NBI Migration 2015
Newsletter 24/08/2015
We have lots of encouraging news regarding the LIFE+ project. The wild NBIs departed from both breeding areas at Burghausen/Bayern and Kuchl/Salzburg. This is consistent with the patterns observed in previous years. Yesterday, the two groups have met and the entire 23 birds stay currently in the surroundings of the breeding area Kuchl.
The grouping of the two breeding colonies is a phenomenon that we observed last year for the first time. We interpret this as an important sign of a positive development and the stabilization of the migration tradition.
We had a very good reproduction rate in this season. The group at Kuchl includes 15 juveniles. We hope that they will be guided to the wintering area in one large group. According to experiences during the last years the wild migrating NBIs stay on the feeding meadows until about mid-September before they cross the Alps towards south. The fact that they have chosen Kuchl to group speaks for the quality of this breeding site.
With our 31 hand-raised juveniles we are already a bit further south. The first flight stage (118 km in 2:33 hours) from the training camp in Seekirchen am Wallersee / Salzburg to Mauterndorf across the essential part of the Alps lies behind us. This first flight went very well. That's of special importance this year, since we first fly in one formation with twice the number of birds as in previous years and with two microlights. Therefore, we have lots of reasons for hope for the onward flights. For now, we have to stay here at the airfield in Mauterdorf due to bad weather.
Photos of our first flight are available via this link.
Photo (P Przesang): First stage of the human-led migration above the Hohe Tauern. A helicopter with camera accompanied the formation.
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