Read the latest updates from our Cuckoos on their epic migration between the UK and tropical Africa, or track their movements in real-time on our Cuckoo migration map. If you enjoy these updates, please consider sponsoring a Cuckoo. Sponsors receive special updates about their chosen Cuckoo in the Cuckoo e-newsletter.
Hafren makes for the Maghreb
Hafren has now left Spain and is making his way south along the North African coast.
His route saw him setting off across the sea, leaving the Spanish mainland west of the famous Doñana National Park, before arriving on the Moroccan coast just to the north of the city of Agadir.
At 7.36 this morning, we received a signal showing that he was close to the Western Sahara border. In the last 48 hours Hafren has covered around 1,220 km (758 miles).
Henry’s Hamburg detour
Henry, if the satellite information is accurate (and there’s no reason for us to assume that it isn’t), is behaving rather oddly… following his 12-day stay just to the south-west of Paris, he finally set off, but instead of heading south he took off to the north, towards Germany!
Two days ago he passed Cologne and continued to fly northwards. He then bypassed Bremen and cracked on towards Hamburg, before veering west, and at 7.56 this morning (24) we received a signal to say that he was just north of the North Sea port city of Bremerhaven!
In summary, Henry appears to have flown approximately 960 km (596 miles) in the wrong direction. Hopefully, he will soon reorientate and head south after his surprising German tour.
Sayaan hits the Sahel
Since our last update, when Sayaan was in the Jalo oasis area of northern Libya, he has flown a further 1,766 km (1,097 miles) across the desert and is currently in east Chad.
He has reached the Sahel region, where he can hopefully rest and feed a little before continuing south. At 8.03 this morning (24 July) he was close to the western border of Sudan and just north of the city of Abéché, the fourth largest city in Chad.
Joe checks-in in Chad
Having crossed the Sahara a week ago, Joe has been taking it relatively easy.
He moved down through north-east Nigeria, passing through Cameroon and is currently in the Chari-Baguirmi region of southern Chad.
Nick II's African adventure
This is one feisty Cuckoo! The last of our tagged birds to leave the UK, Nick II has really ploughed on and is now the second of our birds to tackle the Sahara.
He is currently on the coast of Mauritania, having left Suffolk just 11 days ago! Since our last update, he has flown south through Spain, and cut across north-west Morocco before passing through Western Sahara, and arriving just to the north of Nouakchott, Mauritania’s sprawling and densely-populated capital.
His next move should see him moving south through Senegal or Mali, before heading to his wintering grounds.
Sayaan's southern surge
After a lengthy rest in central Italy, Sayaan has clearly felt the urge to get a move on in recent days.
He has now crossed the Mediterranean and is currently in northeastern Libya, in the Al Wahat District in the Jalo oasis, and about to commence his epic Sahara crossing.
When, and where, will he arrive on the other side?
Cuthbert's Iberian tour continues
After leaving the Basque region a few days ago, Cuthbert flew 380 km (236 miles) south, to an area just west of Madrid, in the province of Ávila, Castile and León.
Curiously, he then headed north again, covering another 380 km (236 miles) before arriving near the coast in the province of Asturias! He then headed a further 230 km (142 miles) south-west, and is now on the Atlantic coast close to the Portuguese border.
Wilfrid pops to Portugal
After a few days feeding up around the Spanish town of Tordesillas, Wilfrid headed in a south-westerly direction on the evening of 19 July.
In just three days he covered a distance of around 520 km (323 miles), passing Salamanca and Badajoz en route. Now in Portugal, he arrived in a fairly remote region just south-west of the Guadiana Valley Natural Park at 5.23am today (22 July).
Hafren heads south
Our latest data received from Hafren, at 7.54 this morning, shows that he is presently following the Malachel River, a tributary of the Guadiana River in Extremadura, Spain.
Currently midway between the cities of Cordoba and Badajoz, he has covered some 570 km (354 miles) since leaving the Soria province two days ago.
Spanish surge for George II
George II has now left France and is making steady progress through central Spain.
He has spent the last few days in the Soria region, and was in very close proximity to Cuckoo Hafren for a couple of days!