Update for 6490

 Continuing the post-spring migration updates for the birds we are tracking....

A Greater spotted eagle at Al Jahra, Kuwait during winter 2021-2022.

6490 is an adult female Greater spotted eagle that was captured and fitted with a tracking device on 15 December 2021 at Al Jahra, Kuwait.  It remained at Al Jahra for the winter, and commenced spring migration on 27 March 2022.  Migration took it through southern Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.  It crossed the Kazakhstan border on 15 April.  Straight line distance between Al Jahra and its current location is about 3700 km, spanning about 30 degrees of latitude! See map below.

Spring migration 2022 of an adult female Greater spotted eagle between Kuwait and Russia (© KEL/KFAS).

Since arriving in Russia, it has wandered quite a bit (See map below).  Although 6490 is an adult, it does not appear that it will breed in this year because it has yet to settle into a limited home range.  Currently it is about 115 km NNE of the Russian city of Tobolsk, which has its own interesting history.  A close look at 6490's locations shows it to be frequenting wet forest areas, typical habitat for this species, whether or not it is breeding.

Movements of an adult female Greater spotted eagle (6490) since arriving in Russia on 15 April 2022 (© KEL/KFAS).

Locations (23 May 2022) of an adult female Greater spotted eagle (6490) that wintered in Al Jahra, Kuwait during winter 2021-22(© KEL/KFAS).

Update for 6489

Greater spotted eagle at Al Jahra, Kuwait (© KEL/KFAS).

Spring migration is more or less over for the birds we are tracking.  That means that eagles that are going to breed in 2022 should be on their breeding territories, building nests and preparing to lay eggs.  Other eagles will not be breeding this year, including birds that are too young and those that are old enough, but have not yet found a territory/mate.  A good example of this can be seen from our tracking data for Greater spotted eagle 6488, which was tracked when it did not have a territory in 2020, and when it did in 2021 (See these earlier postings here, here, and here).

Over the next days/weeks I'll try to update the situation with each of the eagles we are tracking.  Today is the turn of 6489, a female that was hatched in 2019 (we know this from its plumage) and caught by us on 15 December 2021 at Al Jahra.

Map below. After release, 6489 remained at Al Jahra until the morning of 9 April 2022, when it departed on migration.  By 19 April it crossed the northern border of Iran and entered Turkmenistan.  It stopped over at a location along the southern boundary of the Aral Sea in Usbekistan during 21 April - 4 May. On 15 May it arrived at Kuspek Lake at Kuspek, Kazakhstan.

Spring migration of a subadult female Greater spotted eagle (6489) during 9 April - 19 May 2022 (© KEL/KFAS).

At the time of this posting 6489 has been settled at Kuspek Lake, especially within a small area of woodland to the south of the lake and not far from human habitation.  See maps below. We don't know whether it will stay there this summer.  Because it is a young bird, it might wander.  We'll have to wait and see.  If it survives and migrates in autumn, it may spend next winter at Al Jahra.

Locations of Greater spotted eagle 6489 at Kuspek, Kazakhstan, 15 - 19 May 2022 

(© KEL/KFAS).

Concentration of locations of Greater spotted eagle 6489 at Kuspek, Kazakhstan, May 2022.  Most locations are within a line of trees about 250 m in length. 

(© KEL/KFAS).