KP
KP was named by Jenny and Tony in memory of Jenny’s late father Ken, who took a keen interest in their birding exploits and would have been fascinated by the satellite-tracking project.
- Status:
- Active
- Tagged:
- Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - 05:00
- Tagging Location:
- Incheens, Killarney National Park, Ireland
- Sex:
- Male
- Age when found:
- Adult
- Satellite Tag No.:
- 242388
- Wing Length (mm):
- 222
KP's journey from 01 May 2024 to 10 October 2024
KP's movements
28 Aug 2024 - KP has conquered the Sahara
After keeping us anxiously guessing for several days, KP has finally moved on from the remote Tibesti Mountains and flown the remaining 1,000 km (621 miles) south to complete his desert crossing.
He must've found sufficient food around the few oases and rivers of the mountains to sustain him for a few days before pressing on south. He is now in south-western Chad, approximately 66 km (41 miles) south-east of the capital N'Djamena where he will hopefully be able to replenish his fat reserves and recover from his journey.
Last year KP reached the Sahel further east in Sudan on 24 August and remained in the Sahelian region of Sudan/Chad until mid October when he crossed into Central African Republic and shortly after moved south to the Congo.
19 Aug 2024 - KP heads high
Having covered around 1,200 km (745 miles) of relentless Sahara Desert since crossing the Mediterranean, KP appears to be taking a break in the Tibesti Mountains in northern Chad.
With canyons and vegetated valleys running throughout this range, he will hopefully be finding plenty of food to fuel the next leg of his journey south.
13 Aug 2024 - KP heads for the Med
After a lengthy stay in the Italian Alps, and exploring the area around Lake Garda, KP has now upped and flown south. He has coursed through central Italy and crossed the Tyrrhenian Sea to Sicily, covering around 1,083km (672 miles) in the process.
From here, his next move should see him crossing the Mediterranean into Libya, before commencing the perilous Saharan crossing. This time last year he was already well on his way through the desert, heading south along the Libyan / Egyptian border.
01 Jul 2024 - KP departs in style
KP, the last of our tagged Irish Cuckoos has set off!
He left Ireland on 27 June, passing the South Wales coast before cutting speedily across southern England and crossing the Channel at Kent, before stopping just south of Lille, near the Belgian border - a journey of 936 km (580 miles).
After a brief respite, he set off south-east and covered another 808 km (502 miles), passing the French city of Nancy. KP then cut across south-west Germany and western Austria, before arriving on the shores of Lake Reschen, in northern Italy’s Tyrolean mountains on 29 June!
01 May 2024 - Killarney return for KP
KP finally made landfall on the southern coast of Ireland, just to the south of Dungarvan in County Waterford.
After a short while he headed west through County Cork and is now in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, where he was originally tagged on 17 May 2023.
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