Rare black storks roost at Buskett

Four black storks roosted in a tall Norfolk pine tree at Buskett on Tuesday night.

The storks, which are very scarce autumn visitors and also rare in spring, were seen leaving the tree at 6.50 a.m. yesterday and flying south.

When black storks are seen, it is mostly as single birds and very rarely are three or four of them spotted together.

The last time that four were reported seen was on September 25, 2005, soaring high over Marfa. Four storks, probably the same ones, were later seen at Buskett and Dingli, where one was shot.

This year, two were seen at Il-Kuncizzjoni on April 29 and single birds were seen at the airport on May 15 and at Burmarrad on June 5.

The four storks were first noted at Buskett by birdwatchers on Tuesday at about 4.30 p.m. They flew on but later returned and roosted. District, mobile and police from the Administrative Law Enforcement unit kept a vigil, knowing that the storks would attract hunters' attention. Before the storks flew off a number of men at Buskett were heard clapping and shouting "wake up, wake up" and complaining about the cost of maintaining a police presence.