several endemic species has been much extended through my Atlas 
surveys, notable among them are the Arabian Red-legged Partridge, the 
Arabian Woodpecker and Arabian Serin, all of which are now known to 
occur in the northwestern areas of Saudi Arabia, some several hundred 
kilometres farther north than was previously thought. The project has 
revealed that several species have dynanuc distributions. It was no 
surprise to learn that the Eurasian Collared Dove is colonising large areas 
of Arabia; but the Palm Dove, Namaqua Dove and Black Bushchat have 
shown significant range extensions in recent years. On the other hand, a 
number of species have contracted their range or are getting less numerous. 
Large scavengers such as the Griffon Vulture and Lammergeier are 
especially worrying: they have markedly declined in the last 15 years. 
ABBA has generated significant attention and interest through its 
publications. The project has the policy of publishing as much data as 
p>ossible rather than storing it away in dusty vaults. So far, seven issues 
of the project newsletter Phoenix (currently running at 20 pages per issue) 
have been sent free to all contributors and correspondents. Five major 
reports on individual surveys have been prepared, and another dozen or 
more summaries of information collected so far have been made available. 
For the future, the project plans an interim atlas of maps and very brief 
information on breeding resident species, based on the observer reports 
received since 1984. This will hopefully be complete by the end of 1991. 
A bibliography is planned of all papers relevant to omiftiology in Arabia, 
as well as a review of ringed birds and perhaps even a full Arabian 
checklist. The final atlas which will encompass all information from all 
sources is still some way away. 
In May 1990, 1 surveyed northern central Saudi Arabia. Being too late in 
the year for the majority of species, most breeding activity and singing 
has ceased. The survey had tihe target of visiting 39 atlas squares (each 
about 2,700 sq km) in three weeks. The topography of central Arabia is 
very varied, with granites in the east, basalt rocks in the north and south, 
and sandy gravel plains and volcanic harrats in the west. Sand seas are 
relatively scarce in this part of Arabia but, not surprisingly, there was 
neither surface water nor forest in the area. 
I rose daily at about 5.30 am, just before dawn, to complete a half-hour 
census transect of all birds present. After breakfast, I would drive across 
the desert until lunchtime, stopping at likely looking hills, wadis and 
other habitats to produce as great a variety of species in each square as 
possible. Being hot, midday was usually a quiet time, with not much bird 
activity. Then the afternoon survey would continue with another three 
or four hour transect of the desert by vehicle. The evening camp was 
usually struck about 5pm, allowing a couple of hours in the vicinity of the 
campsite before sunset, to get a very good impression of the local bird life. 
14 
