According to Goodman and Meininger (1989), small numbers are occasionally 
observed south of Hurghada in winter. Therefore, the flock of 90 must be 
regarded as exceptional. 
Armenian Gull L armenicus 
22 January, 12km south of Hurghada, three adults. 
7 February, Abu Rudeis, two adults. 
The three adults near Hurghada on 22 January were in the same flock as 
the 90 Yellow-leggeds, the three Lesser Black-backeds, the Great Black- 
backed Gull L Marinus and the Common Gull. In this flock were also one 
subadult and two first-winter armenfcMS-type individuals, judging from 
their size and build. 
A report of at least 10 adults on 11 March 1988 at the Great Bitter Lake (Everett 
1988) lacks documentation and the occurrence of Armenian Gull in Egypt is 
considered to be unproved (Goodman and Meininger 1989). The Mediterranean 
coast of Israel is probably a major wintering area of the species (Hume 1983,* 
C^roudet 1984, Dubois 1985,Grantl987).Bundy(1986)observed three individuals 
in southern Oman in November and December 1984 (not doomiented) and 
mentions individuals noted by John Palfery in eastern Saudi Arabia which 
probably belong to this species. It seems likely, therefore, that Armenian Gulls 
occur in winter in small nimibers in the company of Lesser Black-backed and 
Yellow-legged Gulls at scattered localities throughout the Middle East. 
Great Black-backed Gull L marinus 
22 January, 12km south of Hurghada, one adult. 
This species has not been recorded in Eg)^t previously (Goodman and Meininger 
1989) . 
Acknowledgments 
I am grateful to Peter Meininger for commenting on a draft of this note, and for 
supplying literature. 
References 
Baha El Din, SM and Saleh, MA 1983. Report on the ornithological results of the 
Egyptian Red Sea pollution expedition. Ornithological Society of Egypt, Cairo. 
Bundy, G 1986. Notes on seabirds in south-eastern Arabia. Sandgrouse 7: 29-42. 
Cramp, S and Simmons, KEL (eds) 1983. The Birds of the Western Palearctic Vol. 
3. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 
Dubois, P 1985. Considerations sur le Goeland d'Armenie Larus armenicus 
Buturlin en Israel. Alauda 53: 226-228. 
Everett, M 1988. Selected spring observations from the Suez Canal and the Gulf 
of Suez. OSME Bull. 20: 3-5. 
Geroudet, P 1984. Le Goeland d'Armenie, Larus (cachinnans) armenicus, en Israel. 
Alauda 52: 310-311. 
Goodman, SM and Meininger, PL (eds) 1989. The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University 
Press, Oxford. 
Goodman, SM and Storer, RW 1987. The seabirds of the Egyptian Red Sea and 
35 
