"Brinzal" Osprey (P4)

Biography

“Brinzal” is a female from Lairg, in the middle of Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands. The town is located in the sound-east of the Shin Lake, one of the biggest lakes in the area, surrounded by mountains.She carries a PVC yellow ring with the code P4 for her identification from a distance.

* The bird was called Brinzal with thanks to the Recovery Center for Nocturnal Raptors, BRINZAL in Madrid because they gave the veterinary helpthe Osprey Project needed with disinterest.

Below, you can see the different movement since its liberation.

From November 19th to December 19th - BRINZAL'S TRANSMITTER BEGINS TO FAIL AND DOESN'T SEND OUT

After having stayed in Gambia at the beginning of November, Brinzal changed her route and she went towards the centre of Senegal. In the middle of November she was sending out a good satellite signal from the Panel Forest, close to the town of Palagué in the region of Tambacounda.

Last locations of Brinzal

This region is located inside the eco-region called "Western Sudanian Savanna", which is formed by acacia woods, baobabs... where the dry season lasts some months and during this time, most of the trees lose their leaves.

Forests of the Western Sudanian eco-region

After having sent out several days from this point, the signal began to lose and the dispositive doesn't sent out anymore. This doesn't mean that something bad has happened, as maybe it is just the transmitter itself which is failing.

As always, without losing hope, we hope that Brinzal continues her travel around Africa and if we don't receive any data from the satellite, we will be waiting for someday we could see her again in Urdaibai.

Travel made my Brinzal

November 6th

After having spent the night very close to the border between Senegal and Gambia, she decides to begin a new stage very early, entering again in Gambia.

The Republic of Gambia is a very rich area as far as flora and fauna is concerned, taking up the half of the lower course of the river and its both banks; more than 500 species, many of them rare, spend long periods in these lands. Gambia river rises in the National Park of Niokolo-Koba, in Senegal, where it forms huge meanders. Later on, other tributaries as Koloutou join it, to going after into Gambia. The river flows into the Atlantic on its way to the capital of Gambia, called Bajul.

Gambia river in its way through the National Park of Niokolo-Koba, in Senegal.

At around 14.00 pm she crosses the big city of Soma, which is located in the edge of Gambia river. The importance of this city lies in that it is crossed by the most important road in Gambia, that goes from the north to the south crossing the river and as well as it is join to Senegal.

Around 17.00 pm she decides to rest in a small woodland, in the edge of the river. Our young Osprey has done more than 95 km through amazing meanders and legendary cities. It could be that the banks of Gambia river satisfy all her needs, but to know this we have to wait new data from the satellite.

Besides, it should be pointed out a fact that has happened this day. The project called "Ospreys migration linking communities” tries to join, by the flyway that our Ospreys use in their migration, to schools of Scotland, Urdaibai and Gambia. That's it, Brinzal has slept very close to the town of Tendaba, home of Junkung Jadama, coordinator of the project with schools of Gambia. Therefore, this new stage that Brinzal has started is full of symbolism for us, as like this, it is closed the circle that began in Scotland four months ago.

Schoolchildren of Tanji Lower Basic School, Gambia, watching Ospreys in the wetlands of Gambia rivers.

November 5th

Brinzal decides to set out very early in the morning. She passes very close of the amazing Forest of Tambacounda, with huge baobabs and acacia forests, and she crosses the city with the same name.

Through the city of Tambacounda crosses one of the most crowded roads that joins the city of Dakar with Kayes, in Mali.

After having left behind the city, she goes into a small wooded area, called "Forest of Tamba Sur" and around 14.30 pm she arrives in Gambia.

The Republic of Gambia is a country which is surrounded in its entirety by Senegal. The country is located in the bank of Gambia river, so there are fertile lands that have based great part of their economy in the agriculture.

Brinzal crosses Gambia from north to south to cross again the border with Senegal and around 18.00 pm she decides to spend the night in Senegalese lands, very close to the border. Which countries will she visit tomorrow?

Baobab tree.

The surroundings of Tamabacounda in rainy season.

A sight of Google Earth, the area where Brinzal has been moving lately.

November 4th

When it seems that our young Brinzal had found her wintering place, the new data from the satellite give us new movements. The November 4th, at around 10.00 am she decides to explore new lands and she goes towards Senegal, that is, she goes to the east from where she was. Around 14.00 pm she crosses the border between Mali and Senegal and with a speed of more or less 55 km/hour, she flies over the Senegalese region of Tambacounda.

As all regions in the west of Africa, Tambacounda has also two seasons, the dry one and the rainy one, with big storms. The bases of the agriculture in this region are millet, corn and cotton.

At around 17.00 pm she decides to rest and to spend the night surrounded by small villages as Madina Diaka. Today has been an exhausting day for Brinzal, as in less than six hours she has flown more than 200 km. Tomorrow will be a new day.

Madina Diaka village.

A small farm in the region of Tambacounda.

From 19th to 3rd November

Brinzal hasn't moved a lot in this period, with the exception of the 25th October, when she made a flight of more than 40 km, approaching like this to Bafing river. She crosses the town of Gounfan, which has around 6.000 inhabitants.

She spends the night in the surroundings of this river, but the following day she decides to return to the place where she comes from, and to stay there until today. These are the last data we have received from the satellite, therefore, we have to wait to know her next movements.

Although we are in the rainy season, with mild temperatures, the region of Kayes is known as "Africa's pan", because it keeps high temperatures as it is surrounded by mountains rich in iron, exceeding in April and May the 46ºC.

Baobab tree with acacias behind. Author: NOAA.

From October 7th to 18th - SETTLED IN BAFING RIVER

It seems that our Osprey has already found her wintering area, as lasts weeks she has barely moved from this area. Although it is soon to draw conclusions, it is obvious that our young Osprey has found a place where she feels comfortable.

Her behaviour patterns are those ones: the first thing in the morning she does is to make short flights around a small river that probably flows full of water as we are in rainy season. At midday she used to stop some hours and then she makes again short flights until 19.00 pm more or less, when she stops for spend the night.

Brinzal is very close to Bafing river, one of the most important tributaries of Senegal river. This river used to produce floods every year which kept the traditional agriculture, feeding like this thousands of people. Nevertheless, the drought of 1970 promoted the formation of an International Organization for the use of Senegal river and it was decided to build a reservoir in order to obtain energy and make the river navigable. Like this was born Manantali lake.

With this artificial reservoir, the yearly floods were lost, a fact that was very important for the inhabitants of the area so the agriculture was substantially reduced. Among 10.000 and 11.000 people had to moved to other places, as they were in areas affected by the reservoir.

Although we haven't got proof that our Osprey fishes in this area, we know that she flies over the streams that are in the surroundings. Probably this will be her wintering area, although it is very soon to confirm that, therefore, we have to wait new locations from the GPS.

Manantali lake. Author: USDA.

October 6th.- FLYING OVER MALI

Today she is just few kilometers from the city of Bafoulabé, where Bafin and Bakoy rivers join together to form the Senegal river.

Although we are in the rainy season, the rains never exceed 900mm. Cold season is from November to February, while hot season lasts until June, reaching more than 43ºC in the shadow.

Along the day, Brinzal has made short flights. Tomorrow will be a new day with new adventures.

Acacia of the savannah, Mali Author: Wilson44691

October 5th.-AMONG RIVERS.

She starts the day crossing over a little town called Darabo. In the midday she stops at the edge of a little river. We are already in the rainy season in the Savannah zone, so that most of the rivers where our osprey stops are occasional.

There are two big rivers in Mali, Niger river and Senegal river. There are as well, other small rivers like Bakye, Faléme or Bafing. A great majority of the population of Mali is centered in riversides which are vital for life there. The cities of Kassa or Bamako are located in the riversides of the Niger river, being the second longest in Africa, and as it is a plain area with little slope, it causes big marshy areas.

Brinzal will spend the night close to a small river

Bamako, Malí. Author: Maroven.

Niger river in its path through Koulikoro, Mali

October 4th –GOING THROUGH KAYES.

Today our Young osprey is in Kayes, región of Mali, famous in Africa for the indigo dye. This mentioned dye is a natural colouring that is extracted from the plant Indigofera tinctoria. Its stalks and flowers are macerated into water producing a dark blue paste, well known as indigo. Although the natural elaboration of the dye it´s been decreased, the villages of the area are still using it for dying its own looms.

Indigofera tinctoria, Malí. Author: Kurt Stübert.

Kayes, Malí.

3rd October.- TO THE EAST OF MALI

Today she is flying over other mining area, where the main town is Sadiola, which is well known due to its two open gold mines. After making a stop in the area, she continues her route through the interior of Mali to the east.

Our osprey is within little distance from Bafoulabé. Is in this place where the rivers Bafin and Bakoye are joined to start the river Senegal.

Sadiola miner. Malí.

Sadiola, Malí. Author: Jacques Taberlet.

In the afternoon she stops in a wooded area, probably acacia as is the most common vegetation in this area.

2nd October.-ACROSS MINING AREAS

During the morning, “Brinzal” has been flying over the Falémé River and afterwards she decided to continue the migration over maleness lands. The Falémé name comes from soninké language which means “small river”. It is one of the biggest tributary for Senegal River from the left.

She has spent all the afternoon flying around Yatéla, a small town where there are some small rivers passing through the town. Yatéla is less than 20 kilometers from Senegal and it is famous because of the gold mine in where there are more than 800 employees working. Falémé River has been negatively influenced by the mine.

Falémé, Malí. Author: Tomás Pérez Gil

Our osprey will sleep very close to the mining area. Tomorrow will be another day.

1st of October- ARRIVAL IN SENEGAL

“Brinzal” is arriving in the region of Guidimaka, whose capital is Sélibaby. She has crossed the border between Mauritania and Senegal at midday, leaving behind the hard dessert. She crossed the area where Mauritania´s, Senegal´s and Mali´s borders are joined.

Next she crosses the Senegal border and she enters in Mali crossing the Famélé river, which is one of the main tributary river of Senegal river. Famélé river born in Senegal. Our Osprey is following it through Mali to come back in the afternoon to spend the night in Senegal.

Brinzal is entering in an eco-region called "Western Sudanian Savanna", leaving behind the acacia's savannah, typical of the south of Mauritania. The climatology is tropical, with a very marked seasons.

Today, “Brinzal” has over flown three different countries: Mauritania, Mali and Senegal.

Sélibaby, Mauritania.

Typical landscape of Western Sudanian Savanna.

September 30th - VERY CLOSE TO SENEGAL

Brinzal has begun her new stage very early in the morning, before 8.00 am and she has followed the Gorzol river, passing by one of the most important lakes in the area, known as Foum Gleita.

The area is mainly a savannah with acacias. All this area has been affected by both droughts and floods, as the one suffered in August 2007 in the Gorgol river, where our little friend is now.

Around 19.00 pm she stops her long trip to sleep, this time also, very close to the big rivers that in the area. She is 10 km far away from a small village called Maghana, a bordering village with Senegal.

Maghana, Mauritania.

September 29th - THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE

After have slept very close to the amazing Gabou lake, Brinzal decides to continue her travel going along the edge of the plateau of Tagant. This plateau is part of the mountain range that separates the Sahara from the Atlantic coast and from the Senegal basin. In this areas there are some rivers forming a small basin; this is evident when we are entering in the area of Sahel. This is a transition area between the Sahara desert in the north and the savannah in the south. There are two seasons very noticeable: one large, dry and wintry and the other one: rainy, between July and September.

At 15.00 pm she decides to rest on a tributary of the Senegal river, called Gorgol river. She will spend the night in the bank of the river. Brinzal is already very close to Senegal.

Very close to Kaédi, near Gorgol river.

September 28th - TOWARDS GREEN AREAS

Brinzal stars her new stage with the first rays of light. She has passed very close to the Tanouchert oasis, and leaving on her right the mountain area of Zouerat, she approaches to one of the most important lakes of the area, called Gabou lake, in Tagat plateau.

This plateau separates the Sahara desert from the Atlantic coast and Senegal basin.

Several rivers are part of a basin that join in the Gabou lake, where our Osprey will spend the night.

Today has been a long day for our Osprey, as she has travelled more than 325 km under a hard weather and with few stops.

Gabou lake, Mauritania.

September 27th - THROUGH THE EYE OF THE SAHARA

Today Brinzal begins her travel later than usual, perhaps because of the unfavorable winds typical of the desert.

At 16.00 pm she crosses the center of the "Richat Structure", which is a circular geological accident. Although there have been several who pointed to an impact of a meteorite in the desert, according to the last investigations, it is a natural geological formation, specifically it is an anticline that has been eroded for hundred years and what it can see is its core. It measures about 50km in diameter that our Osprey crosses in about hour and a half.

Tonight she sleeps very near of a village called Ouadane. It is a rather green area as a small river flows there.

Richat structure, Mauritania. Author: Brian0918.

Place where Brinzal has slept, near the village called Ouadane.

September 26th - CROSSING THE LARGE MAURITANIA

This time also, as usually, Brinzal has started her flight very early in the morning, being these the most productive hours regarding to the speed.

The first hours she used to fly very low, but around midday she flies with more height. At 19.00 pm she stops for some hours, but around 21.00 pm she continues with her journey in order to do some kilometres more.

She is few kilometres far away from the border between the region of Tiris Zemmour and Adrar, in the south.

Very close to the border between Tiris Zemmour and Adrar. Author: Ji-Elle.

September 25th - CROSSING THE HARD DESERT

She starts her travel very soon, around at 6.00 am, but she stops at 8.00 am for a short break. After, Brinzal does not stop until 19.00 pm, when she stops for rest and to spend the night. Until now, she has passed the area called Erg Iguîdi of the Sahara desert. She is getting closer to her destination.

Sahara desert. Author: Luca Galuzzi.

September 24th - CLOSER TO HER DESTINATION

Brinzal starts her journey at 8.00 am, although she stops for an hour at 9.00 am. At 11.30 she crosses the border between Morocco and Mauritania and without stopping her flight, she continues to the south. At 17.00 pm she stops in the region of Tiris Zemmour. She sleeps almost at floor level, probably on a dry trunk or on a rock.

Today our Osprey has done more than 250 km without stopping in the desert and with soaring temperatures.

Dunes of Sahara desert. Author: Wilson44691.

September 23rd - ARRIVING IN MAURITANIA

Brinzal starts her new stage at 9.00 am. At 11.00 am she finds a small oasis village called Assa.

At 15.30 pm our eagle is already in the Western Sahara, very close to the border between Morocco and Mauritania

Today she has done more than 260 km in extreme temperatures.

Assa village, Morocco. Going into Saharan desert, Morocco. Author: Albert Backer.

September 22nd - APPROACHING TO WESTERN SAHARA

The following day, Brinzal was very close to Tiznit's town, from a few kilometres of the Western Sahara. At midday she crosses a village called Trafaoute with a height of more than 1200 meters.
After she has flown more than 240 km with a median speed of 42 km/h, she decides to rest and she stops her journey until the following day at around 18.30 pm.

Trafaoute, a village near the Anti-Atlas.

21st September- CROSSING THE ATLAS

At 7.00 am Brinzal decides to begin her new stage. Although at the beginning she was flying very slowly and at low height, at more or less 14.00 pm she was flying over 2000 meters and with an average speed of 42 km/h.

Crossing Atlas mountains. Author: Melintir.

At 15.00 pm she begins to cross Atlas mountains, with an average speed of 55 km/h and exceeding even the 5000 meters of height. Finally, she took less than 4 hours to cross it completely.

Around 18.00 pm she arrives in the town of Agadir and our Osprey decides to spend the night there. In this case, she also sleeps on a tree surrounded by farmlands.

September 20th- TOWARDS THE ATLAS

Before 8.00 am, she decides to continue her journey to the South, leaving behind the green lands of Taounate and approaching to Atlas mountains.

At 17.00 pm she decides to rest in the region of Marrakech, exactly perched in a post that it is very close to a reservoir called Al Massira. This post is next to a water tank and surrounded by farmlands.

The place where Brinzal has spent the night.

Al Massira reservoir, Marrakech, Marocco.

September 19th- CROSSING THE STRAIT

At daybreak in Guadiaro river and different from the other ospreys, Brinzal looks for the shortest way to Africa, she goes along the coast towards the Strait of Gibraltar!!!

Around 9.00 am flies over the Rock of Gibraltar and the gulf of Algeciras to set a course for the Autonomous City of Ceuta, which is 20 km far. Among our young eagles, she is the one who has taken less risks to cross the Strait.

Strait of Gibraltar, with just more than 14 kilometres in its shortest part. Author: Andres Meck.

Brinzal has already arrived in Africa!!

Once in the new continent, she has followed the east coast and when she has crossed the city of Tetuán, she has taken southwest direction until the Qued el Makhazine reservoir. Still flying without stopping, she has gone to the south reaching the farmlands close to Sidi Slimane an agricultural village. Today she will spend the night in Moroccan lands.

Qued el Makhazine reservoir, one of the biggest reservoir in Morocco.

Sight of irrigated lands of Sidi Slimane, among them Brinzal has been flying around.

September 18th- SHE HAS ARRIVED AT CADIZ

Brinzal has spent the night over a golf course near Cala de Mijas and she started her new stretch at 6:00 in the morning, crossing Marbella and flying over the sea and finally arriving in the province of Cadiz. Once she left San Diego town, she has decided to take a rest in woodland near Guadiano river, between two towns, Pueblo Nuevo and Torreguadiano. She has flew around 60 km.

Guadiano river and Torreguadiano locality, Cadiz.

September 17th. BETWEEN GRANADA AND MÁLAGA

At dawn, Brinzal has gone to the sea and following the cost line she crossed the town of Almuñecar and Nerja. Arriving to El Peñoncillo, she has gone to the inland and from Torox, has flight over the airfields of Trapiche. At 11:00 am she was perched on a roof in a residential area in Malaga.

Urbanisation of Malaga where Brinzal stoped

After the rest, she decided to go to the inland, flying over some towns around Montes de Malaga Natural Park and she continued going into until the municipality of Antequera. Then, she has gone to the coastland again, but in this time crossing the area of Alaurín el Grande. The latest locations of Brinzal was near to the mountain chain of Mejias, between Ojen and Mejias.

Mijas mountain chain. Author: Olaf Tauch and Montes de Málaga mountains. Author: José Sanchez Rodriguez.

September 16th.- FLYING OVER SIERRA NEVADA

Once she rested from her first long stretch, she has started flying at 9:00am.

She has continued in Albacete flying over Sierra de Alcaraz, and going across Sierra de Segura, where there are amazing landscapes and uncountable reservoirs of water such as Fuensanta in Yeste municipality. She has flown at a high altitude, sometimes more than 1500m.

Fuensanta reservoir, Sierra de Segura Mountains in Albacete.

Brinzal arrived in the province of Granada at 15:00, crossing over Sierra de Baeza from the west. After that, she has gone to Sierra Nevada across the Mulhacen peak. Finally she arrived in some land crops between Molvízar and Lobres. Our osprey has spent the night on the olive trees.

Mulhacen Peak. Author: Kedrodassors. Olive groves in Molvizar municipality.

September 14-15th.- First long flight from Urdaibai to Albacete

During the afternoon in September 14th the young Brinzal has started her migration. She is the first osprey that leaves Urdaibai.

She has travelled 110km in her first flight to Ebro basin. She flew over the mountains between Bizkaia and Araba, Montes de Vitoria and Sierra de Codes. She has decided to take a rest in a cultivated area until 22:00, perched in a tree, near Agoncillo and Murillo de Río Leza, in La Rioja, by the Ebro river bank.

La Rioja's lands Agoncillo

After the rest, she has continued the trip at night, heading to the southeast. She has flown over some small towns in La Rioja and finally she arrived in Zaragoza when the dawn was breaking. After passing very close to Calatayud city, she has changed the direction to the south.

At noon, she was in Cuenca, next to the capital and continued flying to the south.

Finally, she has arrived to Albacete province at 19:00pm, where she has spent the night. She has flight more than 540km in 24h almost nonstop, flying to an average speed of 50km/h. She has rested in a plain of Campos de Montiel region.

Plains of Albacete Campos de Montiel region

From August 3th to September 14th.- HER STAY IN URDAIBAI

Brinzal with another osprey of the project with the background of Mundaka

After her first flight, she has been living in the marsh of Urdaibai for 44 days.

The marsh in Urdaibai

As the rest of the ospreys, Brinzal has been getting away progressively from the tower of hacking. In the 13th, she has flown farther than she used to, crossing Mendata small town, then she came back to the marsh. This is one of the first long flights before the migration to Africa.

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