Saturday, March 29, 2014

Migrating Raptor Project

After ten years of the "Migrating Raptor Project" led by LIPU (BirdLife Italy), on which we collaborated during the fieldwork, now there are substantial news. First we are analyzing the data collected during the past years in relation to dominant wind patterns with the collaboration of Jost Von Hardenberg from the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of Tourin (CNR). Moreover a new fieldwork has been started with two main aims: the first is to collect systematic data on the early phase of migration over the central Mediterranean using three different areas: the Strait of Messina and the islands of Panarea and Ustica. The second project aims to investigate for the first time the migration at the Strait of Messina using simultaneusly two watchpoints along the ridge of the Peloritani mountains. Observations started on the 10th of March and up to now more than two thousand Marsh Harriers together with hundreds of Black Kites and other raptors have been observed. We are enthusiastic with this new projects as well to reinforce our collaboration with LIPU (BirdLife Italy).


Saturday, March 1, 2014

The migration has started

As usual the first species showing mass movements through Italy in spring is the Common Buzzard. In these days the passage of hundreds of buzzards is reported in many sites of the Italian peninsula in particolar in Northern Italy along the alpine valleys.