May 2014 report

During Μay our team continued the implementation of the field activities related to the yellow legged gull control, and the construction of artificial nests for the eleonora’s falcon. 50 new nests were placed on the project islets, in collaboration with the local team. Moreover, field visits were made to check the viability of the planted shrubs and the need for irrigation. It was very encouraging to discover that all plantings within the Groasis waterbox irrigation system were safe and sound ant that the rest of the plantings were still alive but not as healthy as the former.

During the field visits a new Larus auduinni  colony has been discovered on the Dysvato islet, where rat eradication and yellow legged gull control measures have been applied by the project during the previous year. This has been a very encouraging development demonstrating the important effect the project can have on the target species.

The environmental education material has been finally printed, after small scale revisions applied after the testing period.

Monitoring of the island´s Bonelli’s Eagle, passerines and wetland birds was continued by HOS Field researcher.

A pigeon loft has been restored and pigeons are to be introduced soon.