Thursday, October 25, 2012

20.000 raptors at the Aspromonte National Park!!

On the 10th of October the observation project on raptor migration promoted by the Aspromonte National Park was concluded. For the second consecutive year Medraptors members took an active part in the project. More than 20.000 raptors and storks were counted from four different watchpoints. 23 different species of raptors were observed. The commonest species were Honey Buzzards, Marsh Harriers and Black Kites. However it was possible to observe some rare species like the Greater and the Lesser Spotted Eagle, the Pallid Harrier and the Egyptian Vulture.
Here following some pictures of birds, of landscape and of raptor counters.

A rainy day observing an intense flow of migrating harriers
A beautiful Black Stork
The Strait of Messina from "Passo del Falco" watchpoint
A juvenile Marsh Harrier
Giovanni Cumbo during observations at "Nino Martino" watchpoint
The Etna Volcano at sunset
Lesser Kestrel
Nicolantonio Agostini at "Nino Martino", on the ridge of the Aspromonte Mountain.
Michele Panuccio at work

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Poaching in Tuscany

Poachers have shot  two Bald Ibises and a Short-eared Owl in Tuscany. Illegal hunting could frustrate the conservationist effort and the ambitious reintroduction project of the Bald Ibis in Austria.
Here follows the press release of the WWF Italy:


Abbattuti a fucilate 2 ibis eremiti a San Vincenzo (LI)
Si pensava che negli ultimi anni in Val di Cornia gli effetti della caccia sulla fauna particolarmente protetta  si stessero affievolendo. Stamani  invece siamo tornati alla dura realtà di sempre che vede la caccia come un'attività fortemente contraria alla conservazione delle specie selvatiche, oltretutto rarissime. Al confine nord del bosco di Rimigliano nel Comune di San Vincenzo sono stati abbattuti da "chi ama la Natura" due superbi esemplari di ibis eremita, specie ormai estinta in Europa da circa 200 anni ed oggetto dell'impegnativo ed ambizioso progetto austriaco di reintroduzione in Europa della specie,  il Waldrappen Projekt, che cerca di ripristinare nei soggetti nati in cattività l'indole migratoria tipica della specie. Per questo, nei primi voli dal luogo di nascita verso i siti di svernamento del Mediterraneo, i giovani vengono accompagnati da un ultraleggero che li aiuta a memorizzare la rotta di migrazione per poi giungere fino all'Oasi WWF Laguna di Orbetello dove questi uccelli, dediti al pascolamento, sono in grado di alimentarsi autonomamente ed acquisire la selvaticità in un ambito protetto. Ma l'idiozia di chi imbraccia un fucile ha spezzato il sogno di rivedere questa specie volare nuovamente sopra le nostre teste. Un esemplare è morto, l'altro, portato prontamente dalla Polizia Provinciale al CRUMA Lipu di Livorno presenta frattura all'ulna ed al femore. Entrambi erano dotati di gps satellitare per la registrazione della rotta di migrazione e di anelli colorati per il riconoscimento visivo a distanza.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

One million raptors at Batumi!

Autumn 2012 will be a season to remember since the striking number of a million of migrating raptors has been reached for the first time by the Ornithologists of Batumi Raptor Count. This great result highlights once more the importance of South-West Georgia for the migration of raptors as well as the importance of the monitoring project of BRC. It is possible to find more pictures and info on their website: Batumi Raptor Count


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Second Italian Conference on Birds of Prey

Next Friday and Saturday the Second Italian Conference on Birds of Prey will be held. After ten years there  will be the chance to discuss monitoring projects and research made in Italy and sorrounding countries. The town hosting the Conference is Treviso in North-East Italy. MEDRAPTORS will be there with a presentation reviewing about ten years of research made in Greece on migrating raptors. This review is realized together with Christos Barboutis of the Natural History Museum of the University of Crete. 
For more informations on the Conference visit the website of the association: 2° Convegno Italiano Rapaci (in italian).



Friday, October 5, 2012

Migration in October

Raptors are still on the move over the Central Mediterranean. In the last two days about 700 raptors have passed over the Aspromonte Mountain. Among them Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards, Lesser Kestrels and some Ospreys, Short-toed Snake Eagles and one Lesser-spotted Eagle.
On the other hand, yesterday, at the island of Linosa, has been observed an intense flow of juvenile Honey Buzzards apparently moving toward the island of Lampedusa.


Monday, October 1, 2012

First video of nesting Honey Buzzards in Calabria

This is the first video showing a nest of Honey Buzzard in Calabria (Southern Italy). This video was made during summer 2012 in a wood at the foothill of Aspromonte close to the Strait of Messina. The author is Giuseppe Martino.