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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.

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Hafren swoops into central Senegal

29 Jul 2024

Five days ago we could see that Hafren was approaching the border of Western Sahara from Morocco.

Since then, he continued his journey south, covering a further 1,660 km (1,030 miles).

He then made his way along the coast of western Mauritania and our most recent signal, received at 6.24am today, shows that he has now headed inland, and is in central Senegal, having spent some time in the relatively lush environs of the Sylvo-Pastorale National Park.   

Wilfrid's way out West Africa

29 Jul 2024

Our last update from Wilfrid, around a week ago, saw him still lingering in Portugal.

However, soon after this he set off across the Atlantic, bypassing the Canary Islands and the Moroccan coast, and making landfall at Dakhla, in the Western Sahara region.  

From here, he continued through Senegal, and our latest signal shows that he is now following the River Gambia and is just 60km (37 miles) from the Guinea border. Since leaving Portugal Wilfrid has flown more than 2,900 km (1,800 miles).  

Joe follows familiar route

29 Jul 2024

This is the third ‘autumn’ that we have been able to follow Joe, after he was satellite tagged in Norfolk in May 2022, and he has taken much the same route this year as on earlier migrations.

Mirroring his previous movements, he is currently in south-east Chad, nearing the Bahr Aouk River, on the border of Central African Republic.  

Hafren makes for the Maghreb

24 Jul 2024

Hafren has now left Spain and is making his way south along the North African coast.

His route saw him setting off across the sea, leaving the Spanish mainland west of the famous Doñana National Park, before arriving on the Moroccan coast just to the north of the city of Agadir.

At 7.36 this morning, we received a signal showing that he was close to the Western Sahara border. In the last 48 hours Hafren has covered around 1,220 km (758 miles).

Henry’s Hamburg detour

24 Jul 2024

Henry, if the satellite information is accurate (and there’s no reason for us to assume that it isn’t), is behaving rather oddly… following his 12-day stay just to the south-west of Paris, he finally set off, but instead of heading south he took off to the north, towards Germany!

Two days ago he passed Cologne and continued to fly northwards. He then bypassed Bremen and cracked on towards Hamburg, before veering west, and at 7.56 this morning (24) we received a signal to say that he was just north of the North Sea port city of Bremerhaven!   

In summary, Henry appears to have flown approximately 960 km (596 miles) in the wrong direction. Hopefully, he will soon reorientate and head south after his surprising German tour.

Sayaan hits the Sahel

24 Jul 2024

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.

Joe checks-in in Chad

24 Jul 2024

Having crossed the Sahara a week ago, Joe has been taking it relatively easy.

He moved down through north-east Nigeria, passing through Cameroon and is currently in the Chari-Baguirmi region of southern Chad.

Nick II’s African adventure

22 Jul 2024

This is one feisty Cuckoo! The last of our tagged birds to leave the UK, Nick II has really ploughed on and is now the second of our birds to tackle the Sahara.

He is currently on the coast of Mauritania, having left Suffolk just 11 days ago! Since our last update, he has flown south through Spain, and cut across north-west Morocco before passing through Western Sahara, and arriving just to the north of Nouakchott, Mauritania’s sprawling and densely-populated capital.  

His next move should see him moving south through Senegal or Mali, before heading to his wintering grounds.

Sayaan’s southern surge

22 Jul 2024

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?

Cuthbert’s Iberian tour continues

22 Jul 2024

After leaving the Basque region a few days ago, Cuthbert flew 380 km (236 miles) south, to an area just west of Madrid, in the province of Ávila, Castile and León.

Curiously, he then headed north again, covering another 380 km (236 miles) before arriving near the coast in the province of Asturias! He then headed a further 230 km (142 miles) south-west, and is now on the Atlantic coast close to the Portuguese border.

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