More Greater spotted eagles in 2022

Following on from yesterday's post (see here), today I'll report on two other Greater spotted eagles we are tracking.

6489 was captured in December 2021.  Since then we have received 13,483 locations.  It has ranged almost exclusively over Al Jahra, though it did may a short journey north along the coast one day.  Below is a map of its movements since 1 January 2022 (we have received 12,018 locations during 1 January - 15 February 2022.).

Movements of a Greater spotted eagle (6489) during 1 January -15 February 2022.  Yellow point is most recent location. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

6488 was the first Greater spotted eagle we captured and fitted with a GPS tag, in January 2020.  Since then it has travelled to the breeding grounds during the past two summers.  In summer 2020 it wandered widely, mostly in western Kazakhstan (See here).  

6488 flying over Al Jahra upon its return in 2021 from summering grounds in southern Russia. ©Al Kanderi

In summer 2021 it settled on an apparent territory in southern Russia.  Click here to see a post about its movements in summer 2021.

It has returned each winter since capture to Al Jahra, and is still regularly seen and photographed by the Kuwait Environmental Lens team.  Below is a map of its movements since 1 January 2022.  Overall we have collected almost 1.7 million(!) locations for this bird, so far.  Since 1 January we have collected 145,491 locations.

Movements of a Greater spotted eagle (6488) during 1 January -15 February 2022. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Some Greater spotted eagles during 2022

In the next few blog posts I'll try to update you on the movement of the eagles we are tracking.  I'll do a few in each post.

Below is a map of the movements of the eagle with transmitter number 8648.  Since capture we have collected 12793 locations.  It has spent time at the reserve and in the agricultural fields to the SE.

Movements of a Greater spotted eagle (8648) during 1 January -14 February 2022.  Yellow point is most recent location. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Below is a map of the movements of the eagle with transmitter number 6491.  Since capture we have collected 18663 locations.  It has spent most of its time at the reserve, but made a quick trip north near Basra, then returned.

Movements of a Greater spotted eagle (6491) during 1 January -14 February 2022.  Yellow point is most recent location. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Below is a map of the movements of the eagle with transmitter number 6490.  Since capture we have collected 12114 locations.  It has spent most of its time at the reserve, but also liked the trees outside the fenced area of the reserve, to the east.

Movements of a Greater spotted eagle (6490) during 1 January -14 February 2022.  Yellow point is most recent location. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

"Typical" GSE ranging at Al Jahra

Adult Greater spotted eagle soaring over Al Jahrah Pools, January 2022. © A. Al-Zaidan

We continue to track the Greater spotted eagles at Al Jahra Pools, Kuwait.  Those eagles will stay on their wintering grounds until their spring migration, which will probably start in April.  

For the most part, the eagles are very settled on Al Jahra, and will remain at the reserve throughout the winter period.  Below are maps of what one of the eagles (6490) has done since being fitted with a transmitter, and what it did on a single day.  6490's behaviour, as illustrated in these maps, is "typical" in that the eagle has stayed almost exclusively within the reserve area (although on one day it did fly in a big loop out over the water). 

 In coming posts we'll show how other eagles have ranged since being tagged in December, so come back when those posts are made.

The movement of a Greater spotted eagle (6490) wintering at Al Jahra during Dec 2021 - Jan 2022. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

The movement of a Greater spotted eagle (6490) wintering at Al Jahra during 3 February 2022. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Greater spotted eagle eye candy

 

Transmittered Greater spotted eagle soaring over Al Jahra Pools, January 2022. © A. Al-Zaidan

As described in the last post on 18 January (here), we fitted GPS tracking devices to five Greater spotted eagles at Al Jahra Pools in December 2021.  Those join the other eagles we are tracking since January 2020 (see here and here).  Below is some fantastic drone footage of Greater spotted eagles flying above Al Jahra, shot by Dr. Abdulla Al-Zaidan (Deputy Director General at the Environmental Public Authority).  It is with the permission of the EPA that the study into Greater spotted eagles is being conducted.  (Click twice on the image below and it should open in a new window, and be easier to view) If you look closely, you can see the tracking device on some of the birds (around 28 and 35 seconds in), which are fitted as a backpack.  Enjoy!

Five GSEs fitted with tracking devices in December

Fitting a GPS-GSM tracking device to a Greater spotted eagle in Kuwait.

In December 2021 the project made a breakthrough.  The Kuwait Environmental Lens (KEL) team was able to capture five Greater spotted eagles (GSE), and fit them with transmitters. This of course will provide important and interesting data for the life of the tags, but it also gave team members the opportunity to train in trapping techniques, handling of raptors, and fitting transmitters to eagles.  The successes in trapping also boosted the morale of the KEL/KFAS team. 

Below is a list of the GSEs we are now tracking. All have been fitted with numbered rings that you might be able to read with binoculars or by taking a photo and zooming in.  If you are able to read a ring, let us know by leaving a comment on the blog.  Although the tracking data are interesting and important, nothing beats a direct visual observation of a bird.

Additionally, the UQAB website has been launched that gives a more complete overview of the project, and you can access the blog through that website, too.  Of course, you can leave comments and report sightings of ringed (and unringed) of Greater spotted eagles on the UQAB website. too.

A free-flying Greater spotted eagle fitted with a tracking device and wintering at Al Jahra, Kuwait. © Jasem AlMotar.

In coming blog posts, we’ll try to keep you up to date with the movements of the tagged birds.  For now, and until spring they will stay on the wintering grounds, mostly around Al Jahra.  We expect to be posting every few days, so return often to the blog to keep up.  Also, share the blog with your friends. 

Update 3: Tagged GSE, M8-46 (6488), arrives back in Kuwait

 After spending the summer in southern Russia (click here) M8-46 (6488) embarked on its autumn migration 2021 on 20 September.  Its autumn migration lasted until 15 October (25 days), during which it flew 3657 km.  Its average speed on migration was 16.9 km/hr (max. = 90 km/hr).  The bird made two stopovers – one in central Kazakhstan during 22 September – 4 October (11 days), and one in Turkmenistan during 6 – 8 October (1 day).

Track (purple) of an adult female GSE (M8-46, 6488) during autumn migration 2021.  Green diamond = start of migration, red stars = stopover locations, red diamond = end of migration. Grey line = movements during 2020, and other parts of 2021.  © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Not surprisingly, the Kuwait Environmental Lens (KEL) team were able to record the eagle's presence at Al Jahra very soon after its arrival.  See below.

The ring of M8-46 (6488) photographed soon after its arrival on 15 October 2021. © lkwtlens

Update 2: Greater spotted eagle 6488 spring migration and summering 2021

Following on from the previous update blog (here), this post recounts the movements of our tracked Greater spotted eagle (6488) during spring migration and summer 2021.

6488 departed from Al Jahra on spring migration on 22 March, and migrated for 25 days (until 16 April).  It flew a total of 4667 km, migrating across southern Iraq, Iran, western Turkmenistan, western Kazakhstan, and into southern Russia (See map below).  Average speed on migration was 21.8 km/hr (max = 143 km/hr).  During its flight to the summering area it stopped-over twice: once during 6 – 8 April and a second time during  9 - 14 April  in west-central Kazakhstan.

Track (green) of an adult female Greater spotted eagle during spring migration 2021. Green diamond = start of spring migration (Al Jahra), green stars = stopover locations,  red diamond = end of spring migration.  Grey lines are movements in 2020. © KFAS/KEL/IAR

Unlike in 2020, the eagle settled into a small home range, indicating that it was holding a territory.  Tracking suggested that it spent 50% of its time in a mere 0.63 km².  The summer range was located in southern Russia (approx.: 54.615°N, 62.664°E), about 90 km SE of the town of Chelyabinsk, and the habitat in the territory was lowland forest within agricultural areas. Although the eagle was holding a territory, tracking indicated that it probably did not actually breed.

Movements by an adult female Greater spotted eagle (6488) during summer 2021 (left panel).  Red box = area of territory. Black dots in lower right map = summer night roost locations. 

© KFAS/KEL/IAR