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BirdLife International’s European Office has a monthly electronic newsletter (BirdLife enews) to which you can subscribe for free, if interested. BirdLife International is the global alliance of conservation NGOs present in more than 113 countries and territories worldwide, and working for the conservation of birds and wider biodiversity. BirdLife Cyprus is the BirdLife partner designate (soon full partner we hope; see BirdLife Cyprus e-news July 2010 issue) in Cyprus. The newsletter includes news on conservation, news from BirdLife Partners in Europe (42 of them), EU policy news and announcements. To learn more: http://www.birdlife.org/eu/newsletters.html
To subscribe follow this link: http://birdlife-enews.org/lists/?p=subscribe. On the same page you can subscribe also to a more specialized newsletter on farming and agriculture, and to one on the BirdLife Born to Travel Campaign.

Under the dramatic title ‘Emptying the Skies’  , New Yorker magazine recently published a hard-hitting and in-depth account of bird trapping in the Mediterranean, with a strong focus on Cyprus. Guaranteed to cause a reaction here, the 12-page blockbuster, by well-known journalist Jonathan Franzen, pulls no punches in a story that includes a raw description of the recent attack on anti-trapping activists (the reporter witnessed the event first hand). ‘Emptying the skies’ includes extensive material and quotes provided by BirdLife Cyprus and will undoubtedly serve to highlight to continuing threat posed to migrant birds by Cypriot trappers. Franzen even went under-cover to experience the crux of the trapping problem, ambelopoulia being served up in a local taverna.
The article was published on 26th July, on page 48.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/07/26/100726fa_fact_franzen

BirdLife Cyprus was invited in June by the Water Development Department to submit comments on the draft Cyprus River Basin Plan. The River Basin Plan is an obligation arising from the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) which aims to bring all water bodies in the EU in ‘Good Status’ by 2015. The River Basin Management Plan is considered the best way for Member States to organize their actions in order to achieve this objective and Cyprus is considered as one River Basin. All Member States have to evaluate the current condition of all water bodies (lakes, rivers, coastal and groundwater) and to set targets for reaching ‘Good Status’ in 2015. This is especially important as the Directive makes special provisions for Natura 2000 sites dependent on water. BirdLife Cyprus’ main comments were about the lack of ambition in setting targets (Cyprus like most Member States uses all the loopholes in the Directive and postpones Good Status for 2027), lack of measures to deal with Natura 2000 wetlands that are in poor condition and dependent on water (e.g. Paralimni, Oroklini, etc), lack of a clear action plan for implementing the measures announced and lack of a committed budget to implement those measures. The ongoing public consultation will finish in November and BirdLife Cyprus will send comments to the Water Development Department in writing also. The Water Development Department is expected to finalise the River Basin Plan by spring 2011.
Learn more about the public consultation in Cyprus (only in Greek): http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/wdd/Wdd.nsf/all/E3F4963642BAE48FC225773100351DCA?opendocument
Learn more about the Water Framework Directive: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/info/intro_en.htm

The floodgates opened at last this year with excellent rains, especially in spring. This resulted in our wetlands flooding with Oroklini Marsh justifiably living up to its name. Large numbers of the various waterbirds that nest at the marsh were busy setting up nesting territories by mid April and by May the first chicks were spotted. Of course Mallard Anas platyrhynchos were present with three pairs, with last years champion duck, the beautiful Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, doing it again with two pairs raising families. Of the cryptic Garganey Anas querquedula, at least one pair nested when finally a female was spotted escorted by 6 juveniles during early June. And then there was the surprise. Everyone was suspicious of the continuous presence of male Shovelers Anas clypeata (a wintering / migratory species for us) at the marsh and soon enough a female was spotted with 2 chicks on the 25th of May by the Game Fund Research Unit. This was followed by another female with 4 juveniles. This is not a first for the species as it has nested in Cyprus once before (several pairs nesting at Kouklia reservoir back in 1910) but nevertheless it was a pleasant surprise. It seems that two pairs of Shoveler nested at the marsh which shows what a good supply of water can do to ducks – breed them!

For more information: Michael Miltiadou, Research Officer BirdLife Cyprus This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

In the end, it worked out fine, for now at least and even if under circumstances bordering on the bizarre. After months of debating a controversial legal amendment to slash the fine for using illegal calling devises (a favorite “aide” for both hunters and trappers), Parliament first approved a last-ditch amendment to the amendment…and then proceeded to vote down the freshly amended amendment! BirdLife, who had campaigned long and hard to block the (original) amendment, was delighted that the proposal for derisory on-the-spot fines for use of mimicking devices was rejected, but we were as perplexed as everyone else at proceedings during the end-of-session, marathon plenary session of July 8th. BirdLife Cyprus had been against this amendment from the beginning as were the Game Fund and the office of the Attorney General of the Republic and in the end the majority of MPs did the right thing. But 2011 is after all an election year, so BirdLife will remain vigilant.

On 16 June a delegation of BirdLife International was in Cyprus in order to assess BirdLife Cyprus for full BirdLife International Partner status. Currently BirdLife Cyprus is Partner Designate. The assessment went well and the evaluators were impressed with BirdLife Cyprus’ work on the conservation and protection of birds and their habitats in Cyprus. However, the final decision won’t be taken before November 2010 by BirdLife International’s Global Council. Until then we wait!

From left to right: Patricia Stavrou-Council; June Neal-Council; Jane Stylianou-Council; Stavros Christodoulides-Council; Hazell Thompson-Assistant Director Network and Programme BirdLife International; Jose Tavares-RSPB Country Officer;  Angelo Caserta, Regional Director for Europe BirdLife International; and Colin Richardson-Council.