Sep 28 - GONHS To Participate In EuroBirdwatch This Weekend
In its role as a partner of BirdLife International, GONHS will once again be participating in EuroBirdwatch this October. At this time of the year, millions of migratory birds are leaving Europe and flying to their wintering grounds in Africa.
This year, 36 national partners of BirdLife International in Europe and Central Asia invite people to observe migratory birds and hear interesting facts about bird migration and the threats they face during their journeys. In Europe, many hundreds of activities are planned.
The events in Gibraltar will take place this coming Sunday 2nd October as from 8:00am at the Alameda Gardens where there will be a bird ringing demonstration and a bird of prey display. During the afternoon, GONHS will be observing seabirds, other migrating birds and cetaceans at Europa Point.
A study conducted by BirdLife International and published in 2015, in which GONHS participated, shows that 25 million migratory birds are being caught around the Mediterranean annually. And after overcoming that huge hurdle, most birds still have to cross the inhospitable Sahara desert and other dangers along the way, twice a year. GONHS says that BirdLife partner organisations in the countries involved are making it their top priority to combat this “useless killing for which there is no excuse.” GONHS says that Gibraltar is an example to the Mediterranean in this sense, as all hunting of wild birds is illegal.
EuroBirdwatch is an annual event comprising hundreds of nationally organised activities. The number of birds and participants are counted and reported to the European office of BirdLife International. Last year, 41 countries in Europe and Central iAsia organised 1,093 events, with more than 32,000 people turning out to watch and help count the birds, of which more than five million individuals were observed.
GONHS says it hopes that the public will be able to join them in celebrating the wonder of bird migration.
Remember: Sunday 2nd October at 8:00am at the Alameda Botanic Gardens, followed by a sea watch at Europa Point as from 3pm.
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