Updates from our Cuckoos

New updates received from Victor II's tag this morning (15th March) show that over the last couple of days he has flown 1,545km (960 miles) north west to Ghana, via Nigeria. He is now in south eastern Ghana, on the eastern shores of Lake Volta. 

A new update received late yesterday afternoon shows that Calypso has flown 147km (91 miles) west within Cameroon and is now in the centre of the Mpem and Djim National Park. This park covers approximately 975km2 and is made up of a mosaic of closed-canopy forest, savannah grasslands, and gallery forests forming a transition zone between the rainforests to the south and the savanna to the north. Over 76 species of mammal have been recorded here including Honey Badger, Giant Pangolin and Aardvark. Calypso has arrived just at the start of the short rainy season which lasts until the end of June. 

New updates received early this morning (4 March) show that PJ has flown 366km (227 miles) south west from Ghana into Ivory Coast. He is now in central Ivory Coast, approximately 40km north of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and just north of the town of Tiebissou. PJ knows this part of Central Ivory coast well, having stopped off here on previous northward migrations. We expect him to remain here for a few weeks before embarking on the next leg of his journey.   

Worcestershire Cuckoo Calypso has just started his journey back from Africa. Having been deep in the Congo basin for the last few months, new updates received in the early hours of this morning show that he has flown 622km (387 miles) north from Congo to Cameroon. He is now in eastern Cameroon, approximately 112km (70 miles) north of the town of Bertoua. We expect that he will begin moving into west Africa next where he will feed up before attempting to cross the Sahara.   

We last heard from JAC on 20 January when he was deep in the Congo Basin. A new update received at 07:16 this morning suggest that he has moved 3,058km (1,900 miles) west to Ivory Coast. He is approximately 70km west of Lake Bandama in central Ivory Coast.  

New updates received from PJ's tag between 9am and 11am this morning (27 Feb) show that he has flown 2,134km (1,326 miles) north west from the Congo to Ghana. He is now in north west Ghana, close to the border with Ivory Coast. PJ usually stops off in Ivory Coast for a few weeks before embarking on the next leg of his journey by crossing the Sahara. Last year PJ arrived in Ghana on 27th Feb and moved on to Ivory Coast by 1st March where he stayed until beginning his crossing of the Sahara on 14th April. So we expect PJ to cross over into Ivory Coast and then to stay there until early April.  

It looks as if PJ has begun his migration north, leaving Gabon behind and flying 255km (159 miles) north into the Republic of Congo. He is now in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in northern Congo, first protected in 1935, making it one of Africa's oldest national parks. 440 bird species have been recorded in this park, along with around 100 mammal species including one of Africa's most diverse primate populations. The habitat here is old growth forest, jungle, dry forest, savanna and rainforest.  

New updates received yesterday evenings (13th Feb) show that Ellis has flown 358km (222 miles) north west from Ivory Coast into Guinea. He is now in south eastern Guinea, 9km south east of the town of Banankoro. 

After a brief stop in Ghana, it looks as if Ellis has pressed on into Ivory Coast. Since the last update he has flown 530 km (330 miles) west and is now close to Lake Sassandra in western Ivory Coast. 

Updates received from Ellis' tag early yesterday morning (Jan 31), show that he has flown 1,609 km (1,000 miles) west from Cameroon to Ghana. This means he is the first of our tagged Cuckoos to move into west Africa this year. He is now approximately 40 km north west of the town of Tarkwa in western Ghana.