Since first hearing from Kasper again on the 7 February, he has since moved over 1,500km (950 miles) north west into Nigeria where we received a signal on the 9 February. Yesterday (12 February ) a new transmission showed that he had moved a further 100 miles south west towards the coast.

It will be interesting to see if he continues to take a coastal route back north, given that he crossed the Sahara near the widest point on his journey south.

The fact that all five of our Cuckoos made it all the way to Africa without any losses was a pleasant surprise to us but we now haven’t picked up any messages from Kasper's tag since 6 January.

There are a few possible reasons why this might be, including tag failure, poor tag charging due to the weather or Kasper staying under the forest canopy, or he could have been taken by a predator.
At the moment, we can only sit and wait to see if there is a further transmission. There is still a chance that his tag might spring back to life and beam us a signal, albeit slimmer as time passes.
 

A transmission from Chris’s tag on 31 January at 08.10 placed him in the same location in the swampy area within Congo he has been in for some weeks.

A transmission received from Martin’s tag on the 30 Jan showed he had moved 90 miles (145km) in a north-north-east direction from Oko, where he had been located, and is now close to the Likouala River. He is around 86 miles from Lyster.

Is this the start of migration or not? Watch this space! 

Between a transmission received on the 30 Jan and another on the 1 Feb Lyster had moved 75km (46 miles) north-east and then a further 46km (29m) north-west. At 17.57 on the 1 Feb at he was near Ndzakou having moved a total of around 121km (75miles). He is now 86km (53 miles) from Martin and 47km (30 miles) from Clement.
 

Is this the start of migration or not? Watch this space!