MICHAL SKAKUJ AND TADEUSZ STAWARCZYK

Five new species to the island of Bahrain are documented - Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii, Sooty Tern S. fuscata, Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii, Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni and Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola. In addition full details are presented for the second records of Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola and Yellow- throated Sparrow Petronia xanthocollis. All were recorded in August-September 1993 or November-December 1995 and have been accepted by the Bahrain Bird Records Committee.

INTRODUCTION

FIRST RECORDS

General appearance. Medium-sized tern, general jizz reminiscent of Common Tern S. hirundo. Head relatively large, less rounded than in Common. In flight the bird exhibited narrow wings with a relatively short 'hand', relatively protruding head, long, deeply forked tail and transluscent white secondaries. The bird was in moult and lacked 2-3 inner primaries. Plumage. Cap black except for white forehead. Mantle, scapulars and wing-coverts pale grey, similar to Slender-billed Gull Larus genei in tone. On upperwing 3-4 outer primaries grey forming a dark wedge. During preening the bird several times held its wings up: underwing largely whitish, two outermost primaries greyish, the rest very pale without dark tips forming dark trailing edge to the outerwing as in Common Tern. Outer rectrices white and distinctly longer than primaries when at rest. Bare parts. Bill black with very small red spot at the base, slightly shorter than head, strong in basal part and pointed at the tip. Bill shape more reminiscent of White-cheeked Tern than Common Tern. Legs dark red, relatively long, tibia clearly visible.

Roseate Tern is very rare visitor to the Arabian Gulf, although the nearest breeding grounds are along the east coast of Oman (Hollom et al. 1988). This is the first record in Bahrain; there are only two records in the UAE: in October 1986 and in May 1989 (Richardson & Aspinall 1996).

Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata
On 26 August 1993 MS, TS and Howard King were driving along King Fahad Causeway, which connects Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. Between Bahrain island and Umm Nassan, we noticed three dark-looking terns flying parallel to the causeway. We immediately stopped the car and watched the birds pass low over the road, from 25-30 metres. Their identity as Sooty Terns - two adults and a juvenile - was confirmed.

General appearance. Medium-sized terns, larger than nearby White-cheecked Tern S. repressa with proportionally longer, narrower and more pointed wings, and more deeply forked tail. Plumage. Adults largely black-and-white. Entire upperparts uniformly black without pale collar on neck. Cap black except for white forehead, not extending beyond eye. Underparts and underwing coverts off-white. Secondaries almost black, primaries blackish, slightly paler on basal part and contrasting with white underwing. Juvenile very dark. Head, neck and breast brownish-black with whitish belly and vent. Upperwing and mantle brown-black with whitish markings. Rump blackish. Underwing pattern similar to adults. Bare parts. Bill black on both adults and juvenile.

Sooty Tern is extremely rare in the inner Arabian Gulf, although it breeds on islands off Musandam, Oman. There are three UAE records (Aspinall 1995, Richardson & Aspinall 1996) and this is the first record in Bahrain.

Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii
On 17 November 1995 at Badan Farm, on the west coast of Bahrain island a Blyth's Pipit was found. The unfamiliar call first drew our attention to the bird. It remained until 30 November and was observed many times by MS, Paul Castle and Howard King, in the south-east part of the farm, in sorghum fields (c.30 cm high) and on the nearby sand track. A few Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi and many Tawny Pipit A. campestris were also present, greatly facilitating its identification. The bird was observed through telescopes on the ground from 30-100 metres, occasionally from c. 25 metres or even at 6-8 metres in flight.

General appearance and behaviour. Fractionally larger than Tawny Pipit and distinctly smaller than Richard's Pipit. In comparison to the latter the tail was shorter, especially obvious in flight. Because of the relatively slender and pointed bill, it did not exhibit a Richard's Pipit thrush-like jizz. In addition, when walking or running it had a more horizontal posture, unlike the usually more vertical Richard's Pipit. Not observed to hover before landing or in flight, as Richard's Pipit often does. Plumage. General coloration very like Richard's Pipit and much darker than any Tawny Pipit in the observers experience. Upperparts greyish-brown with wide, diffuse streaks becoming narrower and less pronounced on lower back and rump. Tail dark brownish, marginally darker than mantle. From a distance, relatively distinctive pale buff bars on the folded wing, formed by the tips to the greater and median coverts, were noticeable. A few median coverts were absent from one wing. At close quarters median covert pattern distinctly different from that of adult Richard's. The dark blackish-brown centres had a small 'bib', the pale buff fringe being much wider at the tip. Tertials dark centred with buffish fringes. Cap brownish with dark streaks. Pronounced supercilium, less distinct in front of the eye due to the pale lores. Noticeable moustachial, contrasting with pale buff area around the eye. Ear-coverts browner. Dark malar distinctive, but less heavy than in Richard's Pipit. Some spotting and streaking on the breast with a few diffuse streaks on the upper flanks. Ground colour of underparts creamy, with distinctive buff flanks (appearing orange- buff in bright light) and lower belly. Bare parts. Bill much more slender and less strong than in Richard's Pipit. Legs shorter than in Richard's Pipit with distinctly shorter hind claw. Voice. Unlike any other large pipit call in our experience, variously described as 'psüüp' or 'tseep'. Also gave a call relatively similar to Tawny Pipit - 'chep' or 'chüp' but shorter and distinctly monosyllabic.

Blyth's Pipit breeds in central Asia, Mongolia and China, wintering in the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka (Cramp 1988). There were no records from the Arabian Gulf region until autumn 1993 when at least seven were found in the UAE (James 1994). A further 13 records had been accepted by the end of 1995 (Richardson & Aspinall 1996). This long staying individual, as well as the scarce but regular passage in the UAE, suggests that Blyth's Pipit may overwinter in eastern Arabia.

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
During a visit to Badan Farm on 2 December 1995 MS noticed a small pipit perched on a wire 300 metres away. Through his telescope the relatively unstreaked olive upperparts and distinct head pattern were noticed, suggesting Olive-backed Pipit. Subsequently it landed on a bush and was observed at 10-18 metres for 10 minutes, allowing him to compile a detailed description and photograph the bird (Plate 1). Despite searching it was not relocated in the days following.

General appearance. A little smaller than Tree Pipit A. trivialis, in silhouette closer to Meadow Pipit A. pratensis, which was observed nearby. Plumage. Olive upperparts with some greyish tones in some light conditions. Mantle and scapulars lightly streaked, but streaking distinctly less obvious than on Tree or even Water Pipit A. spinoletta. Rump unstreaked. Dark olive-brownish tertials clearly fringed whitish-yellow. Greater and median coverts fringed pale yellow forming two distinct wing-bars. Olive cap streaked blackish, with dark border above rear part of supercilium. Broad supercilium, clearly whitish behind the eye and yellowish with some warmer shades near bill base. Lores blackish. Ear-coverts relatively pale centred with distinct dark border. At rear lower part of ear-coverts a black spot and smaller white spot just above it noted. Striking dark malar widest at base. Breast distinctly spotted with black, on upper part spots and malar bases formed almost continuous band across breast. Flank streaking more diffuse, fainter and less distinct. Breast, flanks and submoustachial warm yellowish, but base colour to rest of underparts pure white. Tail dark olive- blackish with whitish outermost rectrices. Bare parts. Bill shorter and higher compared to Meadow Pipit, yellowish-pink with slightly darker tip. Legs pinkish-yellow with short hind claw. Voice. Call very similar to Tree Pipit, 'dzeep' or 'zeet'.

Olive-backed Pipit breeds in the taiga zone of northern Siberia, wintering principally in south-east Asia (Cramp 1988). In the Middle East most records are from Israel, where it a regular but rare migrant and winter visitor in October-April (Shirihai 1996), UAE - 15 records by the end of 1995 (Richardson & Aspinall 1996) and eastern Saudi Arabia (Bundy et al. 1989). It is a scarce winter visitor to Masirah island, Oman (OBRC 1994), there are at least two recent records in Kuwait (see Sandgrouse 18 (2): 78) and single records in Turkey (Kirwan 1993) and Iran (Scott 1994). Most Arabian records are in autumn. The December record from Bahrain is the first for the country and suggests overwintering. Nevertheless because of its secretive behaviour it could have been overlooked in the region.

Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola
During a visit to the restricted access, southernmost part of Bahrain on 22 September 1993 MS, TS and Howard King stopped near the police station on the east coast of the main island. The police post is surrounded by a fence and sparse vegetation. Amongst a large flock of House Sparrows Passer domesticus were two Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana, two immature Common Rosefinches Carpodacus erythrinus and an odd bunting with a striking head pattern. After careful observation through telescopes from 20-25 metres we identified it as a first-winter male Yellow-breasted Bunting.

General appearance. Slightly smaller and less bulky than Ortolan Bunting. Plumage. Head pattern distinct: pale greyish median crown-stripe, prominent blackish lateral crown-stripes, broad, yellowish supercilium from bill base to rear of ear-coverts, pale brown ear-coverts bordered dark and with whitish spot in rear part. Malar narrow and faint. Underparts from throat to belly yellowish with sparsely streaked breast, undertail coverts whitish. Nape brown faintly streaked. Mantle heavily streaked with pale yellowish-buff stripes. Rump greyish-brown, streaked dark. Double wing-bar, whitish tips to median coverts being more prominent. Bare parts. Bill pinkish-grey, legs brownish-pink.

Yellow-breasted Bunting breeds from north-east Europe through Siberia to Korea and Japan, wintering in the Indian subcontinent and south-east Asia (Byers et al. 1995). It is a rare vagrant to the Arabian Gulf region. Singles were seen in September 1979 in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia (Bundy & Warr 1980) and in December 1980 at Ras al Khaimah, UAE (Richardson & Aspinall 1996). It has been recorded on three occasions in mainland Oman (August 1977 (four), October 1982, November 1987) and is listed as a scarce autumn visitor to Masirah island between mid-September and mid-December with a specimen held in the British Museum (Natural History), Tring (OBRC 1994). In Israel it is an extremely rare vagrant, recorded in September to November, and once in May (Shirihai 1996).

SECOND RECORDS

General appearance and behaviour. Size similar to Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus. It fed low in the reeds, occasionally higher. Tail held slightly fanned and often cocked. Plumage. Head pattern relatively distinct with whitish, long and comparatively broad supercilium reaching rear of ear-coverts, narrowly bordered with dark lines. Upperparts warm brown, rump more rufous. Wings browner with dark alula and dark brown tertials with paler fringes. Wings relatively short, primary projection approximately 1/3 of exposed tertials. Tail dark brown, rounded with very worn tips. Underparts whitish with buffish breast sides and flanks. Undertail-coverts typically long, as in other Acrocephalus. Bare parts. Bill dark with paler base to lower mandible; legs pinkish.

Although the nearest breeding grounds of this species are in north-east Iran (Hollom et al. 1988) and eastern Turkey (Kasparek 1992), it is an extremely rare visitor to Arabia. This is the second record in Bahrain, the other was on Muharraq island in September 1991 (Hirschfeld & Stawarczyk 1991). There are two records in Oman: in November 1979 and October 1984 (OBRC 1990, 1994).

Yellow-throated Sparrow Petronia xanthocollis
On 6 September 1993 MS and TS during birding in a neglected garden at Hamalah Farm near Dumistan, western coast of Bahrain island, found a sparrow-like bird with black bill among a large flock of House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Although it was elusive and difficult to detect among sparrows we were able to relocate it several times until 8th. It was a male in advanced moult and its plumage was in rather poor condition, especially on the head.

General appearance. A little smaller and less bulky than House Sparrow. Plumage. Head greyish, supercilium virtually invisible as crown and sides of head were in active moult, but despite this dark lores clearly visible. Upperparts to rump uniform buffish-grey. Wing: chestnut lesser coverts and whitish bar on median coverts. Underparts paler, greyish on breast and flanks. Tail dark grey. Bare parts. Bill black, rather long and more slender than in House Sparrow.

Yellow-throated Sparrow breeds in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, east Afghanistan and north-east India, as well as in the UAE and eastern Oman (Clement et al. 1993). It is a widespread summer visitor and passage migrant in eastern Arabia (Hollom et al. 1988, Richardson 1990). This is the second record in Bahrain, the first was in April 1975 (Nightingale & Hill 1993).

Michal Skakuj, Dept. of Vertebrate Ecology & Zoology, Gda¤ñsk University,
Al. Legion˘w 9, PL - 80-441 Gda¤ñsk, Poland.
Tadeusz Stawarczyk, Museum of Natural History, Wroclaw University, Sienkiewicza 21, PL - 50-335 Wroclaw, Poland.