In early June, researchers from the Natural History Museum traveled to Gavdopoula for an exploratory mission. Their goal: to identify seabird species at the southernmost point of Greece.
Previous nighttime radar surveys from nearby Gavdos had shown significant bird activity toward Gavdopoula at dusk, prompting the decision for an on-site investigation.
Selecting a part of the island deemed suitable for Scopoli’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) nesting, the researchers spent the entire night there, aiming to detect the birds and their nests. Indeed, around 10:00 p.m., a wave of Scopoli’s shearwaters was detected both acoustically and visually using thermal cameras, whereupon an on-site survey followed to locate and record the nests. Next step? A second visit in mid-July to assess breeding success and conduct radio tagging of selected adult birds.
Let’s find out… where do Greece’s southernmost Scopoli’s shearwaters travel?
Ελληνικά
Italiano
