As the Bird Protection Camp in Malta drew to a close last week, the team from the German organisation Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) received a visit from the German Ambassador. Staff and volunteers who had been on the island for 14 days taking part in Operation Safe Passage were heartened to meet Mr Braun and his wife at the Laferla Cross, a vantage point overlooking Buskett Gardens which is an important night roost for migrating birds of prey. This area in the limits of Siggiewi is also known as Girgenti.
The Ambassador was accompanied by staff members from the Embassy in Valletta.
The Ambassador, who is well known among Maltese people as an environmentalist, discussed bird conservation in Malta with members of the CABS teams from various European countries including Germany, Britain and Italy. Ambassador Braun also took the opportunity to thank the ALE police wildlife protection team for their unit’s constant support for the conservationists over the past two weeks. The Ambassador and Mrs Braun said that they would be paying more visits to the Maltese countryside in future.
In comparison with the large fly-ins over previous days there were few birds to be seen. Nonetheless a flock of Bee-eaters foraging overhead and an aerobatic display by Barn Swallows provided entertainment for all present. Shortly after the party’s departure a Lesser Spotted Eagle graced the skies high over Buskett, a reward at the end of a hard day’s work for the CABS members present.