On Sunday the 21st September BirdLife Malta organized an event to celebrate the spectacle of migrating Raptors. The aim behind Raptor day was to bring people together and increase awareness and appreciation for raptor migration.
Around 40 BirdLife Malta members of varying ages were joined by the foreign ornithologists and conservationists participating in Raptor Camp. The group walked through Buskett and set up their equipment on one of the best vantage points in the area. Just before the group met, a rare visitor to the Islands – a Lesser Spotted Eagle roosted in Buskett which caused great excitement amongst the group.
Within minutes of reaching the observation point one of the year’s first pairs of Sparrow Hawks showed up darting around the group and into the valley. They offered a spectacular view as they were very close to the ground and the group. Other highlights of the day included a Black Kite, another rare visitor the Islands as well as 4 Marsh Harriers which descended to roost in Buskett.
The team also witnessed a Honey Buzzard being shot at and having its feathers damaged and had some abuse hurled at them by individuals as they walked through Buskett.