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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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Patch leaves Lake Chad

03 Oct 2013

By the afternoon of 26 September, Patch had left Lake Chad in a south-easterly direction, travelling around 255km (160 miles) and venturing into the Chari- Baguirmi region of Chad. By the 27 September however he had travelled 70km (45 miles) northwards and was close to the Hadjer-Lamis region. Chance currently remains at the lake. 

Is Waller in his wintering area?

30 Sep 2013

Having covered 1,207km (750 miles) from his stopover in Chad, Waller is currently the most southerly of our tagged Cuckoos. He is now in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 117km (73 miles) south-east of Chris. It will be interesting to see what he does next. Will he stay in this area like Chris has done for the last two winters, or in common with the other Cuckoos tagged in England and Scotland, will he head to the Teke Plateau, 300km (187 miles) to the south-west or perhaps head further east, like the two cuckoos tagged in Wales did last year? 

David in the Congo Rainforest

30 Sep 2013

David is now 749km (465 miles) south west of his last position in South Sudan. Having moved east of the Chaine Des Mongos mountains as he did last year, David has now over-flown the Central African Republic and he is now 100km south of its border in the Orientale region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is on a very similar path to last year and we would expect him to continue another 800km (500 miles) south-west to spend the mid-winter period in the same general area that he did then. 

Chris makes it to his mid-winter stopover site

30 Sep 2013

Chris is now within the area that he has spent most of the last two mid-winter periods in, just inside Congo, on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. He arrived here on 26 September, a day later than he arrived at this location last year.

Ken moves closer to Sussex (the Cuckoo)

25 Sep 2013

Ken had moved a further 200km (125 miles) across the Ouham region by the evening of the 24 September.  His new location is only 50km (30 miles) from Sussex's location. 

Chris heading for CAR?

24 Sep 2013
Having moved south-east from his position on 25 July, by the 16 September Chris was in the Guera region of Chad, approximately 160km (100 miles) north of Mande National Park.
 
From here he travelled 100km (60 miles) south, in the direction of Sarh, remaining in the location from the 18 September until at least the early evening of 23 September.  A single poor quality transmission received today show that he has continued south a further 145km (90 miles) and has around 50km to cover before crossing the border with the Central African Republic (CAR).  He is currently heading directly towards the Ouham Region of CAR, where both Sussex and Ken are currently located. 
 

Skinner heads west

23 Sep 2013

From the Zamfara Region of Nigeria, Skinner has backtracked, heading both west and slightly north - not what we would normally expect our Cuckoos to be doing at this time! This movement of about 235km (148 miles) takes him has taken him back to Niger, where he is now in the south-east corner of the country. In the last few days, Whortle has recently arrived in the area in the Zamfara region which he left behind. We aren't sure what has prompted this movement, but if it is poor feeding conditions, we can expect Whortle might alss move on from that location shortly. As for Skinner, we will have to wait for further transmissions to see when he may resume his journey in a south or easterly direction. 

Whortle in Nigeria

23 Sep 2013

Since the 13 September, Whortle has also been slowly travelling eastwards, across the Tahoua region of Niger. He covered around 370km (230 miles) eastwards in three days before then heading directly south, travelling a further 220km (136 miles). This latest movement has taken him inside the border of Nigeria, and into the Zamfara region. Transmissions received on 21 September, along with further signals today, show him stil in the area. Interestingly, this has been recently departed by Skinner the Cuckoo, who has surprisingly travelled north and west (the opposite direction to most of our Cuckoos!) into the Sokoto region.  Will Whortle stay here for long or is Skinner's departure an indication that conditions are not suitable?  

Livingstone heads south

23 Sep 2013

By the 15 September, Livingstone had moved south to the Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Region of Chad. Heading in a south but slightly westerly direction, by the morning of the 17 September, Livingstone had crossed into the north-east corner of Cameroon.  A further 280km (175 miles) south and he was in Mambere-Kadai region of Central African Republic, just east of the country's border with Cameroon, by 19 September. This is around 130km (80 miles) north-west of Berberati Airport. This latest movement makes him the furthest south of any of the tagged Cuckoos, although, perhaps not for long! 

Ken in Central African Repulic

23 Sep 2013

From his position in the west Nigeria, Ken has continued to move slowly eastwards. By the morning of the 15 September, Ken had travelled 730km (450 miles) and was just north of Gombe.  A couple of days later, he had covered a further 760km ( 470 miles) and, having headed off from Gombe in a more southerly direction, by the afternoon of 22 September was in the Ouham region in the north-west of the Central African Republic.  Sussex the Cuckoo is also in this region and only about 210km (130 miles) separates them.

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