2b 
Spin-offs from OSME's attendance at the conference continue to be felt, 
and not only in the greater volume of mail we now receive from DHKD! On a 
personal note, my increased knowledge and contacts should make me a more 
effective Secretary and more useful member of Council. For OSME, the 
conference fostered a greater interest in the Middle East (particularly 
Turkey) and a fuller understanding of what OSME is, and has to offer. 
LIBRARY REPORT Geoff and Hilary Welch 
Recent items received in the OSME library include the following, which may 
not have come to the attention of all members. 
Gallagher M. D. (1989). Oman Bird News 5 
This report opens with a note about the 'welcome contributions from more 
observers...', a theme echoed in the introduction to the Dubai Bird Report 
(see below). This is a sentiment that OSME shares and we would urge all 
members visiting or resident in any of the countries within the region to 
submit records and/or articles to the relevant local/national 
ornithological societies or institutions. This edition contains, amongst 
others, papers on birds and other wildlife at sea around Oman in 1987-88; 
the first Oman record of Great Knot; the trapping of Marsh Warblers in 
Dhofar; ringing recoveries; prospective new Oman birds and a report from 
the Musandam region. Contributions for future copies of Oman Bird News 
and details of birds observed in Oman should be sent to M. D. Gallaher, 
c/o Oman Natural History Museum, PO Box 668, Muscat. 
Jennings M. C. (1988). The Phoenix No. 5, December 1988 
Tnis is the latest in the series of newsletters/bulletins for contributors 
to the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Arabia project organised and run by Mike 
Jennings. Amongst the items packed into the 20 pages are news of the 
first confirmed breeding of Thick-billed Lark Rhamphocorys clotbey ; an 
account of the continuing and largely unwelcome spread of the Indian House 
Crow Corvus splendens ; details of sites of particular interest in the 
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; recent reports; book reviews and 
much more. Details of obtaining The Phoenix and of the ABBA project are 
available from Mike Jennings, Moonraker Cottage, 1 Eastcourt, Burbage, Nr 
Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3 AG , Great Britain. 
