As we head into December, we can expect our tagged Cuckoos to be fairly settled for the next few weeks. They should now be firmly in their ‘wintering’ grounds in the Congo basin, feasting on tropical insects, and trying to avoid getting eaten themselves – there are lots of predatory birds, mammals, and reptiles in that region!

Of the 11 tagged Cuckoos that left the UK in summer, we have continued to receive regular updates from nine. 

The furthest east of our birds are Joe and Sayaan, both of whom are in Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are currently just 12 km (7 miles) away from each other, in the dense rainforests to the north of the Busira River. 

Our most southerly Cuckoo is Cleeve, deep in the Republic of the Congo, close to the Léfini Faunal Reserve. He is in the same area as Wingston, who has in recent days been less than 40 km (25 miles) away from him. Cuckoo Norman is the west of these two birds, close to the Gabon border.

Furthest north we find Jim and Arthur, both in Gabon. Nearby is Ashok, less than 50 km (31 miles) to the south of Jim. Frederic has recently crossed the border of Republic of the Congo and headed east into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he is currently by the large freshwater Lake Mai-Ndombe.

Two birds, Cores and Wilfrid, made it across the Sahara but after some promising movements, we soon lost track of them. Cores’ signal stopped on 27 October, when he was in southern Chad, while we last heard from Wilfrid on 20 September as he moved toward Nigeria from Niger. It may be that these two ‘lost’ Cuckoos have reached the end of their lives, or that the satellite tags have failed. 

We may never know what happened to this pair, but we do know that each bird has provided us with remarkable information that has allowed us invaluable insights into the complex stories of Cuckoo migration. 

The remaining Cuckoos will likely remain in their wintering areas until February, when we will hope to see some movement as they prepare to commence their long flights back to Europe for the 2026 breeding season. For some of this Cuckoo cohort, it will be the first time that we get to follow their remarkable journeys north. 

We will, as always, keep an eye on the Cuckoos and as soon as we see signs that they’re starting to head back we will post updates and track their incredible progress once more! 

Cleeve has spent the past six weeks or so in much the same area along the northern Nigeria border, with little sign of movement. 

However, in the last few days he has covered around 1,200 km (745 miles) and is now in the extensive forests of central Cameroon. Remarkably he is just 33 km (20 miles) away from Cuckoo Frederic!   

Since our last check in with Cleeve, he has moved approximately 360 km (224 miles) east and is now along the southern Niger / north Nigeria border.  

After spending several days in south-east Mali, Cleeve set off across southern Niger and into Nigeria. In the last 24 hours he has covered over 500 km (310  miles) and is currently along the border of the Sokoto and Kebbi states.

After a very protracted stay in the hills west of Barcelona, we were beginning to wonder what was going on with Cleeve. However, in the last few days he has sprung into action.  

He suddenly took off and headed out across the Mediterranean, passing the north-east coast of Ibiza, and by first light on Friday he had made land fall in Algeria, close to the coastal town of Gouraya. Here, he spent the day resting and feeding in the lightly wooded hills just inland, before setting off across the Sahara. 

By Sunday evening (17) he had covered some 2,800 km (1,740 miles) since leaving Spain just days earlier and is now on the northern edge of the Ansongo-Menaka Partial Wildlife Reserve in south-east Mali.

Since our last check-in with Cleeve almost three weeks ago, he has remained in eastern Spain. He is currently lingering on the coast near Tarragona, just 65 km (40 miles) west of Barcelona. 

From here he could head straight out over the Balearics and on into Algeria, or take a more westerly route for a shorter sea crossing into Morocco? 

We last heard from Cleeve a couple of days ago, when he was on the Belgian / French border. His signal shows that he has made steady progress since then, covering around 900 km (560 miles) on a flight through France and into north-eastern Spain. 

He is currently just west of the Catalonian city of Girona, close to the Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park.

By this date last year, Cleeve was already making steady progress and was in northern Spain. However, he has taken his time so far this summer and only left Norfolk on Saturday. 

By this morning (7 July) he was on the Belgian / French border in the municipality of Wallonia. If he follows last year’s route he should head into north-eastern Spain in the next few days.

Cleeve seemed quite settled in the Soria region of north-central Spain over the last few days, preparing for the next leg of his journey north. However, he has now crossed over the French border and is now just 25 km (15 miles) to the west of Bordeaux, close to the Médoc Regional Nature Park.

With good weather conditions forecast, can we expect to see Cleeve back in Suffolk over the weekend?

Like Joe and Sayaan, Cleeve has been in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) preparing for his northbound migration for the last couple of weeks, and like his Cuckoo congeners, he has now commenced his northward migration.

Covering approximately 2,900 km (1,800 miles) in recent days he has flown up through Burkina Faso, passing over Timbuktu as he crossed Mali, continued through western Algeria, and is currently on the eastern flank of the Middle Atlas mountains in Morocco. Next stop, Europe!

Cleeve has made his way from Republic of the Congo, across the Gulf of Guinea, covering around 2,200 km (1,367 miles). He is now in eastern Côte d'Ivoire, hot on the heels of Cuckoo Joe!

Cleeve has made his way from Republic of the Congo, across the Gulf of Guinea, covering 2,200 km (1,367 miles).

He is now in eastern Côte d'Ivoire, hot on the heels of Cuckoo Joe! 

Since our last update in mid February, Cleeve has moved slowly northwards. Still in the Republic of the Congo, he is now in the north-west of the country, around 530 km (330 miles) north from his main wintering area.

Close to the northern border of Gabon, he is currently just west of Odzala-Kokoua National Park, one of Africa’s oldest national parks and home to Forest Elephant and Western Lowland Gorilla.

Cleeve has spent the last few weeks in a heavily forested region in the southern part of the Republic of the Congo. 

He is just west of the Lefini Reserve, a protected area which is home to an array of wildlife including Western Lowland Gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants and more than 260 bird species.

Having crossed the Sahara in early August, Cleeve has been moving slowly south and is now by the Bouenza River in the Republic of the Congo. 

Cleeve had a taste of fame when he was the star of a BBC One Show episode back in May. Hannah Stitfall and crew joined our BTO team in Norfolk as they caught Cleeve and attached his satellite tag.

In recent days Cleeve has moved further into north-east Nigeria and is currently in the forested savannah area to the west of Erwa Nature Reserve. 

After a lengthy stay in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees, Cleeve finally headed south in earnest. 

In just two days, he had flown the length of the Spain, crossed the Mediterranean and was halfway across the Sahara!  He appears to be well on his way, and our latest signal shows that he has passed through most of Niger, and is now close to the Nigerian border.