News from the Strait of Messina

April has been a hard month at the Strait of Messina this year with many days of bad weather and strong southern wind. But in the end in these last days there have been the first waves of migrating Honey buzzards with more than a thousand of individuals counted by both watchpoints. Let's keep the fingers crossed for the next days!

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last week we started the monitoring activity at the Strait of Messina. We had a couple of great days of migration with hundreds of raptors and several days of bad weather. In this period the most abundant species is the Marsh Harrier but there are many other species passing together, such as Sparrowhawks, Black kites, Pallid harriers, Booted eagles and of course the Short-toed Eagle of the picture below (by Carmelo Fiore).

Autumn 2018 - Another great migratory season!

Another field season ended. This autumn our monitoring was extended to check what happens around mid-October. Numbers of raptors and bee-eaters counted migrating through the Strait of Messina are impressive. 20.000 Honey buzzards, 2700 Marsh harriers, 1700 small falcons, 200 Booted eagles and 13.000 Bee eaters are just some numbers. The main field worker was Michele Cento that has spent longer than 2 months counting birds every day, helped sometime by a few lucky volunteers. See you in spring!  

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last days hundreds of small falcons passed over our watchpoint at the Strait of Messina located on the Aspromonte mountain. Moreover, each day, a dozen of raptor species is observed even if in low numbers. Among them some scarse species like lesser-spotted eagle and merlin. 

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last two days temperatures in Italy are dropping fast. Maybe this is the reason why many small falcons started to migrate south and yesterday we observed the passage of about 400 falcons at the Aspromonte mountain, Strait of Messina. Probably there are also other variables affecting the passage of these falcons at the Strait such as weather conditions encountered en route. But in any case observing the passage of hundreds of these small raptors flying fast over the watchpoint is amazing!

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last two days our main raptor counter (Michele Cento) took pictures (here below) of two eagles, one Lesser-spotted eagle and one Bonelli's eagle. The first species is a regular but scarce migrant at the Strait. The Bonelli's eagle is not a migratory species but the number of observations of this species is increasing in the Aspromonte mountain thanks to the conservationist efforts at their breeding grounds in Sicily.

News from the Strait of Messina

The passage of raptors at the Strait of Messina in the first days of September was impressive. Our counters observed up to now the passage of 18477 Honey Buzzards! Of course also many other raptors were observed and in the last few days numbers of Marsh harriers are increasing. 

News from the Strait of Messina

In the last three days more than 5000 Honey Buzzards passed over our watchpoint located on the Aspromonte mountain, at the Strait of Messina. Moreover, our observers recorded several other raptor species, storks and bee-eaters. We are for sure in the best period of migration! 

News from the Strait of Messina

Yesterday it was the first peak migration day of Honey Buzzards at the Strait of Messina. 1360 individuals passed in about one hour in the morning just before an heavy rain. 

News from the Strait of Messina

Since a week we have started the monitoring season of the migration of birds of prey. So far about 1000 birds of prey have been passed, mostly black kites but also two beautiful Egyptian vultures. Moreover hundreds of Bee-eaters have passed over our watchpoint.

Migrating White Storks in Southern Italy

The migration has started also along the Mid-Mediterranean Flyway. Yesterday evening a flock of about 20 White Storks has been photographed (by Nicola Ritorto) roosting near Caulonia town, along the Ionian coast of Calabria. The flock will probably reach the Strait of Messina in the next few hours.

Egyptian vultures at the Strait of Messina!

Two beautiful Egyptian vultures passed two days ago at the Strait of Messina and photographed on the Sicilian side by Michele Cento. Great sight!

News from the Strait of Messina

The last two days were exciting for raptor migration at the Strait of Messina. On Friday we observed about 2700 Honey Buzzards and yesterday about 1000 more. Moreover 6 Griffon Vultures passed above our watchpoint together with several other species. It was amazing in the morning and in late afternoon to observe flocks of raptors passing low and at very close range, like the one of the picture below.

News from the Strait of Messina

The last two days were amazing for raptor migration at the Strait of Messina. About 4000 Honey Buzzards were counted from our watchpoint. An impressive stream of soaring birds, also with several observed species. Here below the end of the day from our field station.

News from the Strait of Messina

Monday and Tuesday were to epic days of migration at the Strait of Messina. Impressive numbers of Montagu's harriers together with Pallid and Marsh Harriers dominate the passage. However we recorded also the first intense passage of Honey Buzzards and Bee-eaters and small numbers of many other species. Amazing! (Pic. by G. Cumbo)

News from the Strait of Messina

Last two days were really good for migration at the Strait of Messina with hundreds of raptors observed from different watchpoints. Most of them were Marsh, Montagu's and Pallid harriers but we observed also Booted eagles, Short-toed Eagles, Ospreys, Sparrowhawks and Black Kites, together with small numbers of Black and White Storks.

News from the Strait of Messina: another Imperial Eagle!

Another Imperial eagle migrated yesterday at the Strait of Messina (here below the picture taken by Giovanni Cumbo). Is unusual to see this species along the Mid-Mediterranean Flyway but the passage of two eagles in the same season is excepcional! Probably these birds spent the winter in Sicily and now are moving back toward their breeding sites in Slovakia or sorrounding areas. 

News from the Strait of Messina

A stunning Pallid Harrier! Weather is still perturbated with strong wind, clouds, rain and even snowfall! Impressive high waves are breaking against the shore. However raptors are passing the same. This male Pallid Harrier migrated today at the Strait of Messina together with dozens of Black Kites and Marsh Harriers (picture by Giovanni Cumbo). 

Eastern Imperial Eagle at the Strait of Messina!

This morning a beautiful Eastern Imperial Eagle has passed over our watchpoint! An immature bird. A great sight! Moreover one Steppe Buzzard, one Goshawk, Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawks. 

Wintering raptors in central Italy

In December and January we perfomed road counts of wintering raptors in central-western Italy. As expected the commonest species were Common buzzards and Kestrels, however several other species were observed. The most unexpected one was the Long-legged buzzard wintering in an inland area of Latium. Taking a first look to the results, the distribution of wintering raptors seems to be really disomogeneous with very low density across most of the investigated territory and a few patches with high density of raptors and well stuctured communities. These areas are located along the coastline whit existing protected areas. Here below one wintering Common buzzard.