Updates from our Cuckoos

With the summer nearing its end for our Cuckoos, in the past five years several of our tagged Cuckoos have left the UK during early June, it is good to see that David is still moving around the area close to Tregaron and his tagging site. Around mid-morning on 14 June he was 3.25km (2 miles) northwest of Garthynty.

When we last heard from Coo on 3 May, everything seemed OK with him. He had arrived back on his breeding grounds and was moving around quite widely. The information from his tag was also indicating that everything was fine but then everything stopped and we have received nothing since. Of course we don't really know what happened but with the failure being so catastrophic and sudden we have to consider that Coo has been predated.

Two locations received from Disco Tony's tag at dusk on the 8 May showed that he was back in Wales and was in an area of woodland just to the south of Devil's Bridge.

Since our last update we've received a new transmission from Disco Tony's tag placing him in Northern Spain. He has travelled 350 miles north and his now between Santander and Gijon in the north of Spain. 

Larry only stayed in Norfolk for a very brief visit before setting off again and by the early hours of the 4th May, Larry was back in the Forest of Bowland. He left there on the 26th June last year so we expect him to stay in this area for the next six to eight weeks. 

Our concern for Vigilamus seems to have been proved right. We haven't heard from his tag since he arrived back on the North York Moors in Arctic conditions. At the time the outside temperature reached minus 5, not good for a bird that spends most of the time in the tropics. It is a sad end for a bird that has given us so much information. We'd like to thank all of his sponsors and the staff at RAF Fylingdales who helped with his tagging.

Peckham seems to have settled in Cumbria, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. He is currently 8km (5 miles) east of Kendal.

Larry arrived back in England during the evening of 2 May, when a signal received from his tag placed him in the dunes at Burnham Overy Staithe. Only time will tell how long he stays here as he will be keen to get back to the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, and begin the task of finding and chasing female Cuckoos.

David is back at Tregaron! A series if signals received during the early morning of 3 May show that David is back at his tagging site, completing four whole migration cycles since he was fitted with his tag and equalling the amazing feat of Chris the Cuckoo, whilst providing a huge amount of information on Welsh Cuckoos.The signals were received too early for the map to update but this will happen on 4 May.

A host of signals received from Coo's tag aroung breakfast time on 1 May showed that he was back at RAF Fylingdales, completing a round journey of almost 15,000km (9,500 miles). Since his arrival he has been flying all over the RAF Fylingdales area, presumably in search of female Cuckoos.