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| Raptor camp 2013 |
When I answered Birdlife Malta’s
call for volunteers in 2007 I didn’t imagine that I would still be attending
Raptorcamp in 2014 – but Malta does that to you.
Malta is a small island lying
between Sicily and Libya on the central European flyway. Migrating birds use
the island as a stopover and the migration of raptors coincides with the
beginning of the hunting season. Birdlife Malta organise an annual camp for international
volunteers who patrol the countryside monitoring any illegal hunting
activity.
There are in excess of 10,000
hunters on an island not much bigger than the Wirral. Every field is bordered
by countless high dry stone walls and has at least one hunter present while
hunting hides are everywhere from cliffs to woods. While the hunters are
allowed to shoot quail and turtle doves, there is widespread shooting of
protected species often for taxidermy and sometimes for no reason. Birds of
prey and herons are most at risk but even swallows can fall prey to target
practice.
Birdlife Malta teams consist of 2
or three individuals who not allowed to
leave the tarmac of the road due to Malta’s land laws even if a bird is shot in
front of them.
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| Terry at Raptor camp Sept 2014 |
Camp had already been running for
two weeks when we arrived and hunting had been suspended by the Prime Minister
following the shooting of white storks. Nevertheless we were straight into 5
a.m. patrols where we went out in small groups to position ourselves at known
hunting hotspots all over the island. While it was still dark we were able to
listen for illegal electronic lures mimicking the calls of quail, golden plover
or dotterel. These could be reported to the police for them to take action. In
the early light of dawn we looked for departing migrants (usually marsh harrier
and honey buzzard) and listened for any shots. In normal years the sound of
gunfire is constant from every direction and it is essential to track and where
possible film raptors to check that the guns do not switch from shooting quail
to shooting raptors. This year any shot would be illegal so ears were as
important as eyes.
By 9 a.m. the sun was hot and
most migrants would have already have left the island so we drove back to the
hotel for breakfast and to compare notes with other teams. Many camp attendees
have been coming for years so it is good to renew old acquaintances but new
attendees are always made welcome.
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| Raptor camp Watch point |
Teams meet up for debriefing and
afternoon assignments, lunch and then out into the field again. One of the
other elements of the camp was to look for evidence of finch trapping which the
government is allowing later this autumn after a gap of a number of years.
Back on patrol in the afternoon
we began to notice a change in the birds’ behaviour. In previous years harriers
and honey buzzards arriving from Sicily would not settle but circle above the
island all afternoon because of the presence of so many hunters, only going to
roost as darkness fell. This year birds would arrive and go straight to roost
wherever they chose.
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| Short toed eagle - what became of you |
Migration had already peaked and
there were fewer birds than in previous years but the arrival of a short toed
eagle set the camp on high alert even with a ban on hunting. After a day of
flying over a wide area thus advertising its presence to much of the island the
eagle went to roost in a tree which could be viewed from a road but from a
distance of 800 yards.
Andrea was one of the volunteers
assigned to watch the eagle roost safely overnight. Just as her team was being
relieved at 6 a.m. two shots rang out from under the tree. Team members ran
toward the roost site but it appeared that the culprit made his escape in the
opposite direction. The police were called but no sign of the eagle was found.
The hunting ban was lifted on the
11th of October and shooting began again.
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Sunset at Red Tower looking towards Gozo.
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Terry Williams
BirdLife
Malta has been given the opportunity to set up a rehabilitation centre here in
Malta. The government have offered a restored farmhouse in Buskett Gardens, a
protected area of woodland in the south of Malta. One of the greenest areas on
the islands, the gardens provide a quiet and peaceful setting for the birds to
recover in.
The
Maltese government will be covering the costs of running the centre, which will
include the water and electricity to supply the farmhouse. But BirdLife Malta
will have to cover all other costs. This includes funding equipment, food and
medicine to treat the birds.
Contributions
to this campaign will ensure we can get this centre up and running before the
next migration season.
3 comments:
Thanks Terry for the update.You and Andrea are doing a sterling job.
I read about the eagle being shot, it’s heartbreaking. How frustrating for you to be kept to the tarmac. I'd be hopping about like a kangaroo rat
Thanks Terry and Andrea for caring enough to go and do something about the hunting situation. If I was there I'd be wanting to shoot the hunters!
Ann Tomo
Well done Andrea and Terry its very important that the public see that everyone cares and you have proved that. Chris
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