Updates from our Cuckoos

We haven't heard from Bowie's tag for a couple of weeks, however, the information we received at the time showed that the battery charge was low. Since arriving in Angola he has been in dense forest, so it is not surprising that his battery charge is low. Fingers crossed we will get some more information when his tag gets some sun.

Having not moved very far since arriving in the Congo rainforest around a month ago, over the weekend Sherwood flew 150km (95 miles) south and west. He is now in the Conkouati Reserve.

Victor seems settled in the rainforest in central eastern Gabon. He has moved 19km (12 miles) south within the forest and is now quite close to Robinson, one of our other tagged Cuckoos. It might be that this is his winter site, although in the 2016 he wintered in Angola and in 2017, Gabon. He is currently midway between these two areas.

Thomas is still settled in the rainforest in southwest Congo. He has moved around a little and is currently 40km (25 miles) south of his arrival point in the forest.

It is with a heavy heart that we have to report that we think Sylvester has died. Looking more closely at the data it seems that the location we received from his tag in the Central African Republic was erroneous - this happens occasionally. In actuallity, we last heard from Sylvester on 28 August in Nigeria, close to the River Niger. We have no clues as to what might have happened to him.

Since arriving in Congo Sherwood hasn't moved very far, although during the last few days he moved north and east by around 30km (20 miles). He is just on the northern edge of the Crystal Mountains and to the east of Kibangou.

Selborne has been in his current location for around a month and doesn't seem to be moving far. He is moving around an area no more than a kilometer square. 

Locations received from Robinson's tag during the last few days show that he is still settled in the area of dense rainforest that he has been in for over a month. This may well prove to be his winter location. Robinson is one of four tagged Cuckoos currently in Gabon and, he is only 9km (6 miles) from Victor. Both are forest Cuckoos here in the UK, Victor was tagged in Thetford Forest and Robinson in Sherwood Forest.

During the last few days we have received a series of locations from Raymond's tag that show he has crossed the border from Gabon and is in Congo, on the Teke Plateau. During the project we have seen a few of our Cuckoos spend the mid-winter on the plateau, however, this year Raymond is currently the only one. The weather on the plateau is a pleasant 28 degrees with light showers. It will be interesting to see if Raymond remains here or joins our other Cuckoos in Angola.