The last dash for ringing in Rhodes

Last year of the LIFE Bonelli eastMed Project in the field this year! We had extremely limited time on our hands, but the largest island of the Dodecanese deserved one last try.

This year, two visits were carried out to the island of Rhodes. The first visit was in April and involved monitoring of Bonelli’s eagle territories where we found that two of the island's territories were reproductively successful with four chicks. Consequently, a second visit followed two weeks later where, with the assistance of climbers from the island of Rhodes, rings and GPS satellite transmitters were placed on these four chicks. The Bonelli’s eagle juveniles have now spread their wings and are already taking walks!

The undivided help and assistance of the people on the island made our project enjoyable, less tedious and easier in all its aspects. Christina Diakidi, a Keeper of the 1st Hunting Federation of Crete & Dodecanese and handler of "Chika", a partner of LIFE Bonelli eastMed opened her home to us and was our guide and companion throughout. Likewise, our tireless rope partners: young, fresh and eager without their assistance we would not have been able to complete the ringing of the chicks.