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Blog posts after 1 Feb 2018 about Steppe eagles tracked from Oman can be found at the Steppe eagle blog

Monday, June 29, 2015

Late June 2015

143580 continues to move around just south of Muscat, and has shown some recent preference for roosting in cliffs in the Al Sareen Nature Reserve, about 7 km south of the Al Amerat rubbish dump.  It has also spent some time during the last week in the area just west of Yiti.

Movements of subadult Egyptian vulture in late June 2015

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Mid June 2015

The vulture we have been tracking has probably just had a birthday.   This also means that his plumage is probably changing and he will look a bit different (more white) than he did when we caught him.  I keep calling 143580, "him", but it might be a "she".  We'd need to analyse the blood to determine its sex.

In the last weeks 143580 seems to have abandoned Quriyat, at least temporarily.  It has mostly been south of Muscat, and has made the occasional visit to the Al Amerat rubbish dump.  on 20 June, It visited Al Sareen Nature Reserve.

Movements of a three year old Egyptian vultures during 14-21 June 2015.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Cyclone Ashobaa

Looks like Oman might get hit by cyclone Ashobaa http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/oman-to-pakistan-remain-on-ale/48386959 It is unlikelythat such an event would have much effect on our tagged Egyptian vulture or on the breeding vultures in Oman, although they maynot be able to forage as efficiently if there is a lot of rain.  That effect will likely pass relatively quickly.

Early June 2015

The young bird we have been tracking has moved up from Quriyat toward Muscat, and on 1 June visited the municipal rubbish dump at Al Amerat, and the northern part of Wadi Sareen Reserve.  Since then it has been moving in the mountains to the east of Al Amerat.  Just to remind you, this is a bird that is too young to breed, but it seems to be a bird that was probably reared in Oman.  It may take another three years before we know if and where it will breed.
Movements of a second year Egyptian vulture during 1-9 June 2015.