39 
This is a splendid paper ior field observers and ringers having trouble 
with this difficult group of Eurasian pipits. Sen King has put nuch 
effort and patience into his paper; unfortunately, the principal 
beneficiaries would only be North American observers in Alaska and Ln the 
Aleutian Islands, Europeans in Eurasia and northern Africa anywhere j ;t 
of the Yenisei River and north of the Sahara and the Indian Ocean. These 
two papers should be studied and discussed together and should be standard 
references in the ringing rooms of every ringing station in Europe and in 
the satchels of every ringing party in the Middle East and North Africa. 
Derek Lees-Smith 
NEWS AND INFORMATION Compiled by Simon Albrecht 
The object of this section is to inform our readers about events in the 
OSME region. It is not intended as a definitive report or write up of the 
projects concerned and consequently only those organisations directly 
involved are mentioned in the text. Most of the projects are sponsored by 
various agencies whose support is appreciated but this is generally not 
the place for them to be acknowledged by name. 
Turkey 
Ggksu Delta 
The Goksu Delta on Turkey's southern coast is an internationally important 
wetland. It is the only breeding locality in Turkey of the Purple 
Gallinule Porphyrio porphyrio and has breeding populations of the rare 
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris and Audouin's Gull Larus 
audouinii . Its beaches are amongst the most important nesting sites of 
the Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles. 
Following the campaign by Dogal Hayati Koruma Dernegi (the Society for the 
Protection of Wildlife), the construction of a holiday village at 
Paradeniz G81U was supposed to have been stopped on 17 April (see OSME 
Bull . 22:45-46). However when DHKD visited the site on 29 July, it was 
evident that construction was still continuing. DHKD have re-started 
their campaign to stop the building. 
On 21 April 1989, the area was given protection status by the Turkish 
Forestry Department in the Ministry of Forestry, Rural Affairs and 
Agriculture following discussions with DHKD and ICBP. In July another 
department in the Ministry of Forestry gave permission for the 
construction of a shrimp farm on the beach south of Paradeniz G'olu* in the 
middle of Little Tern Sterna albifrons colonies and the turtle nesting 
area. The department concerned was either unaware of or disregarded the 
protection status granted in April. Following urgent representation from 
DHKD, a number of organisations including OSME telexed our protests to the 
appropriate ministers in Ankara. So far no definite decisions have been 
made but the international concern for Turkey's wildlife is appreciated. 
