Northern bald ibis

Odeinat stops transmitting

2012-08-14T21:24:20Z

I'm sorry to report that Odeinat has stopped transmitting. We had hoped this might have been a temporary blip, but this now seems unlikely. Although the solar-powered satellite tag has already transmitted for slightly longer than the manufacturers expected, it is rather worrying that it was an abrupt stop. We will obviously give any updates if things change, and any further interpretation on what may have happened. We hope to get the regular Ethiopian wintering site checked early next year, but its possible there may not be much to add until then. Unfortunately the site where Odeinat has overwintered the past years has not been possible to reach and check.

Odeinat back in Southern Saudi Arabia

2012-07-12T10:00:07Z

Migration started again for the Syrian ibis, and confirming a report from the wardens in Palmyra that the birds had left the colony, Odeinat has already departed and made a very fast journey down to NE of Jazan, in Saudi Arabia, quite near to a previously favoured area.

(you need to zoom right in on the map for Odeinat, and with locations from the previous years still showing, its not quite as easy to find the latest locations as before - although interesting to compare - we are trying to sort out a new colour for this year)

Sadly, no success for the breeding pair this year

2012-06-23T22:28:51Z

We have heard from the team that the breeding pair has failed to fledge any chicks this year. This is obviously a serious blow. In addition, the captive pair in Syria has also been unsuccessful, but did get rather closer to breeding than last year. We will give further details as they emerge, and will update the progress/movements of the male, Odeinat - apparently the only bird with an operational tag at the moment.

One piece of more positive news is that the semi-wild Birecik population in Turkey had a far better breeding season than usual with around 38 juveniles fledging.

Sadly, breeding has failed this year

2012-06-21T22:10:09Z

Sorry to report that we have heard from the team that the pair in Syria has failed for the year. More details to follow later.

Further disappointment is that the Syrian captive pair (Turkish birds taken there two years ago) has also been unsuccessful, despite nesting and laying eggs this year which had raised hopes for them.

...and then there were four!!

2012-04-20T20:58:07Z

Despite the current difficulties, we have received an update this week from the dedicated ibis rangers in Syria that a fourth bird has just arrived back at the breeding site! The newly arrived bird is unringed, and perhaps a returning 2007 juvenile? Perhaps one of the two unringed birds seen in February at the wintering site in Ethiopia? It is not yet clear whether it is pairing up with the unpaired female (Salama) or not. Meanwile, Odeinat and Zenobia once again have a nest. Salama has stopped transmitting, so we now have just one bird transmitting - the male Odeinat. Fingers crossed the new bird is a male, and that we are back up to two breeding pairs once again,

All three adults are back!!

2012-03-02T22:19:43Z

We've just heard from the team in Syria that all three adults... Odeinat, Salama and Zenobia, are safely back from migration on the Syrian breeding grounds today! This is particularly pleasing since Salama had not transmitted since late last year, but this now seems to simply be tag failure rather than anything worse. Still no sign of the other two untagged birds that were seen on the Ethiopian wintering grounds, so where those birds go is becoming a source of speculation. Or perhaps they will appear at Palmyra one of these days?

Of course we all hope that the current troubles in Syria are soon resolved, and wish our colleagues there a successful and safe season.

Odeinat on his way back... AND news from Ethiopia!

2012-02-22T13:03:48Z

Sharp-eyed among you will have noticed that Odeinat is suddenly on the move north, and going fast having already crossed the Red Sea!! No signal yet from Salama which is worrying as she normally starts transmitting again before now... So we will anxiously await the news from Syria once the birds return...

And thanks to our Ethiopian BirdLife Partner colleagues and a small grant from RSPB, (Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society) and Yilma Ebebe in particular, the birds were checked a week ago at the area they have most frequently overwintered... after persistent searching, they were able to locate 3 birds... two unringed (perhaps same birds as appeared unexpectedly last year?) and one ringed bird - Zenobia or Salama. We await the full details.

As they were... and also check Moroccan birds

2011-11-29T20:20:58Z

Only Odeinat is still transmitting, and he remains in the same area. We assume that Salama is still in the traditional wintering grounds a bit further north and higher in the Ethiopian highlands. We're not optimistic for the two Turkish juveniles that havent transmitted for over two months now, so we will just have to wait until next spring now and hope that any return (remember that two untagged birds were also released).

You may also be interested to follow progress of two tagged birds in Morocco, which is showing some very interesting results and movements... and that work is also a top priority identified by IAGNBI (International Advisory Group for NBI) and fully merits support. Check: http://northernbaldibis.blogspot.com/p/help-us-to-preserve-nbi.html Although the Moroccan population is supposedly non-migratory, there are regular disappearances of up to 35% of the birds and the results of tracking the birds there are key to understanding where those birds may go...

Odeinat finally crosses to Ethiopia

2011-10-11T21:09:34Z

After his prolonged stay in southern Saudi Arabia, Odeinat quickly crossed Yemen and the Red Sea and is now in the same area he spent last winter.... so not in the main wintering area where we know the other full adults usually go. Although Salama isnt transmitting, we assume she is still safely in her usual wintering area as the cloud in the mountains means that the solar tag loses charge.

Syrian birds both ok, but we're worried for the Turkish juveniles

2011-09-23T20:43:55Z

Odeinat continues his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia, rather longer than usual, but still switching areas locally. Salama seems to be safely at her usual wintering site, and (as usual) her tag has just stopped transmitting which seems to be the solar tag running down for the winter period.

Meanwhile, the two Turkish juveniles have also stopped transmitting, but unlike for Salama, the signals didnt graddually run down, so we're less optimistic about them being ok. Unfortunately there is a fault with both tags that means the locations are less accurate than usual, and together with the problems in Syria, it hasnt yet been possible to check the areas thoroughly. We may not get further signals or information unless either bird (or either of the two untagged birds) is sighted back at Birecik in future. Its been quite a different story from previous years with the birds not having moved as far south.

Odeinat again sighted by SWC team and Salama back in winter home

2011-08-27T14:07:17Z

The Saudi Wildlife Commission team led by Mohammad Al Salamah have again manged to see Odeinat this week, perching on top of an electric pylon. Unfortunately no other birds were with him this time. We expect him to move further south and across the Red Sea soon, but lets see whether he does? Meanwhile, Salama is back in her winter quarters in the Ethioipan highlands, and has roosted in the same places as previous years.

The two Turkish tagged birds remain in northern Syria, and although one has now stopped transmitting, the other continues to move around the same area. Understandably, it hasnt been possible to visit the site as yet.

Turkish birds in Syria, Salama just crossed to Ethiopia

2011-08-18T07:56:38Z

[Note that the locations are updated for each bird on the map almost daily, so do click on the icons for each bird and zoom in to get latest locations for each.]

The two tagged Turkish juveniles spent just a few days around Birecik before moving south into Syria. They have continued to stay in Northern Syria, and 'Juvenile 2' is moving around along the Euphrates lakes, although we're more concerned that Juvenile 1 has been in the same place since the end of July, and for understandable reasons, its not easy for the dedicated rangers to travel to visit and check that area at the moment.

Meanwhile, the SWC team again successfully managed to see Odeinat roosting in Southern Saudi Arabia (no juveniles with him though), and Salama has jumped back and forth between Saudi Arabia and Yemen before finally crossing to Ethiopia. Youssuf in Yemen has been putting enormous efforts into trying to catch up with her despite the practical challenges. He's now hoping that he may have more luck as/when Odeinat (perhaps with others?) comes through... we wish him luck!

Turkish juveniles - new initiative!

2011-07-28T11:16:00Z

An exciting development is that two further birds have been added to the site! The Turkish Ministry of Environnment has just given the go ahead and overseen the further release of four semi-wild juvenile ibis from the colony at Birecik. Two of these are satellite tagged, (tags funded by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and RSPB support) and should transmit new locations every 3 days. The birds (Juv 1 and Juv 2) appear to already have left the area, heading south through Syria, judging by the latest locations (see maps). This builds on a similar release trials three years ago, when juveniles were apparently doing well until they were electrocuted on a pylon in Jordan. Lets hope they are more fortunate this time...

Sightings in Saudi Arabia! And possibly in Yemen too...

2011-07-25T11:29:00Z

We have heard from the field that Mohamed Salima of the Saudi Wildlife Commission (SWC) and his team have successfully located Odeinat roosting on an electric pole in Saudi Arabia! Even better, the following morning he was seen together with his mate Zenobia! This is a great achievement, and its thanks to speedy mobilization and a chain of communication with Lubomir Peske and Sharif Jbour this has been possible. Meanwhile in Yemen, Yousuf Mohageb (and Ayyash) has been defying the petrol shortage in the country, and despite queuing for up to 9 hours for fuel, he has been checking the area where Salamah has been roosting and feeding, supplying habitat photos. Again a great chain of communication which has also included Jacky Judas to achieve this. They saw what was almost certainly Salamah flying off in poor light conditions, but we wish Yousuf and Ayyash luck with further sightings!

The very latest indication is that Salamah has returned north from Yemen, back into Saudi Arabia - maybe to join with Odeinat and Zenobia? No sign yet of the two juveniles though, but still hoping for that...

They're off again!!!

2011-07-04T09:17:46Z

Odeinat has departed apparently with one of the fledgelings and was followed by Salama just two days later, leaving the colony empty! This is similar timing and pattern to last year, but much earlier than other years. The really great news is that both fledgelings appeared healthy and so we hope they will do better than Ameer (the only 2010 fledgeling). Despite the difficulties in the region, the field team have done a great job this season, and although no supplementation with Birecik birds has been possible, we are hoping that Saudi biologists (Mohammed Salamah and team from Saudi Wildlife Commission) can check the birds at stop-off points. We will update you on any sightings of course, and especially if the juveniles are seen with them.