European news This is the third summary of interesting recent records on the Continent. It is pleasing that 15 nations have supplied data, compared with six for the first summary (Brit. Birds 70: 218-219) and nine for the second (70: 494-496). We hope that still more countries will participate in future. Unless otherwise stated, all dates refer to 1977 Great Northern Diver Gavia immer FRANCE First record: oiled bird found NETHERLANDS Total of 12-14, including dying near Brest, October 1976. seven or eight inland, in winter 1977/78 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (usually only two or three a winter, none NORWAY After first breeding in 1973, now in 1976). about ten pairs in More og Romsdal, one White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii or two pairs each in Ostfold and Hedmark, continued.... 254 [Brit. Birds Ji: 254-258, June 1978] European news 255 and probably also in several other coun­ of Iberian population (mainly immatures) ties. migrates to Morocco. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Red Kite Milvus milvus NETHERLANDS ITALY Several adults and broods in Two pairs breeding, one successful, but summers 1976-77 on reservoir in northern other's eggs shot at in nest. Apulia, where previously only migrant Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus and winter visitor, PORTUGAL Apparently GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC Slight breeding in south since 1973. increase in number breeding in Lower Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus Saxony and Hesse. MALTA Second record: one, regrettably Buzzard Buteo buteo FINLAND Many in shot, off southwest coast in October. south, winter 1977/78. Black Stork Ciconia nigra FRANCE First Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus breeding: four young reared in Jura (adults FINLAND More than usual, winter 1977/78. had been seen by foresters in 1976 and nest discovered winter 1976/77). Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca PORTUGAL Only recent evidence of nesting: pairs in Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber possible habitat and, after breeding SPAIN Exceptional breeding season (about season, nest seen. 2,000 nestlings), despite high water levels Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus in spring and drought in summer. NETHERLANDS Second record: Groen- Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus eken, 9th July. POLAND Increasingly common on Baltic Quail Cotumix cotumix CZECHOSLOVAKIA coast since 1961, especially since 1971; Observers engaged in atlas mapping in also more frequent inland. 1977 reported the highest numbers in American Wigeon Anas americana recent years. SWITZERLAND Numbers NETHERLANDS First record: male, 6th- particularly high: many calling in June. 26th November. Crane Grus grus GERMAN FEDERAL RE­ Scaup Aythya marila POLAND First proof PUBLIC Autumn migration four or five of breeding: three pairs with nests on weeks later than usual: departure not peat-bog lake near Minsk Mazowiecki, until mid November, some apparently east of Warsaw. wintered. Steller*s Eider Polyslicta stelleri FINLAND Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta NORWAY Af­ Regular winter flock at Lagskar, Aland ter first breeding, in Rogaland in 1974, Islands, having grown during 1970s, with two or three pairs have nested annually. increasing proportion of males, reached 77 (34<?(J 43$$) in February 1978. Sociable Plover Chettusia gregaria POLAND Rediscovered wintering on Bal­ NETHERLANDS One at Smilde, 1st Octo­ tic coast after 120 years: four records, ber. January 1974 to March 1977. Long-toed Stint Calidris subminula SWEDEN First record in west Palearctic: Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Ottenby, 4th October to at least 5th PORTUGAL Population thought to be in­ November. creasing: more and more birds seen and nests found, SPAIN More common than White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fus- previously supposed: six nests in west- cicollis NETHERLANDS Sixth record: 20th central Spain, in open forest of evergreen October. oak Quercus ilex. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa ITALY White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albkilla Breeding in Piedmont: two colonies, each ESTONIAN SSR Nests with fledged young: of four pairs with Lapwings Vanellus two in 1973 (seven occupied territories), vanellus, but at one ploughing disrupted one in 1974 (ten), none in 1975 (nine), one nesting. in 1976 (nine), and five in 1977 (eight) Little Gull Larus minutus NORWAY First (studied by T. Randla). MALTA First breeding: pair nested successfully in record: immature, regrettably shot, 25th Rogaland, 1976 (not yet officially verified). November. Sabine's Gull Larus sabini NETHERLANDS Griffon Vulture Gypsfulvus SPAIN Counts Unusually high number (90% or more at Strait of Gibraltar and ringing returns first-year) from mid September to late of nestlings from Pyrenees show that part November. 256 European news Slender-billed Gull Lams genei GERMAN Richard's Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae FEDERAL REPUBLIC One near Cuxhaven, NETHERLANDS Heavy invasion from third 2nd October. week September to end October, maxi­ Common Gull Lams canus FRANCE TWO mum eight together at Katwikj aan Zee. nests in colonies of Black-headed Gulls L. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni ridibundus. MALTA First record: one ringed, October. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea ESTONIAN Lesser Black-backed Gull Lams fuscus SSR First nesting in 1975 (north Estonia). SPAIN Breeding in northwest: about 20 Waxwing Bombycilia garrulus GERMAN pairs each on the Sisargas and Cies Is­ FEDERAL REPUBLIC Only very few lands. small parties. Herring Gull Lams argentatus FRANCE Dipper Cinclus cinclus ESTONIAN SSR Pink-legged race argentatus has for some Proved breeding in 1971 (south Estonia) years nested south to lie d'Oleron in and 1975 (north Estonia): first records Charente and yellow-legged michahellis of nesting since 1915. has recently colonised southwest coast Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella north to there, so for first time breeding alongside each other. POLAND Breeding SWEDEN First record: Ottenby, 29th only since 1968 (despite incorrect maps in October 1976 (Vdr Fdgelv. 37: 69-72). various field guides), now increasing and Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia spreading, commonest on Gardno and NETHERLANDS Male near Amsterdam, Labsko Lakes. late May to mid June, seen, heard, trapped (possibly also female present). Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Stonechat Saxicola torquata NETHER­ ESTONIAN SSR Summering in i960, but LANDS At least five of one of the eastern first proved breeding not until 1973; in 1975 races maura or stejnegeri: three at Katwijk and 1976, breeding population 300 pairs, aan Zee and two at Wassenaar, from second all on southwest coast of Saaremaa Island; week October. NORWAY After nesting in 1977, three pairs nested in Vainameri in 1974, species now breeding in four or (Moonsund), northeast of Saaremaa and five counties from Vest-Agder in south to Muhu islands. POLAND Recolonised north More og Romsdal in west. of River Vistula after 50-year absence: 53 Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura GERMAN nests in June. FEDERAL REPUBLIC One at Knock, on Little Tern Sterna albifrons ITALY Two Ems estuary west of Emden, 23rd June new breeding colonies of 100 pairs and 1976. six pairs in northern Apulia: apart Fieldfare Turdus pilaris FRANCE Range from one other colony of 27-28 pairs, expansion continues: group of nests in these are only ones known in central and Champagne, 100 km west of nearest southern Italy. colony near Nancy. Wryneck Jynx torquilla NETHERLANDS Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis Two breeding records at Wassenaar, north NETHERLANDS Total of 25 singing males of The Hague. at Verdronken Land van Saaftinge; White-backed Woodpecker Dendroco- others elsewhere. pOS leUCOtOS GERMAN FEDERAL REPUB­ Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides LIC One at Donau, near Offingen/Kreis EsTONiANSSRAt least seven singing males Giinzburg, Bavaria, 20th November. discovered in territory from ioth May to Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes 16th June in delta area of Kasari River at MALTA Three recorded singly, July, Matsalu Bay in west Estonia: first Estonian August, September. report, but species probably reached area in earlier years. In Latvian SSR (studied Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti by J. Lipsbergs), discovered in southwest SPAIN Singing males discovered in grassy in 1970 and breeding proved in 1972; by steppes of central and south Spain, and 1975, expanded to many new areas to first breeding record in Bellver de Cinca northeast, with total of several hundred (Huesca). pairs. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus NETHERLANDS Second record: 18th MALTA First breeding record: pair at August (first was 2nd-15th October 1960). Salina. European news 257 Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans 'Operation Baltic', half the numbers of NETHERLANDS Fifth record: 16th Octo­ autumn 1968. ber. Starling Sturnus vulgaris SPAIN Breeding Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi range extending westward in Canta- NETHERLANDS Second record: Castri- brian area and southward in Cataluna, cum, 8th October. POLAND First record: where now overlaps Spotless Starling caught near mouth of River Vistula, 27th S. unicolor without interbreeding. September 1976. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus FINLAND Usually few winter, but over GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC One at 1,000 on Aland Islands in 1977/78. Oststeinbeck, Hamburg 21st November. GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC Very Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli large numbers in south in November; NETHERLANDS Singly in July at Groen- few in north. SWITZERLAND Main con­ ekan (singing) and Leidschendam; may centrations at RSserental and Kerns, at breed in central Netherlands. POLAND roosts