June 2014 report

During June our  team continued the maintenance and irrigation of the pistachio plantings at Dysvato and Kalogeros islets. Two visits were made to the islets and water was transferred to the plantings and to the Groasis waterboxes. Most plantings supported by the Groasis system are still alive, although seem to have experienced transplanting stress. The rest of the plantings seem not to be able to overpass the hot and dry period. Probably additional plantings will be established in late autumn. Concerning the capparis plantings, a new nursery  operating at Tinos island, and growing local capparis varieties has been spotted to be used for plant material for the next planting season.

The Auduinii’s Gull colony at Dysvato was also monitored. Sadly, all nestlings died during the first week after hatching. Also, in Mandilou islet breeding success results were negative, so further research should be implemented in the next breeding season. This outcome is rather similar to the outcomes of several species colonies in the western Aegean.

Concerning the Yellow legged gull breeding output at the colonies of the two islets, the effectiveness of the oiling campaign has reached almost 95%, and very few fledgings are observed in these colonies.

More visits to the islets are scheduled for July to continue the establishment of artificial nests before the start of eleonora’s falcon egg laying.

The pigeons (20 pairs) we introduced inside the restored pigeon loft are already laying eggs, meaning that all is progressing as expected. Another pigeon loft belonging to a monastery has been identified and after successful initial talks, soon we will have a signed agreement in order to use it too.

A seminar on bird watching tourism was organised in Batsi for the LCG volunteers and the rest of the island’s inhabitants. The event was a great success gathering over 40 people. The LCG Coordinator, in close collaboration with the Municipality team at a coordination meeting held on 25/6/2014, has set a calendar of activities for the following months in which project volunteers are invited to participate. A new excursion “Know your SPA” will be organised in July.

The new updated version of the project leaflet has been printed in 10000 copies (in greek and in english) and is already being distributed in the most visited spots.

The moorings are being built, and after a successful test installation, we are in stand by for favorable weather conditions in order to install all of them.

Finally, regular patrolling and surveillance takes place according to the plan all over the project area (land and sea).