Birdwatching

SPUTTERING START.....


Apparition of the Black Shoultered kite in the Shouth West of France in 1983, coincides of the Iberich population in contrast to what has taken place in Spain and Portugal, the France population have slowly come on pace.

The first breeding were just determined in 1990. Reproductie and increase are obstracted by natural factors, such as vegetation,climate, and farming, and the isolation of the populatie, after an carlier slow start one counted in 2004 nevertheless already 16 pears and 13 in 2005 spread concerniny in two areas.


One thinks that the Kite"s also elsewhere will breed until now 135 JUV, became the counted and most of breeding have several nest's, up to four time in a year.
The first breeding is in MARCH-April.

With exception of the months of December and January, the entire year breeding birds are to be found.
Fortunaley but because the breeding of the first nest lie a lot with 37% layer, replacemnt breeding is more succesfully with 60% , an the breeding which follows on a succesful breed do it with 75% still better.
The most breeding are noted in the summer months when the circumstances are more favourable and there are preys also more present.
The average breeding for all nesting amounts to 51% with a average of 1 to 2 JUV by nest, low productivity to the danger for further surviving of the Black Shoultered kite, and the hope indeed this way remaining for this kite...

LAMMERGEYERS TO BE REINTRODUCED TO PICOS...


A program to reintroduce lammergeyers to their former range in picos de Europa National Park will start in 2009.
It hopes within 8 to 10 years to restablish a breeding population in Asturias which has been absent for more than half a century. Eggs deemed to have a low chance of survival in wild lammergyer nests in the Pyrenees will be harvested and hatched in captivity for use in the programme.
The system, which involves the use of puppet foster parents to avoid habituation to humans, has been successfully tested in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.



OTTERS RETURN TO GUADIANA.....



A recent report from the Guadiana water board confirms this river as one of the best refuges for Spain's otters.
There is anecdotal evidence for the return of the otter to many of Spain's waterways, although this is the first major study published since a national review of the species in 1990.
Riverside vegetation cover and reasonable water quality seem to be prime considerations for otter habitats...


LYNX population confirmed in Castilla la Mancha...


A new breeding population of at least 15 IBERIAN LYNX is confirmed for a secret location in the Montes de Toledo in central Spain.
The Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha has released phototrap images obtained in 2007.
This nucleus could be specially valuable if it turns out to be a different genetic stock as it could add new blood to the main Andalusian population....


11.000 Wintering cranes threatened by solar power plant..


One of Spain's main roosting sites for wintering cranes is thratened by plans to build a solar power plant.
The project, with associated gas combustion units, electric substations and power lines, would be located near the Siera Brava reservoir and Casas de Hitos estate in Extremadura, a site famous to birdwatchers from around the world.
Over 11.000 cranes would be disturbed, as well as many species of aquatic and steppe birds.
Spain's national ornithological association, says the plant can be built somewhere less sensitive to wildlife and requests international support to protect the site.

The Spectacled Eider "Somateria fischeri" is certainly one of the most spectacular and soughtafter ducks.
The large goggles combined with the colour pattern give the bird, especiallt the male its weird expression.

Several misconceptions exist in the literature about its plumage. Fiorst, the head of the male is not green and yellow green, and others suggest, but uniform sea green.
The very short and dense feathers give it a glossy and velvety appearance which, when viewed from different angles, can appear even pale yellow green.
Secondly, the hindneck does not consist of elongated feathers, as suggested, but of grooves in the very short and dense hindneck feathers like those in the side of the neck of, Greylag Goose.

Thirdly, the underside in the male is not slaty black but deep glossy black which, again, from different angles can look slaty in appearance.
Finally, Spectacled Eider appear not at all shaggy but are very neat.

The Spectacled Eider breeds in shallow coastal tundra ponds in north eastern Siberia, from the mouth of Yana river east to Kolyuchin bay, probably on St lawrence Island, and in western , south to Baird inlet and northern Alaska east to Demarcation Poit, with the main stronghold in the Yukon and kukoowim deltas.
the US fich and wildlife service believes that the population may have declined by as much as 90% since 1971.
The western Alaska population has fallen from 50.000 breeding pairs to 2700 breeding pairs today.

The reasons for this abrupt decline are uncertain. The wintering grounds are still unknown but are believed to be somewhere in the Bering Sea on the edge of the pack ice?
In the Western Palearctic, Spectacled Eider is an extremely rare vagrant. A visit to its breeding area is very expensive, the best place and least costly, is DEAD HORSED PRUDHOE BAY? area innorthern Alaska, where you can find this bird....