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Malta in September? (1 Viewer)

T

Themoog

Well-known member
Dear all,

Thinking of heading to Malta and Gozo for a week and was hoping to take in some of the wildlife therein.

Apologies if this has been covered and I will backread.

Are Mrs Moog and I likely to spend the week wishing we hadn't gone as I understand the referendum on morotorium (only covering spring migration) was lost last year.
I love the idea of visiting and there's a lot of history. It's also not for me to judge another culture of course.
Anyone got a take on this?

Again, apologies if this has been covered comprehensively elsewhere. Perhaps someone might direct me to a good thread on the topic?

All the best

TM
 
Themoog said:
Dear all,

Thinking of heading to Malta and Gozo for a week and was hoping to take in some of the wildlife therein.

Apologies if this has been covered and I will backread.

Are Mrs Moog and I likely to spend the week wishing we hadn't gone as I understand the referendum on morotorium (only covering spring migration) was lost last year.
I love the idea of visiting and there's a lot of history. It's also not for me to judge another culture of course.
Anyone got a take on this?

Again, apologies if this has been covered comprehensively elsewhere. Perhaps someone might direct me to a good thread on the topic? All the best TM
Click to expand...

You can Google BirdLife Malta. If you're on FB, search for Joe Sultana, great hero of mine!
MJB
 
I, like some others on here, have expressed a clear unwillingness to put any money into the Maltese economy until they desist from their abhorrent (and illegal) approach to the slaughter of migrants of all shapes and sizes both in Spring, Autumn and all dates within. I would respectfully ask that you and Mrs. Moog consider this before you decide to go.

Realistically your boycott (and mine) individually count for FA, but if the numbers get large enough you never know. Not much else seems to have any effect ....

If you do decide to go then do please make contact with and support Birdlife Malta.

Mick
 
MTem said:
I, like some others on here, have expressed a clear unwillingness to put any money into the Maltese economy until they desist from their abhorrent (and illegal) approach to the slaughter of migrants of all shapes and sizes both in Spring, Autumn and all dates within. I would respectfully ask that you and Mrs. Moog consider this before you decide to go.

Realistically your boycott (and mine) individually count for FA, but if the numbers get large enough you never know. Not much else seems to have any effect ....

If you do decide to go then do please make contact with and support Birdlife Malta.

Mick
Click to expand...

I understand and respect that stance.

Have watched a couple of parts of the six part film Chris Packham made on this topic. Really quite demoralising. Still, full credit to him and the Birdlife Malta team for doing so and what they do in general.

As you say, a possible compromise is a healthy, hand delivered donation to Birdlife Malta HQ.

I think I'll make a donation either way.

Just got to hope there is a change in the prevailing wind.

Heartbreaking.

All the best.

TM
 
Hi,

I did 2 weeks in Malta during the Spring migration assisting Birdlife Malta in 2012. It is a fascinating island with great history but if you go during spring or autumn migration wherever you go you will here shotguns which means the indiscriminate blasting of birds out of the sky despite arguments to the contrary by their hunting fraternity.

I witnessed first hand the shooting of red footed falcons, lesser kestrel and saw many badly injured marsh harriers. Whilst there others also witnessed the shooting of osprey, night herons and bee eaters amongst others.

As as birders destination it is fantastic, I saw many great species but I would not return again unless it was to assist Birdlife Malta and the work they do
 
Just to clear things up, the spring hunting referendum and the moratorium on turtle dove hunting were 2 completely different things (and both were failures).

As regards illegal hunting, the situation has improved dramatically from a long term perspective. Though I think we have regressed since last year.

Regarding birding, the usual September/October schedule is seawatching in the morning if the wind is decent (usually from the NE coast) and raptor watching in the afternoon. Another morning option is checking out the wetland nature reserves (although you would have to contact Birdlife Malta to arrange a visit since these are closed in summer). Seawatching is usually quite boring but every once in a while you might be rewarded with flocks of herons or flamingos as well as interesting waders, terns, gulls (Audouins) etc.

Raptor watching is always exciting. Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Hobby, Common Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Bee-eater etc. are more or less guaranteed. Night Heron, Osprey, Black Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Eleonora's Falcon, Sparrowhawk (late September) are all regular.

Annual rarities include Black and White Storks, Red Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Common and Steppe Buzzards, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, and Booted Eagle. The possibilities for vagrants are endless...last year we had a Levant Sparrowhawk.

If you like history, Malta is as good is as good if not better than anywhere else. Loads of historical sites from prehistoric temples to WW2 related-sites.

Contacting Birdlife Malta would be a good idea. Otherwise feel free to send me a message should you have any queries.
 
Parryman1 said:
Hi,

I did 2 weeks in Malta during the Spring migration assisting Birdlife Malta in 2012. It is a fascinating island with great history but if you go during spring or autumn migration wherever you go you will here shotguns which means the indiscriminate blasting of birds out of the sky despite arguments to the contrary by their hunting fraternity.

I witnessed first hand the shooting of red footed falcons, lesser kestrel and saw many badly injured marsh harriers. Whilst there others also witnessed the shooting of osprey, night herons and bee eaters amongst others.

As as birders destination it is fantastic, I saw many great species but I would not return again unless it was to assist Birdlife Malta and the work they do
Click to expand...

I quite understand that position. I've been in contact with Birdlife since I started this thread.

Can I ask what form your assistance took?

Thank you.

TM
 
Gladiator96 said:
Just to clear things up, the spring hunting referendum and the moratorium on turtle dove hunting were 2 completely different things (and both were failures).

As regards illegal hunting, the situation has improved dramatically from a long term perspective. Though I think we have regressed since last year.

Regarding birding, the usual September/October schedule is seawatching in the morning if the wind is decent (usually from the NE coast) and raptor watching in the afternoon. Another morning option is checking out the wetland nature reserves (although you would have to contact Birdlife Malta to arrange a visit since these are closed in summer). Seawatching is usually quite boring but every once in a while you might be rewarded with flocks of herons or flamingos as well as interesting waders, terns, gulls (Audouins) etc.

Raptor watching is always exciting. Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Hobby, Common Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Bee-eater etc. are more or less guaranteed. Night Heron, Osprey, Black Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Eleonora's Falcon, Sparrowhawk (late September) are all regular.

Annual rarities include Black and White Storks, Red Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Common and Steppe Buzzards, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, and Booted Eagle. The possibilities for vagrants are endless...last year we had a Levant Sparrowhawk.

If you like history, Malta is as good is as good if not better than anywhere else. Loads of historical sites from prehistoric temples to WW2 related-sites.

Contacting Birdlife Malta would be a good idea. Otherwise feel free to send me a message should you have any queries.
Click to expand...

Thank Gladiator96,

Sounds amazing ! I'm keen to come to Malta for a whole host of reasons. Just waiting for a few things to drop into place here - not least of which is securing a good pair of bins and we should be booking thereafter.

One could take any one of a number of slants on it and there's just so much. As you say, nature, history, architecture, food etc. or indeed just a conventional sunny poolside holiday. A colleague of mine went earlier this summer and loved it.

That's a very kind offer - thank you.

I might even visit Birdlife if I can!

Any major scams or social faux pa's I should know about would be greatly appreciated.

All the best

TM
 
Ernest Garcia said:
Why not try Gibraltar instead. Plenty of history and many more raptors than you can see in Malta, none of which get shot.
Click to expand...

I'm sure I'll get there too at some point. Perhaps wander over the border on foot on a day trip from Andalucia. Always wanted to go when I was a cigar smoker. Understand boxes of Davidoff and Cohiba coranas etc. are very competitively priced.

Gibraltar and Malta perhaps share a losely similar historic and strategic significance.

One of the Pillars of Hercules no less !

all the best

TM
 
John Cantelo said:
.... or Tarifa!
Click to expand...

Agree ;)

All three destinations have the advantage of not being a huge flight away. I've been to a fair few places around the globe but through sheer attrition have developed an almost unassailable dread of the whole drama of flight.

Love the flying (apart from turbulence but whilst stomach churning it's rarely protracted) but hate being bottled up with irritating behaviours of the vocal few that ruin it for the rest and turn what amounts to no more than a simple flying bus ride into the shore leave scene at the beggining of Das Boot (minus pickled eggs).

Too old and fusty to put up with all that if you catch my drift?

all the best

TM
 
Themoog said:
Any major scams or social faux pa's I should know about would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Hmm nothing major springs to mind. You can contact the Malta Tourism Authority for advice.

Obviously if you're gonna be birding or just walking in the countryside be cautious as violence from hunters is a problem. So far I've managed to avoid violent confrontations simply by being friendly.
 
I've deleted Malta from my World map whilst this outrage continues and they'll never get any of my money.

I couldn't ever risk going there, my temperament would probably see me in jail within hours of arrival



A
 
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