After a 53 day, 8,900 mile migration from the Putu dune fields of south-central Chile, Island Girl has returned to her nest site on Baffin Island in Canada.
She is hanging out on a ridge adjacent to a large lake about 143 miles south of the Arctic Circle. This is the same location where she spent most of last summer and we are assuming that she will be nesting there this summer.
Although no doubt coincidental, she is at almost the exact same meridian or longitude in Canada as the Putu area in Chile. Her general range in Chile was based at approximately 72.18 degrees south longitude. On Baffin Island, she is currently at about 73.04 degrees north longitude or within one degree of each other.
So this officially ends the 2010 study for this year. It has been an unforgettable season, I can definitely tell you that.
Thank you all for your continued concern and interest. And a very special thank you to Kathy Gunther, Don McCall, Clayton White and Felipe Camiroaga and Paul Paredes in Chile and all of the FRG members and friends that have supported this work.
Let's hope that Island Girl has a successful breeding season before she returns south in October to the land of earthquakes.
For those of you that have asked about the future plans for the Southern Cross Peregrine Project, I would strongly recommend that you stay tuned to the FRG website for future developments. We will be heading in a new and unprecedented direction with the project next year. You definitely won't want to miss it......
04 June, 2010
Photo of Island Girl's Roost Site in Montana
I received a remarkable e-mail from our friend and colleague, Rob Domenech of the Raptor View Research Institute, today. He has forwarded on a message from Charles Sullivan , USFWS, in Montana.
Charles was able to drive out to the roost site used by Island Girl on 19 May near Plevna, Montana, and take some pictures (see above). This is one of the first roost site photos ever taken on this four year long study.
She roosted on a wooden power pole located quite close to the road. As he mentions, this was one of the older three-phase cross arm pole types that have proven so dangerous to raptors due to electrocution.
Looks like Island Girl had a close call there.
Many thanks to both Charles and Rob for allowing all of us to learn more about her roosting behavior.
03 June, 2010
Island Girl Reaches Baffin Island
On Tuesday, Island Girl really demonstrated her determination to get back home as she made up for lost time due to weather last week. She had a spectacular day!
She changed her heading hard to the east and flew 678 km (421 miles) in a day, the second longest distance on her 2010 northbound migration.
She flew across all of Southampton Island, crossed Foxe Channel (the northern outlet of Hudson Bay) and roosted on the southwestern corner of Baffin Island.
Don McCall writes that she was just 100 km west of last year's presumed breeding site and "....she certainly had no trouble finding Baffin Island even though she approached from an entirely different direction-obviously wasn't using just landmarks. Really amazing...".
So she is determined to get home in time to breed.
She roosted on Tuesday night near the seacoast at about 264' elevation.
Don adds this important information.
"To see exactly where she spent most of last summer, select 'Northern Home Range Maps' for 2009 on the website; the Northern Migration maps terminate at her northernmost point on Baffin Island, but she then returned to a particular location on southern Baffin Island (where she probably had a nest site) for several months, and those points are shown on the 'home range' maps rather than the 'migration' maps."
She definitely wandered about Baffin last year before settling in.
She may have been a "floater" that finally found a mate and a vacant site for the first time in 2009. So it will be most interesting to see if she returns to the exact same location today and stays there for the rest of the season. Without the wandering.....
She changed her heading hard to the east and flew 678 km (421 miles) in a day, the second longest distance on her 2010 northbound migration.
She flew across all of Southampton Island, crossed Foxe Channel (the northern outlet of Hudson Bay) and roosted on the southwestern corner of Baffin Island.
Don McCall writes that she was just 100 km west of last year's presumed breeding site and "....she certainly had no trouble finding Baffin Island even though she approached from an entirely different direction-obviously wasn't using just landmarks. Really amazing...".
So she is determined to get home in time to breed.
She roosted on Tuesday night near the seacoast at about 264' elevation.
Don adds this important information.
"To see exactly where she spent most of last summer, select 'Northern Home Range Maps' for 2009 on the website; the Northern Migration maps terminate at her northernmost point on Baffin Island, but she then returned to a particular location on southern Baffin Island (where she probably had a nest site) for several months, and those points are shown on the 'home range' maps rather than the 'migration' maps."
She definitely wandered about Baffin last year before settling in.
She may have been a "floater" that finally found a mate and a vacant site for the first time in 2009. So it will be most interesting to see if she returns to the exact same location today and stays there for the rest of the season. Without the wandering.....
01 June, 2010
Island Girl Turns On The Speed Once Again
After the last series of weather-related delays, Island Girl seriously resumed her migration yesterday. She flew 596 km (370 miles) over the tundra on her way home towards Baffin Island.
She travelled well inland from the western edge of Hudson Bay and, surprisingly, never ventured out onto the ice in a direct line to the NE as we have seen before with some of our other tagged peregrines.
She wound up roosting at 64 degrees N latitude and approximately 34 km (21 miles) inland from the far northwestern shoreline of the bay.
Actually, it could be said that Island Girl has now moved past the northern boundary of Hudson Bay and is heading east towards Southampton island.
She is travelling through a most interesting area featuring long "swirling landforms" caused by the local geology. It is well worth viewing on Google Earth. Unique sub-region.
This season illustrates a little-known facet of peregrine migration behavior. Thanks to the use of satellite transmitters (thank you again Microwave Telemetry and FRG members), we can clearly see that they definitely do use different northbound routes once they reach the tundra. Her path this year is widely divergent from her path last year.
One possible factor for this variation could be the weather conditions that a bird encounters once they reach arctic latitudes including the amount of ice and snow still on the ground when they arrive.
She travelled well inland from the western edge of Hudson Bay and, surprisingly, never ventured out onto the ice in a direct line to the NE as we have seen before with some of our other tagged peregrines.
She wound up roosting at 64 degrees N latitude and approximately 34 km (21 miles) inland from the far northwestern shoreline of the bay.
Actually, it could be said that Island Girl has now moved past the northern boundary of Hudson Bay and is heading east towards Southampton island.
She is travelling through a most interesting area featuring long "swirling landforms" caused by the local geology. It is well worth viewing on Google Earth. Unique sub-region.
This season illustrates a little-known facet of peregrine migration behavior. Thanks to the use of satellite transmitters (thank you again Microwave Telemetry and FRG members), we can clearly see that they definitely do use different northbound routes once they reach the tundra. Her path this year is widely divergent from her path last year.
One possible factor for this variation could be the weather conditions that a bird encounters once they reach arctic latitudes including the amount of ice and snow still on the ground when they arrive.
30 May, 2010
Another Slow Day
Google Earth weather shows another band of clouds moving across Manitoba and Island Girl put the brakes on for another day yesterday.
She moved minimally, covering only 29 km (18 miles) towards Hudson Bay.
Weather impacted migration.... cool.
She moved minimally, covering only 29 km (18 miles) towards Hudson Bay.
Weather impacted migration.... cool.
29 May, 2010
NE Into the Tundra
Island Girl resumed her migration yesterday, flying 154 km (96 miles) to the northeast towards Hudson Bay. GE weather shows clearing in the area.
Her transmitter voltage has returned to normal and we are again receiving solid signals.
Last night, she roosted in an area of extensive lakes and ponds typical of this region in northern Manitoba. Looks like she slept on a ridge overlooking the wilderness of water that surrounds her and it appears to be a good vantage point for hunting. She was about 45 km (28 miles) south of the Nunavut border at this point.
Her bearing has finally turned to the NE and she is currently heading for Hudson Bay. I would speculate that she is likely to fly directly across the frozen bay en route home to Baffin Island but let's see what she decides to do.
Her transmitter voltage has returned to normal and we are again receiving solid signals.
Last night, she roosted in an area of extensive lakes and ponds typical of this region in northern Manitoba. Looks like she slept on a ridge overlooking the wilderness of water that surrounds her and it appears to be a good vantage point for hunting. She was about 45 km (28 miles) south of the Nunavut border at this point.
Her bearing has finally turned to the NE and she is currently heading for Hudson Bay. I would speculate that she is likely to fly directly across the frozen bay en route home to Baffin Island but let's see what she decides to do.
28 May, 2010
Five Days On Hold in the Arctic.....
Island Girl has spent the last five days in the same general area of Manitoba, apparently waiting out the storm.
She hasn't moved far but she is moving and that is a good sign that she is OK.
Don reports that her battery voltage is diminishing, indicating that it is not being charged like normal.
We know that this situation is often caused by an absence of sunlight hitting her solar cell, so it is likely that she is in a heavily clouded area.
Incidentally, this type of "migratory delay" in the arctic was unknown in peregrines until the advent of satellite transmitters, so we are all learning about this together at this time.
I sort of envision it as her waiting for the door to open.....
She hasn't moved far but she is moving and that is a good sign that she is OK.
Don reports that her battery voltage is diminishing, indicating that it is not being charged like normal.
We know that this situation is often caused by an absence of sunlight hitting her solar cell, so it is likely that she is in a heavily clouded area.
Incidentally, this type of "migratory delay" in the arctic was unknown in peregrines until the advent of satellite transmitters, so we are all learning about this together at this time.
I sort of envision it as her waiting for the door to open.....
26 May, 2010
Island Girl Stays Put
No apparent migratory movement from Island Girl yesterday.
Hopefully this means she has found a nice perch that she likes while waiting for things to warm up and melt off.
Tomorrow should tell us more....
Hopefully this means she has found a nice perch that she likes while waiting for things to warm up and melt off.
Tomorrow should tell us more....
25 May, 2010
Severe Weather Slows the Migration
Island Girl had another pause in her travels to the north yesterday. She initially backtracked to the south and then returned north, roosting about 10 km from her previous nights position.
We had speculated that her behavior might be related to the weather and today I was able to confirm that hypothesis.
I called Michael Goodyear, Executive Director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Manitoba. I had met him while staying there a few years back during our attempted chase of the satellite-tagged falcon, Linda.
I queried him about the weather, as he is located approximately 437 km (271 miles) to the east of Island Girl. Based on the GE weather maps, they are experiencing the same weather system that is affecting the tagged falcon.
He related that a weather front was moving though from the west and that they had experienced 40-60 km per hour winds with heavy, wet snow and sleet. At present, there is heavy fog and freezing rain in the area. And Hudson Bay is still frozen over.....
So it is very likely that this system impacted Island Girl as well and halted her movements to the north.
This climate is, of course, far different from what she has experienced on her way north.
She has left the temperate, relatively cool coast of the Pacific Ocean at Putu, crossed the driest, sunniest desert in the world, flown through the high Andes at 13,000', traversed the entire tropical region of Central America, experienced more high desert in Mexico, rocketed across the Great Plains of the US, encountered the boreal forest of Canada and has now arrived at the edge of the tundra.
And these will certainly be the coldest and possibly the most stressful conditions that she will experience during her life. Let's hope that her fat reserves are at a maximum.
I'd like to thank Michael for his kind cooperation and mention that their facility near Churchill is one of the most amazing and fascinating field stations that I have ever seen. They are performing an extremely useful function for science of all types and if you ever get a chance to go to Churchill, make sure that you visit them and support their extremely important efforts.
We had speculated that her behavior might be related to the weather and today I was able to confirm that hypothesis.
I called Michael Goodyear, Executive Director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Manitoba. I had met him while staying there a few years back during our attempted chase of the satellite-tagged falcon, Linda.
I queried him about the weather, as he is located approximately 437 km (271 miles) to the east of Island Girl. Based on the GE weather maps, they are experiencing the same weather system that is affecting the tagged falcon.
He related that a weather front was moving though from the west and that they had experienced 40-60 km per hour winds with heavy, wet snow and sleet. At present, there is heavy fog and freezing rain in the area. And Hudson Bay is still frozen over.....
So it is very likely that this system impacted Island Girl as well and halted her movements to the north.
This climate is, of course, far different from what she has experienced on her way north.
She has left the temperate, relatively cool coast of the Pacific Ocean at Putu, crossed the driest, sunniest desert in the world, flown through the high Andes at 13,000', traversed the entire tropical region of Central America, experienced more high desert in Mexico, rocketed across the Great Plains of the US, encountered the boreal forest of Canada and has now arrived at the edge of the tundra.
And these will certainly be the coldest and possibly the most stressful conditions that she will experience during her life. Let's hope that her fat reserves are at a maximum.
I'd like to thank Michael for his kind cooperation and mention that their facility near Churchill is one of the most amazing and fascinating field stations that I have ever seen. They are performing an extremely useful function for science of all types and if you ever get a chance to go to Churchill, make sure that you visit them and support their extremely important efforts.
24 May, 2010
Putting the Brakes On
Island Girl remained in the same general area on Sunday and actually moved to the south 19 km (12 miles) to roost at 1,227' elevation.
Her delay is likely being caused by local environmental conditions, perhaps bad weather or snow. Whatever the cause, she is definitely pausing in her migration north.
GE Weather shows a thick band of clouds passing over her area yesterday, which might be the cause. Without being there, it is obviously difficult to assign a definite reason for her hesitation.
Her delay is likely being caused by local environmental conditions, perhaps bad weather or snow. Whatever the cause, she is definitely pausing in her migration north.
GE Weather shows a thick band of clouds passing over her area yesterday, which might be the cause. Without being there, it is obviously difficult to assign a definite reason for her hesitation.
23 May, 2010
A Short Hop to the NNE on Saturday
On her 40th day of migration, Island Girl flew a relatively short distance, suggesting that she may be encountering snow at her current position. That would definitely slow her down.
She covered only 107 km (66.8 miles) and is now 392 km (244 miles) west of Churchill and almost at the same latitude (58.6 degrees N).
She put in for the night at Kelso Lake, west of the Sand Lakes Provincial Park in Manitoba. She is approaching the border with Nunavut, only 154 km (96 miles) to the north of her roost site.
Her elevation last night was 1,194'. Although the detail in GE is poor, it appears that she slept within 250' of both lakeshores and perhaps on the ground but we can't be certain.
She covered only 107 km (66.8 miles) and is now 392 km (244 miles) west of Churchill and almost at the same latitude (58.6 degrees N).
She put in for the night at Kelso Lake, west of the Sand Lakes Provincial Park in Manitoba. She is approaching the border with Nunavut, only 154 km (96 miles) to the north of her roost site.
Her elevation last night was 1,194'. Although the detail in GE is poor, it appears that she slept within 250' of both lakeshores and perhaps on the ground but we can't be certain.
22 May, 2010
Still Heading North As She Slips Into Manitoba
Island Girl continued to track almost due north yesterday (Day 39) as she barely crossed over the border into Manitoba. She covered a solid 432 km (268 miles) for the day and stopped off near the edge of Reindeer Lake.
She roosted on a low ridge (elevation 1,142') overlooking two lakes, a perfect place for hunting migrant passerines over the water (or is there still ice at this time?).
This area is near the boreal forest treeline and is extremely wet with dozens and dozens of lakes, ponds and streams criss-crossing the region. So she is now approaching the arctic tundra biome. What a contrast to the Atacama Desert!
She slept at 57.7 degrees North latitude, only one degree south of Churchill (58.7 N) but still 446 km (277 miles) to the west of that port on Hudson Bay.
And the Arctic Circle is now only 938 km (600 miles) to her north.
So the obvious questions still remain at this point in her long 12,429 km (7,724 miles) migration thus far.
Will she return to the same area as last year to breed? And if so, when will she turn sharply to the NE?
She roosted on a low ridge (elevation 1,142') overlooking two lakes, a perfect place for hunting migrant passerines over the water (or is there still ice at this time?).
This area is near the boreal forest treeline and is extremely wet with dozens and dozens of lakes, ponds and streams criss-crossing the region. So she is now approaching the arctic tundra biome. What a contrast to the Atacama Desert!
She slept at 57.7 degrees North latitude, only one degree south of Churchill (58.7 N) but still 446 km (277 miles) to the west of that port on Hudson Bay.
And the Arctic Circle is now only 938 km (600 miles) to her north.
So the obvious questions still remain at this point in her long 12,429 km (7,724 miles) migration thus far.
Will she return to the same area as last year to breed? And if so, when will she turn sharply to the NE?
21 May, 2010
Island Girl in East Central Saskatchewan
On Thursday, Day 38, Island Girl kept to a northerly heading on her way through Saskatchewan. She travelled a relatively short distance of 304 km (189 miles) for the day and was still paralleling the Manitoba border.
She roosted in coniferous forest on Pine Island and very near the shoreline of Cumberland Lake, a relatively large body of water and part of the headwaters of the Saskatchewan River. Her elevation was 873' and she slept quite near a dirt road.
Looking at Google Earth, I found that the small Cree Nation town of Cumberland House was within two miles of her roost site. So I went online, got the number of the tribal office and called them up to let them know about the project.
I spoke with Jennifer, who kindly gave me the number of the school and a teacher there. Jennifer very patiently listened to the story of Island Girl and says she will put it on everyones Face Book page in the town to share the story.
I next called Teresa, the teacher, but she was out at the time, probably teaching. However, I was lucky enough to get her son, Ray, 16, who politely took all of the information for his mom. So hopefully, the school kids of Cumberland Lake will learn about the exploits of this remarkable bird.
I was in this general area chasing Seven on his southbound migration a couple of years ago. He went by the town of Flin Flon 93 km (58 miles) to the north.
This entire area is wilderness with lakes, streams and rolling hills of conifers and birch typical of the southern boreal forest.
And Don McCall notes that....
"Last year, she reached this latitude on 26 May, at which time she was about 300 km east of her present location, so she really isn't that far off last years's route (in time or distance)."
She roosted in coniferous forest on Pine Island and very near the shoreline of Cumberland Lake, a relatively large body of water and part of the headwaters of the Saskatchewan River. Her elevation was 873' and she slept quite near a dirt road.
Looking at Google Earth, I found that the small Cree Nation town of Cumberland House was within two miles of her roost site. So I went online, got the number of the tribal office and called them up to let them know about the project.
I spoke with Jennifer, who kindly gave me the number of the school and a teacher there. Jennifer very patiently listened to the story of Island Girl and says she will put it on everyones Face Book page in the town to share the story.
I next called Teresa, the teacher, but she was out at the time, probably teaching. However, I was lucky enough to get her son, Ray, 16, who politely took all of the information for his mom. So hopefully, the school kids of Cumberland Lake will learn about the exploits of this remarkable bird.
I was in this general area chasing Seven on his southbound migration a couple of years ago. He went by the town of Flin Flon 93 km (58 miles) to the north.
This entire area is wilderness with lakes, streams and rolling hills of conifers and birch typical of the southern boreal forest.
And Don McCall notes that....
"Last year, she reached this latitude on 26 May, at which time she was about 300 km east of her present location, so she really isn't that far off last years's route (in time or distance)."
20 May, 2010
Island Girl Migrates Into Canada
On Wednesday, 19 March, her 37th day of migration, Island Girl crossed the North Dakota line into southeastern Saskatchewan. She ended her day about 259 km (161 miles) north of the US border.
She was flying hard and covered 560 km (348 miles), one of her longest single day distances this season. And she crossed the entire United States in only 4 and a half days!
As expected, she began to curve to the NE, a heading that will eventually take her towards Hudson Bay. If she returns to her eyrie from last year (on Baffin Island), as tundra peregrines are known to do, she will increase her slant each day.
She roosted in a large woodlot in an area of flat rolling hills and agricultural fields. I recall driving through here while chasing Seven and it is beautiful country. Her elevation was 2,o54'.
Her position was 106 km (66 miles) west of the Manitoba line.
She was flying hard and covered 560 km (348 miles), one of her longest single day distances this season. And she crossed the entire United States in only 4 and a half days!
As expected, she began to curve to the NE, a heading that will eventually take her towards Hudson Bay. If she returns to her eyrie from last year (on Baffin Island), as tundra peregrines are known to do, she will increase her slant each day.
She roosted in a large woodlot in an area of flat rolling hills and agricultural fields. I recall driving through here while chasing Seven and it is beautiful country. Her elevation was 2,o54'.
Her position was 106 km (66 miles) west of the Manitoba line.
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