HKBWS Ivan

A group of researchers in NW Australia started the Little Curlew satellite transmitter project and the first of the Little Curlew from Broome carrying a satellite transmitter set off on migration last week.
The researcher team have had two sets of data back from this bird already. On the first, it was flying over the sea close to Indonesia, about a 1000 km north of Broome. On the second it was on the shore of a large island in the Philippines, an additional 2000 km north. With three good quality transmissions from the latter researchers think it has probably stopped its migration at this location and is feeding and resting there. The other two birds are still at Roebuck Plains, Broome, but will hopefully depart in the next few days.

Here are some photos and map from the researchers.  The photo shows a satellite transmitter being fitted to one of the Little Curlew in the field on Roebuck Plains.

The first map shows typical gyrations of the five Little Curlew around Roebuck Plains during the period they were there from early November to mid-January. Each track covers approximately a week of movements for a bird. The second map shows the movements of the three Little Curlew which moved down to Anna Plains (and one to Port Hedland) for the period between late January and mid-March.

The last map showing a movement this week of the Little Curlew, which has already set off on migration (ID 131945, engraved leg flag BD).

little curlew BH in field small.jpg (65.46 KB)

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LC_movement paths_jan14_RP.jpg (100.73 KB)

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LC_movements_RP_to _AP_return.jpg (98.83 KB)

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LC_migration path_140425.jpg (141.33 KB)

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