9-26 January

On 9 and 10 January 2015 we trapped two Egyptian vultures at the main Muscat municipal rubbish dump.  The birds were both fitted with 40g solar powered satellite transmitters,  The transmitters operate on a duty schedule uploading GPS locations via satellite, and using the Argos system of satellites to calculate (with lower accuracy than GPS) bird locations. The transmitters run on a duty schedule as a way of managing power.  Weight and power constraints mean that the tags can not transmit continuously.  Below are maps of the two birds we are tracking.

143580 (the bird's ID number) was captured on the 9th, spent some time around the Al Amerat part of Muscat, then on the 12th moved south and has been mostly near the village of Hefaz north of Quriyat.

Locations of Egyptian vulture 143580 during 9-26 January 2015.

143581 was captured on the 10th, also spent some time in the Al Amrat area of Muscat.  On about 17 January, it moved west to an area near Al Khoud, then on around the 20th it moved west again toward Al Rustaq.  The latest location is near Nakhal and the Ghubrah Bowl.

Movements of Egyptian vulture 143581 during 10-26 January 2015.

We will be posting more information about these birds, this project and vultures in general in the coming days.  Please visit the site from time to time, and tell your friends about it.