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.
George II is another of our tagged birds who took an unexpected route. Having made steady progress into Spain, he then turned north back into France, before returning to Spain and setting of across the Mediterranean just north of Barcelona, in late September.
He then spent much of October in southern Mali before moving once again, and is now alongside the Niger River in southern Niger, close to the borders of Benin and Burkina Faso.
George II has spent weeks in the wooded mountains of the province of Guadalajara, in Castile-La Mancha in central Spain.
As we anticipated his next move south, he defied expectations by heading 800km (497 miles) back into France! He travelled north along the Atlantic coast, before heading inland at Arcachon Bay, just west of Bordeaux, and is now close to the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers. What will he do next?
George II has now left France and is making steady progress through central Spain.
He has spent the last few days in the Soria region, and was in very close proximity to Cuckoo Hafren for a couple of days!
George II has forged his way southward, and since leaving the Caen area a couple of days ago he has covered around 620 km (385 miles).
He is now in a lush agricultural area in the region of Occitanie, to the north of the Pyrenees.
When we last checked in with George II four days ago, he was on the Essex coast.
Since then, he crossed the Thames estuary into Kent and continued south into East Sussex, from where he flew out across the Channel from Hastings. Taking a rather lengthy route of around 180 km (112 miles) over open water, he has now arrived in Normandy, just south of Caen.
Since leaving north-west Scotland a week ago, George II has taken a rather leisurely route down to the Essex coast, where he is currently feeding up before (hopefully) making his Channel crossing.
His 880 km (550 miles) north-to-south journey has taken him from Dundonell, down to Stirling, through the Lake District, skirted Leeds, through the East Midlands and down past Ipswich, before coming to a stop near Southend-On-Sea.
Following Henry’s lead, our other tagged Scottish Cuckoo George 2 has now set off in earnest. Taking a slightly different route, George is making his way down through the centre of the country.
Initially heading south-eastwards toward Inverness, he then took a turn south and is now on the western shores of Loch Ericht in the Grampians. He has covered a distance of around 135 km (83 miles) in the last couple of days.
Share this page