Updates from our Cuckoos

As we expected, Hafren crossed the Mediterranean overnight on 5 April and headed straight inland, passing over Granada and on into central Spain. 

He is currently feeding up and resting on the shores of the Puente Nuevo Reservoir in the province of Córdoba. 

When we last checked in, just before the weekend, Hafren was close to Mijek in Western Sahara. Since then he has cut up through Morocco, passing close to the cities of Marrakesh and Fes, before arriving on the north Moroccan coast close to Temsaman commune in the Driouch Province, on Saturday.

His most recent signal shows that he has now set off across the Mediterranean. If he crosses without incident, he should make landfall somewhere between Malaga and Almeria.

Hot on Wilfrid’s heels, Hafren has now set off across the Sahara.

Leaving his temporary stopping-off point in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, he skirted along the eastern border of Guinea, cut across south-eastern Mali, and motored through Mauritania before arriving in Western Sahara, covering around 2,200 km (1,370 miles).   

From here, he should head up along the Moroccan coast, after which he will cross into Spain.

In the last couple of weeks, since arriving in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Hafren has moved slowly north up the Sassandra River, and is now close to Mont Sângbé National Park, a designated area which is home to a range of wildlife including Western Chimpanzee, African Bush Elephant, Royal Antelope and birds such as Baumann's Olive Greenbul and Emerald Starling.

Having moved from Gabon into the Republic of the Congo in mid-February, Hafren has now made significant headway. After spending a couple of weeks in an area close to the hunting reserve of Domaine de Chasse de Mboko, he set off in a westerly direction, covering some 2,500 km (1,500 miles).

His signal now places him in Côte d'Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast). He is just 114 km (70 miles) west of the country’s capital city, Yamoussoukro.

Hafren has made a significant move in recent days. Having spent much of his winter in eastern Gabon, he has now flown some 160 km (100 miles) north-east into Republic of the Congo. Is this the start of his northbound spring migration?

Hafren, took a rather leisurely western route through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and on through Burkina Faso and into central Nigeria.

In recent days he has suddenly headed a further 1,500 km (932 miles) south-east into central Gabon.

He is currently in the Ivindo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is home to a large number of endangered species including Forest Elephant, Western Lowland Gorilla, Chimpanzee and a multitude of birds such as Grey Parrot and Grey-necked Rockfowl.

Since crossing into Nigeria from Benin a week ago, Hafren made a move towards the lush shores of the Niger River.  

Currently just north-east of Kainji Lake, he is following a section of the Sokoto, a tributary of the Niger, heading eastwards into the country.

For much of the last month, Hafren has been in Burkina Faso, but in recent days he has made a significant move to the east.

Since leaving Burkina Faso just two days ago, he has passed through northern Ghana, then Togo, and as of this morning he is in the Borgou Department of northern Benin. Our satellite signal currently shows him to be close to a stretch of the Bouli River, a few miles west of the Trois Rivières forest reserve.

Hafren left Senegal and headed east across south-west Mali, into Burkina Faso.

He is now in an agricultural area between the Mouhoun, or Black Volta, River and the Kaboré Tambi National Park. This protected area was formerly known as Pô National Park and was renamed in honour of a park ranger who was tragically killed by poachers in 1991.