ANUU Migrationists: the Wintering Project, now in its seventeenth year of surveys at the FEIN Ornithological Observatory in Arosio, has ended.
The 22th year of the Wintering Project concerning the monitoring of avifauna through the scientific ringing technique carried out at the FEIN Ornithological Observatory of Arosio ended on January 2013, 17. The Project is coordinated by the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) based in Ozzano Emilia, in the province of Bologna.
During the monitoring, 4 mist-nets transects were used for a total of 140 m. placed in different environments. At the Arosian station the technical staff carried out 6 study days divided into 3 in December 2012 (8-19-27) and three in January 2013 (2-12-22) analyzing 99 subjects of 16 different species ( in 2010/11 73 subjects of 10 different species were analyzed, in 2011/12 53 subjects of 11 different species were analyzed) such as: Peppola, Fringuello, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Blackcap, Regulus, Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit and Green Woodpecker belonging to 6 ornithic families such as Turdidae, Paridae, Silvidae, Fringillidae, Picidae and Prunellidae.
The most numerous species was the Peppola with 25 subjects analyzed (absent in the last edition of 2011/12), followed by the Great Tit and the Chaffinch with 15 specimens analyzed each and the Goldfinch with 10 individuals. The most numerically representative family was that of the Finches with 56 birds analyzed.
The study days were held in good weather and it should be emphasized that on 19 December 2012 there was the greatest number of catches, corresponding to 45 subjects belonging to 5 different families. Of the subjects analyzed, as many as 23 were self-captures, that is, birds that at the time of capture already had a ring in the tarsus, placed before the project was carried out, again at the Arosio Observatory.
These recaptures do nothing but testify how the winter season, also characterized by snow and rain, has favored the stop of several individuals who, like every year, find, in the territory of the Arosian station, a shelter and nourishment useful for their survival.
Furthermore, during the project, 8 × 50 binoculars were used with which it was possible to constantly observe, in addition to Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Common Rampichino, Fiorrancino, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Siskin, other four species interior of the area, such as Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Domestic Pigeon, Hooded Crow, Magpie and Jay, belonging to three ornithic families such as Columbidae, Accipitridae and Corvidae, respecting the times and considering six cardinal points arranged outside the capture systems.
One north, one north-west, one north-east, one south-west, one south-east, one south. The transept method was used for the latter operation. After the Wintering Project, the activity at the FEIN Arosio Observatory now continues with the study of pre-nuptial migration and the breeding project, to then devote itself again to the study of post-nuptial migration, demonstrating that the monitoring of avifauna continues in a standardized form and in a continuous and constant way.
31 January 2013
ANUU Migrators