7 
RAPTOR COUNTING: WHERE SHOULD WE GO FROM HERE? Geoff and Hilary Welch 
Over the last 20 years, much pioneering work has been carried out on 
raptor migration through the Middle East, and today several major 
concentration points are known. With one or two notable exceptions, 
however, most sites have not been covered for more than one or two 
seasons. Furthermore, when it comes to trying to interpret the data - to 
give some indication of raptor population sizes and of the routes used by 
particular species - we have not really progressed very far. Our present 
knowledge of raptor migration through the region can be likened to the 
pieces of a giant three-dimensional jigsaw, with odd bits from here and 
there. The pieces are widely scattered and often so dissimilar that it is 
difficult to believe they are from the same puzzle. With the added fourth 
dimension of Time, we are really working on several different pictures, so 
trying to make the pieces fit together is erroneous. 
The obvious way significantly to increase our understanding of the 
migration is to have a series of co-ordinated standardised counts, and to 
concentrate resources at the two main entry points of birds into Africa, 
the Suez area and Bab-el-Mandeb . If information specific to Eastern 
European populations was required, the Bosphorus/Dardenelles complex would 
also need to be covered. The logistics of organising such counts, lasting 
for anything up to four months, are, however, somewhat daunting. 
Additionally, we should be no nearer to filling in the biggest gaps in the 
jigsaw, those between the major concentration points. 
Away from the main concentration points, raptor movements are usually on a 
broad front, at great height and difficult to observe. Records therefore 
tend to be of small numbers of birds from a wide scatter of localities. 
If all these data could be collated, perhaps a fuller picture would begin 
to emerge. This is where you, and the rest of the OSME membership, come 
in. How many members have odd records of groups of migrating raptors, or 
perhaps of only individual birds, tucked away in a notebook? Or 
observations made under f ar-f rom-ideal conditions; from a bus or car, or 
during a 20-rainute break whilst having lunch or changing a tyre? All 
these data, though not collected systematically, can be of great Interest 
when added together. 
In an effort to fill in some 'middle bits' of the jigsaw, we are proposing 
to establish a 'raptor database'; and invite OSME members, and others, to 
send us copies of those records which have never seen the light of day. 
Information submitted should relate to birds considered to be migrating, 
and should Include details of species, number and age (If available), 
location (ideally co-ordinates), date, time, direction of flight, ind 
weather conditions. 
