Satellite monitoring of an amazing journey. The Ospreys of Urdaibai start their migration to Africa

With the departure of the Ospreys of the recovery project that it is carrying out by the Urdaibai Bird Center and the Regional Government of Bizkaia, together with the Basque Government, we attend to an unprecedented show in Urdaibai..

From today, it is possible to follow the journeys of the Ospreys in their migration to Africa. Through the website http://www.birdcenter.org/en/projects/proyectos-de-seguimiento-mediante-nuevas-tecnologias will be updated the localizations coming from Argos satellite in Toulouse (France). In this way, we could join from our houses these 5 eagles to verify if they can overcome all the obstacles and if they arrive to their wintering areas, probably located in the west coast of sub-Saharan Africa.

The excitement in the schools of Gautegiz Arteaga and Muxika is maximum, since each has sponsored one of the eagles. The one called "MONTORRE" takes his name from the school of Gautegiz Arteaga, while "URRETXINDORRA" rides the winds pushed by the children's breath of Muxika's school.

The excitement from Scotland is not less, as the specimens were donated by the Scottish Government inside the Osprey recovery project in Urdaibai.

Another eagle is called "ARTIA" in recognition of all the volunteers in the village that have helped in the project, while the name of "BRINZAL" has been given in thanks to the help provided to this project by this Bird of prey's recovery centre.

Finally, Valvospain business group dedicated to design and manufacture products of industrial valves, have supported the Osprey called "URDAIBAI".

This project began at the beginning of July, when a group of volunteers and specialised staff, under the license of Scottish Government, picked up these specimens from the Highlands of Scotland. They flew by plane from Aberdeen to Madrid, via London, and from there to Urdaibai were transported by road.

Once they were free, those few that overcome all the dangers of their first migratory journey, will remain there at least two consecutive winters and, in case of survive, they will come back to breed from their third year of life.

Meanwhile, we will be aware of the adventures of this great journey... impressive geographic barriers as the Saharan desert or the dangerous winds of the strait that they have to cross in their way... But they won't be less dangerous the human barriers such as poaching, power lines or eolian parks with lots of wind turbines...