News from Syria
Sociable Lapwing in Syria March 29 Photo courtecy: Ahmad Aidek. Although it is very difficult to go to the Syrian steppes because of the current situation, Ahmad Aidek managed with some difficulty to rent a car and...
Category: News
Jordan Birding now on Facebook
People interested in birding in Jordan can now join the Facebook group ‘Birdwatching Club in Jordan’ where they can obtain the latest news and information on the Jordan birding scene. More information from Dr Fares Khoury, OSME...
IBAs officially recognised in Kazakhstan
Following the publication of the first national inventory of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Kazakhstan in 2008, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK, BirdLife Affiliate) has been working with the Committee of Forestry...
Batumi Raptor Count Internship
OSME has received the following details of an exciting opportunity in the Republic of Georgia. For more information, including how to apply, please do not contact OSME – please see the BRC website. http://www.batumiraptorcount.org/brcvacancies.htm The Batumi Raptor Count...
Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia 1
The OSME Library has received two reports from Mike Jennings, ABBA Co-ordinator, on recent ABBA surveys conducted in South-west Saudi Arabia (ABBA 42) and North-west Saudi Arabia (ABBA 45). Subscribers to Phoenix can obtain an electronic copy...
Batumi Raptor Count Internship
OSME has received the following details of an exciting opportunity in the Republic of Georgia. For more information, including how to apply, please do not contact OSME – please see the BRC website. http://www.batumiraptorcount.org/brcvacancies.htm The Batumi Raptor Count...
Have a holiday and help OSME
The OSME Library has received two reports from Mike Jennings, ABBA Co-ordinator, on recent ABBA surveys conducted in South-west Saudi Arabia (ABBA 42) and North-west Saudi Arabia (ABBA 45). Subscribers to Phoenix can obtain an electronic copy...
3rd Falconry Festival, UAE, 10-18 December 2011
Falconry but with a concern for the balance of nature Omar Fadhil recently represented Nature Iraq at the third falconry festival held in Al Ain/Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 10-18 December 2011. This was the first participation...
Recent News about the Collared Kingfisher, UAE.
The following is an article published by the newspaper, The National. http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/environment/rare-kingfisher-thre… Rare kingfisher threatened by demise of mangroves While it does not receive the same attention as the Arabian oryx, dugong or marine turtle, the straits...
Obituary: Simon Aspinall
Simon Aspinall, known personally or by reputation to birders throughout the OSME region, died in Norfolk on 31st October 2011 after a valiant struggle against motor neurone disease. He was 53. Educated at Whitgift and Purley High...
Sultanate of Oman hosts an International Conference on Migratory Shorebirds
An International Conference, ‘Oman as a gravitational centre in the global flyway network of migratory shorebirds’ was recently organised by the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Sultanate of Oman, under...
Sooty Falcon Research Project Extended. (From the Muscat Daily)
(www.muscatdaily.com)The Office for Conservation of Environment (OCE), Diwan of Royal Court, which started research on sooty falcons in 2007 along with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and Sultan Qaboos University has extended the commitment till...
Abolghasem Khaleghizadeh, Editor of PODOCES, has recently circulated three papers on rare birds in Iran. Two of these cover the period 1860-1970:
Scott D.A. 2008. Rare birds in Iran in the late 1960s and 1970s. Podoces 3(1/2): 1–30. Roselaar C.S. & Aliabadian M. 2009. Review of rare birds in Iran, 1860s–1960s. Podoces 4(1): 1–27. The latest covers the period...
Upper Akkar… One of the Middle East’s Major Spots for Witnessing an Amazing Spectacle of Soaring Bird Migration!
The African Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway, on which the mountains of Lebanon lie as a ‘bottleneck’, is one of the most significant flyways for migratory soaring birds (MSBs) in the world. Over 1 million soaring birds, many...