Still in the North
Newsletter, 22.12.2014
This week, the LIFE+ Project Management Team met to terminate and discuss the season 2014. Of course, among other topics, the so far outstanding course of the autumn migration was an important issue.
After extensive discussion, we agreed: The bald ibises have started the autumn migration 2014 quite regularly, with leaving the breeding grounds around mid-August. The further course was promising, because - for the first time in our project – the birds formed a larger flock of around 20 individuals in Salzburg, composed of animals of both breeding areas. But then, the progress came to a standstill. The birds remained north of the Alps, divided into three troops.
The situation is exceptional, but it is not yet a threat to the birds. On the contrary, they are in a very good condition, the soil is open and the food supply is still very good. Furthermore, the migration behavior of our birds is by no means unique. White storks are “stuck” along the migration route, some even in their German breeding areas. And some tagged white storks returned from Morocco back north to Spain. Also, according to various reports, Red kites, cranes and starlings are seemingly delayed, as probably many other migratory species. The delays may partly be difficult to perceive, especially when the birds leave the breeding area at the usual time, but then remain at stopover sites along the migration route, as it is the case for the bald ibis.
We do not know exactly which parameters cause delays in the autumn migration, but certainly is the delay related to the so far unusually mild weather in the fall and winter. Therefore, we have currently no reason to do more than recharge the batteries of the GPS devices of our birds, if necessary, and otherwise to be patient. The positions of the birds can be checked anytime using the app Animal Tracker.
The picture shows the Project Management Team: standing from left Christian Sperger, Bernhard Gönner, Pablo Przesang, Daniela Trobe, Angelika Fritz; sitting from left Barbara Eberhard, Markus Unsöld, Corinna Esterer, Johannes Fritz, Anne-Gabriela Schmalstieg.
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