The breeding season is underway, so it is time for a bunch of infos about how our loggers operate in the field. And they operate quite ok.
For the start our record holder - Wlad. Wlad is a Russian White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla fitted with our logger already in 2015. The logger is working up till now and has recently started its fifth year of operating.
The same year a logger was fitted on Kordian - Estonian Common Buzzard Buteo buteo. This year the logger sent some data only a few times, but it is still quite an achievement for a 25g unit after such a long time. Besides Kordian grew up - instead of covering ten of thousands of kilometres accross Europe he settled and for second year in succession is raising a new generation of Latvian Common Buzzards. Kordian can be tracked here.
It's been a third year for the logger of Aegnatz - Austrian Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca. It is a newer version of the device, which can operate in our climate, when there is little sun during winter time. Aegnatz does not migrate far south and after adjustments to configuration his logger is operating normally under relatively harsh for such a small electronic device conditions. The history behind this logger is interesting, as it was not "accordingly" fitted - instead as a backpack it was fitted as a legloop. His configuration could however be adjusted and since then the device has no problems registering data every half an hour, totalling after full 2 years of over 10 thousand locations. His movements can be followed on our migration map.
Other Imperial Eagles with our loggers fitted in 2017 are finishing their second year of work in Russia. Sadly enough we recorded losses of two birds and gsm network issues. Despite it two units are still recording data. In 2018 further 5 loggers were used and this time they are all operating without issues. All the birds can be tracked on RRRCN site.
The Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis is another species our loggers are being fitted with. It took place last year in Kazakhstan. The juvenile birds are stunning with their mobility - since leaving the brreding grounds they have covered from 18 thousands to 26 thousands kilometres. Such distances we humans do not cover even by cars. One can be jalous about the freedom these birds have. It has also been a pleasant surprise to observe that all 4 birds which left the breeding grounds are doing well.
There are also Steppe Eagles form Oman fitted with our loggers. Or there were, one should say, as after winter they all headed to the breeding grounds in Kazakhstan. This year 6 individuals were fitted. Initially they registered data with maximum frequency - every 3 minutes, which allowed to gather some tens of thousands of fixes. After that the frequency was lowered. Apart from those 6, there is also one individual from 2017 which also visits Kazakhstan and sends data whenever gsm coverage is found. For third streight year. More about these birds can be read on the blog.
In Russia 5 loggers were fitted on Steppe Eagles last year. Four of them operate until today, fifth unfortunately not, and (which is even more unfortunate) rather not due to technical problems. These four seem to be showing less interest in the outside world than their Kazakh friends as they have covered "merely" 8 thousand to 16 thousand kilometres. The Steppe Eagles from Kazakhstan and Russia can be tracked on RRRCN site.
Last but not least White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. In 2018 11 birds of the species received our loggers in different parts of Russia and today 8 of them are starting their second year of transmission. In 2017 one more unit was used and this logger has started its third year. Some of these birds can be followed on this RRRCN site.