near Vedia 18 Jun.

CYPRUS

120 Red-footed Falcons Falco vespertinus at
Anarita park 20-21 Apr is the largest spring
congregation ever recorded and a Saker
Falcon Falco cherrug was at Paralimni lake
15 Apr. Up to two Baillon's Crakes Porzana
pusilla were at Agia Varvara soakaways
1-15 Apr. Rare migrant waders included a
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
at Akrotiri gravel pits 30 Mar, a Caspian
Plover Charadrius asiaticus at Mandria beach
on 9 Mar, another Larnaca sewage works
area 3 Apr and a third Paralimni lake 7 Apr.
Other unusual waders included a Eurasian
Dotterel Charadrius morinellus at Mandria
21 Mar; single Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa
lapponica at Akrotiri salt lake on 1 Apr and

12-28 May and another at Spirtis pool 29
Apr. A Broad-billed Sandpiper Idnuieola
faleinclliis at Mandria beacli 7 Apr was tlie
earliest record tor this species. Up to three
Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lohaliis
were at Larnaca airport pools 14-22 Apr
with six on 25 Apr and one at Akrotiri salt
lake 27 Apr. Single Cream-coloured Coursers
Ciirsorius cursor were at Paphos headland 15
Mar and Akrotiri gravel pits 21 Mar. Fourteen
summer plumage Great Black-headed Gulls
Larus ichthyaetus off cape Greco 26 Mar was
the largest ever group recorded of this rare
migrant. Two Caspian Terns Hydroprogne
caspia passed cape Greco 29 Mar and another
was seen off Petounta point on the same day.
Arctic Skuas Stercorarius parasiticus were seen
off Spiros beach and Paphos lighthouse 12 jan
while 11 were off cape Kiti 22 Mar.

A pair of Laughing Doves Spilopelia
senegalensis was found with two nestlings
at Limassol 14 Jun, the first breeding record
of this possibly escaped species. A Little
Swift Apus affinis reported at Mandria
5 Apr was only the 13th record. White-
throated Kingfishers Halcyon smyrnensis
were at Asprokremmos dam 28 Mar, lower
Ezousas soakaways on 13 Apr while two
birds remained in the Akrotiri area until the
end of April. Single Pied Kingfishers Ceryle
rudis were at Zakaki marsh 11 Jan-Feb 22
and at Klepini dam 18 May. Unusually high
numbers of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters Merops
persicus were seen in spring 2013, the highest
group being 21 at the lower Xeros Potamos
pools 16-17 Mar.

A Daurian Shrike Lanius isabellinus was
at cape Greco 5 Apr and another probably
this form at Akrotiri gravel pits 6 May. A
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis,
possibly race aucheri, was at cape Greco 8-10

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 175

Plate I. Mountain Chiffchaff Phy//oscopus (sindianus) lorenzii 2 April 2013, Koulkia reedbed, Cyprus. © C & DK Lamsdell

Apr (second record of this race). The second
record of Caucasian Mountain Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus {sindianus) lorenzii was trapped
and ringed at Koulkia reedbed on 2 Apr (Plate
1). Olive-tree Warblers Hippolais olivetorum
were at Ladies Mile 25-27 Apr and Konia
26 Apr. A River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis
was at Coral Bay Pathos 12 Apr (14th record).
At least three Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus
at Troodos 1 Mar constituted only the fifth
record in the last ten years (the last being
October 2005). A female Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola mauriis was at Petounta point 26 Mar
and another cape Greco 16-17 Mar. A female
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka at cape
Andreas 30 Apr was the fourth record. A
Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha was at
cape Greco 31 Mar. A Rock Sparrow Petronia
petronia was at Marathounta 13 Jan. The first
record of Asian Buff -bellied Pipit Anthus
(rubescens) japonicus (two birds) occurred
at Larnaca sewage works 18-20 Mar. There
was an unusually high influx of Hawfinches
Coccothraustes coccothraustes with wintering
flocks of up to 20 reported in several locations,
the largest influx for 12 years. There were also

unusually high numbers of Yellowhammers
Emberiza citrinella with 19 at Troodos 22-25
Feb— this flock also contained the sixth record
of Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos 22 Feb
(the last being 2003).

EGYPT

Mid winter counts 29 Dec 2012-8 Jan in the Nile
valley between the High dam and Kom Ombo
(c70 km) produced the following records; five
Little Bitterns Ixobrychus minutus (probably
winter visitors), 124 Purple Herons Ardea
purpurea (a rare winter visitor in the Nile
valley), 186 White Storks Ciconia ciconia (a few
winter records), 1113 Glossy Ibises Plegadis
falcinellus (irregular winter visitor), 158
White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus (rare in
winter), 842 Black- winged Stilts Himantopus
himantopus (rare in winter), 91 White-tailed
Lapwings Vanellus leucurus (occasional in
winter), 275 Black-tailed Godwits Limosa
Umosa (rare in winter) and 658 Gull-billed
Terns Gelochelidon nilotica (rare in winter).
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis records;
c40 birds around Abu Simbel 5 and 7 May,
five soaring over Tut Amon fish ponds near

176 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Aswan 7 May and four at Kings island 14
May. Two African Openbills Atinstoniiis
Inmt’lligenis were photographed during a
Nile cruise near Kom Ombo 31 Ma\- (second
record). A Goliath Heron Arden ^^olinth
was at Hamata mangroxes 8 Maw Pink-
backed Pelicans Pt'lccnnu< nifcscois were
noted in the Abu Simbel area 5-7 Max'
with a high single count of P) on b Max'.
10-13 Lappet-faced Vultures /ciryes
traciicliotiis xvere in the Bir Shalatein area 1
May. A Hen Harrier Circii< ci/nticiis xxas at
Safaga-Qena road 15 Apr. About 2000 Levant
Sparrowhawks Accipitcr brevipa^ passed
over El Gouna 20 Apr xvhile a Northern
Goshawk Accipitcr gcutilis xvas there 9 Apr.
A Greater Spotted Eagle Aqiiiln clnngn xvas
at Kings island 18 Feb xvhile a Sooty Falcon
Falco Civicolor xvas there 14 May. An African
Swamphen Porphyria mndngnsenriensis
was at Minya 29 Apr. Four Crab Plovers
Dramas nrdeola were at Hamata mangroves
4 Max^ xxdiile 40 Kittlitz's Plovers Charndrius

pcctinriiis were seen at Abu Simbi'l 28 .•\['>r
with three there (■> Max. Iwo Ihree-banded
Plovers Chnrndrius tncalinris were n'CiMdi'il
at I'ut .Amon fish ['•onds 7 \Kn. Two Cheater
Painted Snipes Rastriituhi bcnglndcnsis wim'i'
tound near .Abas.sa 28 .Apr. Single Greater
Black-backed Chills l.nrns iclith\/iu‘tu> wi'i'i' at
IVhab 27 l eb and Ras Shuki'ir 1 Mar.

Two Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Ptcraclcs exushts wen' near Siindalii 24 Apr
while i'80 Crowned Sandgrouse Ptcraclcs
caraiintiis were at 1 lurghaelii-Sataga road
b-18 Apr (Plate 2). Three Lichtenstein's
Sandgrouse Ptcraclcs lichlciislciiiii were sei'ii
at Wadi Shartut (Wadi FI Gimal national
park) 2 May. A male African Mourning Dove
Streptapelia dccipiciis w'as found at Abu Simbel
5 May. A single Senegal Coucal Coitrapiis
sciicgnlciisis w'as near Abassa 28 Apr. A Short-
eared Owl Asia flnmmcus was at FI Gouna
golf course 17 Apr while six House Crows
Carvus splcndcns were there 14 Feb. A visit to
Marsa Alam Gorgonia 24-27 Feb produced

Plate 2. Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus 18 April 2013, Hurghada-Safaga road, Egypt. © Mohammed Habib

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 177

the following: an Oriental Skylark Alauda
gulgula (26-27 Feb), a Black Scrub Robin
Cercotrichas podobe (24-26) and a Cyprus
Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca {27 Feb). Nile
Valley Sunbirds Anthodiaeta metallica were
reported at El Gouna with five on 8 Mar with
an adult male there 16 Apr, a male at Minya
29 Apr and a pair just south of Kalabash on
the Aswan-Edfu agricultural road on 7 May.
Streaked Weavers Ploceus manyar were seen
at Abassa with three females and at least one
singing male 28 Apr. The first record of Olive-
backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni was at Dahab
20-24 Feb.

IRAQ

28 Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser
erythropus and c900 Marbled Ducks
Marmaronetta angustirostris were counted
Flawiza marsh, south Iraq, 13 Jan, with 125
Marbled Ducks at Dalmaj marsh in late Mar
and 11 in the Central marshes early April.
Single Black-winged Kites Elanus caeruleus
were at Dalmaj 26 Mar and at Barzan 23
Apr (the most northerly record in Iraq). A
Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla was at Dalmaj
marsh 29 Mar. The White-tailed Lapwing
Vanellus leucurus population at Dalmaj marsh
was estimated at over 1000 pairs at the end of
March. A Namaqua Dove Oena capensis was
at Dalmaj 29 Mar.

A Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius {meridionalis)
pallidirostris was at Dalmaj 27 Mar. About fifty
Hypocoliuses Hypocolius ampelinus were at
Dalmaj marsh 30 Mar with birds already
on territory. The first Basra Reed Warblers
Acrocephalus griseldis recorded in spring were
at Dalmaj marsh 29 Mar and the first at Central
marshes were on 2 Apr. Two Semi-collared
Flycatchers Ficedula semitorquata were at the
Central marshes in early April. A Spanish
Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis breeding colony
at Dalmaj marsh represents the first record for
southern Iraq. The Dead Sea Sparrow Passer
{moabiticus) moabiticus colony at Dalmaj marsh
was estimated at cl400 pairs (end March).
A flock of 2000 Yellow Wagtails Motacilla
Iflava] flava was at Dalmaj marsh 28 Mar. At
least five Common Rosefinches Carpodacus
erythrinus were seen together in early May at
Barzan, Kurdistan (second record for Iraq).
It was noted that Hawfinches Coccothraustes

coccothraustes were common this winter at the
same location (c/ Cyprus section above).

ISRAEL

More than 40 adult Marbled Ducks
Marmaronetta angustirostris were found on
a football pitch-sized body of water in the
western Jezreel valley including a pair with
eight ducklings and a pair with ten one-day
old chicks. A Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria
ibis was in the Harod valley 27 May-late
June (20th record, first since 1997). A single
Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
was at En Feshkha, Dead sea, late January
and several were seen migrating over Eilat
during May. A Red Kite Milvus milvus was at
Dudaim, north Negev, 15 Jan (first since 1991),
a single Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
was seen migrating over Eilat mountains
19 Mar and an adult Bateleur Terathopius
ecaudatus was reported migrating over Elkana
15 May (eighth record). Six Little Bustards
Tetrax tetrax were at Kfar Ruppin from 3
Jan. Three White-tailed Lapwings Vanellus
leucurus were at Eilat throughout March; with
a Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus there 22
Mar, up to five at Yotvata until 9 Apr and a
single at Mitzpe Ramon 4 May. Three Greater
Painted Snipes Rostratula benghalensis were at
Ya'ar pond, 3 May while single Great Snipes
Gallinago media were at Ashdod and Nizzana
6 May with four at Hulda reservoir 21-25
May. The fourth record of Grey-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus was reported at
KM19 sewage farm, Eilat, 3 Apr (first since
1989). An Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii was
at Acre 2 Feb and a Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii
at Eilat's North Beach 22 Mar. A Bridled Tern
Onychoprion anaethetus was off Rosh Hanikra,
north Mediterranean coast, 19 Jun (there were
breeding attempts in the summers of 2008
and 2009, in a colony of Common Terns). An
early White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa was
at Eilat 22-24 Mar and three 14 May. Five
Egyptian Nightjars Caprimulgus aegyptius
were at Yotvata throughout February.

A Turkestan Shrike Lanius [isabellinus]
phoenicuroides was at Yotvata 27-30 Mar. A
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
elegans remained at Bteha, Kineret, all January
while two were in south Arava mid January. A
Pallas's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus

178 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

was reported at Hazexa, north Ara\a, 15
Apr. A Yellow-browed Warbler Phi/llo<copu<
ifiornatiis was at Be'er She\'a 15-24 Feb w ith
another at Natlia, central Nege\’, 2 Mar. .A
Hume's Leaf Warbler P}ii/Ilo>copn> Juinici
was at Nir Moshe 9-12 Feb. A Common
Grasshopper Warbler Lociistclln luu'vin was
ringed at A'eroham, central Negev, on b
Apr (eighth record) and an Asian Desert
Warbler Si/lvia tiaua was at Haifa 20 Apr.
Two Menetries's Warblers Sxilvia lui/stnccn
were at Eilat 23 Mar and one was ringed
at Hula lake 31 Mar. Five White-throated
Robins Irniiia ^iittiinilis were at Eilat and
Arava, 14-30 Mar. Black Scrub Robins
Ccrcotrichas podobc \vere exceptionally early
with a northern record of one at Hazerim,
north Negev, 8 Mar and 14 seen at Eilat,
Yotvata and Neot Smadar 16 Mar-9 Apr. A
2cy male Pied Stonechat Saxicola caprata at
Tirat Zvi, Bet She'an valley, 31 May-1 Jun is
the 8th record. A Pied Wheatear Oeunnthc
pleschankn was at KM76, south Arava, 15 Mar
while a Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca
was there 19 Mar and another at Eilat 11 Apr.
There was a large-scale breeding invasion of
Pale Rockfinches Carpospiza hrachydactyla into
large parts of the Negev, Arava and Judean
desert, involving perhaps thousands of pairs,
as a result of exceptional winter rains in the
desert. Buff-bellied Pipits Anthus {rubescens)
japoniciis were present in good numbers at
Kfar Ruppin, Hula, Samar (south Arava) and
Yotvata during January. Three Olive-backed
Pipits Anthus hodgsoni remained at Elkana
and one at Tel Aviv all Jan; with another at
Nir Moshe, north Negev, 21 Jan.

KAZAKHSTAN

A Japanese Waxwing Bombycilla japonica was
ringed in the apple garden in the foothills of lie
Alatau on 3 Jan (first record for Kazakhstan/
OSME region). A single Red-throated Thrush
Turdus [ruficollis] ruficollis was recorded at the
Russian olive thickets in the lie river valley
near Akbastau village, Almaty oblast, 19 Jan.
A Dusky Thrush Turdus [naumanni] eunomus
was seen in the Russian olive thickets near
Baiserke village (He region, Almaty oblast)
16 Feb.

KUWAIT

■A lemale Ferruginous Duck Aylhyn tiyiviii
with nine duckliiigs (2nd biet'ding record)
IS Ma\ and a Mallard Axuis plnlyrhinnhos
seen with ten chicks (tirst breeding ii'cord)
.Apr at lahra ['•ools resi'r\e (|1M\). A Great
Crested Grebe Poiiiccps crislulus was M SiM
city, khiran, 12 Dec 2912 while two Horned
Grebes Podiccps nurilus were at M’K 1 22
jan (.second record, Elate 3). Single* Western
White Storks Ciconin ciconiii wen* at l’i\'ot
F'ields 12 Dec 2012 and jl’K 7 jan. Single' Great
White Pelicans Pclcciuius ononvitdiis u'ere*
at Sulaibikhat bav 27 Dec 2012 aiul jahra
East e>utfall (JFX')) 6 Jan and 23 Mar. Fwe)
Socotra Cormorants Phxdncroconix iiigroguinris
w^ere at Sea city 12 Dec 2012 and sixteen
on 9 May. A Cinereous Vulture Aegypius
uionacJiiis w'as at JPR 26 IT'b while an Eastern
Imperial Eagle Aquiln hclincn was at Pive)t
Fields 21 Dec 2012 and a juvenile Peregrine
Falcon Fnlco peregrinus at JEO 11 Dec 2012.
Breeding of Eurasian Coot Fulicn atra was
confirmed 13 May at JPR (second confirmed
breeding for JPR, first 1996). Breeding of
Purple Swamphen Porphyria porphyria (two
chicks) was confirmed 2 May at the same site.
57 Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus were

Plate 3. Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 6 January 2013,
jahra pools reserve, Kuwait. © AbdulRahman Al-Sirhan

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 179

seen in the Liyah protected area 16 Mar. A
Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus
was at JPR 5 Mar. Lesser Crested Sterna
bengalensis, Little Sternula alhifrons, Bridled
Onychoprion anaethetus and White-cheeked
Terns Sterna repressa were seen off Sea city
9 May. A Common Woodpigeon Columba
palumbus was at JPR 4-5 Mar. A Pharaoh
Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus with five chicks
confirmed breeding at an oil field 14 Feb.

A Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius (meridionalis)
pallidirostris was in Khiran area 6 Mar. The third
record of Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
occurred at Fahaheel park 5 Feb~3 Apr.
Three Mesopotamian Crows Corvus (cornix)
capellanus were at JPR 15 Feb while a Brown-
necked Raven Corvus ruficollis near KEPS/
EPA 13 Dec 2012 was considered a probable
escape. A Wood Lark Lullula arborea was at
Fahaheel park on 9 Jan. A Green Warbler
Phylloscopus nitidus was at JEO 30 Apr while
a Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides was at
JPR 5 Mar. A Rose-coloured Starling Pastor
roseus was at JPR 28 Dec 2012 and another on
15 May. A White-spotted Bluethroat Luscinia
(svecica) cyanecula was at JPR 22 Mar and
another at JEO 23 Mar while a Caucasian
Bluethroat Luscinia (svecica) magna was at A1
Abraq 22 Mar. A White-crowned Wheatear
Oenanthe leucopyga (15th record) was at Mutla
ridge near SAANR 12 Jan while the Hooded
Wheatear Oenanthe monacha was re-found at
JEO 1 Dec 2012. Single Rufous-tailed Rock
Thrushes Monticola saxatilis were at Mutla
ridge 16 Feb and 3 Mar.

The first record of Collared Flycatcher
Ficedula albicollis was at A1 Abraq 10 Apr. Single
Dead Sea Sparrows Passer moabiticus were at
JPR 4-5 Mar. Ten Indian Silverbills Lonchura
malabarica were at Entertainment city 13 May.
A Masked Wagtail Motacilla (alba) personata at
Jahra pools 2 Mar was the third record. The
first record of European Greenfinch Carduelis
chloris was at A1 Abraq 10 Apr. Two Eurasian
Siskins Serinus serinus were at A1 Abraq 21
Dec 2012 while a single bird was there 15
Feb. A Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta (tenth
record) 5 Feb at Khiran resort was confirmed
breeding 14 Feb when four chicks were seen.
A Rock Bunting Emberiza cia was at JPR 20
Mar while an Eastern Cinereous Bunting
Emberiza (cineracea) semenowi was at Khiran
21 Mar.

OMAN

115 Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis at
A1 Ansab wetlands 10 Apr is very close
to the maximum recorded there (116 on
30 Jul 2012). Nine Greater White-fronted
Geese Anser albifrons frequented a wadi in A1
Khuweir 27 Dec 2012-23 Feb. Three Lesser
Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna javanica were
at A1 Baleed, Salalah, 4 Jan-18 Mar. A boat
trip Muscat-Fahal island 15 Apr produced a
Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus
with another 15 May during a pelagic trip to
deep waters 60 km due north of Muscat when
50 Flesh-footed Shearwaters P. carneipes were
also seen. 32 Jouanin's Petrels Bulweria fallax
were seen on a further trip 19 Mar. Three
Red billed Tropicbirds Phaethon aethereus
were displaying 28 Jan at Ras al Kabbah
while 19 were at Raysut lighthouse 28 Feb.
Black Storks Ciconia nigra continued to be
seen in small numbers at various locations in
Dhofar from Hadbeen (one 26 Feb) to Wadi
Darbat (six 28 Mar). The last record was on 4
Apr (five Khawr Rouri). The autumn influx
of Abdim's Storks Ciconia abdimii resulted
in birds continuing to be seen in the Dhofar
region throughout the period including one
seen well inland at Dawqah farms 27 Dec 2012
and still there 4 Jan. Seven Yellow Bitterns
Ixobrychus sinensis at East Khawr, Salalah, 7
May is a new maximum. An Eastern Cattle
Egret Bubulcus (ibis) coromandus, a vagrant to
Oman, was at Sun farm, Sohar (SFS) 9 Apr.
The tenth record of Black-winged Kite Elanus
caeruleus was at SFS 25 Apr. Two Cinereous
Vultures Aegypius monachus were at Tawi
Attair 27 Feb (third record). Ten Eurasian
Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus at a dead
cow in the Dhofar mountains 17 Feb were
accompanied by 35 Lappet-faced Vultures
Torgos tracheliotus, two Egyptian Vultures
Neophron percnopterus and 22 juvenile Eastern
Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca. Two Amur
Falcons Falco amurensis were at Jarziz farm,
Salalah, 3 May. Two Lanner Falcons Falco
biarmicus were seen Wadi Aydam, Dhofar,
4 Jan.

The Common Crane Grus grus and five
Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo first
seen in October 2012 continued to roost at
Sahanawt farm and feed at East Khawr and
were last seen 3 Mar. A White-breasted
Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus was at

180 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

A'Shiiwaymiyah 5 Jan. The fourth record cT
Watercock Gallicrcx ciiurcii was at Khawr Rouri
9 Jan (the second \’ear running this species has
been recorded). Eight Red-knobbed Coots
Fiilicn cristiitii including juxeniles were at
West Khawr 2 May. A Spur-winged Lapwing
Vaiitiliis spitiosits was at West Khawr 2-3 Maw
75 Sociable Lapwings \ a;;c////s y/vyar/Ts were
at Sahnawt farm, Salalah, 31 Jan while two to
four were at SFS 14 Jan-21 Feb. A Great Snipe
Gallifin^o niciiin was at A1 Baleed, Salalah, 2
Mar. A Long-toed Stint GnJidris subtiiiiiiitn
was at SFS 5 Apr together with 150 Collared
Pratincoles Ghircohi prntiiicoln. 0\’er 5000 Red-
necked Phalaropes Phalnropiis lobatiis were
counted on a pelagic boat trip from Muscat

19 Mar. Common Gull Lanis cniiiis is a rare
winter .visitor so one on 15 Feb at Raysut is
noteworthy. The third record of Black-legged
Kittiwake Rissn tridactyla, an immature,
was seen at Taqah 18 Jan. A Brown Noddy
Auous solidus xvas at Ras Mirbat and a further
four at Klior Taqah 2 May. A Long-tailed
Skua Stercorarhis longicaudus (sixth record)
was seen on a boat trip Muscat-Fahal island
15 Apr. 60 Bruce's Green Pigeons Treron
waalia (a new maximum) were counted Wadi
Darbat 16 Feb. Two European Turtle Doves
Streptopelia turtur were at A1 Ansab wetland

20 Apr w^hile two Rufous Turtle Doves
Streptopelia {orientalis) meejia were there 13
Apr and another at Hilf 8 Apr. An African
Collared Dove Streptopelia risoria was heard
at Mudday 11 Feb, perhaps indicating an
expansion of this species. Records of Asian
Koel Eiidynamys scolopaceus away from the
usual wintering birds on Masirah island
include one at A1 Baleed farm 12 Jan, two at
Qatbit 22 Feb and one there 11 Apr. 600 Pallid
Swifts Apus pallidus were counted during
a boat trip Muscat-Fahal island 15 Apr. A
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis seen at Khawr
A1 Baleed and East Khawr on various dates
to 13 Feb may have been the same wintering
bird as that seen November/December at the
same locations.

The sixth record of Black Drongo
Dicrurus macrocercus was at Birkat Khalidiyah,
Mussandam, 24 Apr. Single Bay-backed
Shrikes Lanius vittatus were recorded on
A'Sayh plateau, Mussandam 24-25 Mar and
18-19 Apr. Single Lesser Grey Shrikes Lanius
minor were seen at Qatbit 3 Feb, SFS 7 Mar, A1

Rawdah, Mussaiulam, IS .Apr and two A'Sayh
plateau 22 .Apr. 40ll House Crows Corous
splendens at Rax sut 12 l eb iiuliCiites possibly
an intlux ot more ship assisted iiulixidiuils
or a rapid breeding rate hut is certainh'
an enormous explosiim in numbi.‘rs i>t this
in\'asi\e species since the iirrixal ot tlu' first
bird in lS‘-)4. I'wo Hypocoliuses I h/pocoliiis
aiupelinus were at Qatbit and 22 Feb. An
Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula was at Sl-S
12 Jan and 1 Mar. Six Red-rumped Swallows
Gecropis daurica were at Dawqah farm 1 1 Apr.
'Siberian Chiffchaffs' Phylloscopus collybila
tristis were seen singing at Quriyat 30 Jan anti
at A'Sayh plateau 22 Apr while single Hume's
Leaf Warblers Phylloscopus liumei were at
Qatbit 12 Jan and 6 IT'b. The first confirmed
breeding for Oman and Arabia of Eastern
Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris was
obtained during a visit to juniper woodlands
west of Jabal Shams 9-1 1 Jun (four birds seen).
Two male Hume's Whitethroats Sylvia althaea
were found singing during the same visit (3rd
record).

An escaped Superb Starling Lamprotornis
superbus was at Muscat airport 7 and 12 Jun.
A Song Thrush Tiirdus philomelos at A'Sayh 22
Apr was an unusual spring migration record.
Two Thrush Nightingales Luscinia luscinia
were at Dawqah farm 7 May— the eleventh
record. A male 'Caspian' Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola {maurus) variegata was seen on various
dates at SFS 10 Jan-1 Mar. The presence of
five Isabelline Wheatears Oenanthe isabellina
on Jebel Shams 9-11 Jun indicates possible
breeding. Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe
monacha is an uncommon breeding resident
so single birds Mudday and Wadi Aydam 11
Feb and another Jebel Qamr (all Dhofar) 12
Feb are of note. Two more records of Semi-
collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata were
noted this winter (one 23 Nov 2012 was the
first for several years)— one A'Sayh Plateau 25
Mar and one Azeiba 10 Apr. A new maximum
number of Nile Valley Sunbirds Anthodiaeta
metallica was counted in the Mudday area of
Dhofar on 11 Feb — 50 individuals. A Masked
Wagtail Motacilla {alba) personata was at SFS 1
Mar and a 'Yellow-headed Wagtail' Motacilla
iflava) lutea was at A'Sayh 22-23 Apr. The first
confirmed breeding record for Oman of any
wagtail was obtained at SFS 31 May— a female
Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla (flava) feldegg

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 181

feeding a fledgling with a male bird nearby.
Two Buff-bellied Pipits Anthus {rubescens)
japonic a were found at SFS 12 Jan while one
was there 20 Mar. The six Olive-backed Pipits
Anthus hodgsoni on Masirah island 23 Dec
2012 remained until at least 23 Feb (seven 26
Jan). 30 Red-throated Pipits Anthus cervinus
were counted at A1 Ansab wetlands 10 Apr.
Up to 240 Yemen Serins Crithagra menachensis
were feeding in a single flock on the plateau
at Shaat, west of Salalah, 1 Mar. Two Eurasian
Siskins Carduelis spinus were on Sayq plateau
1 Feb and three 5 Feb (eighth record). A pair of
Common Rosefinches Carpodacus erythrinus,
the male in breeding plumage, were found in
juniper woodlands west of Jabal Shams 9-11
Jun. Up to 220 Ortolan Buntings Emberiza
hortulana were at A'Sayh 18-22 Apr. The third
record of Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza
caesia (a male) was at Dawqah farms 20 and
23 Feb. A Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla
at Muntasar 8-9 Feb was the tenth record.
Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola is
a rare passage migrant so one 12 Jan at Qatbit
is of note.

QATAR

Black-eared Kites Milvus (migrans) Imeatus
were at A1 Zubara 29 Mar (one) and 3 April
(six). An adult Short-toed Snake Eagle
Circaetus gallicus, a rare passage migrant and
winter visitor, was at Irkayya farm (IF) 8-17
Mar and a juvenile Long-legged Buzzard
Buteo rufinus, a rare winter visitor and passage
migrant, was there 29 May. A juvenile
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciatus photographed
by a camera trap, Khor al Adaid 23-24 Jun,
was the second record. An adult Baillon's
Crake Porzana pusilla at Sealine beach resort 7
Apr, was the third record. An adult Caspian
Plover Charadrius asiaticus, a rare passage
migrant, was at Al Ruwais harbour 2 Apr.
An adult Black-winged Pratincole Glareola
nordmanni at IF 24 Apr, was the third record.
An adult Small Pratincole Glareola lactea at
Al Kharaanah 25-26 Jan, was the first record
as was a first-winter Little Gull Hydrocoloeus
minutus Al Ruwais harbour 11 Jan and a single
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Simaisma
5 Mar. Two Long-tailed Skuas Stercorarius
longicaudus were offshore at Sealine beach
resort 8 Apr, the second record. At least six

Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus, a rare winter
visitor, remained at IF to at least 24 Feb.

An adult Long-tailed Shrike Eanius schach,
Al Shamal park 11 Jan-at least 14 Apr, was
the first record. The first proven breeding
record of Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella
rufescens was at IF in April. Eurasian Crag
Martins Ptyonoprogne rupestris were seen at
Fuwairit 14 Apr (one) and IF 24 Apr (one). An
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina was seen
near IF 28 Apr, the second record. Hume's
Whitethroats Sylvia althaea occurred at IF 20
Mar (one), Traina (Tr) 22 Mar (two), IF 22
Mar (two), and Tr 25 Mar (two) and were the
second to fifth records. An adult male Semi-
collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata, Al
Shamal park, 31 Mar, was the ninth record.
An adult female Yellow-throated Sparrow
Gymnoris xanthocollis, Tr 29 Mar, was the
seventh record. A Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes
githagineus, IF 18 Apr, was the third record as
was a Striolated Bunting Emberiza striolata,
Tr 1 Feb.

SAUDI ARABIA

A Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris in a
fodder field at Al Hayer 12 April was a
very unusual record for central Saudi Arabia.
A Goliath Heron Ardea goliath was at Al
Birk, by the Red sea, 27 Mar. Four Crested
Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhynchus were
at Dhahran Hills golf club 18 Jan in the air
together (male, female, two juveniles) and
another adult male at Dhahran Hills 12 Feb.
An adult Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
was at Wadi Rabigh 24 May. A 2cy female and
2cy male Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
were over the spray fields Dhahran Hills
22 Apr. A maximum count of ten Greater
Spotted Eagles Aquila clanga were at Sabkhat
Al Fasl 8 Mar.

An adult Purple Swamphen Porphyrio
porphyrio was at A'Sharqiyah development
company farm, Fadhili, 31 Jan; this is a new site
for the species, suggesting a range expansion.
Two adult Spur-winged Lapwings Vanellus
spinosus were at the site 31 Jan and 15 more
were at NADEC dairy farm in Haradh 7 Feb,
indicating that this species is expanding its
range eastwards into the Eastern province.
A flock of 35 Sociable Lapwings Vanellus
gregarius were in fields north of Jizan 14

182 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 4. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni
25 April 2013, Dhahran Hills, Eastern province, Saudi
Arabia. © Jem Babbington

Feb, the highest count for the country in
recent years. Two Greater Painted Snipes
Rostratula benghalensis were flushed at Malaki
dam (Jizan) and two others were seen well at
Sabya sewage lagoons near Jizan 31 Mar with
a family group seen there 16 May —this is the
first confirmed breeding of the species. Two
Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola nordmanni
were at the spray fields Dhahran Hills 23-26
Apr (Plates 4, 5) with five at Buraidh 25 Apr.
A 2cy Common Gull Larus canus was at

Plate 5. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni
25 April 2013, Dhahran Hills, Eastern province, Saudi
Arabia. © Jem Babbington

Sabkhat A1 Fasl, Jubail, 3 Jan with two 2cy
birds there 17 Jan, appearing to be only the
eighth and ninth documented records for the
Eastern province. An adult Armenian Gull
Larus armenicus was at Abqaiq landfill 11 Jan.

An adult Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator
glandarius was at Rabigh dam 15 Feb and
another at Yanbu dump 14 Mar. At dusk 29
Mar a Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus
was seen near acacias at Wadi Jawwah. Two of
the increasingly scarce Arabian Magpies Pica
(pica) asirensis were seen at Dahna waterfall
near Abha 2 Apr. A flock of 40 Bimaculated
Larks Melanocorypha bimaculata were in a
pivot irrigation field near Nayriyyah 14 Mar
where a Common Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naevia was also present then. Two
Savi's Warblers Locustella luscinioides were
singing at Dhahran 3-16 Mar with one at
Sabkhat A1 Fasl 8 Mar and another 11 Apr.
A Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthc chrysopygia
was at Dhahran Hills 6 Jan-18 Feb. A female
Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata
was at A'Sharqiyah development company
farm, Fadhili, 23 Mar. Two Eastern Cinereous
Buntings Emberiza {cincracca) scmenowi were
at Sabkhat A1 Fasl 21 Mar, another at nearby
Duffi park (Jubail) 23 Mar (Plate 6), one in the
west of Saudi Arabia at A1 Khalib park (A1

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 183

Plate 6. Eastern Cinereous Bunting Emberiza (dneracea) semenowi 23 March 20 1 3, Duffi park, Jubail, Eastern province,
Saudi Arabia. © Jem Babbington

Baha) 3 Apr, one in Riyadh 10 Apr and one at
Buraidh 25 Apr.

TAJIKISTAN

Four Black-throated Thrushes Tiirdus
atrogularis near Khovaling 11 Apr were late
in the season. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla
garrulus is a scarce to rare winter visitor so
one on the shores of Qayrakum lake, Khujand
region, 17 Mar is noteworthy.

TURKEY

The relatively mild winter this year did
not seem to promise good waterfowl but
waterbird counts across the country found
many interesting species. Yedikir dam lake,
Amasya, produced singles of Red-breasted
Goose Branta ruficollis 19 Jan and Bean Goose
Anser fabalis 26 Feb, the latter last recorded in
2006. 65 Velvet Scoters Melanitta fiisca and
12 Common Scoters Melanitta nigra were
present off Ye§ilirmak delta, Samsun, 18 Jan.
At lake Buyiikgekmece, Istanbul, there were
two Goosanders Mergiis merganser 25 Jan and
two 23 Feb. The first proven breeding record

of Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus comes
from Bozova, §anliurfa, 20 May where a nest
with young was photographed. Another bird
was in Yemi§li Mardin 21 Apr. A Cinereous
Vulture Aegypius monachus 13 Apr in Kizildag
and a Red Kite Milvus milvus 29 March in
Suba§i, Antakya, were the first records for
the province, both probably being regular
but overlooked migrants. A single Great
Bustard Otis tarda Kizilirmak delta, Samsun,
on 10 May (Plate 7) is the first record there
in the last 10 years. Three Little Bustards
Tetrax tetrax were recorded— singles at lake
Biiyiikgekmece, istanbul, 20 Jan, Goksu delta
1 Jan and Yedikir Baraji, Amasya, 26 Feb.

The highlight was the first record of
Allen's Gallinule Porphyria alleni, at lake
Mogan, Ankara, 26-30 April. Four wintering
Red-wattled Lapwings Vanellus indicus were
present at Savur, Mardin. Spring passage
Great Snipe Gallinago media were recorded
throughout the country, singles being seen
at Kizildag, Antakya, 18 May, Hancagiz dam
lake, Gaziantep, 5 and 18 May, lake Beysehir
18 May and near Van 17 May. Two Terek
Sandpipers Xenus cinereus were at Kizilirmak

184 Sandgrouse 35 (2013)

Plate 7. Great Bustard Otis tarda 10 May 2013,
Kizilirmak delta, Samsun, Turkey. © Nizamettin Yafuz

delta, Samsun, 11 May. Good numbers of
Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla
were recorded— six in Antalya city 8 Feb
after very strong southern winds and 12
at Zonguldak 23 April. Seven White-eared
Bulbuls Pycnonotus leucotis were present in
Birecik 16 May, confirming the colonisation
of the species along the Turkish Euphrates. A
single Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria was at
Zonguldak University campus 14 Jan. Strong
southern winds blowing from North Africa
in mid-March brought many good migrants:
an Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana and a
Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax were in
Bogazkent, Antalya, 18 Mar where there was
also a Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti on the
same date and two more of the latter species
near Alanya, Antalya, 20 May with three also
in Gazipa§a, Antalya, on the same day. A
Little Bunting Emheriza pusilla was observed
15-19 Jan in Filyos harbour, Zonguldak, the
first known record for the province while
another was recorded in Suba§i, Antakya, 30
Jan.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

.•\ Bow ick's Sw an Cyynii< {l olmtduanus) Ih'H'ickii
(second recoixl) was at 1 iijiiirah li'nnis ilnh
dam U and 21 liiii, th ing strongh [vecisi'
proxenaiKC curicnth not clear. Ihere ha\('
been a number ot rt'cords ot Ked-cresled
Tochards \clfa nifiim this w inter. \\\o males
were at .Xjmaii water treatim'nt plant 1 Ian
while the twi^ birds first six'n 31 Di'C 2012
were still at Zakher lake 12 Jan. A li'inale was
at nisco\ er\’ gardens 3 (■» IT'b. Various [X'kigic
trips trom Khor Kalba prothiced a luimbi'r ol
Wedge-tailed Shearwaters Puffniu^ pacificti^
five 31 May, two 7 jun, eight 8 hm, six 14
jun (foLirth-.sex'enth records). Flesh-footed
Shearwaters Piiffiniis canicipcs (ten prex ious
records) were recorded on several dates while
20 Jouanin's Petrels Bidwcria fallax were .seen
on 14 Jun (ninth record). An immature Masked
Booby Sula dactylatra was seen off Luoluayah
beach 6 Jan (19th record). I he Black-winged
Kite Elauiis cacriilciis first found on Yas island
remained into March. Six Eurasian Griffon
Vultures Gyps fulvus over A1 Faqa, south of
Dubai desert conservation reserve 18 Mar
constituted the 13th record. The adult male
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus originally found 3
Dec 2012 at Wamm farms was still there 2 Jan.
A female was at the same location 11 Apr. A
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina at Dubai
pivot fields 27-29 Mar was photographed, the
first photographic record of this species in the
UAE. 107 Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni were
counted at Wamm farms 27 Apr. Two adult
Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo were
found at A1 Qua'a fodder field near A1 Ain 22
Feb (seventh record) and remained there until
1 Mar. The eighth record of Common Crane
Grus grus was seen over Hamraniyah fields
15 Mar. A Red Knot Calidris canutus was at
Khor al-Beida 22 Feb-6 Apr. A Black-winged
Pratincole Glareola nordmanni was at Ajban
25 Apr while seven were at Wamm farms 27
Apr. A Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus was
on Fujairah port beach 6 Mar (15th record).
An adult winter Mediterranean Gull Earns
melanocephalus was at Mafraq rubbish tip 10
Jan (11th record) and was seen subsequently
in Feb on several dates. An adult Long-tailed
Skua Stercorarius longicaudus migrating north
over A1 Qua' a fodder fields 26 Apr was the

Sandgrouse 35 (2013) 185

first inland record while adults were seen 7
and 21 Jun on pelagic trips off Khor Kalba.

The fourth record of Great Spotted
Cuckoo Clamator glandarius was at A1 Qua'a
fodder fields 23 Feb. An Alpine Swift
Tachymarptis melba was seen near Abu Dhabi
airport 23 Apr. An unseasonal European
Roller Coracius garrulus was at Wamm farms 2
Jan. The Mesopotamian Crow Corvus (cornix)
capellanus first recorded 26 Nov 2012 was last
seen 27 Jan at Klior al Beida. A Wire-tailed
Swallow Hirundo smithii was at Al Ain water
treatment plant 2 Feb while another was at
Ajban 21-22 Apr. The ninth record of Streak-
throated Swallow Petrochelidon fluvicola (two
birds) was at Al Warsan lakes 19 Jan. The
eleventh record of River Warbler Locustella
fluviatilis was at Mushrif palace gardens 7-11
May while another was at Abu Dhabi golf and
equestrian club 16-17 May. A male Caucasian
Bluethroat Luscinia (svecica) magna was in
Al Mamzar park 20 Apr (first photographed
record). The Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
originally found on 30 Nov 2012 in Safa park
was still present 16 Mar having overwintered
there. The Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas
podobe originally found on 15 Nov 2012 at
Sila'a peninsula remained until at least 29
Mar. Eastern Cinereous Buntings Emberiza
(cineracea) semenowi were present at Jebel
Dhanna hotels 24 Mar but an even better find
there was the first record of Cretzschmar's
Bunting Emberiza caesia (an adult male) which
remained until 27 Mar. On 25 Mar a male
Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps was
at the Emirates Palace hotel (sixth record).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Armenia: Luba Balyan, Vasil Ananian; Cyprus:
Colin Richardson; Egypt: M Istvan, EgyBirdGroup®
yahoogroups.com; Iraq: Richard Porter, Mudhafer
Salim, Mohammed Saddik Barzani; Israel: Yoav
Perlman; Kazakhstan: www.birds.kz/bkrarities.
php?Den; Kuwait: Mike Pope, AbdulRahman
ALSirhan; Oman: Jens Eriksen; Qatar: Jamie Buchan;
Saudi Arabia: Jem Babbington, Philip Roberts, Rob
Tovey; Tajikistan: Raffael Aye; Turkey: Kerem Ali
Boyla, Ali Atahan, Nizamettin Yavuz; United Arab
Emirates: Oscar Campbell, Tommy Pedersen.

Ian Harrison, Llyswen Farm, Lon y Felin, Aberaeron,
SA46 OED, UK. ianbirds@gmail.cofn

Chris Lamsdell, 4 Hardings Close, Iver, Bucks SLO
DHL, UK. clamsdell@gmail.com

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Editor

Dr Peter Cowan, Department ot Biological Sciences and Chemistr\',

Uni\’ersitv of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman • sandgrousetAtsme.org

Editorial Advisers \'asil Ananian, Paul Goriup, Mike jennings, Dr Fares khiHir\', Gu\’ kirwan,

Dr Mike McGrad\', Dr Stephen Newton, Arend Wassink

Photographic Editor Paul Doherty

I Reviews Editor Guy Kirwan

Identification Consultants Arnoud win den Berg, Chris Bradshaw, Andrew Passey, Richard Porter

ADVICE FOR AUTHORS

The Editor will consider for publication papers and notes on the birds of the C')SMF’ 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 cy the Saharo-Sindian
region or Siberian-African flyways, will also be considered. The Editor will give careful thought to
the publication of mss concerning the birds of the following countries/areas close to the OSME region:
eastern half of Libya, arid/semiarid Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, 'Republic of Somaliland', 'Puntland
State of Somalia', Kashmir, Tibet, Sinkiang and western half of Mongolia. 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 scientific nomenclature and species sequence should
follo^v the Simplified OSME Region List, www.osme.org, unless argued convincingly otherwise.

sales@swallowtailprint.co.uk

OSME region map design
by Ian Fisher and
colleagues at the RSPB

Typesetting & layout

by Eng-Li Green
engli@sufficio.org

Swallowtail Print
of Norwich, UK

ISSN 0260-4736

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