First White-backed Vulture tagged in Europe – implications for African Vulture conservation

On 3rd December 2021, Fundación Migres ringed and GPS-tagged a White-backed Vulture, a vagrant to Europe and the first one to be ringed and tagged in Europe.

The Final Count(down) 2021

Another season has passed us by, and from 5th May 2021 to 5th December 2021 Fundación Migres has once again been monitoring the passage of migratory birds through here at The Straits of Gibraltar

For our small part we helped with the counts whenever we could for this important programme, which has been running since 1997.

Strength in Numbers – You Can’t Stop The Black Kite Super-flock!

beat!  Those of you who follow our social media will have seen the indescribably large numbers passing through Tarifa during those days. “Swirling masses”, “breath-taking spectacle”, “skies literally full” – the superlatives dry up long before the torrent of birds! 

A Fantastic Tail

The stunning tail of the Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin is one of the sought-after sights of Mediterranean birding! Find out how evolution has whittled it to perfection.

Kite-fest 2021!

After ten days of strong easterlies, overcast conditions and heavy rain around The Straits of Gibraltar, the meteorological ´border´ finally opened for the most spectacular day so far of 2021´s spring migration!

The strange case of a Black Kite marked in Tarifa and recovered in Benin, West Africa.

Migratory birds don’t recognise borders, and finding out where they are passing through, and going to and from is vital not only to understand the threats and areas for conservation but also to bring to life the epic story of migration. Flyway-scale conservation and funding must be driven by good science, wise spending and cross-border,Continue reading “The strange case of a Black Kite marked in Tarifa and recovered in Benin, West Africa.”

Craniacs!

“Cranes are the stuff of magic, whose voices penetrate the atmosphere of the world’s wilderness areas, from arctic tundra to the South African veld, and whose footprints have been left on the wetlands of the world for the past 60 million years or more” Andalucía is an important wintering and stopover point for migrating CommonContinue reading “Craniacs!”

A Wing In Each World

For All Souls Day,  friend and colleague Eddi – the original Culture Vulture on the Inglorious Bustards team – reflects on a recent trip to experience the awe-inspiring Griffon Vulture migration, and gain understanding of their liminal nature in local lore… The Strait of Gibraltar last Saturday morning was calm, suspended between us and Morocco.Continue reading “A Wing In Each World”

Saying “Később találkozunk!” to the Honey Buzzards!

This week, along with our friends and conservation partners at Fundación Migres, we counted just a handful of European Honey Buzzards crossing The Straits of Gibraltar on their migratory journey.  Picked out from amongst thousands of Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Black Storks and Griffon Vultures, each one of these gorgeous birds merited closeContinue reading “Saying “Később találkozunk!” to the Honey Buzzards!”

Migration Mayhem!

It’s hard to explain the power of a day like today to someone who’s never witnessed it. The strong easterly levante wind dropped away last night, leaving behind a low ceiling of cloud.  This is high migration season, and we arrived at the coast at first light with Pepe and Teresa, to find Black KitesContinue reading “Migration Mayhem!”