Searching for Scopoli’s Shearwaters at the easternmost tip of Crete

In June 2024, the marine fieldwork team of NHMC-UoC, started searching for active nests of the species Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) on the islands of Kavaloi (Kavalos, Anavatis, Kefali) and Dionysades (Paximada). Scopoli’s Shearwater is one of the sentinel seabird species being studied as part of the LIFE Mare Natura project.

The purpose of finding the active nests is to monitor the species’ reproduction cycle with the main goal of mounting satellite transmitters on both adult and juvenile birds. The detection of active nests was done by checking crevices and burrows using an endoscope (burrow scope). The active nests were recorded and marked for the next visit in July when the species will be in the post-hatching breeding period.

The team will revisit the marked nests to monitor the species’ breeding cycle and to mount satellite transmitters on adult birds.