Wings over the Strait: the video!

Here the video of our project of an ornithological station at the Strait of Messina. The video shows the activity we had last two years both in spring and autumn together with Ornis Italica.

A motion to promote raptor monitoring and conservation

A motion was positively voted and promoted by the last Italian Congress of Ornithology. Medraptors has supported the motion because it is necessary to make one step a head in the monitoring and conservation of migratory raptors as already asked by the international agreements signed by the Italian government. Here following the text of the motion addressed to the Italian Ministry of Environment:

The participants to the XVIII Italian Congress of Ornithology held in Caramanico Terme (PE) between 17th and 20th September 2015,  acknowledgingthat:

1. at the international level Italy is required to take concrete actions for the monitoring and conservation of migratory raptors (see in particular the obligations under Article 12 of the Birds Directive n. 2009/147 / EC and point 4 of the Action Plan of the “Raptors MoU " signed by Italy in 2011); 
2. although different groups of ornithologists are involved in monitoring and research projects on migratory raptors in Italy, a coordination to gather basic data for the implementation of the above mentioned conservation instruments is still lacking;
3. at the European level experiences of long-term monitoring exist since long time, thanks to the synergies of the work of institutions, local authorities and associations and individual volunteers; these realities have recently met  within  the EURAPMON project to which the Italian Ministry of the Environment has offered its scientific and  financial support;

call on  the Italian Ministry of the Environment to:

• promote and support the setting up  of a national working group with the formal role to monitor the migration of raptors and to build up a national data bank in line with international standard;
• continue supporting the EURAPMON project so as to promote the integration of national activities at the European level.

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last three days we have counted more than one thousand kestrels/lesser kestrels migrating at the Strait of Messina and flying below a cloudy sky. Together with them hundreds of Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards and today an adult Egyptian Vulture.

News from the Strait of Messina

Today it has been great migration day here at the Strait of Messina. In particular hundreds of small falcon, most likely Lesser Kestrels have been observed flying high over the Aspromonte highland. Falcons migrated in flocks comprised between 2 and 50 individuals. Moreover in the late afternoon has started an impressive passage of passerines, thousands of swallows, yellow wagtails with some golden orioles and tawny pipits. In the picture below our team after a long day on the field...

XVIII Italian Congress of Ornithology

Between the 17th and the 20th of September there was the Italian Congress of Ornithology. It was held in the beautiful Majella National Park. The Congress has been really interesting thanks also to the participation of many researchers. Our team participated with presentations related to radar monitoring. Here following some pictures of the Congress as well as of the excursion in the Orfento valley and a picture of our team there.

A risky flight

Some days ago the juvenile Black kite in the picture below was found into the sea some km off of the island of Linosa. It was still alive but really weak. After some days of recovery he was successfully released. The mortality of raptors during migration is high for all birds and for inexperienced juveniles in particular. Black Kites during autumn migration concentrate at Channel of Sicily where the distance between Sicily and Africa is narrower. On the other hand in the same season there isn't a migration of experienced (adults) individuals across the islands of Linosa, Lampedusa and Malta because the way passing through these islands should imply a long and risky sea-crossing.

News from the Strait of Messina

Yesterday it was a great migration day over the Aspromonte mountain and the Strait of Messina. Thousands of raptors have passed just a few hours before the arrival of a huge rain storm. The commonest species in these last days are European Common Buzzards, Marsh and Montagu's Harriers. Moreover in the last days we observed a beautiful flock six Rollers and two Eurasian Dottorels. Here below a picture of our watchtower...