Migraction also in Dutch

Since 14th December, Migraction is also available in Dutch.

 

 

Our collection of online annual reports is growing

Migraction offers an important selection of annual bird reports. Our online library now counts 65 publications. The following have been recently added: Défilé de l'Ecluse (2006, 2007, 2008) and Le Hucel (2008).

 

 

Estonian Greater Spotted Eagle winters in Spain

The Estonian Greater Spotted Eagle Tõnn, has been satellite-tracked all the way down from Estonia to Spain. The juvenile eagle is currently in the region of Murcia. The area with intense agroindustry does not seem suitable for wintering and it may move on.

For more information: http://www.looduskalender.ee/node/2046

 

Bau de la Saoupe, Cassis (13)

A new migration watchpoint, Bau de la Saoupe, Cassis (east of Marseille) has joined Migraction. The migration survey is organized by the association "La Chevêche" (Little Owl). Its website can be found here: http://www.cheveche.fr 
For the time being, you can read the presentation of the watchpoint, observations will follow later.

 

45 million birds in this database

On 27th November 2008, Migraction counted 45 million birds in its database. 94 328 hours of field work were necessary to count that many birds. A single observer, working 35 hours a week, during three months in spring and as many in autumn, would need more than a century to achieve this. Migraction is online since the 10th January 2008. 

Two new migration watchpoints on Migraction

Since August, two new migration watchpoints have joined Migraction. Creste, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne and les Sommêtres, le Noirmont/Muriaux, Switzerland. Thomas and Matthieu Bernard have counted 76 459 birds at Creste in 30 days (181 h 45) since 5 August, whereas Charles Francey has counted 56 095 birds at les Sommêtres in 26 days since 21 August. Les Sommêtres is only 1 km from the French border (Franche-Comté). The newcomers have made a remarkable start and the team of "Mission Migration" would like to acknowledge them for their contribution to this website. 

 

Waxwings & Siberian Nutcrackers on the move
Waxwings arrived in the Netherlands and Belgium. During the last few days, observations are daily in the Netherlands. Although sightings are still irregular in Belgium, some individuals have been seen close to France (e.g. at Doornpanne, Koksijde, West Flanders on 29/10). In the Netherlands, there is also a small influx of Siberian Nutcrackers. Three individuals have been sighted in Flanders. Observers should watch out for these species in northern and eastern France.

 

Coal Tit invasions: an analysis of Flemish data

A series of papers will be published dealing with the recent invasions of tits in Flanders. The first one deals with Coal Tit: Herremans, M. & W. Roggeman, 2008. Recent invasions of tits in Flanders: three species in three years. Part 1. Coal Tit Parus ater. Natuur.Oriolus 74 (3):81-89.

Invasions of Coal Tit occurred in Flanders in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007: exceptional numbers were ringed and recorded on migration in 2005. Passage already started in 2005 in late August (much earlier than in other years) and continued into November. These invasions of Coal Tits arrived from the east and inland many birds initially flew in a northwesterly direction. Bird ringers caught the largest numbers a few weeks after the peak in visible migration, which indicates that many of the birds stayed in Flanders for at least some time.

Ringed birds originated from or came via the Baltic States and Russia, and reached Flanders via Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. The invasions did not originate from (or come via) Scandinavia.

Large autumn invasions did not result in larger numbers in the country-side during winter, but they did coincide with more birds at feeding stations in gardens. Possibly, a similar mechanism causes more birds to undertake migration in autumn and forces more birds to feeding tables the subsequent winter; both are probably an effect of food shortages.

The increasing frequency and extent of large invasions from birds with a far easterly origin during the last decennia (not only tits), could be a result of climate change. Milder winters result in better survival and wamer summers in better breeding success which may lead to relative food shortages for the resulting larger population. If this holds true, more frequent lare invasions could become the norm.

 

Since 21 September 2008, a regional law from August 2008 allows the hunting of several passerines protected in the whole of Europe and in Italy, in the region of Venetia, covering 7 provinces in northeastern Italy (Venezia, Belluno, Padova, Rovigo, Trevisio, Verona, Vicenza). Considering the pressure of the hunting lobby, 30 politicians of Venetia allowed a hunting bag of 25 000 Meadow Pipits, 81 190 Bramblings 465 937 Chaffinches. This decision is against the Birds Directive. Those willing to send protest letters, may write to the press, tourist agencies of Venetia and elsewhere, and to the President of the Region of Venetia, Giancarlo Galan, Palazzo Balbi, Dorsoduro 3901 - 30123 Venezia. Tel. + 39 412 79 28 63, fax + 39 41 524 25 24. 

Unusual gathering of Balearic Shearwaters in Normandy.

Following 160 Balearic Shearwaters on 9/10/2008 between 18h15 and 18h30, 96 Balearic Shearwaters have been counted at Omaha Beach, Bessin, Normandy, on 12/10/2008.
 
In the Bessin region,  the maximum besides migration counts was 6 on 1/12/2007 at Cricqueville-en-Bessin. In the Seine bay, 40 were seen on 18/09/1999 at Saint-Marcouf (50), 31 on 17/08/2001 and 21 on 4/9/1988 at Saint-Jouin-Bruneval.

On 9/10/2008, 110 Balearic Shearwaters were counted on a flat sea at "ZPS du littoral Augeron" (south of the Seine estuary).

On 18/10/2008 no less than 1080 moved in a northerly direction at Pointe d'Agon in the western part of the Cotentin. In that region, with the exception of Carolles, the previous maximum was 300 at sea near Gouville-sur-mer on 27/08/1990. At Carolles (bay of Mont-Saint-Michel) no less than 2000 ind. have been counted in mid September 1997.

These observations indicate that an increasing and very important part of the population of this globally threatened species is moving further north than usual in unprecedented numbers.