Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)

218 Phylum Vertebrata two great bustards on February 21, 1987 between Gencsapáti and Szombathely, flying towards Söpte. Observation data on the great bustard in Vas County can be found in works by ISTVÁN CHERNÉL (1917b) and JÓZSEF CSABA (1939). SÁNDOR FARAGÓ (1987) gave an account of the occurrences of the species in the West Hungarian border region. The 1987 national count of great bustards (FARAGÓ 1988a) includes a single record from Vas County, following migration and dysmigration after the cold 1986-7 winter. The waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) is a winter visitor and typical invasion species in Hungary. It can be observed almost every winter, but major incursions have become rarer in recent decades. Records for the West Hungarian border region occur in numerous writings (ANON. 1780; CHERNÉL 1916a and 1917a; SCHENK 1921C; KALMÁR 1933; KIRÁLY 1934b; CS. J. 1942; MOSANASKY 1964; MOLNÁR 1982b; HADARICS 1998a). The large-scale invasions between 1709 and 1928 were described by KÁLMÁN WARGA (1928a, 1930 and 1938). Data for 1939-48 was compiled by ANDRÁS KEVE (1950a) and for 1950-58 by NICOLETTE SÁMUEL (1966). Some winters in the West Hungarian border region have produced very few waxwings since the mid-1970s and other only smallish flocks (BARBÁCSY 1977a). The crossbill (Loxia curvirostm) presumably reaches Western Hungary from the direction of the Alps. Small invasions may occur as conifer seeds ripen. Flocks have often been observed in the vicinity of Sopron (GRESCHNIK 1909; SCHENK 1929d and 1930e; Szijj 1951b; ANON. 1980a). They also appear each winter at the sunflower-seed feeder in the Sopron Hills. At Brennbergbánya, they sometimes flock on chimneys, where they hang upside down and pick mortar out of the joints (HARASZTHY 1998). Consumption of sunflower seeds by crossbills was also noted by JÓZSEF CSABA (1943a and 1955j). Breeding in the Sopron Hills has been certified several times (GYŐRI and GÁRDONYI 1959; GYŐRY 1962) and it has probably occurred in the Kőszeg Hills as well (BARBÁCSY 198Id). Possible breeding in Vas County was noted by JÓZSEF CSABA in the 1930s (WALZEL 1931C). Another invasion species in Hungary is the rose-coloured starling (Pastor roseus). Breeding on a mass scale ensued mainly in the region beyond the Tisza when the biggest invasion occurred, but there was a putative report of breeding in 1924-6 near Szany (SCHENK 1929e) and a confirmed report in 1932-3 in Sopron (SCHENK 1934a). The major invasion of 1918 did not bring any reports of bree-ding in Hungary. Recently, some examples were observed at Taródháza, near Sorkifalud (KOVÁCS and HADARICS 1997). The nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a regular winter visitor to Hungary, but massive flocks sometimes appear as well. There are numerous records of this in the West Hungarian border region (KEVE-KLEINER 1942; DORNING 1951; KEVE 1957a; KEVE and SCHMIDT 1974; ANON. 1979b; HADARICS 1997d and 1998a). One or two birds appear almost every year in the vicinity of Sopron. Two were seen in the autumn of 1986 (MOLNÁR 1992) and eight in the autumn of 1990 (MME Soproni HCs 1991a). The stocks of Pallas's sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) periodically aban-