Bird watching summer volunteer programme cancelled after Junta withdraws part of its support

Data collected serves to measure climate change

TARIFA (Agencies) The Migres Foundation, a non profit organization, is dedicated to the observation, ringing, cataloguing and counting of bird migration across the Straits of Gibraltar. It counted heavily on volunteers to perform most of the field work, many of whom stayed at a youth hostel owned by the Junta. The hostel provided board and keep but the Junta has withdrawn the grant that made this possible. Nevertheless, experts and volunteers have been able to maintain two of the foundation's four observation points, an important fact that has allowed them to keep watching the thousands of birds that cross from Europe between June and September to winter in Africa. Sources at Migres>>>PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU WILL SOON BE UNABLE TO READ THE REST OF ITEMS SUCH AS THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE SUBSCRIBED. Subscription information will be available soon.>>>

Imperial eagle numbers on the increase in province

From two pairs last year to five at present

CADIZ province (Agencies) There are some 81 areas in Andalucía with stable pairs of Iberian Imperial eagles (Aquila adalberti). That's ten more than last year, according to ornithological reports. The rise in numbers was observed last spring, when nest building and other reproductive behaviour was also seen. The Imperial population in the province of Cádiz became an incipient reproduction nucleus when the two pairs watched in 2011 grew to five. Among them are>>>

Bateleur eagle sighted in Europe for the first time ever, say experts

Bateleur sighted at Punta Carnero
(Photo: Fundación Migres)

ALGECIRAS (Agencies) The Migres Foundation and the Ornitur company announced yesterday that they had sighted an African eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus), known in Spanish as an águila volatinera, and in English as a Bataleur eagle. This , they say, is the first time this species of eagle has been sighted in Europe. The sighting occurred on April 5th at Punta Carnero, within the municipality of Algeciras, where annual studies on bird migration are taking place these days. Migres said that this is a young bird that came in over the Strait of Gibraltar, in conjunction with numerous other birds of prey. The fact that it is a youngster - new plumage- and the fact that it carries no identification marks such as rings or other means, leads them to believe that this is a natural crossing. It is as yet unknown that any such bird has crossed one of the world's largest deserts, the Sahara, then acros the straits TO reach Europe on the Iberian peninsula. The Bataleur's natural habitat is PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue. (This item was translated and edited.)

Spain eliminates Straits of Gibraltar marine bird sanctuary

Cory's Shearwater

SPAIN (El País / Rafael Méndez) Spanish diplomacy has prevailed over environmental protection. On Tuesday, the Environment Ministry published its proposed list of the maritime areas that it wants the government to declare as national preserves. However, in an effort to head off any diplomatic spats, ministry officials have eliminated three areas located in international waters, including two that are in an area of jurisdiction that is disputed with Gibraltar and Morocco. Nevertheless, environmentalists are praising the government's move to declare 41 other areas as marine bird sanctuaries, saying that "it is a big step forward" in Spanish conservation efforts.>>>

Rare eagle's dangerous human predators

SPAIN (El País) The Iberian imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) is a majestic bird, of which only 282 breeding pairs are left in Spain. It is a real treasure of a species which must be pampered and preserved. But the fact that it is so exceptional and valuable biologically is precisely why it is such a coveted - and therefore stolen - species. The Civil Guard officers from the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) are well aware of this sad fact. In the last two years, they have taken down two major rings dedicated to the stealing and trafficking of birds of prey. But the most alarming thing about these police raids is that they have implicated professional falconers, a municipal police officer and even several employees of a center in Seville dedicated to protecting the imperial eagle.>>>

EuroBird Watch in Spain

The World Bird Day is to be celebrated all over the world. Agreed. As we posted just below, Gibraltar is organizing itself for European Birdwatch, and so is Spain. In fact SEO/BirdLife has a whole host of activities throughout the country, a programme for which you can see here in Spanish. The focus this year is at Doñana National Park, one of Europe's main migration routes. At a more local level, things appear to be very quiet, at least from what we can gather from the Fundación Migres and Cigüeña Negra websites. If you know of any collective activity taking place this weekend, please let us know (click on 'comments' below).

European birdwatch in Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR (Panorama) Millions of migrating birds will leave Europe in these weeks flying to their wintering places in Africa. BirdLife International invites people in Europe to take the opportunity on the weekend of October 1 and 2, 2011, (This weekend!) to discover the fascinating world of bird migration. The European Birdwatch is an annual event comprising hundreds of nationally organised activities. On these observation posts the number of birds and participating people are counted and reported via the national centres to the European centre. In the last years around 60,000 people took part in 34 countries and close to three million birds were observed on this single weekend. In 2011 the event is coordinated by SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, which is acting as the European Centre to process these data. Locally, GONHS (Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society) will once again be hosting EuroBirdwatch, as Gibraltar BirdLife Partner organisation. Programme below.>>>

Radar system on trial to help birds avoid hitting the windmills at El Pino

TARIFA (Agencies/Photo: EuropaSur) The wind farm at El Pino is trying out a radar system that is able to detect birds in flight and thus help them avoid hitting the windmills at the park. The Merlin system, introduced by  Detect Inc. of the US, uses technology developed for military aviation and NASA,. Its arrival is the result of cooperation between Los Alcornocales Nature Park and the wind farm companies, Toquero Renovables and Wigep Andalucía, plus that of the University of Málaga, which has supplied three biologists. (Note: CampoPulse is preparing an in-depth look at the phenomenon of bird migration in the area. Watch this space.)

Scale model tests on Tarifa port expansion confirm viability

TARIFA (Agencies/Photo: EuropaSur) The project for the expansion of the port in Tarifa is in the planning stages. A scale model was built at the specialist centre in Madrid, Cedex (photo), to measure such things as currents, wave conditions, navigability, simulations on the entrance and exit of fast ferries, the effect on moored ships, all in different weather conditions. The tests have confirmed that thanks to the curvature of the proposed new facilities, the project will not impact the island off Tarifa severely. The plans for the project are awaiting their Declaración de Impacto Ambiental (Environmental Impact Declarations, or DIA) from th Environment Ministry in Madrid, after several alterations have been made since they were sent there in 2008. A total of 13 environmntal studies have been made by experts from the universities of Cádiz, Sevilla and Málaga, as well as from specialist organizations such as CIRCE (whales) and Fundación Migres (birds).

Females abound in strait

(Agencies/Photo by Edgar at ephotozine.com) A recent issue of the Fundación Migres magazine, Revista de Ecología, says that 62% of the Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) captured and released for a study of migratory birds in the Strait of Gibraltar, were female. The conclusions were drawn after analysis of studies carried out in the autumns and winters of 2007 and 2008, when some 492 were ringed as the birds flew South on their annual migration. They come here from all over Europe, and  previously identified birds from Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium and France, for example, were located during the study period. The article says that the proportion of Reed Buntings can be as high of four females for every male.

Black vulture lands at San Roque Club

SAN ROQUE (Agencies/Photo: Wikipedia) Agents of the Guardia Civil's Seprona unit were called in by staff at The San Roque Club last Saturday when a Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) landed on the grass near the clubhouse. The large bird was taken to the Endangered Species Recovery Centre at Pelayo. This species is close to the top of the endangered species list in Andalucia.

Illegal bird catchers caught in Jimena

JIMENA The Guardia Civil's Seprona unit based in Castellar, on patrol by the Guadiaro River in the municipality of Jimena, last week caught three men hunting with illegal nets forbidden by law. These, called redes de tiro in Spanish, are spread out over an area of trees or on open ground (photo) to catch finches, linnets and other smaller birds (which are often served up, also illegally, as pajaritos fritos, or fried little birds). The birds caught in this operation were released and the men reported for hunting illegally (a common practice in the area, incidentally) and for possession of forbidden hunting material.

Bird migration specialists gather in Gibraltar for Calpe 2010

GIBRALTAR "Calpe 2010, linking bird migration to climate change in ‘Ecological Change and the Evolution of Bird Migration Systems’, is the fourteenth in the series of conferences held on the Rock," says Alice Mascarenhas in today's Gibraltar Chronicle. Acknowledging the prime location of Gibraltar as a migratory route, keynote speaker Jacques Blondel, Director of Research Emeritus at the Centre for Functional and Evolutionary ecology in France, said this made it a key place to hold the conference especially at such a crucial point in the world debate on climate change. The Gibraltar part of Calpe '10 took place at John Mackintosh Hall from September 16 to 19.

2010 International Birds of the Strait Fair, September 24 to 26

TARIFA Around 50 companies will be taking part in the Feria de Aves in Tarifa between September 24 – 26. The mayor Miguel Manella announced the high level of support after visiting the British Birdwatching fair in Rutland. Tarifa's event promises to get bigger each year, as more emphasis is given to the tourism possibilities of the area. There is an extensive programme of activities planned for the three days, including birdwatching day trips run by local experts, a course on ringing, as well as whale watching; lectures and music, visits to Old Tarifa and the Roman ruins at Baelo Claudia, plus as food and wine tasting - and plenty more. SEE THE WHOLE PROGRAMME BELOW, or check the fair's website.>

Tarifa delegation gets ideas from Birdfair 2010

TARIFA
A municipal delegation headed by Mayor Miguel Manella attended Birdfair 2010, held in Rutland from August 20 to 22 and organized by the RSPB. The idea behind the trip was to learn from what has been called 'the Glastonbury of birdwatching' and apply as many lessons as possible to Tarifa's own version, which is to be held this year from September 24 to 26. The objective is also to further promote the municipality as a birdwatcher's paradise, which already attracts thousands of enthusiasts.

Remembering Hitchcock's 'The Birds' in Algeciras

ALGECIRAS
(Photo: EuropaSur) A colony of some 500 Pallid Swifts (Apus Pallidus, or Vencejo Pálido in Spanish) has been causing chaos for several weeks, flying out of control over Avenida Virgen del Carmen. The reason: their nesting places  at the parking area in the port terminal building and to which this species return year after year, have been covered up. The birds are particularly active in the morning and evening, and have been invading apartments on the avenue in search of their nests, crashing into windows. The Cigüeña Negra Ornithological Society warned about this when the plans for the heliport were announced. However, ithas been decided that the covers will be removed, though no date is given.

Cigüeña Negra publishes history on e-book

The Colectivo Ornicológico Cigüeña Negra (COCN) bird watching community has published an e-book in which they give an account of their activities since the collective was founded in 1996. Online since January 7, the book, which can be downloaded for free in PDF or Word formats, has already received 1400 visits. According to COCN president Francisco Montoya, it is a 'live book' that offers all the community's projects, including reports on ringing, observation, counting and related subjects. Cigüeña Negra is headquartered in Tarifa, the nerve centre for its many activities in one of Europe's principal bird migration locations.