Sociable Lapwing wintering grounds found!! (1 Viewer)

This message is less than 15 minutes old!!

Gianluca Serra (the Italian who discovered the Syrian (Eastern) Bald Ibis colony a few years ago) just posted this message to the Italian EuroBirdNet at 09:41:

"Yesterday a team made up of my former trainees from Palmyra (Syria) and Dutch birding friends discovered a huge concentration of Sociable Lapwings (Vanellus gregarius) - for the moment estimated at 1250 birds. Habitat: open steppe in eastern Syria, east of the River Eurphrates (set in / under siege from fields of barley).

This species, as you know is classified as "Critically Endangered" since 2004 with the global population estimated at 1200-1800 birds (600 pairs).

The locals, it would seem, are saying that this "mass" of lapwings passes the entire winter in this part of eastern Syria. This could be the long sought-after wintering grounds for this species which was thought to lie somewhere between the Middle East and North-east Africa. Whatever, it is certainly an important stopover.

In addition the team have identified an important threat to the species' survival (unclear until now). Next to the flock they found a ultra-luxury camp of poachers from the Gulf States....

Gianluca Serra (Florence, Italy)

"Ieri un team costituito da miei ex-allievi di Palmira (Siria) e da amici
birdwatchers olandesi, ha scovato una concentrazione enorme di Pavoncelle
gregarie (Vanellus gregarius) - per ora stimata intorno alle 1250 unit�.
Habitat: steppa aperta della Siria orientale, a est dell'Eufrate
(contornata/assediata da piantagioni di orzo).

Questa specie come sapete � classificata Critically Endangered dal 2004,
essendo la popolazione globale stimata intorno ai 1200-1800 individui (600
coppie).

I locali pare stiano riportando che questa "massa" di pavoncelle trascorre
l'intero inverno in questa porzione di steppa della Siria orientale.
Potrebbe quindi essere il tanto ricercato territorio di svernamento di
questa specie (che si sospettava fosse localizzato tra Medio Oriente e
Africa Orientale). Comunque sicuramente un posto di sosta importante.

Inoltre, forse il team ha anche identificato una minaccia importantissima
per la sopravvivenza della specie (finora poco chiare): accanto alla
concentrazione di pavoncelle hanno trovato un accampamento di extra-lusso di
bracconieri del golfo...

Saluti

Gianluca Serra, FI"

Amazing news

Excellent news Touty! Is this the entire global population they're talking about here?
Be interested to know whether researchers/observers think the decline/threats was mainly due to habitat change in agriculture on Summer/breeding grounds or in Syria now?

Might as well translate Gianluca's message to EBN-IT from Thursday of last week:

"Dear all, a quick update on the Bald Ibises -

The mission to the Ethipian plateau went well and was useful (details in an email to follow); the most import thing to emerge is that the colony split up, we don't know where, inasmuch as we found only four adults on the plateau (and we have good reason to believe that the other 9 birds, young birds of the year and subadults, didn't die on the journey).

A few days ago, on the 10th February the four ibises unexpectedly decided to head off north, leaving the plateau where they'd spent practically the previous six months. The migration is still ongoing as I write and the birds are half way to arriving, on time, at the breeding ledges in the Syrian desert in a few days time.

The interesting aspect is that they have taken a different route to the autumn migration, following the Red Sea coast. In the first few days they moved in two separate groups but followed exactly the same route. This observation, together with those seen in the past at the locality in Eritrea where the last African observations were made (February 1997) show that these birds always use the same route!

Unfortunately the RSPB has not activated the website to follow the migration as was the case last July.

Two days ago another surprise (i.e 13/02/2007): instead of following the coast up to the Sinai as everyone expected they suddenly decided to cross the Red Sea at its widest point from the southern Sudanese coast.

The latest readings showed the birds halfway across flying by night (!) while the next readings should arrive tomorrow, (let's hope they made it).
altri dettagli più tardi...

Gianluca Serra, FIorence, Italy.

cari tutti, un aggiornamento al volo sugli ibis eremiti -

la missione sull'acrocoro etiopico è andata bene ed è stata utile (dettagli
in un email successivo) : la cosa + importante emersa è che la colonia si è
divisa non si sa dove, in quanto abbiamo trovato solo 4 adulti sull'acrocoro
(ed abbiamo buone ragioni per ritenere che gli altri 9 uccelli, giovani
dell'anno e subadulti, non siano deceduti durante il tragitto).

pochi giorni fa, il 10 Febbraio, i 4 ibis si sono improvvisamente decisi a
ripartire verso nord e lasciare la località dell'altopiano dopo avervi
trascorso quasi 6 mesi. la migrazione è ancora in atto in questi giorni,
sono a metà strada per arrivare, puntualmente, alla parete riproduttiva del
deserto siriano tra pochi giorni.

la cosa interessante è che hanno cominciato a seguire una rotta diversa
dall'andata, seguendo la costa occidentale del Mar Rosso. i primi giorni
volavano in due gruppi separati che però seguivano esattamente la stessa
rotta. questa osservazione, insieme a quella che sono passati presso la
località dell'Eritrea dove era avvenuto l'ultimo avvistamento della specie
in Africa (nel Febbraio del 1997), ci mostra come questi uccelli usino la
stessa rotta da sempre!

purtroppo la RSPB non ha attivato il sito web dove seguire la migrazione,
come a luglio scorso.

due giorni fa poi altra sorpresa: invece di continuare a seguire la costa
fino al Sinai, come tutti ci aspettavamo, hanno d'improvviso deciso di
attraversare il Mar Rosso nel punto di maggiore larghezza, a partire dalla
costa sudanese meridionale.

gli ultimi dati mostravano gli uccelli a metà traversata, in volo notturno
(!), mentre i prossimi dati dovrebbero arrivare domani (speriamo che ce
l'abbiano fatta).

altri dettagli più tardi...

Gianluca Serra, FI

deborah4 said:

Excellent news Touty! Is this the entire global population they're talking about here?
Be interested to know whether researchers/observers think the decline/threats was mainly due to habitat change in agriculture on Summer/breeding grounds or in Syria now?

Click to expand...

My understanding is that Birdlife International were pretty mystified by the decline given that, Borat notwithstanding, vast areas of breeding habitat are available in Kazahkstan in spite of losses to agriculture. I'm not surprised the species is under pressure given what I've been led to understand about human / bird relationships and access to hunting weapons in that part Middle East - especially as it seems the species really is "gregaria" and forms huge flocks at traditional sites.

I do love it when mysteries are resolved! They annoy me intellectually!

I lived an entire year ('83 - 84) in semidesert area 200 km south-east of Khartoum (Sudan) that was listed as a Sociable Lapwing wintering area. I saw only wintering White-tailed Lapwings (V. leucurus) and wondered whether the V. gregaria observations were an error.

Touty said:

I lived an entire year ('83 - 84) in semidesert area 200 km south-east of Khartoum (Sudan) that was listed as a Sociable Lapwing wintering area. I saw only wintering White-tailed Lapwings (V. leucurus) and wondered whether the V. gregaria observations were an error.

Click to expand...

No recent sightings in NW India either? Be interesting to see whether they/some move onto Israel. Saw a fantastic film from Steppe by an Ornithologist/birdwatcher a few years back at a local RSPB meeting, he mentioned the vast areas of suitable unoccupied habitat then.

(Thanks for the update on the NBI btw)

Sociable Lapwing- Good & Bad News

Apologies for cross-posting but think this will interest a few people, especially the last paragraph.

Tom

> Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:58:38 +0100
> From: György Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly 'at' T-ONLINE.HU>
> Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Fwd: [MEBirdNet] Syria: 1250 Sociable Plovers,
> but hunters are on their way!
> To: SHOREBIRDS 'at' LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> Just received this incredible news which hit me. In case you feel you
> can help please, forward this to the right person!
> Immediate action is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Sociable Plover is a critically endangered shorebird species with a
> population estimate between 600-1800 breeding pairs and the majority
> in the MidEast.
> In a way this is an amazing findings by the Dutch team but on the
> other hand based on their statement a catastrophic loss in population
> can be forecasted.
>
> Best Regards: Szimi
> ----------
> Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi)
> One of the author and project owner of the 'The New Shorebirds: A
> Handbook'
> Skype: szimistyle
> iChat: szimistyle.com 'at mac.com
> URL: http://www.szimistyle.com
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: René Vos <[email protected]>
> Date: 2007. február 25. 21:22:57 GMT+01:00
> To: MEBirdNet at' yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEBirdNet] Syria: 1250 Sociable Plovers, but hunters are on
> their way!
> Reply-To: MEBirdNet at' yahoogroups.com
>
> The Syria Sociable Plover team discovered today in a limited area
> about 1250 Sociable Plovers, but unfortunately also preparations for
> hunters with obviously these birds as their target.
> Please read Remco Hofland's report below, and especially his cry for
> immediate help.
> René
>
> Remco Hofland wrote:
>
> Dear friends,
>
> Today we hit the jackpot but see lower down for urgent news and
> request for help, especially from people who are influential in
> Syria.
> We started this morning simultaneously at areas no 1 and 2, to get an
> accurate count of Sociable Plovers around in the area.
> Team 1 (area 1) would then move to area 3, team 2 to 4, going further
> east, informing each other of movements of flocks to try and prevent
> getting double counts.
>
> Area no 1 yielded 267 SPs, all visible scanning around from the top
> of our Nissan Patrol; area no 2 (ca 14 kms eastwards)produced between
> 124 and 140 birds. Team 1 moved to area no 3 and, after arriving and
> quite quickly locating 148 SPs, team 2 moved to area no 4. This
> however turned out to be the eastern part of area no 3, which proved
> to be the jackpot.
>
> (Area 3) It is located about 18 kms east of area no 2 and is about 14
> x 14 kms in size (of which the southern part resembles semi-desert
> and is therefore not suitable for SP). The birds' preferred habitat
> was similar to the earlier ones, which is grazed natural steppe
> enclosed by near-endless barley fields.
>
> While team 1 was looking at 148 SPs in the SW corner, team 2,
> positioned in the NE corner, counted no less than 700 SPs from one
> viewpoint only. I strongly believe that my team recorded around 1,250
> different SPs today, of which 848 were found in one area only. This
> area is called Ar Ruweida Rangeland reserve and, although it is
> grazed by several herds of sheep, has quite extensive stretches of
> short grass favoured by SPs. It is bordered by an earth wall much
> like Talila Reserve east of Talila, but only at the western and
> southern sides as far as I could tell. We took shit and soil samples
> and photographed sev birds and plants.
>
> There is one VERY BIG PROBLEM however. In the eastern part of the
> area a tented camp was being erected by workmen servicing a Qatari
> prince and the rest of his hunting party, who are said to be arriving
> tonight or tomorrow. They will probably stay around one month in
> luxury tents, with nothing on their hands other than to shoot more
> SPs than there are worldwide (according to the Single Species Action
> Plan). The area holds few other birds, the ones we saw were endless
> flocks of Sky- and Calandra Larks, single male Pallid and Hen
> Harrier, few Long-legged Buzzards, Merlins and Greater Sand Plovers.
> The SPs are at great risk here AND THERE IS NEED FOR IMMEDIATE
> ACTION. Could someone please send governmental people or police over
> to politely (but firmly) ask to move elsewhere ?!!! We have been able
> to take photographs of the camp, rifles and slugs, after introducing
> ourselves as normal tourists.
>
> The GPS coordinates of the eastern access track to the area, located
> ca 500m west of a power station just north of the M4, are N 36, 33,
> 11.6 / E 39, 52, 56.1. The area is located roughly 3 kms south of the
> M4.
>
> The GPS coordinates of the tented camp are N 36 degr 28' 35.2" / E
> 39 degr 53' 03.7" .
>
> More on behaviour and the likes in the next email.
>
> Bye for now,
>
> Remco and the team

One of the Dutch birders has already pleaded to the Syrian authorities to get the **** over there and stop those Qatari's.
http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=816611#post816611

Gulf Arabs - blasting away Central Asia's avifauna in real time.
(Saker, Macqueen's Bustard, Sociable Lapwing...)

Xenospiza said:

One of the Dutch birders has already pleaded to the Syrian authorities to get the **** over there and stop those Qatari's.
http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=816611#post816611

Gulf Arabs - blasting away Central Asia's avifauna in real time.
(Saker, Macqueen's Bustard, Sociable Lapwing...)

Click to expand...

David Conlin sent the following plea:

Subject: Urgent environmental problem in the Ar Ruweida Rangeland reserve,
Syria

Dear Sirs,

My attention has been drawn to an urgent environmental problem in your
country.

A field team of biologists from Holland is currently conducting a census of
the Sociable Plover bird species in the Ar Ruweida Rangeland reserve.

The Sociable Plover is a critically endangered shorebird species with a
population estimate between 600-1800 breeding pairs, the majority of them in
the Middle East.

A measage just received from the team reports that in the eastern part of
the area a tented camp was being erected by workmen servicing a Qatari
prince and his hunting party, who are said to be arriving tonight(26
February)or tomorrow. They will probably remain in the location for about
one month. The immediate danger to the Sociable Plover is obvious.

The area holds few other birds and therefore the Sociable Plovers are at
great risk. Immediate action is required by the Syrian authorities to
prevent an imminent environmental disaster. We urge you to inform the
appropriate authorities so that the hunters can be required to move out of
this sensitive area.

The GPS coordinates of the eastern access track to the area, located ca 500m west of a power station just north of the M4, are N 36, 33,11.6 / E 39, 52,56.1. The area is located roughly 3 kms south of the M4. The GPS coordinates of the tented camp are N 36 degr 28' 35.2" / E39 degr 53' 03.7".

We would be grateful for your immediate action in this matter and an
acknowledgement that something is being done.


David Conlin

Tom,

Do you know what is being done about this? Have the Syrian authorities been contacted? There is no BirdLife International Partner in Syria so who can make representations?

Graham

bitterntwisted said:

Tom,

Do you know what is being done about this? Have the Syrian authorities been contacted? There is no BirdLife International Partner in Syria so who can make representations?

Graham

Click to expand...

Hi Graham,

I'm just a humble map-maker, I was hoping that by spreading the message someone might be able to help.

Tom

Save the lapwings

Let's hope this appeal does not fall on deaf ears.

I sent an email to the Birdlife Middle East office and head office, just in case they had not been informed.

John

Have just received the following reply from Birdlife International.

Dear John

Thank you for your email. We are aware of this situation.

I have coped Ibrahim (Head of our Middle East Office) and Jules (our Communications Officer) into this response, they will be able to advise you further.

Kind regards
Bev

Further information from Ibrahim Kahder of Birdlife Middle East. Looks like they are really trying in this case, thank goodness.
Nice to know our subscriptions are used in a worthwhile way.

Dear John,

Indeed, We are following up this issue with the Syrian government/authorities to resolve this issue. There is a team member in the area following on ground and will discuss the situation with the Qatari prince. We started also our contacts in Qatar in case attempts in Syria couldn’t result in a relieving result.

Many thanks for your support

Best wishes

Ibrahim

BirdLife International on the job

Thanks for keeping us up to date with what is happening in Syria.

Perhaps a faster response would happen if someone tipped off the yanks that bin laden was amongst the hunting party. :storm:

crabplover said:

Perhaps a faster response would happen if someone tipped off the yanks that bin laden was amongst the hunting party. :storm:

Click to expand...

They'd probably bomb the Lapwings by mistake |;|

Well done John-superb work.
Fingers crossed
Colin

Sociable Plover Urgent action required

Dear all,

I have had the pleasure of seeing a Sociable Plover in Britain,
please act to ensure that everyone at least has the chance in the future.

The following email has been sent to the Syrian Embassies in UK and Germany. I urge others to look up the email address of the local Syrian embassy in their country and do the same.

The email address you need (if in the UK) is [email protected]

Subject: Urgent environmental problem in the Ar Ruweida Rangeland reserve, Syria

Dear Sirs,

My attention has been drawn to an urgent environmental problem in your country.

A field team of biologists from Holland is currently conducting a census of the Sociable Plover bird species in the Ar Ruweida Rangeland reserve.

The Sociable Plover is a critically endangered shorebird species with a population estimate between 600-1800 breeding pairs, the majority of them in the Middle East.

A message just received from the team reports that in the eastern part of the area a tented camp was being erected by workmen servicing a Qatari prince and his hunting party, who are said to be arriving tonight(26 February)or tomorrow. They will probably remain in the location for about one month. The immediate danger to the Sociable Plover is obvious.

The area holds few other birds and therefore the Sociable Plovers are at great risk. Immediate action is required by the Syrian authorities to prevent an imminent environmental disaster. We urge you to inform the appropriate authorities so that the hunters can be required to move out of this sensitive area.

The GPS coordinates of the eastern access track to the area, located ca 500m west of a power station just north of the M4, are N 36, 33,11.6 / E 39, 52, 56.1. The area is located roughly 3 kms south of the M4. The GPS coordinates of the tented camp are N 36 degr 28' 35.2" / E39 degr 53' 03.7".

We would be grateful for your immediate action in this matter and an acknowledgement that something is being done.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I had an acknowledgement that my mail had been read from the London embassy. Hope something is done.

David
--
David Conlin www.proact-campaigns.net/team joining costs nothing ... doing

Regards Chris Mills