End of January 2015

In the last few days the sooty falcons we are tracking in Madagascar have headed in different directions.  Fahal has headed south and is just west of the town of Ampanihy.  Daymani has headed north and is near the west coast town of Morandava.  Morandava is famous for its baobab trees and our team visited the town and saw many sooty falcons in February 2014.

Be sure to visit our new blog about tracking Egyptian vultures in Oman.  http://egyptianvultureoman.blogspot.co.at/

Movements of two sooty falcons during the last two weeks of January 2015

Baobab trees near Morandava

January 2015

From this distance it does not seem to be that the sooty falcons being tracked in Madagascar have done much in the past week.  Both are moving around on the west coast of that island.  If you have been watching the weather, you may know that huge storms have been lashing the area where these birds are.  I don't know how such storms might affect the movement of the birds.  At this point in time it does not seem that it has affected the prey availability, otherwise the falcons would have moved.

Movement of two sooty falcons during 16-26 January 2015.

 Also, we had some luck and were able to recover a downed tag near Muscat.  YEAH!!!!  This tag will be recycled and put on a bird in summer 2015.

Downed satellite tag on the beach near old Muscat (Photo:  M. Jahdhami)

Faucons Concolores munis d’émetteurs satellites à Madagascar

Deux Faucon concolores : Fahal (140653) et Daymani (130393), arrivant dans la grande ïle depuis quelques temps, poursuivent toujours leur voyage dans la partie Sud. Fahal est actuellement à 10 km à l’Ouest d’Antanimieva, District de Morombe. Cette localité est proche du site où le Faucon concolore qu’on a suivi l’année dernière a dépensé plus de temps. Par contre, Daymani se trouve un peu plus loin et à l’Est du premier. Précisément, il est à 10 km de la Commune de Tomboarivo.

7 January, heading south in Madagascar

Both birds that are still transmitting are heading southwards within Madagascar.  Fahal فحل is now located about 10 km west of Antanimieva, a location near where a bird we tracked last year spend alot of time.  Click here to see what that bird was doing in April or just use the shortcuts to the right of the blog.  Daymani is about at the same latitude, but a bit farther east, located about 10 km west of Tomboarivo, Madagascar.

Movements of two sooty falcons in Madagascar in early January 2015.