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Updates from our Cuckoos

Read the latest updates from our Cuckoos on their epic migration between the UK and tropical Africa, or track their movements in real-time on our Cuckoo migration map.

  • If you enjoy these updates, please consider sponsoring a Cuckoo. Sponsors receive special updates about their chosen Cuckoo in the Cuckoo e-newsletter. 

End of the road for Robinson

03 Jul 2019

We are sad to report that Robinson's journey has come to an abrupt end. We’ve recently been informed by a member of the public that his body has been found in a garden on some farmland in Kent. It would appear that he had started his migration south, but unfortunately struck a window. He was extremely unlucky to have found and collided with this window as it was in Denge Marsh, an open area where there are very few buildings. The area is very close to Dungeness - a well-known migration site.

Robinson was one of nine birds tagged in Sherwood Forest since the start of the project. We’ve been able to follow his journey since he was tagged in May 2018. Last year he was on his way, transmitting from France on 22 June. From here we saw him travel to Lake Geneva in Switzerland and on to northern Italy, before crossing the Sahara towards the end of July. He spent the winter months, from November through to March, in Gabon, before heading to Ivory Coast in early March and embarking on the return Sahara crossing around 11 April. He arrived back in the UK around 26 April 2019.

While this is upsetting news, it does provide us with more evidence about the variety of problems Cuckoos face. We are grateful to everyone who sponsored Robinson.

Robinson in Sherwood Forest

19 Jun 2019
Robinson hasn't moved far from Sherwood Forest since he arrived back this spring. He is currently in forest just to the north of Edwinstowe. In 2018 he left Sherwood Forest and the UK on 20 June - he could be on his way any day now.

Robinson in Sherwood Forest

04 Jun 2019
Robinson is very settled in Sherwood Forest, largely using the area between Edwinstowe and Budby, right in the heart of the forest. Last year he left the forest for Africa on 20 June, it will be interesting to see what date he leaves this year.

Robinson returns!

26 Apr 2019
When we last heard from Robinson, he was in southern France, near the town of Labatie d'Andaure. At 21:07 last night we received an update from his tag that showed he had covered the remaining 1,000 Km (622 miles) of his return journey and he is now in the area he was tagged, near Budby in Nottinghamshire.

Robinson is on his way back

23 Apr 2019
Over the Easter weekend Robinson crossed the Mediterranean, seemingly just to the west of Sardinia, involving a 780km (485 miles) sea crossing. He is currently in Ardeche north of the town of Labatie d'Andaure. As the Cuckoo flies he is around 1,000km (619 miles) from his Sherwood Forest breeding site.

Robinson has done it

15 Apr 2019
Robinson has successfully crossed the desert and is currently in northern Tunisia. He is on the southern edge of a wooded valley close to the town of Kasra and around 140km (90 miles) from the Mediterranean coast.

Robinson is on his way back

11 Apr 2019
When we last heard from Robinson's tag on the evening of 10 April he was just over half-way across the desert and in, or over,  the Ahaggar Mountains in southern Algeria. We will have to wait until we next hear from his tag to see if he has successfully crossed the desert. All being well we should hear from him during the evening of 12 April. He is 2,256km (1,402 miles) north and east of his last location in Ivory Coast and has another 1,035km (643 miles) to go to reach the northern edge of the desert.

Robinson still in Ivory Coast

04 Apr 2019
Since arriving in Ivory Coast, Robinson has toured the estern central part of the country within a 80km (50 miles) radius. He is currently in forest to the southwest of the village of Kouadioukro.

Robinson has moved south

18 Mar 2019
After arriving in Ivory Coast, Robinson didn't hang around, he almost immediately moved 138km (85 miles) south and west. He is now in forest to the south of the town of Konanlekro in fairly open forest.

Robinson is in West Africa

05 Mar 2019

After the poor location from Robinson’s tag on 2 March he checked in again on 4 March and surprised us all – he wasn’t in Nigeria, he was much further west and in Ivory Coast. He is now just under 2,000km (1,250 miles) from his wintering location in Gabon and is in fairly open forest to the north of the town of Kouassidatekrou.

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