Each year, millions of birds make their Spring migration passage across the Mediterranean Sea.  We see and hear these birds at the end of their journeys as they arrive to breed during the British Summer. However, there is a major obstacle in their way; they don’t just have to contend with the long journey, with poor weather, with the sea crossing, with navigation, with finding food, they also have to contend with the hunters of Malta.

Each year, migrating birds are shot out of the sky for no other reason than the pitiful enjoyment of a few gunmen on a small Mediterranean island.  This activity is having a major effect on the populations of many birds, both rare and plentiful, and in many cases the activity is illegal – shooting birds protected by European law.

Chris Packham has gone out to Malta this Spring to highlight the fate of so many migrating birds.  He has made a series of short films about the issue and they can be seen on Youtube.

You can also support the work Chris is doing by donating to the Indiegogo Stop Spring Hunting on Malta campaign via this link.

Chris has now returned to the UK after being questioned by the Police in connection with complaints by hunters about defamation.

As you can see from my other blog posts, I spend some of my time protecting an osprey nest from egg collectors.  If some of these Maltese hunters get their way, I won’t need to do it next year as they will have shot the ospreys on their way past.