News from Bosphorus

Today at Toygar Tepe we observed 100 migrating eagles. Lesser-spotted Eagles, Booted Eagles, Short-toed Snake Eagles, one Greater-spotted Eagle and one juvenile Imperial Eagle.

Dardanelles Autumn 3

At last one good day of migration here at Dardanelles thank to the passage of about 250 Honey Buzzards.

Fortunately we have a new MEDRAPTORS member. In the picture below you can see him looking for raptors at the watchpoint.

Dardanelles Autumn 2

Few migrating raptors at Dardanelles but every day something interesting like the flock of pelicans passed today or the Imperial Eagle often observed hunting.

Observations at Bosphorus

After 10 days of observations at Toygar Tepe, north of Istanbul in the Asian side of the Bosphorus, we reported the passage of about 2000 White Storks and 400 European Honey Buzzards.

Dardanelles Autumn 1

We start observations in Turkey, but up to now few migrating birds and strong wind. In the picture below a part of a flock of 50 roosting White Storks (together wıth 6 Black Storks and some Marsh Harriers) at Kavak Delta yesterday evening.

Turkey in Autumn

The next 21 August we start a 6-weeks fieldwork in Turkey. Our aim is to compare raptor migration at Bosphorus and at Dardanelles Strait through simultaneous observations at both sites. Look forward our blog/website for the update.

New papers out now!

A new paper concerning the migration of Honey Buzzards in relation to weather conditions was accepted. You can dowload the proof preview from the website of Zoological Studies (click at the link below). The paper reports the results of the ornithological camps made in Girifalco, Southern Appennines, during autumn 2005 and 2006.

• Panuccio M., Agostini N., Lucia G., Mellone U., Ashton-Boot J., Wilson S., Chiatante G. & Todisco S. 2010. Local weather conditions affect migration strategies of adult Western Honey Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) through an isthmus area. Zoological Studies: in press.

Moreover on the last number of the Journal of Raptors Research a review concerning the migration of Western Marsh Harrier through the Mediterranean Sea has been published (at the moment you can find it on BioOne Online Journals):

• Agostini N. & Panuccio M. 2010. Western Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) migration through the Mediterranean sea: a review. Journal of Raptor Research 44(2): 136-142.