Hundreds of Cranes fly over Malta - shooting reported
Over 820 Cranes (Graw) in various flocks were observed migrating over Malta last Sunday, a record for a single day, BirdLife Malta said. The Crane migration continued yesterday with over 160 Cranes seen flying over the south of Malta in the morning.
BirdLife said it received several reports of illegal shooting on these protected birds as they flew low in the Fawwara area. Cranes are protected under Annex I of the Birds Directive. The police were informed of the shooting.
Cranes are large birds which migrate from Europe to Africa every autumn to avoid the cold and lack of food of European winters.
During their long journeys Cranes rely on thermals of hot air rising from land mass to save energy while flying. These birds spend more energy in flight over the sea as there are no thermals rising from large bodies of water. This makes the Maltese islands important places where migratory birds can catch thermals, rest and refuel before they continue their journeys.
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Johnny Xerri
Dec 24th 2009, 16:05
@R Gatt
Can you please substaniate your claim of swan massacre. Please provide date and any media reportage. Otherwise I'm simply convinced that you are just blabing like a child.
So what on Sunday I was at a shore duck hunting I saw nothing then when to a starling hotspot and killed a dozen, shooting 20shots. So according to you lot I was shot at 20 cranes?
Does BLM or any other bird watcher have a filming of at least 1 shot crane.
I do have just follow the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DZzEcdIBF8
Just goes to show who is responsable for bird stock deplition
It open season, hope you keep on hearing shots from dawn to dusk till end of January & throughout all open seasons
Albert Zammit
Dec 24th 2009, 15:52
Well done the Mr Cilia. Perhaps next time someone can take a video in close up. That would be great...
M.Said
Dec 24th 2009, 15:40
@R.GATT
A massacre of swans in Buskett?????????????????????
When did this massacre happen? cos in my 30years I dont remember of a swan killed in buskett!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kemm ma tifmux jahasra!!!!!
stefan micallef
Dec 24th 2009, 14:40
we saw all that cranes becouse there was a cold frount between sicely and triply or how it is spelled..a cold front is a belt of clouds with thunderstorms and heavy rain so the birds came over malta to tae refuge.that's almost none of the cranes rested in any field.
stefan micallef
Dec 24th 2009, 14:29
hmmmmm guys?? hunting season is open whats the fuss about shooting?i was shooting too but at starlings...... what you'r saying kinda make no sence 'i heard alot of shooting' 'me too' it's open season maybe?
R.Caruana
Dec 24th 2009, 09:36
I heard shooting, not once but much more.
Chris Galea
Dec 23rd 2009, 20:31
What's all this fuss ?? cranes are legally shot abroad ,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DZzEcdIBF8
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Dec 23rd 2009, 20:20
I Balzan, what type of reasoning is this?!!!! Almost everybody loves money. Are we to assume that everybody is rich?! Nahseb argument banali daqs tieghek, Sir/Madam!
T Mifsud, it seems that you are the one to rush in commenting! Did you actually understand my comment?! No shots were heard in Imtahleb by MYSELF. Did YOU hear the shots in the south?! As for credibility, I will let readers decide as to who is credible. Your statement means absolutely NOTHING.
R Gatt, contrary to what you state, I NEVER excused poachers. I defend the LAW-ABIDING HUNTERS.
R Muscat Baron, the uncivilised fools are those who ever believe that hunting will ever be abolished. Keep on dreaming, Romaine. Meanwhile, the law-abiding hunters are looking forward to their Spring Hunting Season. If you are not aware, the FKNK has issued calls for applications for the posts of Marshalls. These will contribute towards curbing any illegalities. Hence, logical individuals are looking at a different future from banning hunting or the destruction of firearms.
duncan pace
Dec 23rd 2009, 19:25
i saw about 15 hunters in l ahrax area shooting crazily over the weekend, kullhadd li jrid jaghmel!!!
charles coleiro
Dec 23rd 2009, 17:51
Mark M Bonnici - can you please specify which species are you talking about that use these 'short sea crossing' migratory routes? contrary to what you and the majority of hunters imply the majority of migratory bird species migrate in a broad front not in the so called 'bottleneck' areas. Only some raptors, the pelicans, storks and occasionally the cranes use these main bottleneck areas.
Most species that migrate on a broad front are also nocturnal migrants and thus their migrations depends a lot on atmospheric conditions. And in the case of the Mediteranean Sea the islands (eg malta, crete, sardinia, lampedusa etc) play an important role during unfavourable weather conditions, where you can have influxes of birds which you will not meet on mainland Europe. What happened to the cranes is that they had to migrate enmasse following a significant drop in temperature where they were wintering. In fact even Sicily had larger numbers than usual. And all this happened because Malta is on one of the migratory routes of the Cranes. This doesnt mean that all cranes have to pass only over malta. Cranes are primarily nocturnal migrants and many are missed whilst flying over Europe.
S Zammit
Dec 23rd 2009, 16:20
Well done Daniel Cilia what an amazing photo indeed. The photo speaks for itself of the miracle of migration!
Please watch my video I took of the cranes flying over Malta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19N2jOA7rXU&feature=channel
Cranes are very scarce visitors to Malta mainly seen in small flocks in November and December and occasionally in March flying towards Africa.The last record of so many cranes passing over Malta was in the Year 1970 March when 400 were seen from Salina
S Vella
Dec 23rd 2009, 13:58
@R Muscat
In your comment you said Group of poachers, then a few sentences further down you suggest :"let us have a referendum for a total ban and destruction of fire arms as only draconian measures will teach these uncivil fools."
I agree with you is condemning poachers But you are being uncivilian yourself by suggesting total ban because of some poachers!
What if someone decides to take draconian measures against all drivers just because a few decide to break the law?
Its Christmas time and one would expect tollerance towards people with different ideas who abide by the law even if their ideas are not your own.
S Vella
Dec 23rd 2009, 12:09
@ I Balzan
15000+ hunters not because Malta is in the Migratory route, because hunting is an old traditional hobby that the Maltese had and still have, and the catch is not very common, so
it is more challenging and satisfying to the hunter. If we catch game easily and regularly it wouldnt be so fanatic for us.
May I remind you how significant a Turtle dove (gammiema) is for the Maltese hunter, but when hunters use to go for hunting trips to Egypt they use to go for ducks not Turtle doves, because Turtle Doves are so abbundant there that is was not challenging to catch!
S Vella
Dec 23rd 2009, 12:07
@ Michael fenech, Marie Claire Saliba, Odette Canter
We are in this situation because the PM EFA before the EU referendum sent us a personal letter guaranteeing our traditonal hobby not because of illegal hunting. It was worse before the referendum! We have much bigger problems than illegal hunting, altough I condemn all illegalities including hunting but we have ALE to tackle that problem and EVERYONE is respobsable to report illegalities not just hunters, so those who saw any illegal shooting or killing of these cranes is just as guilty if they did not phone ALE and report matters, and if they know who the poachers are they are responsable to inform ALE to clear their conscience.
R Muscat
Dec 23rd 2009, 11:31
Typical barbarian stupidity by a group of poachers who feel that they are above the law.
By shooting at these birds with normal lead shot, this will not bring this bird down but what will happen is that, the bird will eventually die of lead poisoning somewhere between Malta and the North African coast, what a waste.
The majority of the population are educated enough to despise such acts of environmental terrorism, let us have a referendum for a total ban and destruction of fire arms as only draconian measures will teach these uncivil fools.
C Mallia
Dec 23rd 2009, 11:10
A great shot by Daniel Cilia. He also caught so many at one go and also get published in TOM. No hunter can ever make that claim with a gun,and the cranes are also able to live and enjoyed by everyone. Now thats a true hobby, and respected by everyone.
James Formosa
Dec 23rd 2009, 09:36
Of all the hunters in Malta, Daniel Cilia is the best as he got them all with 1 shot. May I suggest that hunters take up photography as a hobby too. Its a win-win situation as they can shoot on their plovers, doves, ducks, quail etc. and when a protected bird comes along they can shoot it with their camera instead. FKNK can then have photographic competitions\ exhibitions too :)
R. Gatt
Dec 23rd 2009, 09:31
@ Sylvana Zarb Darmanin - So you are saying that you have the right to doubt others but not vice versa. great.
Quote: 'a time of the year when we should show love and respect towards others! INCREDIBLE. No respect to nature I suppose!
@ Michael Borg - Birdlife are getting a life - trying to save one that is - of a bird. While people like you are only capable of destroying it.
@Steve M engerer - What makes killing birds better than killing bulls and unborn babies? I am Maltese and against all kind of violence. There's no need to substantiate here as we all know, even you that illegal hunting is still around. If you and your kind are so pure, why don't you report illegalities. Why don't you get rid of the ones who do you most harm. Show us you're credible. I dare you.
R. Gatt
Dec 23rd 2009, 09:06
@David Borg Cardona - you know as much as anybody that there are shooters who do not care whether it's close season or a species is protected as they shoot them down anyway. Remember the massacre of the swans in buskett. I happened to be in the Siggiewi/Rabat area at that time and remember cars driving towards Buskett like mad and the passenger hanging out the window to monitor the swan's direction, prepared with a firearm in their hands. I did report to ALE, but unfortunately did not avoid the massacre.
@ Sylvana Zarb Darmanin - are you saying that just because you did not hear any shots, the rest are all lairs. Yes, there were shots which I heard as well from where I live. Now whether it was on cranes or not I do not know as I did not bother to go on the roof since in Mellieha shots are commonly heard. People like you know that there are hunters who shoot illegally. So why excuse them? I have seen it done with my own eyes even in Mtahleb.
I urge all to report illegal shooting possibly even film it. Let's get rid of shameless illegal hunters.
JCMicallef
Dec 23rd 2009, 09:03
Plenty of cranes over Sliema all year round...no shooting reported.
Kidding apart, I honestly hope that most of the birds made it safely to their destination. Watching these fly, one admires that Nature can be so awesome.
Christine Bright
Dec 23rd 2009, 07:00
On Sunday, we had just parked our car in Hal Far and I see my husband rushing out of the car and taking our son out to the see the flocks. My little one was shouting 'ducks', even because of the sounds they were making. We enjoyed staying necks up in the air watching them fly over and I think it is important to teach children about the marvels of nature, especially in a country which lacks so much in natural parks.
As for Birdlies. We did hear shooting and quite a lot, I might add. Luckily none of the birds got hit!
R Curmi
Dec 23rd 2009, 00:26
kemm int banali Ivan Grech Mintoff!!! joke or not.
Pity I wasnt around with my camera today and shame on the usual hunter/poachers.
Now all we need is a reopening of the spring hunting for the cherry on top
Marcel Dingli
Dec 23rd 2009, 00:16
Ivan Grech Mintoff, so do i see plenty of cranes in sliema and they dont fly. I think the ones that fly are cranesbut am not sure about this as i am no bird expert and no expert in the english language either.
T Mifsud
Dec 23rd 2009, 00:04
@Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Your pre-emptive post saying that Bird life reported shooting and your dismissing becuase you heard no shots in Mtahleb confirms that your standing in the hunting world is going down down and down. Every single post you fire here is rash and with an ideology of typical selfish hunters that the world exist just at the limit of their vision ... in your case Mtahleb. Yes shots were heard to the South. Your post and thus your credibility hold no value in the future. Will you lift your blinkers and pause before you start shooting friendly fire by shooting yourselves in the foot!
stefan micallef
Dec 22nd 2009, 23:34
oh yes??? malta is the central fly way of birds i say again??? then how on earth we see these so called 'big' number of cranes on malta thats nothing for other countries, happens only happens only 1ns or twise in a centuary.???? can you please respond me birdlies?can you????
Joe Camilleri
Dec 22nd 2009, 22:13
@ I Balzan
The number of registered hunters and trappers (15,000+) is because it is a socio-cultural tradition.
If you want to imply that because in Malta there are 15000+ hunters and trappers, then a lot of bird migration takes place, then how come that NO DOCUMENTARIES have never been produced and NO HUNTING TRIPS are organized in Malta but Maltese hunters go abroad to make a decent hunt !!!!
Daniel Cilia
Dec 22nd 2009, 20:50
Thanks for the comments. I am not against hunting per se since I understand the feelings of many of my friends which were brought up shooting birds from when they were children. Yet I really cannot figure out how one is not astounded by the sheer beauty of all type of birds and how sad it is to see such beauty – which belongs to us all – dead on the ground.
The flight of the cranes was so amazing and the formations they were making stopped all the people around me in their tracks and watched in amazement with their mouths open.
AS Aristotle said in c.320 BC: Art takes nature as its model.
C Falzon
Dec 22nd 2009, 20:20
There are also two somewhat larger cranes on the ground in that photo.
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Dec 22nd 2009, 19:55
So??
What's all the fuss about..??
I go down to Sliema... look up to the sky... and I see hundreds of cranes daily!!
You know, the ones that don't move...
hehehehe
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Dec 22nd 2009, 19:50
Sicily, the last point of departure of migrating birds at this time of year being only a few kilometers away and it's area being 25,706 Sq. Km as opposed to Malta's 350, makes the importance of Malta in ornithological terms insignificant.
Birds on migration fly along the shortest route. In the central Mediterranean this happens to be between the western part of Sicily and Cape Bon in Tunisia. Malta happens to be 300 Km away to the east of this passage. So much for the importance Birdlife want all to believe.
Seeing any considerable amount of birds on migration over Malta is a rarity brought about by a fluke in weather no less then what made us Maltese become Christians.
Birdlfie would have all beleive Malta is of great importance for the Birds of Europe. Anyone who has the slightest knowledge of bird migration or honest ornithologists know this to be a far cry from the truth. Comparing figures of observations in main migratory areas in the Mediterranean (easily found on the internet) will solve anyone's doubts about Birdlfie's credibility.
All Birdlife want is to discredit Malta's hunters at all costs.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Dec 22nd 2009, 18:57
Michael Fenech,
1. I agree with you that the majority are against poachers!
2. Assuming that I am a hunter is wrong.
3. If you are comfortable in not saying the truth, well I am not. When I wrote that I did not hear one single shot, that was the truth. You absolutely have no right to doubt me. I invariably write factual and true statements.
4. Regarding your statement about Mizieb, we have still to learn about the outcome of the enquiry.
5. Contrary to your wishful thinking of abolishing hunting, the Maltese hunters will soon be enjoying their Spring Hunting Season.
6. Best wishes for the festive season, Sir, a time of the year when we should show love and respect towards others!
Karol spiteri
Dec 22nd 2009, 18:11
it is impossible to shoot a crane because it fly high in the sky!!!! stop lying on hunters.. there are bad hunters but these are few most af them are hunters of good will, Happy Christmas to all hunters and maltese citizens and happy SPRING HUNTING 2010 TO ALL HUNTERS!!
stefan micallef
Dec 22nd 2009, 17:44
you say you heard shots.and so?we'r in the open season and this week we had a good passage of plovers.we saw these cranes becouse there was alot of bad WEATHER ON SEA not becouse we are the CENTRAL FLYWAY PASSAGE OF BIRDS.thats just a lie of birdlies.
Odette Canter
Dec 22nd 2009, 17:33
I am not a member of Birdlife, and cannot understand why some are writing against BLM. Just today me and my husband saw with our own eyes a crane being shot at! This at Wied il Mielah on the outskirts of Gharb. We tried to stop the hunters from shooting, but all we got back was verbal abuse! Shame on them! How upsetting to see this. There was an English couple who witnessed this and were clearly upset. While I was talking with one of the hunters there was more shooting from a few more hunters, and this couple saw the crane come down. There was also a Maltese family who were in the vicinity and saw what went on. This is us reporting and not Birdlife! So please stop criticising Birdlife!
I Balzan
Dec 22nd 2009, 16:47
@ Joe Camilleri
I think that the number of registered hunters and trappers (15,000+) is enough proof that Malta is a VERY important place for birds.
Steve M. Engerer
Dec 22nd 2009, 16:21
It was a real pleasure on Sunday watching the beautiful V formations these amazing Cranes were doing. Cranes fly in a V formation as it helps them to reduce energy consumption..
And NO I did not hear one single shot being fired.
Its about time that BirdLife-Malta becomes credible & if any members of BirdLife are not Maltese & its their pleasure to throw dirt & lies at the Maltese kindly pack up & leave.
Maybe it would be better for BirdLife to go & protest in Spain against Bull Fighting & the rest of Europe against the killing of unborn children!! Abortion.
stephen baldacchino
Dec 22nd 2009, 16:04
Just for your information we saw all these crans this year because of the sudden cold weather that hit Europe. dont wory we wouldent have seen them if it was nice weather or the normal weather we usally have inn europe.
David Borg Cardona
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:55
@ Allen Galea, Kevin Zammit, S.Mugliett et al..
Maybe you might care to know that the hunting season is still open and that plovers made a good appearance over these past few days, hence the shots... Do not try to emulate BLM.. your suppositions just tend to backfire believe me..
Joe Camilleri
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:42
"This makes the Maltese islands important places " If this is true, then how come that we see a spectacle like this maybe twice or trice in a lifetime.
These cranes only accidentally pass over Malta because they are caught in bad weather and not because Malta is in the centre of the migration route or they want to rest over Malta.
As for the shots heard, well we'll take this statment with a pinch of salt as it is comming from BLM.
Marie Claire Saliba
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:37
So someone in Mtahleb didn't hear a single shot. Mtahleb is just one place in the Maltese Islands - and does it need to be pointed out that if the birds chose to stop on Filfla, next to no-one would know? Furthermore, it's probably safe to say that BirdLife has a few ornithologists who know what they're seeing, unlike the general population most of whom would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a sparrow and a finch.
Lastly, thanks to the efforts of BirdLife we're actually aware of the scale of illegal hunting and why it's such a problem. Which means that some hunters are going to try harder to do what they want to do, including coming up with ways to avoid detection on any scale [those of them that care about avoiding detection, anyway]. Which in turn means that the average joe, and many others besides, isn't going to catch them.
David Borg Cardona
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:33
Birdlife Malta..
Once again you fire your usual wild allegations in the hope of gathering more sympathy from a gullible public.. Before you let loose these insinuations, one hopes that you have ample proof to substantiate them.. As was always the case these past years.. all your allegations went up in a puff of smoke !!! The title Birdlies is surely deserved...
Michael Fenech
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:30
@ SZD
Don't generalise. The majority of people are against illegal hunting and so they report these illegalities to BLM and the police. This is why BLM recieves alot of injured birds cause the majority are mature enough to do so. You were just in one place and probably even if you heard a shot would not report it. This is what hunters do. They don't report illegalities. The discovery of hundreds of dead protected birds in their own back yard is enough proof. Most hunters also declare this openly on their own forum. Illegal hunting is a big problem in Malta. Hunters know this but they will never admit it. This is why they are in such a difficult situation and will probably be the cause which will abolish hunting one day or the other.
S. Mugliett
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:29
I heard the cranes flying over ... and I heard some shots too.
Allen Galea
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:27
I heard shooting!
Kevin Zammit
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:22
I heard shooting from Marsaskala ... now I know why :(
salvatore morgan
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:09
The Crane migration continued yesterday with over 160 Cranes seen flying over the south of Malta in the morning. BirdLife said it received several reports of illegal shooting on these protected birds as they flew low in the Fawwara area...great and as soon as they come over Malta we try to shoot these wonderful creatures. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!
Alexander Morana
Dec 22nd 2009, 15:04
How beautiful nature can be though mankind does everything possible to wreck what’s left of it.
It is amazing to know that such creatures know their flight path and the one at the very tip of the formation is the leader. Tally-hoo.
J Farrugia
Dec 22nd 2009, 14:36
Birdlife,.I have not heard even a shot.
Michael Borg
Dec 22nd 2009, 14:12
Birdlife pls note i think it was 819 not 820 !!! how on earth can you say you did not count the smae bird twice or 3 times !!!!! get a life !!!!!
D.Caruana
Dec 22nd 2009, 13:47
Beautiful Picture!!!
The article however, holds no ground!!!
I observed the cranes all day and from my position I could see them coming in from one side of the island and heading straight out from the the other.
No attempt to land was made by the cranes (at any time) Cranes need vast open flat lands to feel safe to land. hardly the case here is it?
and as we all know this is a VERY RARE occurrence! so rare that we report it on the times!!
Malta - the main migratory fly way!!! - NOT
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Dec 22nd 2009, 13:33
The usual: "BirdLife said it received several reports of illegal shooting on these protected birds". Last Sunday, I witnessed such birds flying over Imtahleb AND NOT A SINGLE SHOT WAS HEARD!!!
Robert Carbonaro
Dec 22nd 2009, 13:24
Wow! Simply amazing shot Daniel!