News

The following largely unconfirmed records have appeared in recent Bulletins of the African Bird Club and are for information only.

A total of 6,047 Lesser Crested Terns Sterna bengalensis was counted during a census in eastern Libya in the first week of August 2006, with 3,102 adults and 1,950 young on Gizeret Ghara and 42 adults and 18 young on Gizeret Al Elba.

Records from July - November 2005 include the following. Off the coast at Janzour, 13 km west of Tripoli, a marked eastwards passage of Cory's (Scopoli’s) Shearwaters Calonectris (diomedea) diomedea occurred from c.25 September till 22 October, when it ceased abruptly. Regular counts of 20-50 were made during this period, with a maximum count of 83 birds visible at one time. Single European Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus were observed at Janzour, on 8 and 23 September. Also there was an Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae on 29 August. An adult and an immature Barbary Falcon F. pelegrinoides were observed hunting over allotments on the outskirts Sabha, Fezzan, on 25 October. A dark-morph Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus flew eastwards past Janzour, Tripolitania, on 17 August. A first-summer Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii photographed in flight at Benghazi harbour on 4 July is the first record of the species in Cyrenaica. A group of five Ring-necked Parakeets Psittacula krameri was seen flying towards Tripoli on 9 September and a single individual was seen going to roost at Sabha on 29 October; these represent the first records for Tripolitania and the Fezzan respectively. A late European Roller Coracias garrulus was at Janzour on 15-16 October.

Rock Martins Hirundo fuligula were observed collecting mud at Sabha and Germa in Wadi al Hayat (formerly known as Wadi Ajal) in late October. A migrating flock of c.10 Red-rumped Swallows H. daurica was observed flying westwards 400 m out to sea at Janzour on 13 October. A first-winter Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius at Sabha on 26 October was the third record for the Fezzan. A distant thrush photographed on a rocky outcrop in Wadi al Hayat, Fezzan, on 30 October was almost certainly the same species. On 27 October, a Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis of the race elegans was observed at 25°43'N in Wadi Matkhandush, which separates the Ubari and Murzuq 'sand seas' in the south-west of the country. A little further north, the species was found to be common in allotments on the edge of Sabha. During 25-29 October, small flocks of ‘Italian’ Sparrows Passer hispaniolensis x domesticus were observed at Sabha and Germa in Wadi al Hayat; they were identical, except for noticeably yellow-white bills, to those observed 600 km further north in Tripolitania.

During a waterbird census held in January 2006, c.20,000 gulls were counted at the Benghazi refuse dump, on 28th, among which 2,500 Caspian Gulls Larus (cachinnans) cachinnans.

During a visit to Libya from 1 to 29 April 2005 the following notable records were logged. In Tripolitania, a flock of 12 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus flew over Gharyan at dusk on 2nd. A strong northerly passage of harriers Circus spp. was observed north of the Gebel Nafusa both at the start and the end of the month, with Montagu’s Harrier C. pygargus seeming to predominate. During a trip offshore from Bukamash to Farwa Island on 28th, seven Common Cranes Grus grus were seen wading in the sandy shallows at the western end of the island, close to the Tunisian border. A Wryneck Jynx torquilla was at Abugrin on 20th.

In the Fezzan, in the south-west, a Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus was seen at Mavo Lake on 14th. Laughing Doves Streptopelia senegalensis were common in Ghat, Germa and at Ubari lakes on 10-16th. A Tristram’s Warbler Sylvia deserticola was around the camel trough in the Akakus on 11th. A Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator was observed in Ghat on 12th and a Masked Shrike L. nubicus in Wadi Mathkendoosh next day. Seven Fulvous Babblers Turdoides fulvus frequented the grounds of Germa Hotel on 14th. Desert Sparrows Passer simplex were nesting at Ghat campsite on 10th and were present in Akakus and at the Ubari lakes. Spanish Sparrows P. hispaniolensis were nesting at Germa camp on 14th and were present at Umm al Maa and Mandala lakes.

In Cyrenaica, a pair of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus was seen in Wadi al-Khuff on 26th, along with Crag Martin Hirundo rupestris, Blue Tit Parus caeruleus of the subspecies cyrenaica and Common Raven Corvus corax. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs africana was abundant alongside smaller numbers of European Serin Serinus serinus and Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina at the ancient site of Cyrene on 22nd-24th. A European Goldfinch C. carduelis was at Qasr Libya on 22nd.

A survey of the Libyan coast in July 1994 found two breeding colonies of 40 and 1,700 pairs of Lesser Crested Terns Sterna bengalensis respectively. The colonies at Geziret al Elba and Geziret Garah are the only known sites in the Mediterranean. This was the first survey since 1937.

In addition, the expedition discovered four new breeding species for the country: BIack-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus and Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola at Ayn Zayanah; Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis at Wadi Ka'am; and Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans at 4 sites in eastern Libya. In addition they also recorded a Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus (new for Libya) with 15 Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii at Geziret al Elba.

Interesting observations during a visit in April 1998 included a pair of displaying Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos in suitable breeding habitat (the species is not known to breed in Libya) and the first confirmation in the country of breeding Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata and Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra. It also appears likely that Barn Owl Tyto alba and Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina breed in Libya, although these species still require confirmation.

ABC also received a recent report of Sooty Falcon Falco concolor, and Little Owl Athene noctua east of Tripoli.

Last page update 8th December 2007