I am not sure if we should have separate threads for Rothes and Mallachie. If people feel we should the best start them right away.
The first data has been published on Google Earth and immediately it is amazing how much further Rothes has flown that Mallachie.
Tiger Signature
Sue C: The gaps in the lines are caused, by their kml altitude data type, 'clamped to ground', at least thats what I think. I posted a link, see previous entry.
P.S. I was at Pulborough yesterday, for a short visit.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data Site
Sat track schedule Spring 2014
LG 7 days; RW & SWT nil; LDOP varies
Comforting to learn about that river. It's a relief as I was concerned she might be desperately searching for fish in a rather arid area.
Yes I agree, some of the other videos in the series, show the trout being caught, by the fishermen.
She seems to be exploring rather than migrating. I wonder if she is planning her route for next year and seeking out the best fishing spots en route.
She's certainly a smart enough bird !
Rothes still exploring Morocco. She was just SE of Fes as at 18th June. Looks like plenty of water in the area.
She has made a bit of northward progress though: probably headed for Gibraltar crossing rather than her outward route.
Sue C: Excellent detective work. Checking the atlas there were two large lakes or reserves in a N-S line between Sefrou and Boulemane, where she was in the vicinity around June 17-18. However she was east of these, and on GE they look tiny. What concerns me is that when separated from a water source this topography is so dry and unhospitable. She is in dangerous territory. I think Alan is right that she is exploring. It appears she has followed the line of the Atlas mountains from SW to NE, possibly on the peaks' northern rim line. The good news is that she is heading north, as far as I can tell is following rivers, and has nearly made it to the Mediterranean.
Since Boulemane she has left the Atlas watershed and all rivers flow north towards the Mediterranean. These appear to have a year-round water supply.
She may be exploring with the abandon of a teenager not yet feeling the urge to breed, or she could be exploring stopping points for future migrations.... or both!
Singing Bird, thanks - it can be useful to have Photos turned on while following Rothes in Google Earth, as they give an idea of the terrain and also place names.
Looking at the latest update, on the 16th June Rothes flew about 210 km, which is not a great distance. She started the day on the Oum Errabia, which is a permanent river, and could have fished before setting out. Her route passed over large cedar forests near Ifrane National Park. Her overnight stop on 16th/17th is just NW of a cultivated valley with springs, which she could have easily been down to for water, if not fish, without it showing up on GE.
Early on the 17th is a "point" just back NW of Marrakesh which I think is a miskeying - it first appeared in the previous update. On 17th, she turned north, tracking the Sebou river for only about 35 km before turning just south to overnight in its gorge.
Only about 5km north of the last point for the 17th is a reservoir, and going north from here, there are two much larger reservoirs, the further of which, the Barrage al Wadha, was visited by Roy Dennis' Spey on his way south. So from the viewpoint of access to water and fishing, this area isn't as concerning to me as the desert, and she is now only 150km from the Mediterranean coast.
A thought.......today is the summer solstice. If Rothes senses that the days are getting shorter (what a thought!) will it seem "wrong" for her to continue heading north?