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

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

April Fool's Joke?

Well, one of the Steppe eagles that we are tracking (162312) has done something unexpected.  As reported in an earlier blog post, this bird left the Tahwa Landfill site, where it had spent much of its time this winter, on 30 March and headed west.  Over the next two days it flew over about 650 km, and on the night of 1 April it was near Madinat Zayed, Abu Dhabi.  On 2 April it seemed to continue its movement west, when at about 1300 local time it turned around and headed back towards Oman.  Amazingly, it flew almost as directly back to Tahwa, arriving there at around 1900 local time, 2 April.  It spent the night of the 4th perched on a pylon, where it spent the night of the 30th (just before it headed out 6 days previous).  Maybe the suggestion that this bird was migrating was just an April Fool's Day joke.  I fell for it.

I wonder what is going on?  The other Steppe Eagle we are tracking seems reluctant to cross Kuwait.  Time will tell... maybe.

Movements of Steppe Eagle 162312 during 30 March-4 April 2017.
Night time roost used by Steppe eagle on 30 March and on 4 April.

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