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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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Kasper first to cross equator!

25 Oct 2011
Kasper has continued his rapid movement south and has become the first of the Cuckoos to cross the equator! By yesterday morning (23 October) he was in the savannas of southern Congo, about 50km north of the capital Brazzaville. He has moved rapidly across the Congo rainforest, apparently being reluctant to stop there for too long - the route he has taken is similar to that used by the Eurasian Hobbies tracked form southern Sweden and minimises the distance across the rainforest. The area he is currently in will probably be occupied by Spotted Flycatchers from Britain and neighbouring parts of Europe later in the winter, although now they will probably still be further north in the savannas of West Africa.
 
It will be interesting to see how much further south he will move over the next weeks and whether he will soon be followed by Chris and Martin….
 

Kasper remains in Gabon

21 Oct 2011

Kasper is still transmitting from the Congo rainforest in Gabon.

Chris still in the rainforest

21 Oct 2011

Chris is still close to the Ubangi River the Congo rainforest.

No change from Martin

21 Oct 2011

Martin is still on the edge of the rainforest in southern Central African Republic.

No change from Clement

21 Oct 2011

Clement is still transmitting from the Lame Burra Game Reserve.

Kasper back on track

19 Oct 2011

Having been in the Bayan Dutsin Forest reserve in northern Nigeria for more than two months and with his tag having increasing difficulty charging, we were beginning to have concerns for Kasper. Just as on several occasions with Cuckoos on stop-overs north of the Sahara, however, the problems with tag-charging preceded a sudden movement south. A new location received in the morning of Tuesday 18 October placed him in northern Gabon, about 1° north of the equator, east of Equatorial Guinea and about 50km west of the border with Congo. He has moved 1,360km SSE from his previous position in Nigeria.

Kasper’s current location places him in a remote area of unbroken, closed rainforest with numerous watercourses. He is now our third Cuckoo in the Congo rainforest, with Chris and Martin each about 575km to his east and north-east respectively. These are the three Cuckoos that entered Africa via the central Mediterranean flyway. It will be very interesting to see if Clement and Lyster – the two Cuckoos that took the western route into Africa – follow them….. 

Chris stays in the thick of it

14 Oct 2011

On the morning of 13 October Chris was still close to the Ubangi River, northwest of Mbandaka in the Congo rainforest. At that time, he had spent three nights at this location – we had wondered whether he would move straight through the rainforest on his way to the savannahs to the south so this is extremely interesting evidence of him actually staying in and using this rainforest habitat. 

No change, low on charge

14 Oct 2011

No change – Kasper remains in the same location and his tag is still not charging well. 

Lyster remains in Burkina Faso

21 Oct 2011

Lyster remains in the south-eastern corner of Burkina Faso, very close to the borders with Togo and Benin. He has been at this location since 9 October. 

Martin staying put

14 Oct 2011

On 13th October, Martin remained at the edge of the rainforest in southern Central African Republic.   

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