News from the Strait of Messina

In the last two days the migration at the Strait of Messina had become more intense. Some hundreds of Marsh Harriers passed together with Black Kites, Pallid and Montagu's Harriers, Booted Eagles and Sparrowhawks. Moreover yesterday passed an adult Egyptian vulture and today a flock of 71 White Storks. Here below a nice picture of a melanistic Marsh Harrier taken by Miguel Gonzalez.

News from the Strait of Messina

The first week of observations went a bit slowly at the Strait of Messina however we counted the first contingents of Marsh Harriers, some tens of Sparrowhawks and storks and Booted Eagles. There are still some wintering Hen Harriers hunting along the slopes of the Aspromonte mountain and once also the Golden Eagle reached our watchsite. However the weather forecast are not optimistic, today and tomorrow we will have very strong south wind and, in the following days, rain and snow! Here below some nice pictures taken by Giovanni Cumbo from our sicilian watchsite.

First Pallid Harrier at the Strait of Messina

Yesterday we observed the first migrating Pallid Harrier of the season. A beautiful adul male flying close the watchpoint of Mount San Leo in the southern part of the Calabrian side of the Strait of Messina. In the picture below the sight from our watchpoint.

News from the Strait of Messina

Yesterday  was the first day of observations at the Strait of Messina. However since Monday we were there preparing the fieldwork and the watchsite. Snow, cold and the usual technical troubles did not stop us to start in time to observe the first Marsh Harriers and Eurasian Sparrowhawk crossing the Strait. Here below some pictures of these days.

The spring migration has started!

March arrived and together with it also the migration season has started. The first individuals of Marsh Harriers were observed crossing the Channel of Sicily.

Next week we are going to start the new monitoring season at the Strait of Messina waiting for a massive migration of birds!

If you would like to participate to our count write us an email  (food and accomodation are provided by the project).