Raptor migration in the Mediterranean basin: research techniques and future perspectives

Apply for a Grundtvig-EU scholarship to participate in the training “Raptor migration in the Mediterranean basin: research techniques and future perspective” - in Sicily, Italy.

Are you interested in learning more about the topic of “Raptor migration in the Mediterranean basin: research techniques and future perspective” and how effectively integrate it in your professional field?

The training course, organized by Legambiente, an Italian environmental organization, takes place in Pachino, in the province of Siracusa (Sicily). The structure is surrounded by typical Mediterranean atmosphere of the Hyblean countryside. The course is unique in the field as it will be developed with the methodology of hands-on.

The scientific and didactic activity is supervised by MEDRAPTORS (Mediterranean Raptor Migration Network), a N:G:O: with a long experience in the field of raptor migration (http://www.raptormigration.org). Among the speakers, different researchers who have worked in the field of animal movement research using different methods (visual observations, long-term monitoring programs, radar tracking, GPS, GSM, GLS) and focusing their study on different aspect of bird migration (ecology, ethology, conservation, influence of climate change).

Browse the link below to see the detailed program. Apply for a Grundtvig-EU scholarship to participate in this training: 

http://ec.europa.eu/education/trainingdatabase/index.cfm?fuseaction=DisplayCourse&cid=35044

People that can apply to the scolarship:

· the citizens of the 27 Member States of the European Union

· countries of the European Economic Area-EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Swiss Confederation)

· Candidate countries (Turkey, Croatia)

For the year 2013 there will be two courses:

- SESSION 1 : 13/05/2013 - 17/05/2013

- SESSION 2 : 30/09/2013 - 04/10/2013

The fixed application deadlines for the year 2013 are the following:

- 16/01/2013 (for training starting on 13/05/2013)

- 30/04/2013 (for training starting on 30/09/2013)

N.B. This training Scholarships can be requested for participation to this training from your National Grundtvig Agency which will cover the participation fee, transportation, accommodation and meals. Please check the list of all European agencies in charge of Lifelong learning programmes to find the agency in your country:

http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/national_en.htm

Please contact your National Agency because in some cases are not accepted more than two candidates for each organization (university, association, etc.).

If interested, please follow the steps below:

1) Download the application form “Grundtvig In-Service Training Application eForm 2012" on your National Agency website.

2) Fill in the application form with all information necessary to complete your enrolment request. Notify our association your intention to enroll in the course.

3) Please submit the file, print out the application form and send it out via regular mail to you National Agency.

If you need more details or support in filling in your scholarship application please feel free to contact the organisers at the contact details indicated below.

We look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Best regards

Dr. NATALIA CARPANZANO

Training Course Director - Legambiente Onlus

legambiente.eu.projects@gmail.com

Spectacular migration of Griffon Vultures at the Strait of Gibraltar

In November at the Strait of Gibraltar a very singular and spectacular event takes place: the migration of the Griffon Vultures. These birds are large and heavy and they are not made to fly over water surfaces. Therefore they wait on the spanish side of the Strait for a sunny day without wind to attempt the crossing and reach Africa. Unfortunately we are in November and days in good weather conditions are not common. As a result it is not rare the catch the sight of huge flocks of vultures flying over the hills between the towns of Tarifa and Algeciras. Up to 1000 of Griffon Vultures together is an incredible sight, as you can see from the pictures below. To see more pictures click here: Michele Panuccio Blog.

Booted Eagles at the Strait of Messina

Here following an amazing picture of a juvenile Booted Eagle made at the Strait of Messina by Giuseppe Martino. November is a month were tens, or even hundreds, individuals of this species cross the Strait to winter in Sicily. This autumn good numbers of eagles were observed also in late October passing over the Airport of Reggio Calabria.

Pictures of Indian raptors - by Sunil Singhal

Here below some beautiful pictures of birds, mostly raptors, made in India by Sunil Singhal. These photos show Black Kites, Montagu's Harriers, White-Eyed Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Sirkeer Malkoha. Pictures were made in Sorsan Blackbuck Sanctuary and another places near Kota, Kota, Rajasthan.

Acrobatic falcons

On the photographic blog of Michele Panuccio a slideshow on the Eleonora's Falcon colony of Andros has been posted. To see it click on the pictures below.

Shocking Amur Falcon massacre in India

Unfortunatly many news reported on our blogsite in the last weeks rely on poaching. What's worse this time a shocking news has arrived; tens of thousands Amur Falcons are killed every season during autumn migration at a roosting site in Nagaland in Northeastern India.
A team of Indian conservationists has reported this extremely dangerous situation that is really detrimental for a species performing a spectacular migration between the Eastern Siberia and the Eastern Africa. We hope that actions to  stop this massacre will start as soon as possible.
To read more and see the shocking pictures click on the logo below:

A further case of poaching in Italy

One of the Short-toed Snake Eagles that have been tracked by the University of Alicante together with the Natural Park of Gallipoli Cognato (Southern Italy) has been killed at the Strait of Messina. After 15 months of life the young eagle has been shot in Northern Sicily close to Messina town. This is a further signal of alarm of a situation that could frustrate the protectionist effort made in the breeding areas of these endangered species.
Click at the link to read more (in Italian) click on the picture below:

Picture by Ugo Mellone