As in previous years, celebrations for World Migratory Bird Day, organized by the Association ‹‹Les Amis des Oiseaux›› (AAO), the BirdLife Partner in Tunisia, are running over the period from April to May.
AAO and its national partners started with a National Bird Migration Camp at the Important Bird Area (IBA) TN004 Jebel El Haouaria (also known as Jebel Sidi Abiod) on the Cape Bon from 3 to 11 April 2010.
Activities included observation and monitoring of the spring migration, migratory bird ringing and awareness raising activities, etc. The Camp closed with an Awareness Raising Day on Sunday 11 April 2010 with the participation of local and national authorities, members of the National IBA Monitoring Committee, members of AAO and the Mini Club d’Ornithologie (MCO - AAO’s Youth Club) as well as journalists from the national press media.
This activity was carried out with support from Vogelbescherming Nederlands, the BirdLife Partner in the Netherlands, the EU funded BLI project for the monitoring of IBAs in Africa (EuropeAid/ENV/2007/132-278) and the Media Library in Ariana.
On 7 and 8 May 2010 AAO is organizing a drawing competition for children aged 6 to 14 years at the National Media Library in Ariana.
The activity will be introduced by a short interactive lecture on this year’s WMBD theme. This will be followed by discussions with the children and a drawing workshop under the guidance of a professional illustrator, the MCO leaders and staff of the National Media Library.
It is planned to end the second day of this activity with a reception for the participants in the WMBD drawing competition in 2009 and the handing out of certificates and gifts in order to recognize active participation and interest of these young conservationists.
On Sunday 9 May 2010 activities will continue with a field trip organized for AAO’s members to one of Tunisia’s Nature Reserves. A group of about 40 members will visit Jebel Touati Nature Reserve in the Governorate of Kairouan (Central Tunisia). The Nature Reserve is part of the Dorsal Mountain Range and borders the artificial lake of Sidi Saâd dam, which makes it interesting during spring migration as it is possible to see raptors which follow the mountain chain to reach North Tunisia and the Cape Bon as well as waterbirds on and around the lake. The group of visitors will be met by the local PA management staff and members of AAO’s local branch in Kairouan.