37 
lists four different subspecies and gives the world range for each 
and their status within Israel. 
The status in Israel Is perhaps the part of most Interest to 
birdwatchers and this deserves examination in greater detail. The 
style in which this is presented is somewhat abbreviated, for 
example "Coramon passage and winter visitor near water, Israel and 
Sinai, July to May. Occurs in suniraer" for Common Sandpiper Actitis 
hypoleucos , but greater detail including a suminary of indiv/ldual 
records is given ior most rare.- species. 
Unfortunately there is still a lack of really detailed infonnatlon 
here and referring to Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris I am told 
"Uncommon passage visitor, Israel and Sinai, September to October- 
November and March to May. Frequents reedbeds, low vegetation". 
This is certainly more useful than the very brief text in Paz's book 
but still doesn't really tell me how likely Marsh Warbler is in Elat 
in March, which is what I wanted to know. One advantage that 
rlovel's book has over that of Paz is that the names of the observers 
of all of the rarer records are given allowing a researcher to 
follow up and ob:ain more information from them if required. 
However, Hovel's accounts for the commoner species are much less 
detailed than taose of Paz, Blackbird Turdus merula for example 
being covered in just eight lines as opposed to four fairly lengthy 
paragraphs . 
The taxonomy and systematic order generally follows Voous with one 
or two changes due to more recent research. Cyprus Pied Wheatear 
Oenanthe cypriaca is given full status here, though I was puzzled by 
the absence of Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka from the list. The 
reader might conclude that any Pied Wheatear seen in Israel will be 
cypriaca , though this is certainly not the case. 
The book is in paperback and is smaller than that of Paz, so It 
would be easier to carry around on a visit to Israel. If I had to 
choose between the two I would probably opt for this one, though I 
would undoubtedly want both books at hoae to refer to. 
David Fisher 
NEWS AND INFORMATION (Compiled by Simon Albrecht) 
The object of t'lis section is to inform our readers about what Is 
occurring 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. 
