The third annual visit to the Strofades Islets was conducted by researchers from NHMC and NCC to monitor the reproductive success of the largest colony of Scopoli’s Shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The researchers visited the islands at the end of September and monitored the already-marked nests of Scopoli’s Shearwaters that had chicks from the previous visit (in July). This method allows for an estimation of the colony’s reproductive success just before the chicks fledge.
Additionally, the chicks were ringed, morphometric measurements were taken, and genetic material as well as biomarker data were collected. Finally, three transmitters were attached to chicks. The selection of suitable chicks for the placement of GPS transmitters was based on their weight, size, and developmental stage.
It is also worth noting that during this visit, two cameras that had been placed in two nests were retrieved, providing insights into the parents’ feeding strategy to their chicks.
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