ure News 11 - Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society

GIBMANATUR:
Gibraltar-Morocco Interreg Project news
The Gibraltar-Morocco Interreg IIIA
Project GIBMANATUR (I and II), a collaboration
between GONHS and the Institut
Scientifique of the Université Mohammed V
Rabat-Agdal, has sadly come to an end. The
project, which started in 2003 with a major
conference on the Barbary macaque, has
been a great success. One of its main aims
was to establish close links between Gibraltar
and Morocco and it has done so overwhelmingly
well.
Among the main activities of the project
was a bird ringing programme during the
spring and autumn months of 2004 to 2008.
The operations were extremely successful and
5344 birds were processed in total. The
species present and their patterns of occurrence
have revealed interesting facts about
the marshes of Restinga-Smir, as a site. Smir
is an important wintering site for Penduline
Tits: it has emerged that they are regular here
and nowhere else in Morocco, and the population
is larger than anyone had thought.
Extensive surveys of birds in different habitats
in the area have also been carried out, as well
as surveys in other areas, especially wetlands,
of northern Morocco.
Another important part of Interreg was
the extensive winter surveys of wetland birds
in northern Morocco, a contribution to the
national wetland bird count co-ordinated
every year by the Institut. Areas covered by
the GONHS team include Smir on the
Mediterranean coast to Asilah and Larache
on the Atlantic side.
Interesting results have been obtained
both from the ringing data and the bird surveys.
Some of the species recorded are rare
in Morocco and any records of these contribute
to knowledge of their status and distribution.
These include: Great Bittern, Little
Bittern, Great Egret, Marbled Duck,
Ferruginous Duck, Great Bustard, Spotted
and Little Crake, Jack Snipe, Lesser Crested
Tern, Moustached Warbler, Penduline Tit,
Alpine Chough and Tree Sparrow. Other
species recorded are true vagrants: Ringnecked
Duck, Rüppell’s Vulture, Icterine
Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Hooded
Crow.
As part of the bird ringing programme,
GONHS volunteer and ringing trainer Ian
Thompson has trained two Moroccan students
from the University of Tetouan:
Mohamed Amezian and Abdelahak Elbanak.
Mohamed was further assisted with a scholarship
from GONHS, which he fully deserved
given his impressive academic ability and
eagerness to learn. He has now obtained his
BTO C-grade ringing license and a Moroccan
ringing license. We hope that the students,
and Mohamed in particular, will continue to
ring in Morocco for years to come.
As a result of Interreg, a series of publications
have already been produced by the
Gibraltar and Moroccan partners, dealing
mainly with birds and invertebrates in northern
Morocco. More publications will follow
soon, including some on plants.
A report on the project is currently being
prepared, to be submitted to the EU and the
Gibraltar Government, who co-sponsored the
project.
The project came to a close with a two
week expedition to the south of Morocco in
November, in order to survey habitats, and
record and collect succulent plants, invertebrates,
birds, reptiles, amphibians and scorpions.
The range of habitats sampled was
enormous, from the Alpine High Atlas to the
desert near Algeria and the arid Atlantic coast
of southwest Morocco. The work will further
help discover and understand Morocco’s biodiversity.
Even though the project is now over, we
will continue to work closely with our
Moroccan colleagues at the Universities of
Rabat and Tetouan, which we view as permanent
partners. Given
the strong links
forged between us,
there is a strong
desire to work
together in the future.
Although funding for
Gibraltar-Morocco
has not been
approved for the next
tranche of EU funding,
GONHS will
continue to explore
avenues to ensure
that our collaboration
continues.
Expedition to southern Morocco (2008)
Abdelahak Elbanak &
Mohamed Amezian training
at Jews’ Gate, Gibraltar
NOTES & NEWS
BRANCHED CARLINE THISTLE
The flat-topped carline thistle Carlina hispanica
is very common and widespread on the Rock.
On the other hand, the Branched carline thistle
Carlina racemosa is very rarely seen. This year,
after twenty years since the last one was seen on
the Rock at Bruce’s Farm firebreak, a solitary
plant appeared in the Alameda Botanic
Gardens. The plant was quite small, and failed
to provide viable seeds.
CHRISTIANNE’S DIARY
“My Nature Diary” by Christianne Fagan published
as a limited edition just before Christmas
is a delightful look at nature in Gibraltar
through a schoolgirl’s eyes. Written in the early
1980s, it records, in text, sketches and water
colours, many different aspects of nature, many
in the Botanic Gardens which the author frequented
as a child. The notes are fascinating –
and while not meant to be a textbook, give a
real feel for what nature in Gibraltar has to
offer. Many of the descriptions are exquisite,
and to anyone who has lived in the same space
as Christianne, generate an intense feeling of
nostalgic warmth. A charming book that every
nature lover with a connection with Gibraltar
should have – and will treasure.
CLEARING OF CHASMANTHE
ON ST MICHAEL’S CAVE FIRE-
BREAK
For the past couple of years, the Upper Rock
Team currently working under GONHS have
been removing introduced species of plants
from various places around the Nature Reserve.
Recently they have turned their attention to
removing the African Corn Flag Chasmanthe
floribunda. This South African species is a garden
escape, and has established itself in several
places within the Nature Reserve, especially
on the firebreak near St Michael’s Cave. It is an
aggressive species, out-competing native
species at an alarming rate on clearings and
along roadsides. The Team has a hard task
ahead of them!
GIBRALTAR NATURE NEWS
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