During the week preceding 16 December Martin moved south from his previous position in southern Central African Republic and settled on the Teke Plateau in Congo, about 90 and 120km from Lyster and Martin respectively. Like them, he is using forest patches with lots of edges in this forest-savannah mosaic.
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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Martin on the Teke Plateau
23 Dec 2011
Clement at mid-winter
23 Dec 2011
Clement is one of three Cuckoos on the Teke Plateau in Congo, and has been there since 23 November. The plateau is covered in grassland interspersed with humid closed-canopy forest. Climatically, it is within the humid closed-canopy tropical forest zone but the sandy soils combined with frequent fires mean this habitat restricted mostly to the river courses. This seems to provide ideal conditions for Cuckoos – the satellite photos show how Clement is using forest patches with lots of edges in the northern part of the plateau.
Chris leaves Congo
19 Dec 2011
Our five cuckoos didn't remain in the same country for long but they still remain close. On the 16th December Chris transmitted from Congo but the next transmission, received on the 19th, showed he had moved around 40km across the border and in to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Clement with Lyster and Martin
16 Dec 2011
At 12.44 on 15 December, Clement was still around 80km (50 miles) north-east of Lyster and around 100km (60 miles) north-west of Martin's new position in Congo. Will these birds get any closer? Watch this space.
Kasper still furthest south
16 Dec 2011
The last transmission from Kasper, at 05.49 on the 15 December, reports that he is still in his previous position, and is still the most southerly of our cuckoos.
No movement from Lyster
16 Dec 2011
As of 15.00 on 14 December, Lyster was still in Congo, on the edge of cleared rainforest.
Martin heads south
16 Dec 2011
A message from Martin at 03.13 on 16 December shows that he is now 635km (395miles) south of his previous position. He is now around 80km (50miles) south-east of Lyster, and the fifth of our cuckoos to arrive in Congo.
Still in riverine forest
16 Dec 2011
A transmission from Chris, received at 06.13 on 14 December, shows that he is still in his former position on the west bank of the Congo River.
Congo River Chris
08 Dec 2011
Chris is still close to the mighty Congo River in the heart of the rainforest, and a transmission from him on Wednesday 7 December at 07.09 shows his position is unchanged.
Still furthest south
08 Dec 2011
Kasper is still the most southerly of our cuckoos and a weak transmission from him on Thursday 8 December at 01.13 shows him still on the southern edge of the rainforest where it meets the southern savannah.
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