Save the Montagu’s Harrier – Justification 2018

Our main conservation project and commitment for Montagu’s Harrier had a difficult year due the severe cold and wet spring of 2018. Planted crops suffered, spaces made suitable for breeding pairs suffered and hence the number of successful pairs was much reduced. It was an experience reflected throughout the region, many early breeding birds affected by lack of food and dry habitat to enable successful breeding. Our Montagu’s Harriers did manage to find alternative sites, but in reduced numbers and with varying success, it had been a frustrating year for all those volunteers involved with the project. Despite all the setbacks, the project enjoyed relative success, continued with their education project at local schools and furthered their working relationship with the regional environmental agencies. It is crucial we continue our support and along with all those involved, we hope for a more successful year during 2019.

Environmental Education And The Conservation Of The Montagu’s Harrier Through The Custody And Management Of Their Territory

1. Campaigns For Environmental Education And Dissemination

Education – Three days of environmental education are held

• At the Cazalla observatory in the event “Welcome to migratory birds”, the students of the CEIP Virgen de la Luz de Tarifa attend
• In the school CEIP Divina Pastora de Facinas. In these talks, the situation and problems of the Montagu’s Harrier are explained in a didactic way, specifying the idiosyncrasies of this bird in the area. It is intended for students of early childhood and primary education.
• During the environmental education sessions. A training session and exhibition of results of previous campaigns in the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of Environment in Cádiz.

Dissemination

• Photographs of the species are offered as a gift to the most important collaborators of the campaign.
• Assistance to the British BirdFair in Rutland, this is the fair with the highest influx of bird watching tourism worldwide, where an informative talk about our project is given.
• This year the outreach effort has been made through social networks, mainly Facebook and Twitter in which our entity has about 1500 followers. 

• Reviews and updates of our work are published
• Several articles in “Birds of Andalucia”. The quarterley magazine of  The Andalucía Bird Society, one of our main sponsors.

2. Development Of Informative Material

A corporate image of the project is designed to better disseminate it. The design is used in all talks and communications, in the same way that it is used for the production of T-shirts and stickers.
A brochure is also prepared, in Spanish and English, to make the project more widely known, it is left in different information points and is taken to different events.
Creation of informative web of the project: www.aguiluchosdelajanda.es (under construction)

3. Following Reproduction Of The Species – Censuses and conservation actions of the breeding population

Tahivilla

This season, spring was one of the rainiest in history, affecting the life cycles of both the vegetation and the birds themselves. The oats did not reach a strong enough condition to be selected as the breeding area, which eventually caused the birds to leave to look for other more suitable plots. This action has facilitated the reproduction of the Little Bustard, an event that did not occur in the area for many years.

The final result is that only one pair managed to reproduce successfully, where 4 young were raised. Human disturbance was the cause of failure, being a public place does not provide the peace of mind necessary to succeed.