The weekend's data is now input. Mallachie has stayed put but Rothes has spent the weekend heading steadily south. From 10am on Friday (25th) she flew in a south westerly direction passing such places as Souraide, Beintza, Ayllon (North of Madrid) and roosted near to Toledo. Come Saturday she was on the move again flying past Castilblanco and Zafra (can you tell I've been spending quality time on Google maps?!). She roosted on Saturday night near Oliva de la Frontera close to the Potugese border. Then Sunday saw her continuing her journey heading past Paymogo. At 1pm on Sunday (27th) she headed out over the sea from near Faro. From 1pm on Sunday until 5am this morning she didn't hit land, flying continuously down the coast of Morocco (NB there is a gap in the data between 9pm and 5pm so she might have had a sneaky rest for a bit, but the distance on the map looks like she might have just kept going.).
I'll have a look at the data tomorrow to see where she's got to. She wasn't far off shore at 5am and so as the sun came up I'm sure she will have seen the land (if she couldn't anyway with the lights and her osprey eyesight).
Tune in tomorrow for the next update.
Brilliant Alice. Thanks. Any idea what's going on with GE? It's still showing here at the sturgeon farm in France..
We so appreciate it, Alice, Thanks.
Thanks Alice. Just returned from holiday so it is lovely to catch up so soon with your latest report
Thanks for that update Alice. Rothes seems to be following the route of Morven so it is looking like a good track to take rather than crossing the Sahara.
Wow good for her and to think I once called her a plodder
Thank you Alice - when Rothes goes she certainly doesn't hang about. Hope she does miss the Sahara, don't need Nethy's circular moves from last year!!
Thanks Alice, was on holiday last week and missed all the reports. Nice to hear that Rothes has decided to move at last and that she seems to be doing well.Maybe Mallachie is building up her strength for a longer flight later on. Thanks for keeping us up to date!!
Hey Sue. Welcome back; hope you had a good time.
Thanks for the update - I was beginning to think I'd imagined you saying Rothes was on the move - my Google Earth hasn't updated at all - still thinks she's in France. Thank goodness I checked here!
Thanks Alice for the update been looking foward to hearing the neews. Once again it seemed like a long weekend waiting for news. Well once Rothes set off she didn't hang around did she. It would be good if she did take Morvan's route and left the Sahara out, here' hoping. Glad Mallachie is resting up stocking up for the rest of her journey.
Alice, Thanks for the latest news. Picking up on Alan's point about Morven's route, the route of an experienced bird, I think that there is a reasonable possibility that these young birds may sometimes get the help of a 'navigator' in the form of an adult bird that guides them south. The only way we could prove this is by a positive sighting of a pair in flight or even more unlikely two satellite tagged birds together. (Morven, for those who don't know is already in Mauritania.)
thanks Alice. She doesn't hang around , our Rothes. Another long night time flight for an osprey. May not be as unusual as i first thought.
Fabulous news. Wow, it's exciting!
It certainly is exciting ValG....what a girl our Rothes is......when she goes she makes it worth her while, no short trip for her!!
Annette and hfwardhouse -: my GE hasn't updated either. Rothes still at the Sturgeon Farm and Mallachie by the sort of bird shaped lake with really long wings. Sigh, it's disappointing.
But I appreciate your blog Alice - you can hardly help GE throwing a glitch.