19 
Starling Sturnus vulgaris 40, flocks flying south over the desert near 
Rafah, 13/1/89. 
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis Very common migrant in large flocks 
in South, and scattered individuals and small flocks wintering in the 
North. 
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 50, scattered individuals and flocks in trees 
around Rafah, 13/1/89. 
Linnet Carduelis cannabina 10, flock on road from Suez to El Arish, 
12/1/89. 
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githageneus 12, in wadi along Suez to Nuweiba' 
Road, 9/10/88. 
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus Six, two males, resident near 
Monastery and on Mount Musa, St Catherine, 14/10/88. 
Cretzschmar 1 s Bunting Emberiza caesia One, male, in scrub along beach; and 
several unidentified juvenile buntings, Zaranik, 23/9/88. 
*0fficial Egyptian rarities 
Executive Business Services, Cairo Marriott Hotel, P.O. Box 33, Zamalek, 
Cairo, Egypt. 
A FEW BIRD DROPPINGS FROM BAHRAIN Tom Nightingale 
The year 1988 has been one of mixed fortunes for the birds of Bahrain; 
loss of habitat continues. Spring witnessed the clearance of all thorn 
bushes and trees from one of two known roosting sites of the Grey 
Hypocolius, the area being replanted with young date palms. Judging by 
the number (maximum 450 during winter 1987/88) of hypocolius counted at 
dusk on their roosting flights (from their main feeding ground in a large 
and secluded garden of mixed vegetation), other roosting sites on the 
island do exist, although I have yet to find them. The maximum count 
during winter 1988/89 of these splendid visitors totalled 161, an 
indication that numbers are indeed highly variable between years. 
Spring also saw the clearance of old date palms adjacent to the Adhan' 
Gardens, and thus the loss of an important roosting site for Little 
Egrets . 
The autumn provided no respite: bulldozers were at work again uprooting 
some of Bahrain's few remaining mangroves in the Jurdab pool and removing 
all adjacent palm trees, thus destroying a night heron roost site, which 
at times during past winters had sheltered several hundred birds. 
