Since last summer Birding The Strait has been working on a project for the Nature Agency, at the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark. The project consists on providing video material of the migration of birds in the Strait. Some of these images now take part of the exhibition at a new visitor center in Skagen: the Skagen Bird Observatory.
This new visitor center is located at Skagen Grey Lighthouse, which is Denmark’s second-tallest at 46 meters and was built in 1858. Inside, the exhibition offers visitors a virtual journey offering a high quality digital contents and the latest bird migration news, following the birds on their migratory routes through Europe.
Opening of Skagen Bird Observatory
The center was inaugurated last May and we were invited to the opening. Yeray had the opportunity to experience the exhibition in person. The exhibition begins with a spectacular combination of screens creating an immersive experience. The images show how the birds cross from Africa to Denmark, flying through Andalusia and all of Western Europe. The expectations for the new bird center are great, with estimations of about 50.000 visitors per year from all over the world.
The opening took place at the same time of the Skagen Bird Festival, which counted with the presence of some of the most prominent European ornithologists. This included the notable Lars Svensson and Dick Forsman, who gave two excellent lectures about their work. The festival was very well attended, as Skagen is one the best migration hotspot in the country. In addition, May is the best time to enjoy Skagen, which certainly helped to increase the interest in the opening.
Collaboration with the Skagen Bird Observatory: videos showing raptor migration
In the video below you can see a selection of the images from the Strait of Gibraltar. It is just an example of what we have been providing to the Skagen project. Indeed, this is an ongoing project and we are working to further capture the essence of bird migration in the region.
Finally, we want to thank the Nature Agency, and particularly Mr Jacob Funder, who is primarily responsible for our involvement in this great project. This is a great opportunity to show the world the natural wonders of Tarifa, Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar!