Both of the tagged falcons remained at their respective locations again yesterday, strongly suggesting that they have arrived at their eyries. We obtained signals showing slight movements around the areas indicating that they are both flying around a bit but not moving any substantial distances.
In addition, our satellite tracking regime switches over today. Instead of getting the normal two daily signals, we will now be getting downloads every ten days throughout the summer.
So it looks like our birds may have stopped just in time.
The transmitters will switch on again to daily signals next September when our birds begin their fall migration back to Chile.
We want to thank all of our viewers for your many comments and encouragement. On behalf of Mark Prostor, Don McCall, and myself (Bud Anderson), we hope that you have enjoyed following these amazing falcons as much as we have.
We also want to extend a special thanks to our colleagues Clayton White, Keith Bildstein and Mike McGrady for the funding of several of our transmitters.
In addition, we really have to give enormous credit to all of the members of the Falcon Research Group that made this project possible, especially David and Ginger Ridgway, Russ Amick, Jim and Linda Bishop, Sandy Moss, Rondi Egenes, Charlie Atterbury and Ron and Sheila Pera.
Finally I want to acknowledge our dear friends that came together to form the field team in Chile, Kathy Gunther, Zach Smith, Christian Gonzalez and his wife Giannina, Tom Maechtle, and Jesus Garcia Ubierna.
Thanks everyone!
June 15, 2008
June 14, 2008
Both Birds Home?
Don McCall reports that there was no significant movement from either Elizabetha or Fireball yesterday. Both have remained at the same locations respectively now for two days and are most likely at their eyries.
We'll give it a day or two more to confirm.
We'll give it a day or two more to confirm.
June 13, 2008
Fireball and Elizabetha Both Pause For The Day
Both of the tagged falcons showed little movement yesterday. Each of them stayed within a few hundred meters of their positions from the previous day.
Either they are taking a "rest day", have encountered poor weather or have both arrived at their breeding sites. It would seem improbable that both arrived at their nests on the exact same day however.
We will have to wait until tomorrow to get a better idea of their status.
Incidentally, Fireball, at 70.40 degrees north, is nearing a latitude equivalent to Pt. Barrow, Alaska (71.30).
Regarding the subject of the northernmost satellite-tagged peregrine, Peter Lindberg, an expert on northern European peregrines, e-mailed me yesterday that the only satellite-tagged peregrines from that area were put on by Chuck Henny and Tom Maechtle at the Kola Peninsula in Russia a number of years ago. Tom says they worked on the Ponoy River in area which is located near 67 degrees north latitude.
We are also checking with Mike McGrady as one of his wintering Gulf of Mexico peregrines may have migrated north of Fireballs current position.
There is also an unconfirmed report of peregrines being tagged at Thule, Greenland, (77.5 degrees north) several years ago.
On the other subject of the northernmost known peregrine eyrie in Canada, Alastair Franke continues to query his colleagues about this subject.
The literature suggests that peregrines do not breed much further north than Baffin Island. Range maps do not show them breeding on either the Parry Islands, the Queen Elizabeth Islands or Ellesmere Island to the north. The traditional demarkation line is formed by the open body of water that includes Melville Sound, Barrow Strait and Lancaster Sound. They may not nest north of this line in Canada.
We hope to have more information available on these two subjects soon.
Either they are taking a "rest day", have encountered poor weather or have both arrived at their breeding sites. It would seem improbable that both arrived at their nests on the exact same day however.
We will have to wait until tomorrow to get a better idea of their status.
Incidentally, Fireball, at 70.40 degrees north, is nearing a latitude equivalent to Pt. Barrow, Alaska (71.30).
Regarding the subject of the northernmost satellite-tagged peregrine, Peter Lindberg, an expert on northern European peregrines, e-mailed me yesterday that the only satellite-tagged peregrines from that area were put on by Chuck Henny and Tom Maechtle at the Kola Peninsula in Russia a number of years ago. Tom says they worked on the Ponoy River in area which is located near 67 degrees north latitude.
We are also checking with Mike McGrady as one of his wintering Gulf of Mexico peregrines may have migrated north of Fireballs current position.
There is also an unconfirmed report of peregrines being tagged at Thule, Greenland, (77.5 degrees north) several years ago.
On the other subject of the northernmost known peregrine eyrie in Canada, Alastair Franke continues to query his colleagues about this subject.
The literature suggests that peregrines do not breed much further north than Baffin Island. Range maps do not show them breeding on either the Parry Islands, the Queen Elizabeth Islands or Ellesmere Island to the north. The traditional demarkation line is formed by the open body of water that includes Melville Sound, Barrow Strait and Lancaster Sound. They may not nest north of this line in Canada.
We hope to have more information available on these two subjects soon.
June 12, 2008
Fireball-Another New Record?
We think that Fireball is now the northernmost GPS satellite tagged peregrine in the world. We are currently checking with our other peregrine colleagues to confirm whether this is true or not. Others have applied satellite transmitters in the past to peregrines that may have proceeded further north.
Fireball flew north across King William Island and the James Ross Strait and entered the Boothia Peninsula, the northernmost finger of land in contiguous North America.
On this flight, he crossed the 70th parallel of latitude, surpassing Seven at Paulatuk and the Sondre Stromfjord birds of West Greenland (67 degrees North) before likely setting a new record.
Last night, he roosted at 70.40 degrees North in the central part of the peninsula. Looks like about 700 feet in elevation. He slept about 43 km (27 miles) inland from the ocean.
Of course, we are all looking to see just how far north he will travel in Canada. I know that I am supposed to be relatively objective here, but, frankly, this is pretty exciting stuff.
Alastair Franke has surveyed several nesting pairs above 71 degrees latitude on Baffin Island so we know that they nest at least that far north.
We are currently trying to find out the northernmost peregrine eyrie in Canada.
Fireball flew north across King William Island and the James Ross Strait and entered the Boothia Peninsula, the northernmost finger of land in contiguous North America.
On this flight, he crossed the 70th parallel of latitude, surpassing Seven at Paulatuk and the Sondre Stromfjord birds of West Greenland (67 degrees North) before likely setting a new record.
Last night, he roosted at 70.40 degrees North in the central part of the peninsula. Looks like about 700 feet in elevation. He slept about 43 km (27 miles) inland from the ocean.
Of course, we are all looking to see just how far north he will travel in Canada. I know that I am supposed to be relatively objective here, but, frankly, this is pretty exciting stuff.
Alastair Franke has surveyed several nesting pairs above 71 degrees latitude on Baffin Island so we know that they nest at least that far north.
We are currently trying to find out the northernmost peregrine eyrie in Canada.
Elizabetha On Baffin Island-Is She Home?
Elizabetha is now pushing hard to get to her eyrie (nest). Yesterday, she flew 464 km (288 miles) in a day, crossing the rest of Baffin Strait and continuing on across more than half of Baffin Island. She pulled up in a small inlet on Cumberland Sound near 66 degrees north latitude.
She could well be home now as this area is very similar to where Sparrow King is nesting to the south.
GE shows that the habitat looks ideal for peregrines.
We should have a good idea of whether she is at her eyrie by tomorrow morning.
She could well be home now as this area is very similar to where Sparrow King is nesting to the south.
GE shows that the habitat looks ideal for peregrines.
We should have a good idea of whether she is at her eyrie by tomorrow morning.
June 11, 2008
Elizabetha Heading Towards Baffin Island
Don McCall writes this morning...
"Elizabetha completed her crossing of Hudson Bay and has remained on a northeast heading toward Baffin Island. She flew 359 km (223 miles) yesterday with her last fix locating her in the middle of Hudson Strait (which separates Baffin Island from northern Quebec). If she stops at the coast of Baffin Island she'll be about 500 km northwest of Sparrow King."
If she doesn't stop at Baffin Island,then things are going to get REALLY interesting!
"Elizabetha completed her crossing of Hudson Bay and has remained on a northeast heading toward Baffin Island. She flew 359 km (223 miles) yesterday with her last fix locating her in the middle of Hudson Strait (which separates Baffin Island from northern Quebec). If she stops at the coast of Baffin Island she'll be about 500 km northwest of Sparrow King."
If she doesn't stop at Baffin Island,then things are going to get REALLY interesting!
Fireball Now On The Adelaide Peninsula
Fireball moved NE onto the Adelaide Peninsula yesterday. He flew only 77 km (48 miles) crossing the salt-water bay at the base of the peninsula. He kept on going NE and roosted near the shore (certainly within sight) of the Arctic Ocean. However, based on a sea-ice website that Mark Prostor sent me today, it looks as if it is still frozen in this area.
At this point, we are all intensely curious about where he will go from here. It has been a long migration, full of ups and downs, but it is at moments like these where the GPS satellite technology is showing its greatest potential.
Following Fireball into the frozen north, learning where he stops, how far he travels each day, what his route looks like and ultimately where his nest might be is the culmination of all our efforts that began in Chile last January.
We hope that everyone is feeling the same and our team is delighted to be able to share this with other peregrine fans as Fireball continues to push north.
At this point, we are all intensely curious about where he will go from here. It has been a long migration, full of ups and downs, but it is at moments like these where the GPS satellite technology is showing its greatest potential.
Following Fireball into the frozen north, learning where he stops, how far he travels each day, what his route looks like and ultimately where his nest might be is the culmination of all our efforts that began in Chile last January.
We hope that everyone is feeling the same and our team is delighted to be able to share this with other peregrine fans as Fireball continues to push north.
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