Updates from our Cuckoos

Sayaan has finally made a move, leaving his wintering grounds in the dense rainforests of the Congo basin. In just a few days, he rapidly flew over 2,000 km (1,240 miles) to the south-west Nigerian coast. 

After a brief stop on the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, he has now moved a further 470 km (292 miles) into central Ghana.  

After several weeks deep in the swampy forests near the Maringa River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sayaan appears to have become a little restless. In the last month he has covered some distance, first flying 420 km (260 miles) north-west to the border of the Republic of the Congo, before heading a further 230 km (143 miles) south-west to the expansive Likouala Aux Herbes River. Is he gearing up for a rapid move north?

Sayaan, along with Cuckoos Joe and KP, is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is exploring the lush forests by the Maringa River, just 146 km (90 miles) to the north-east of Cuckoo KP.

This is the same region where he spent his last winter, and he'll likely stay here until he gets the urge to move north again in late February.

Since crossing the Sahara almost two weeks ago, Sayaan has been taking it relatively easy and has spent the last few days in the same area in southern Chad, close to the Central African Republic border.

With conditions in this region being wetter and greener, he should find lots of food to help him recover from his epic desert crossing.

Since our last update, when Sayaan was in the Jalo oasis area of northern Libya, he has flown a further 1,766 km (1,097 miles) across the desert and is currently in east Chad.

He has reached the Sahel region, where he can hopefully rest and feed a little before continuing south. At 8.03 this morning (24 July) he was close to the western border of Sudan and just north of the city of Abéché, the fourth largest city in Chad.

After a lengthy rest in central Italy, Sayaan has clearly felt the urge to get a move on in recent days.

He has now crossed the Mediterranean and is currently in northeastern Libya, in the Al Wahat District in the Jalo oasis, and about to commence his epic Sahara crossing.

When, and where, will he arrive on the other side?

In the past week, Sayaan has moved further into Italy.

Having lingered around the Province of Parma, he then flew 310 km (192 miles), passing Florence and Assisi and is now in the Perugia region of Umbria.

Since our last update on 27 June, Sayaan has moved a little way in recent days.

Moving approximately 116 km (72 miles) to the east, he is now in the lush rolling hills of the Province of Parma in the Italian region, Emilia-Romagna.

Since leaving the Dijon area in western France a few days ago, Sayaan has flown some 463 km (287 miles), skirting Switzerland, and crossing into Italy just to the west of Turin.

He is now in the Piedmont region, just north of Genoa, from where his next move should see him heading south through Italy and on towards the Mediterranean.

Sayaan is making steady progress and has travelled around 167 km (103 miles) in recent days.

Currently in the Côte-d’Or area, he is exploring a commercially forested area just 16 km (10 miles) to the west of the city of Dijon, the capital city of the Burgundy region of eastern France.