SOME IMPRESSIONS OF SPRING MIGRATION IN CYRENAICA

By Lt.-Col. J. K. STANFORD, O.B.E., M.C., M.A. MARCH - MAY 1952.

Geographical. 'That part of the province of Cyrenaica (the Arab Barka) with which

this paper is concerned lies between 20" and 23" E. Few notes were made south of 31" N. This area forms a compact northward bulge into thc Mediterranean, its southern base being 200 miles across. It is some 130 miles from south to north. Most of it is flat desert or sub-desert inhabited by tent dwellers, with scattered cultivation. The area lies between several hundred miles of sub-desert reaching in both directions to Misurata in 'I'ripolitania in the west and the X l e valley to the east. There is a fringe of permanent settlements mainly close to the sea coast, usually surrounded with fairly heavy planting of eucalyptus and other shade-trees, palms and walled gardens. But the main feature of the northern and north-eastern end of the bulge is the Gebel el Achdar.

The Gebel el Achdar is a plateau approximately fifty miles from south to north, and at its highest point, south of Cyrene, nearly 2600 feet above sea level. Its average height is probably nearer 1400 feet, and the centre of it is covered with trees (mainly Juniper) and scrub (mainly Xhirs oxyacanthcr and Pistacia I~ntzscz~s), except where it is cultivated. South and east of Derna the trees get scarcer, and much of the eastern end of the plateau towards l'obruk is a bare rock-strewn grassy plain with occasional tufts of wild garlic and onion, and Zzzyphus bushes growing commoner and larger.

On the north-east face of the bulge the plateau drops abruptly to thc scashore, its face being seamed by the most impressive gorges, and in many places bushes and scrub occur fairly close to the sea. These from March to May were 2s dry as could be, but in three, the jvadi Derna, the W-adi Latrun, and what is now known as the " Wadi Nicolaide ", near Ras-el-Hilal,

,perennial streams of fresh water gush out of the cliff and are piped into thriving gardens of olives, fig and other fruit trees and into other terraced cultivation. It would be difficult to describc the contrast between these barren rocky gorges and the sudden beauty and fertility of thc oases below- thcin, but curiously enough resident passerine birds were not as common as one would have expected. In the centre of the Gebel is the cultivated plain of Harce (A1 Merj), which is a flat expanse of rich wheat and barlcy cultivation surrounded by low- scrub-covered hills, and again with eucalyptus and cypress trees and other planting near all the larger farms. Southwards the Gebel fades away gradually through barren rocky hills into the true desert of pinkish sand and gravel covered with sparse grass

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and vegetation, and interspersed with depressions full of bushes, mainly Zizyphus, and grass.

The whole of the western flank of the bulge from 'locra south to Agedabia is flat, with occasional salt lagoons surrounded by willow scrub where the sea has receded. Sear the sea is often a line of white sand-dunes, blinding to the eye but, curiously enough, containing on their landward edge thriving plantations of fig-trees and grapevines which migrants much appreciatc. Inside this seaward fringe is a steppe described by Ernst Hartert as " barc Karst-like, stony, calcareous plain with patches of red soil and poor thin fields of low barley ", with occasional big patches of Zizyphtis and low scrub vegetation. South of 31" N. is an area much of which is unsurveyed, and below 30- is the sand sea proper, which all migrants from the south have to cross, and of which it has been remarked that " its absolute barrenness cannot be over-emphasized ".

There is, at the season of the spring migration, very little open fresh water for birds indeed in the area I covered. A411 over the plateau of the Gebel exist small pools which are frequently a remnant of the old Roman aqueducts and often many miles apart. They are much frequented by passing waders and doves. At every settlement are deep \\.ells, often in clusters, many of which are inhabited by Rock Pigeons (which go far under- ground for ivater), but I doubt verl- much if a migrant passerine bird \\oulcl either discover them or use them, and I saw no signs of small birds attempting to do so, except resident sparrows and larks. -1may from thc Gebel I saw onlv four patches of fresh water which s e r e not some \!-a? under ground level, and two of these could have been covered by a fair-sized \\ash-basin. Except on the western fringe of the area from Agedabia north to Iknghazi any migrant arriving out of the southern descrt is assured of dropping into some vegetation, xl-hich, as hloreau remarks, is its " most important requirement; water comes a long way second ". Vegetation usually means insect life and some form of shelter from sun and sandstorms, and it was noticeable how a tiny clump of trees, one or tn-o bushes or even ;i

grassy wadi with a few rocks in the middle of miles of fiat emptiness attracted birds, though many \Yere seen halted in the most open desert. I have been assured that in the area the presence of deu. makes up for thc' absence of open water, but after the end of March no rain fell over mo and, though there irere very heavy de\\-s on two mornings in the last 1

l larch, I encountered none aftern ards. :lcknowli~dbrmerits.

My thanks are due not only to the Cyrenaican (;overnment, and to thr ~ n a n y members o f the Middle East Land Forces and others \vho assisted mc' throughout the trip, but to Sergt. 0. Barnes, who was ivith me when most of these observations were made and was the first to notice many of the birds rccorded.

1953 J . I<. STANFORD : SPRING MIGKATION IN CYKEN.IICA 319

Previous exploration and literuture. Hartert was in Cyrenaica from 24 March to 19 May 1922, and in his

valuable paper mentioned below he says he “ observed a good deal of bird migration ” but gives comparatively few details. No daylight movements are mentioned. The Italian records are partly concerned with high-speed visits by motor car to Jalo, Jarabub and Kufra, and few of them seen) to contain field-notes of any kind (particularly the notes of Salvadori and Festa between 20 April and 29 May 1921). Dr. J. F. H. Bulman was between Sollum and El Mechili in December 1940 and January 1941 and for a short time in the Beda Fomm-Antelat area in mid-February 1041, but he was there a little before the migration season.

Mr. R. G. Finnis has given me some most valuable unpublished notes on birds made in Tobruk between April 1941 and 3 February 1942, but the migration notes are mainly concerned with the autumn of 1941.

The published literature is briefly enumerated :

1902.

1916.

1921.

1923. 1925.

1934.

1942.

1943.

1943.

1943.

WHITAKER, J. I. S. On a small collection of birds from Tripoli. Ibis (8) 2 : 644-656.

SALVADORI, T. and FESTA, E. Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. Torino 31, no. 714.

SALVADORI, T. and FESTA, E. Missione zoologico del Dott. E. Festa in Cirenaica. Uccelli. Boll. Mus. 2001. Anat. Comp. Torino 36, no. 738. (No notes on migration.)

(A most remarkable journey but no field-notes.) Alcune uccelli della Cirenaica.

(No notes on migration.)

HARTERT, E. On the birds of Cyrenaica. FESTA, E. Uccelli.

Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. Torino 39 N.S. no. 24. MOREAU, E. Ibis

(13) 4 : 595-632. BULMAN, J. F. H. Bull. Zool. SOC.

GREAVES, R. H. Bull. Zool.

ROWNTREE, M. H. Bull. Zool.

TOMLINSOX, W. Some notes on Cyrenaican migrants. Bull. Zool. Soc.

Novit. Zool. 30 : 1-32. Missione zoologica del Dott. Enrico Festa in Cirenaica.

A contribution to the ornithology of the Libyan Desert. (Mainly on migration.) Notes on the birds of the Libyan desert.

Egypt 4 : 5-12. An outline of bird migration in the Near East.

Some notes on Libyan and Egyptian birds. SOC. Egypt 5 : 5-7.

SOC. Egypt 5 : 18-32.

Egypt 5 : 8-17.

(Mostly migration near Tobruk.)

(Migration and other notes near Mersa Beddan.)

Itinerary. I was only in Xorth Africa from 14 March to 20 May 1952, and twice

in that time had to cross the long desert road between ‘Tripoli and Benghazi, which is 650 miles in length. By road from Bir el Mrer, the southernmost point at which I collected, to Tmimi, the easternmost, is over 225 miles, and collecting was done in eight main localities, with constant moves in between. I t is therefore clear that I could form no more than a general series of impressions, some of which further study may well falsify.

Before starting I had been warned that I might be too late for the bulk of the migration, though Hartert’s notes made in 1922 at the same period

.i20 J. I;. s’l.\NE‘OI<D : SI’KIXG RIIGHA1’1ON I N CYHEh’.lIC.\ 111~5, 0.5

did not suggest it. Actually, in the 63 days in which I was in the field, new migrants were visible almost every day, and certainly one of the biggest movements of small passerines occurred in the first week of May. Some species, notably Oenanthe oenanthe and Anthus canzpestris, seemed to bc passing through for almost the whole period. Others of the 87 species I saw, which appeared to be on migration, were only apparent on one or two days, as in the case of Fulco aespertinus. Some, e.g. the Skylarks, the White Wagtails and most of the Stonechats, had probably gone before my arrival. Indeed I saw Skylarks arriving in Italy along the coast road ~ h i l e motoring to Naples between 6 and 8 March, and in that week-end every gunner in the country seemed to be out after migrants.

Moreau (1934) has given good reason for suggesting that “ birds cross all parts of the Libyan desert, however rigorous the conditions, and howeyer great thc stretches of unbroken desolation ”. I went with an open mind, knowing only the vast area to be traversed and rather wondering if, even on the coastline, I should see any movement at all. I came back convinced, whcther rightly or wrongly, firstly that a large mass of migratory birds must pass through the area ‘ I in a copious migration following all longitudes ” and reaching the coast on a front of at least 170 miles bctwccn Benghazi and thc Gulf of Romba. Secondly it appeared to me that birds by no means always migrate in flocks of their own species, and at their halts the impression formed was of a medley of species on the same ground.

It has been suggested to me since my return that the number of individuals of any species seen by me represents only a “ trickle ” of migration on a broad front, and that these individuals were exhausted waifs, which had dropped out of a much larger movement passing over unseen. This may bc so, but I am by no means certain how many birds you can miss seeing, cvcn in Cyrenaica, for ci-ery one you see. Even there, in wide, open, treeless spaces, a multitude of birds could lurk unobser\-ed in the immense sea-coast gorges, in thc bush-filled holl~ws of the plain, and wherever shade and grass is to l x found. I t \\-as \-cry noticeable in -April how, ivhenever n-e stopped a n d turned off the road or track, mc encountered birds almost at once, lurking in a heap of stones or a tiny bush, or the shelter of a small fold in the ground. ‘I’ravelling considerable distances by car, and taking, as it were, a cross- section of the country, one gradually began to rcalize the numbers of birds secn and the amount of country on both sides which had not been explored hiit which presumably contained as many. Three csamples of the “ grand irictlley ” o f species above-mentioned may suffice.

(i) On 9 April, a dull Jay with little nind in the morning, rising to ;I

north-west gale later, we motored from Ilerna to Tmimi, zt ciistancc of -FA miles. For at least 35 miles w e were encountering Hoopoes “pzipi epp.s in ones and t\vos and threes along the road. They were in excry ncudi at which we stopped, and once w e saw as many as six in a party. Considering

1953 J. K . STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION I N CYRFNA1C.A 321

that we really saw only those birds flushed by the car, or at our halts, there must have been hundreds on a very broad front. Besides the Hoopoes, there were in one small hollow of Zizyphus bushes two or three Nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos, several Common Redstarts Ph. phoenicurus, Common Whitethroats Sylvia communis and Subalpine Warblers S. cantillans, two Wrynecks Jynx, an Ortolan Eniberiza hortulana, and a Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris. In three different widely-separated places along the road we saw Whitethroats and Nightingales, and in one spot were a Pied Flycatcher illuscicapa hypoleuca, a Rock Thrush illonticola saxatilis and a Ruppell’s Warbler Sylvia riippellii, all close together. Another small gorge 15 miles away held Wrynecks, Redstarts, Nightingales, Subalpine Warblers and Whinchats Saxicola rubztra. In addition, all along the road were flocks of Tawny Pipits, Short-toed Larks Calandrella brachydactyla and Corn Buntings Emberiza calandra, and three flocks of the last two species were seen flying north.

(ii) On 21-23 April I paid three or four visits to a small grassy pit, ten yards square, by the roadside at Sidi Rafa which was sheltered from the wind and contained fig trees and an almond tree. On each occasion it held different birds, but I saw there in 48 hours Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata, Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, a Wryneck, a Phylloscopus (unidentified), several Tree Pipits Anthus trivialis and Linnets Carduelis cannabina, and within a few yards were Whinchats and a flock of Yellow Wagtails Motacilla jlava. I have no reason to think these were exhausted “ waifs ”. They were just birds resting quietly, where there was food and shelter, and they happened to be easy to observe.

3. At Soluk, surrounded by desert, the Italians planted many eucalyptus trees in long lines outside the town, probably the first trees that any bird arriving from the south or south-east will encounter for many hundred miles. On 3 May I had a line of these trees “ driven out ” towards me which held 50 or 60 Golden Orioles, 3 Rollers, several Hoopoes and perhaps 100 Turtle Doves T. turtur, while further search nearby revealed Icterines, Sedge-warblers Acrocephalus schoenobaenus and Wood-warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Whitethroats, Redstarts and Spotted and Pied Flycatchers. On 2 May we found a similar medley of passerines sheltering in the only trees for miles south or east of El Magrun, about twenty starved pepper-trees along the road. They held Wood and Icterine Warblers, Redstarts, Whitethroats, Flycatchers, Turtle Doves, Hoopoes, Orioles and, in the last tree of all, a Water-hen Gallinula chloropus. The next patch of bushes, four miles on near the sea, was similarly swarming with birds.

I feel sure that most of these birds wanted shade and a chance to rest rather than water. Near Bir Habas, in the desert proper, I flushed a Nightingale from inside the rotting skeleton of a camel in which it was presumably sheltering. We met with no water for miles in any direction,

322 J . K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION IN CYREX.41CR IRJS, 9.5

except in deep wells. On migration birds can take very little account of water, unless it lies directly in their path, as at Soluk, where a Sedge-warbler for two days frequented a small pool formed beneath a window by slops emptied from a kitchen.

‘I’he most impressive instance of the numbers of birds in an area was at Derna in early Xpril. You could drive a long way and see perhaps one flock of Yellow Wagtails along the track every three or four miles. Yet flock after flock would flight down at dusk off the escarpment to roost in the rushes and sedges of the harbour marsh, until the place was yellow with thousands of them. An hour after dawn these had all dispersed, not, I think, overseas but back to their feeding-grounds, as they could be seen in approximately the same locality day after day.

Two examples convinced me that certain species migrate on a very broad front. (1) Hetween 18 March and I) .4pril I encountered Subalpine Warblers in some numbers in three nidely-separated places in ‘Tripolitania, and in nine in Cyrenaica. They were in such numbers that they were impossible to overlook, were all clearly on migration, and mere by far the commonest warbler seen in the period. ’l‘hey were found in cultivation, on rock-strewn hillsides, in the bushes of oases, in rocky gorges by the sea, in gardens far inland and in tn-o places out in the open desert, probably 70 miles from the coast. The area col-ered by these observations is 550 miles from west to east. I obtained no specimens in Tripolitania, but all those shot in Cyrenaica were albistriatu, the eastern race. ’l’his race, according to “The Birds of Egypt ’, winters in northern Nigeria and the western Sahara and also passes through Algeria in spring. (;rote (1937) and Sclatcr have stated that it winters east of 1,ake Chad. Colonel Meinertzhagan has, how7ever, since suggested to me that these birds were migrating from west to east along the Mediteeranean coast. ‘l’his may be so, but the observations are more suggestive of birds arriving on a broad front from the south. (2) I hare already cited the number of I-Ioopoes seen on 9 Bpril along 35 miles of road. On 24 -1pril T similarly san. Golden Orioles all along the main road from Lamluda iis far vast as Guhba, a tlistanct. of ;it

least 12 miles from west to east. Wind and wruther.

Owing to the fact that 1 was moving about a good deal, and not watching migration from one fixed place, it was rather difficult to estimate the effect of wind on the arrivals and departures of migrants. Tomlinson (1943) noted at Mersa Reddan that a \-iolent kiicrlirsin from the south in .\pril broughc a host of migrants, and Kowntree on the ‘Tobruk cwast recorded that big influxes of birds n-ere “ all associated with strong south winds often tieveloping into a sandstorm ”. During my stay at Harce (inland) the wind from 28 March to 3 Xpril was from the south or south-west every day, 2nd on the first thrcc days of April it was very strong and hot, rising to khamsbi

1953 J. K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION I N CYRENAICA 3 23

force. On arriving at Derna I found on 4 April a very large number of migrants on the cliff and the plateau behind it for many miles, and by that time the wind had changed to north or north-west, lasting until the loth, a change which appeared to hold up these hosts of birds. On the loth, when this wind had dropped in the early morning, most of the birds seemed to have passed on. From the 4th to the 9th the wind was certainly blowing with sufficient strength off the sea to deter small birds from attempting a sea passage. On 27 April another south wind seemed to bring in more birds. Winds from the east or south-east were comparatively rare. I n the Soluk-Agedabia area there was only one day with a noticeable south wind and I could not see any marked influx of birds as a result of it.

It may be noted that in mid-April, in the desert south of Slonta, temperatures fell to 36" F. at night and were as high as 115" by day in fine weather, which must have an effect on small insect-eating passerine birds at that season.

TYPES OF RlIGRATION SEEN.

I propose to divide the migration I witnessed into (1) Coasting movements. (2) Other visible migration, i.e. from south to north. (3) Invisible migration as evidenced by arrivals.

Neither Salvadori, Festa nor Bulman recorded any visible migration, and the amount of actual movement in daylight seen by Hartert, Tomlinson, Rowntree, Finnis and myself was comparatively small.

(1) Coasting movements. Few were witnessed by me, but I spent only a few days on or close to the

seashore, and while I was halted at Derna and Ras-cl-Hilal I was often collecting far inland. Also I was not on the western seacoast between Agedabia and Benghazi in April, where one might have expected to see a northerly coasting movement.

The chief coasting passage consisted of Swallows, small parties moving along the coast within a few hundred yards of the sea.

Swallow Hirzindo rustica. (i) On 23 March a few coasting north-east near Tocra about 4.30 p.m. (ii) On 10 and 11 April, with a strong north wind off the sea, movement

along the cliff was to ~ e s t and north-west, both morning and afternoon. (iii) On 19 April (wind north-west) several small lots passed a p 10 noon,

coasting this time E.N.E. along line of cliff. (iv) On 27 ilpril at Ras-el-Hilal small parties between 7 a.m. and noon

passing steadily west or north-west close to the sea, and a large party of House-martins, after feeding over the gorge, disappeared in the last direction before dusk.

124 1. IT. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION I N CYRFUAICZ IRIS, 0 5

(v) On t n o xisits to El Zuetina (near Agedahia, on the nest coast) in early %lay 1 SdM Snallows coasting north over the shnllo\rs inshore, feeding a5 they went.

Swift .4pzis pallidus.

A. pullidus brehmomm was the only swift obtained, and as it hrecds locally it n as difficult to say for certain if Swifts seen were coasting birds or iesidents feeding K.W. into the wind. They appear to breed in caves in thc cliffs at Derna, and inland haunt caves or potholes, feeding far across country away from these. I t is, however, noteworthy that I rarely saw any Suifts going east but nearly always west or north-west. I t is also noteworthy that a westerly passage along the coast between Mersa Reddan and Tohruk of Sand-martins and Swallows u as observed by Tomlinson betueen 25 and 28 April 1942, lasting all day. I-le remarks : '' 'The passage of Hirundines, Martins and Swifts seemed to be definitely westwards along the coast till they reached the region of Tobruk. An observer in Tobruk informed [me! that immense numbers of these birds used to arrive from the cast and then rcstcd before flying north, presumably in the direction of Italy."

Kowntree noted Swifts and Swallows at Sollum regularly seen flying in a aesterly direction in the latter half of hIay, " usually latish i n afternoon or evening ". -1s young Swallows bred in Cyrenaica are fledged by mid-lllal, and Swifts appeared to be breeding in April, I am not sure if thcsc movements were all migratory.

(2) visible migration from south to m y t h .

My notes on this, too, are limited, mainly owing to constant moves. I think if T had sat quiet for a day on any one point of land, especially on the Ikrna-'I'obruk road, I might have had a clearer impression. I saw no movement out to sea at all except one lot of Swallows on 4 dpril going E.N.E. with a S.lV. wind. A4t Sirte on 21 March 70-100 Lesser Kestrels Iqhlco nuumunnz nere seen gliding in a dispersed formation towards the sea a mile away. Whether they were migrating or spreading out to their morning feeding-grounds I could not say, but it reminded me of one of thcl big movements of Swifts one sees in July or August.

'I'he follou ing is a brief summary of the south-to-north movementr rccordcd, and they are astonishingly few :-

(i) Common Curlew NumPnius nugucctu. Ifeard passing north on night of 25-26 >larch. One lot to north high up in morning on 27 3'Iarch (wind west, strong).

( u ) X flock flying north o\er the Uarce Plain on 29 Ilarch, coming off the top of the Gcbel at 10 a.m. ( h ) A flock on 18 -April arriving at Derna from S.E. at 6.30 a.m. (c) -4 large flock moving north-west at dusk on 26 April tonards the qen nt Ras-el-Ifilal.

(ii) Hee-eater .IIeerc;ps apiustei.

1953 J. K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATI3N IN CYKENAICA 325

(N.B.-Many hundreds of bee-eaters were seen, but these were the only passage movements observable. Rowntree also once noted bee-eaters flying in a north-westerly direction along the coast at Tobruk.)

(a) On 6 April a flock arriving from S.S.E. at Derna (wind north-west, strong). (b) on 8 April an obvious arrival near seashore west of Derna about 11 a.m. (wind west, strong). (c) on 9 April, two lots flying north across Derna-Tobruk road (wind west, strong).

(a) A few arrived alongshore about 11 a.m. on 8 April, apparently from north. (b) One flock seen flying north on 9 April on Tobruk road (wind north-west, strong).

A large flock arriving from south at 6.30 a.m. on 31 March at Barce.

(a) Five coming into the Wadi Derna from south at 5.30p.m. on 6 April (wind west, strong). (b) Two flocks flying north near Gubba on 11 April in the morning. (c) Four flocks flying north on Derna-Cyrene road between 10 and 11 a.m. (wind north-west).

(vii) Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni. Six seen at 6.30 a.m. on 25 April cruising north-east at Sidi Rafa against an east wind.

Also, on different dates, single Swallows, a Hoopoe, 4 Coursers, a Wryneck and Kites Milvus migrans all passing north towards the coast in the morning. In each species a remarkably small proportion of the birds seen were actually migrating. Rowntree notes that the only birds seen by him moving north in daylight were bee-eaters, Short-toed Larks and Blue-headed Wagtails. All birds seen by me actually moving were in flocks of their own species, but it was clear that, when an influx of birds arrived, as Rowntree also noted, several species seemed to arrive simultaneously or mix as soon as they halted.

( 3 ) Invisible migration as evidenced by arrivals. It is impossible to summarize this invisible migration so I will confine

myself to its most noticeable features. I have already instanced certain arrivals of " mixed birds " in two

localities, one at the east and one at the west end of the area worked. The most conspicuous species as regards numbers were Short-toed Larks, Wheatears (both Oe. oenanthe and Oe. hispanicu), Whmchats and Turtle Doves.

On 21 March, from El Agheila along the coast road to Benghazi, my car flushed innumerable flocks of Short-toed Larks for a distance of probably 150 miles. On 24 and 31 March such flocks were seen all along the plain from Benghazi nearly to the Tocra Pass and again in the Derna-Martuba area between 5 and 9 April. These larks are not easy to flush when feeding, so the number seen from the car must indicate much greater numbers in the

(iii) Short-toed Lark C. brachydactyla.

(iv) Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra.

(v) Linnet Carduelis cannabina.

(vi) Turtle Dove Turtur turtur.

VOL. 95. Z

326 IBIS, 95

area. Near Bir el Gobi other flocks were seen far out in the desert on 12 April. This migration seemed to dwindle and disappear after mid-April.

As already stated, Wheatears seemed to be passing throughout the period. But the greatest numbers were observable between 21 March and 10 April. From 4 to 7 April, with a strong north or north-west wind blowing off the sea most of the time, there was an enormous “ build-up ” of both Common and Spanish Wheatears along the cliff and the escarpment north of it at Derna.

Whinchats were scattered singly over a wide area from 27 March to 11 April. Then they began to increase, and between 21 and 28 April very large numbers were seen along the roads, especially where there were flowering thistles. This passage was noticed as late as 7 May.

Of the non-breeding warblers, next to the Subalpine, the Nightingale, the Wood Warbler and the Common Whitethroat were the most conspicuous, and passed through as follows :-

J. K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION IN CYRENAICA

Nightingale, 4-23 April (seen in twelve localities). Wood Warbler, 8 Apri l4 May (seen in eight localities). Whitethroat, 6 April-10 May (all areas). Phylloscopi were scarce and I saw only two Willow and a few Bonelli’s

Warblers. Judging by the number seen, Icterine Warblers must have been very abundant in the eastern coastal area during the first ten days in nlay.

l h e Ortolan Bunting was undoubtedly passing through in some numbers from 26 March to 14 April and was seen in nine widely separated localities.

Pied Flycatchers were seen from 9 April to 3 May in small numbers bu: in nine localities, and Spotted Flycatchers, which began to appear on 15 April, were in great numbers, both in the desert and elsewhere, in the second week in May, and were also seen all along the 130 miles which separates Misurata from Tripoli on 17 May.

The Cuckoo Cuculus canorus was only seen or heard on four occasions between 7 and 22 April, once out in the desert near Bir Habas. I saw no Cranes or White Storks, but on 2 May 30 Storks were seen near Lamluda by Brigadier Lipscomb, and Dr. P. H. Charlton previously recorded some at Derna in April 1943. Mr. K. S. M. Green noted them in the Gebel in mid-April and even later.

Quail Coturnzx coturnzx. Judging by the numbers actually flushed, or heard calling, there was a very big migration between 25 March and 15 April over a wide area. On 25-26 March numbers were calling in corn and rough grass around Barce and I could hear the females answering, but it seems doubtful if they actually bred here. I flushed Quail, which sat very closely and only rose under my feet, in at least twelve different localities up to 15 April (including grassy wadis in the open desert), so presumably a very large number must have been present.

Redfooted Falcon Fulco vespertinus. Hartert in 1921-22 recorded considerable numbers between 30 April and 17 May in the Benghazi-Tocra

1953 J. K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION IN CYRENAICA 327

area. I saw comparatively few, about a dozen, with two large flocks of Lesser Kestrels on 21 April near Gubba, and a few at Soluk in early May. They are not easy to overlook as, like kestrels and bee-eaters, they are very partial to telegraph wires fringing roads.

A mass of waders obviously passes through the area in single birds and flocks. In the Derna marsh Ruffs and Reeves were seen daily from 4 April to 11 May and were clearly undergoing a moult while there. In addition I obtained three others in the Gebel el Achdar and saw there, on isolated pools, Common Snipe C. gallinago, Little Stints, Spotted Redshanks, Wood Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plovers, Squacco Herons and Collared Pratincoles, all presumably passing through. Little Stints and Little Ringed Plovers also came to a small desert pool 10 miles south of Charruba, on the Msus track, on 14 April. Between 4 April and 11 May the Derna Harbour marsh (though only two acres of bog fringing a main road, and much disturbed) produced the following 28 species of birds, many of which could be seen daily, and none of which were, I think, breeding :-

Squacco Heron, Common Heron, Little Egret, Bittern, Little Bittern, Glossy Ibis, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Common Snipe, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Stone Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Waterhen, Common Teal, Wigeon, Garganey, Shoveler, Pintail, Whitewinged Black Tern, Little Crake.

A truly remarkable assembly, and their presence (especially of Ruffs, Snipe and Little Stints) for so long a period bears out Greaves' observation in Egypt that many migrant species " remain for weeks, making their way to the coast northwards by easy stages with long stops at convenient places ""

Waders and water-birds.

SONG ON MIGRATION.

Most birds met with were remarkably silent, the Nightingale, as in Egypt, being the principal exception. I heard it singing often, sometimes out in the sub-desert in Zizyphus or Pistacea lentiscus, and once in conifers. I got the impression that it usually sang because it was disturbed by a man or a vehicle. If one stopped a car beside the road, this often seemed to cause a bird to burst into song, often for only a few notes or for a minute. Rowntree at Tobruk noted " only very occasional bursts of song, and then only two or three bars at a time ". Hartert, largely, I think, on the fact of its singing, stated that the Nightingale nested in Cyrenaica in Benghazi, but I cannot confirm that the nest has ever been found. I personally doubt if there is sufficient undergrowth in Benghazi to provide a breeding-site.

I once heard a Cuckoo-calling in a very hoarse cracked way-in the Wadi el Kuf. I shot one Wood-warbler singing in snatches in the same place, but I doubt if it was intending to nest. I twice heard Sedge-warblers singing.

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328 J. K. STANFORD : SPRING MIGRATION IN CYRENAICA IBIS, 95

The Orphean and Kufous Warblers both sang freely, but as both breed in the country (fide Hartert) it is quite likely that these were not migrating individuals.

An Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida was shot singing in a thicket at Ras-el-Hilal, but here again, as the species almost certainly breeds in the gardens of Benghazi, this may have been a breeding bird. Turtle Doves also frequently “ sang ” in considerable volume, but as the April rush includes birds passing through as well as the breeding stock, it is not safe to say they ‘‘ sing ” on migration. I once heard a Golden Oriole singing in snatches for nearly an hour.

MOULT ON MIGRATION.

In view of Meinertzhagen’s statement that the Ruff has never been seen in Egypt on spring passage with a trace of a ruff, it is worth recording that one shot by me on 23 April was clearly sprouting a reddish ruff. A Collared Flycatcher -uscicupu allicollis on 18 April had recently moulted the tail and the three innermost secondaries but not the outer wing-quills.

Most of the Lesser Kestrels I saw were probably on passage, though it seems a leisurely process. One on 25 April and three on 10 May were in very worn plumage. A male on the latter date had only one new feather in the tail and all the others were broken off short by an inch or more. Hartert obtained Red-footed Falcons in May in partly juvenile body plumage and thought the “ moult was arrested in May, i .c. during migration ”, but commenced again in June on tail and wings.

SUMMARY.

1. Migration was proceeding throughout Cyrenaica from 21 biarch to 16 XIay, though some wintering species had already gone.

2. A inass of migration seems to mobe from south to north through the whole area, and a remarkable medley of species migrates or halts simultaneously.

3. These birds must gct little or no water, arid after the desert-crossing drop in wherever there is shade or vegetation. 4. The Subalpine Warbler appears to pass through on a front of a t least 500-600

miles and Hoopoes and Orioles on a wide front. 5. There was little evidence of coasting movements except by Swallows, and the

bulk of coasting seen on the north seaboard was to the west or northwest. 6 . Daylight movement from south to north was slight, seen only in Lesser Kestrels,

Curlews, Coursers, Bee-eaters, Short-toed Larks, Corn Buntings, Linnets and Turtle Doves, with individuals of other species.

7. “ Invisible migration ”, as evidenced by arrivals, was very heavy. 8. Warblers were scarce, except Nightingales, Wood and Icterine Warblers and

9. Notes are given of the migration of Quail, Cuckoos, Flycatchers and Red-footed

10. A considerable array of waders and water-birds passes north from the desert and

11. A few instances are given of birds singing, or being in moult, on migration.

Common Whitethroats.

Falcons.

stays till mid-May on marshes near the sea or pools in the Gebel el Achdar.

Willow-warblers were very scarce.