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2010 News

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New Outings Programme

New Outings Programme 2010

The new outings programme for 2010 can be found in the events page.   Among the popular outing venues, the programme includes a new site at the Rio Genal, where participants will be able to enjoy spectacular scenery in woodlands along this river, where there will be many migrant birds making their way along the valley among the flower laden hillsides.   Hopefully the popular Mushroom outing will take place weather permitting, as last years was cancelled due to extreme dry conditions.

2009 News

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Annual General Meeting

Mushroom Outing

Baillon's Crake

EuroBirdwatch Success

Autumn Ringing Underway

Invasives gone as we Clean up the World

European Bat Night Success

Young roaming male macaques

Environmental implications of Trilateral talks

GONHS at World Environment Day

UKOTCF Cayman Conference concludes

Statement to Members on Macaques

GONHS Deploys Weather Station

Short-toed Eagle released

Winter Bird Count

4 December 2009

Society AGM held

During the Annual General Meeting, at which General Secretary John Cortes read his report to the members, the Council was re-elected as follows:

John Cortes, Albert Yome, Paul Acolina, Jean Paul Latin, Jill Yeoman and Harry Vangils.

Sections heads are as follows: Charles Perez - Strait of Gibraltar Bird Observatory, Keith Bensusan - Invertebrates Section, Leslie Linares - Botanical Section, Eric Shaw - Marine Section, Vincent Robba - Raptor Rehabilitation Unit

Richard Durrell is welcomed as the new member of the Council, representing the Caves and Cliffs Section. He replaces John Balestrino, who continues as an active members of the section.

17 November 2009

Lack of Rain Delays Outing Further

The lack of rain is once again resulting in our postponing the mushroom outing.  Manolo Barcel, our expert guide, has been out in the field this week looking for suitable locations but reports a great scarcity of these fungi.  We will reschedule for a suitable date once we (hopefully) get significant rain.  We will e-mail members on our e-mail list and post details on this site.

We apologise for the inconvenience.

20 October 2009

Outing DateChanged
Late rains delay mushrooms

The Mushroom Outing planned for 7th November, and led by expert Manolo Barcel,  will now be held on 21st November.  The lateness of the rains is the main reason for this change, as mushrooms will respond to wet weather.  The unseasonal dry weather has delayed their appearance in the countryside, and so the later date - by which we hope the weather will have turned - is more likely to turn up a good crop!

19 October 2009

Baillon's Crake; new addition to the Bird List*

On the night of Friday 16th October, a strange bird flew through the open window of an 8th floor flat at Harbour Views, a residential area near the harbour. The owner, Kaelan Joyce was astounded and took several photos with his mobile phone camera.  He then contacted a friend who came to pick up the bird, so that it could be released the following day.  It was assumed it was a Quail Coturnix coturnix, but upon release it was noted to be different.  Luckily, the photos were available and were provided to the members of GONHS' Strait of Gibraltar Bird Observatory, who identified the bird as a Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla; in all probability a juvenile.

This is the first record of the species in Gibraltar, subject to formal ratification by the Rarities Panel, as favourable habitat for waterfowl and wading birds is non-existent here.  There have been similar incidents where Moorhen, Purple Gallinule and indeed Allen's Gallinule have turned up in the town area.  This species brings the total number of bird species recorded in Gibraltar to 312.

Baillon's Crake; first record.                                                                    Kaelan Joyce

4 October 2009

EuroBirdwatch Success

See report with text and photos here

26 September 2009

Autumn Ringing Underway

Bird ringing at our field centre at Jews Gate is now well underway. Ray Marsh is back in action and this morning several noteworthy species were trapped in our mist nets, before being processed and then released. Overhead there were flocks of hirundines and an Alpine swift, with a couple of Marsh Harriers and Grey Herons as well, whilst in the Bay of Gibraltar, overcast conditions and a calm sea allowed a large pod of dolphins to be seen from high up on the Rock. Resident, as well as migratory and wintering species were caught, including Scops Owl, Whinchat, Redstart, Blackcap, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Whinchat, Robin and Blue Rock Thrush.

Please see a selection of photographs here. Ray will be hosting the bird ringing at next Saturday's Eurobirdwatch.

23 September 2009

Invasives gone as we Clean up the World

GONHS members once again took part in Clean Up the World, organised in Gibraltar by the Environmental Safety Group.  The Society added its own flavour to the event by clearing, not just rubbish, but an exotic invasive species of plant from an area at Europa Advance.  This area is largely covered with the Hottentot Fig Carpobrotus edulis x acinaciformis which smothers our native vegetation and at this site largely replaces important littoral species such as Rock Samphire Crithmum maritimum and, notably, Gibraltar Sea Lavender Limonium emarginatum.

GONHS volunteers, assisted by the Upper Rock Management Team, cleared an area of about 75 square metres, equivalent to over 20 van-loads of the plant.  Leslie Linares, GONHS Botanical Section Co-ordinator, commented that he thought he could see a look of relief on the stand of Limonium that was liberated that morning!

We will now monitor the site and enjoy the natural vegetation becoming re-established.  However, there are many hundreds of square metres of Gibraltar covered in this alien, so that much work remains.

Distribution of Carpobrotus in the wild in Gibraltar  (from Perez, C. 2006)

12 September 2009

European Bat Night Success

This year's European Bat Night was once again held the Open Air Theatre within the Alameda Botanic Gardens. Over thirty people took their seats for an unscripted but daily rehearsed 'performance' by some of Gibraltar's less well known stars of the night.

As sunset approached, Albert Yome, co-ordinator for GONHS' bat activities, fielded a number of interesting questions about bats. Shortly after, as if on cue, the first bat, a Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus swooped over its unsuspecting audience. It's echolocating calls, inaudible to humans, were being picked up by our bat detector and channeled through a loudspeaker for all to hear. Several other bats subsequently visited the theatre, popular as a feeding location given the number of insects attracted by one of Gibraltar's few ponds, with at least four bats together at one point. After over an hour of almost continuous sightings and detected calls proceedings were brought to a close and a contented group of 'theatre goers' left the scene to the bats, which flew on, indifferent to their human cousins having been there at all. A bonus for the organisers, was a calling Tawny Owl as they left having packed up their equipment until the next 'show'.

11 August 2009

Young male macaques roaming

Two young male Barbary macaques, originating in the Farringdon Battery group, have spend the past 10 days moving around much of the urban areas of Gibraltar.  They have covered good distances, from the Montagu area in the north to Scud Hill and Mount Road in the south.  The presence of these monkeys, on occasion inside people's houses, has been reported widely.  They have caused a nuisance, but have not stayed anywhere for long, although they have visited some areas several days in a row.

Such behaviour  is not unusual in the species, where young males tend to leave established groups and seek out new groups they attempt to join, often spending long periods in the periphery before the accepted in.  In Gibraltar, the periphery means the Town!

The public is asked not to be unduly concerned, and at all costs to refrain from feeding them.

24 July 2009

        Environmental implications of the latest trilateral talks, 21st July 2009

The Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society, together with the Environmental Safety Group from Gibraltar and AGADEN from Cadiz, Spain, made representations in October 2008 to the Trilateral Forum (consisting of Gibraltar, United Kingdom and Spain) regarding the need for concerted work to deal with environmental issues.  The text of the joint submission can be seen here.

The points that the Forum was requested to consider and act upon are:

• Epidemiological Studies;
• Bunkering;
• Bay Industrial Activity;
• Management of Bay Waters;
• Recycling;
• Biosphere Reserve;
• Unprotected Areas

On 21st July 2009, the Trilateral Forum issued two statements, following talks at Gibraltar between the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, the British Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister.  These statements can be accessed at

http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/latest_news/press_releases/press_releases_index.htm.

Are there implications on the Sites of Community Interest?

One of the statements made reference to the controversy over the Spanish declaration  of British Gibraltar Territorial and International waters as part of a Spanish Site of Community Interest under the EU Habitats Directive.  The three Governments do not consider that there are any implications on sovereignty, jurisdiction or control of the waters and that therefore the talks could continue.

While GONHS does not have a view on this statement, it is true that the letter of the Habitats Directive does bestow obligations on the designating state to monitor, report and develop and ultimately implement management plans on the areas within six years of designation.  This gives Gibraltar three years in which to implement its management plan (the Southern Waters SCI was declared in 2006), and Spain six years.  Presumably the legal processes initiated by Gibraltar to challenge the Spanish declaration will have been completed by then.  In the meantime, it will be interesting to observe what amount and kind of monitoring is carried out by either side.  The designating authority is also required to ensure that no activity is carried out within the site that conflicts with the environmental aims of its designation.  It is presumed that, while the matter is resolved, Spain will not attempt to exercise its obligations under the Directive.

How far have our proposals been covered?

The Governments’ statements gave considerable importance to collaboration in the following areas promoted in the NGOs’ document.

Bunkering

Bay Industrial Activity

Management of Bay Water

Recycling.       

The intentions declared in the Trilateral Forum statement, if implemented, would go a long way towards resolving many of the issues related to these topics, and their success or otherwise will need to be judged some time along the process.

What areas need to be developed further?

There was no direct reference to co-operation in epidemiological studies, although the Gibraltar Government has already engaged the National Environmental Research Institute of the University of Aarhus, Denmark to undertake such a study. The implications of the intended co-operation on pollution could extend to such studies,

Wildlife and habitat management and protected areas matters, and in general issues related to nature conservation have not been dealt with to any great extent, except indirectly in references to co-operation in an “EU/international context”.

Two particular sections in the NGOs’ document have not been referred to specifically.    These are the need to protect species and habitats outside protected areas, and the expectation that Gibraltar environmental groups have to ensure that our protected areas are incorporated in the Intercontinental Biosphere that links both sides of the Strait, but excludes Gibraltar.

It may be that the technical delegations that prepared the talks did not have the required specialised knowledge, or it may be that these subjects were discussed in private but not enough progress was made to include in the public statement.  GONHS has offered its expertise in furthering these points.  The other NGOs, and all three collectively, have also offered to provide more information on all the areas of concern.

Conclusion

The results of the talks are to set down a framework for progress in a good number of areas that affect the environment.  GONHS will continue to monitor progress, and make its expertise and extensive contacts in the region available to the process, which would greatly benefit from this.  In particular we will press for progress in relation to ecological protection and protected areas and to the expansion of the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve to be truly representative of all the ecosystems present in the Strait of Gibraltar.

6 June 2009

GONHS at World Environment Day

On Saturday 6 June 2009, GONHS joined Gibraltar's celebration of World Environment Day 2009 at Casemates Square. The Department of the Environment had earlier set up a number of marquees for the participants, which also included the Environmental Safety Group, Friends of the Earth and No 2 Plastic Bags, the latter organisation on which GONHS is also represented.

The GONHS team pictured above, was comprised of (left to right: Albert Yome, Bob Wheeler, Leslie Linares and Gian Alvarez.

Harry Vangils and Paul Acolina also provided their support during part of the morning. We were able to give out many of our printed material, such as copies of Nature News, membership forms and programme of events cards, so we're hopeful of attracting some new members.

Visitors to our stand included birders from abroad, who enquired about raptor passage and Barbary partridges, whilst local people also expressed concern about the complete lack of enforcement of the nature protection laws, especially those meant to protect marine species.

4 June 2009

Overseas Territories Forum progresses

biodiversity conservation in the Territories

The United Kingdom Overseas Territories Conservation Conference, organised by the Overseas Territories Conservation Forum and the Government of the Cayman Islands, with the support of the UK Government, ended in Grand Cayman this evening.

Topics covered at the Conference included climate change, invasive species, capacity building, raising the profile of the environment, and networking – the conference went under the title of Making the Right Connections. Most of the UK’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies were represented at the meeting, including the British Virgin Islands, the Pitcairn Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos, South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the Cyprus Sovereign Bases.

The conference passed a resolution calling on the UK Government to commit funds and expertise to improving capacity and conservation of the environment, and specifically biodiversity, in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. The UK Minister for the Natural Environment, Wildlife and Natural Resources, Huw Irranca-Davis MP, addressed the conference. He recognized that the large majority of global biodiversity for which the UK is ultimately responsible is found within the Overseas Territories, and committed HMG to supporting activities in the OTs in different ways, including funding.

While the specific situation of Gibraltar is not identical to that of the other territories, the conference provided a unique opportunity for exchange of experience and ideas, which will improve the ability of organizations in all the territories to move forward their aims of attaining greater knowledge and protection of biodiversity.

Gibraltar was represented at the conference by Dr Keith Bensusan of GONHS. Also attending the conference was Dr John Cortes, in his capacity as a member of the Forum’s Council. Dr Cortes co-chaired one of the sessions and had working meetings with the UK Minister, the Governor of the Cayman Islands, and the Islands’ Minister for the Environment, as well as colleagues from the other territories.

18 May 2009

Statement to Members on Barbary Macaques

In view of letters that have appeared recently in the Press casting aspersions on the work of the Society in relation to the Barbary macaques, the Society's Council will shortly be making a statement to its members, which will be sent by e-mail and by post, reassuring them about the situation.

Council feels it important to contact our members directly in view of the statements that have been made.

A Press Release has been issued on this matter.  Other statements can be read here.

9 May 2009

GONHS Deploys Weather Station

The Caves Science Unit of the' Caves and Cliffs Section, has announced the installation of GONHS’ very own weather station.

This station has been purchased by Royal Holloway College, University of London (RHUL) in order to monitor the weather on the southern side of The Rock.

As the Caves and Cliffs Sections's base at Governor's Cottage is at the same height as the entrance to Lower St Michael's Cave, this was an ideal place for such a station.

Data is currently being downloaded manually using battery power, but the section is exploring the feasibility of automating the process, with a view to publishing its data online.

21 April 2009

Short-toed Eagle released to mark Earth Day

On the eve of Earth Day, the Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society has released a Short-toed Eagle back into the wild that had been found poisoned last winter.  This was a bird that had stayed in Gibraltar, although the species as a whole normally winters south of the Sahara.  It is presumed that it ingested poison when it fed, possibly on a rat that had itself been poisoned.

It was cared for by the GONHS Rehabilitation Unit and released today at Jews' Gate after being ringed to mark Earth Day.  With the westerly winds there was a good passage of Short-toed Eagles, and the released bird was seen to fly off strongly.

22 January 2009

Winter Bird Count

The 23rd annual Winter Bird Count took place on the 12th January.  The full list of birds recorded is in the table below.  A total of twelve GONHS birders took part in an enjoyable and fruitful morning, with clear skies and a pleasant moderate westerly wind blowing.  The Rock was divided among the observers who meticulously scanned the diff rent habitats and recorded all birds seen with the exclusion of the Yellow-legged Gull and seabirds offshore.

The Upper Rock Nature Reserve held most of the birds of Mediterranean woodland and maquis habitat with the south district gardens harbouring similar species, with Robins, Blackcaps, Blackbirds, Wrens and Sardinian Warblers making up most of the numbers recorded.  Only three Song Thrush were present here but this species can be difficult to detect in the thick scrub.  The majority of Greenfinches and Chaffinches were located at the northern end of the Rock with others present in the south district gardens.  South district gardens also held the only three Firecrests of the count, but accounted for important numbers of Blackbirds.  Open areas at North Front Cemetery and the east side accounted for most numbers of Black Redstarts and Chiffchaffs, and most of the Crag Martins recorded were observed flying north along the east coast as they they emerged from their roost in the Governor's Beach area.  The east side also held good numbers of House Sparrow, a species that had declined but seems to have made a come back, with good numbers also recorded from the Western beach area, the south district and town gardens.  Windmill Hill and the south of the Rock accounted for the only record of Skylarks, a species that occasionally winters there, and for most of the Meadow Pipits, with others at Western Beach and the east side sand slope s.. 

Among other interesting observations were a single Little Owl on the east side, three Shags feeding off Camp Bay, and the now common sight of up to seven Cormorants within the Gibraltar harbour.  Curiously, the pair of Ravens, while still present, evaded the observers during the count.

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