[TN-Bird] Peregrine Peregrinations on Line

March 22, 2007
 
Here is a site that will track 7 radio tagged Peregrine Falcons from their  
wintering grounds in Chile back to North America. Linked with Google Earth 
Maps,  you can zoom down to tree top level at some of their favored  locations. 
This is really hi-tech tracking stuff coming right to you in the  comfort of 
your home. These recorded travels will give us a world's eye view of  what 
these 
birds really do to make a living. It would be exciting to know that  one has 
passed through one of your favorite shorebird sites. Information below,  Enjoy! 
 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135

 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Hi <folks>,
>    The Falcon Research Group (FRG)  is sponsoring a
> new project that involves satellite tracking of
>  North American tundra falcons on their "wintering
> grounds" in  Chile.
>    Members of our FRG team have just returned from  a
> successful 3 week expedition to the southern Atacama
> Desert  region where we tagged seven peregrines. You
> can now monitor these birds  daily on our new website
> at www.frg.org.
>    We are  using the new GPS solar-powered
> transmitters (made by Microwave  Telemetry) and the
> results so far have been spectacular. These  units
> contain a small global positioning chip that is
> accurate  to +or- 18 meters. We have never had this
> kind of accuracy before and it  is opening up a whole
> new world of understanding. 
>     Our web guys, Mark Prostor, Don McCall and Pat
> Little have linked the  GPS coordinates to Google
> Earth and as a result, it is possible to zoom  all
> the way down to the individual trees and buildings
> where the  birds perch in Chile. This is the first
> time GPS satellite transmitters  have been used on
> peregrines in South America and they are  providing
> brand new information of the unknown habits and
>  distribution of tundra falcons in Chile.
>    At present, these  falcons are still on their
> austral ranges but they will soon be  migrating north
> to the Arctic to breed. If all goes well, you  will
> be able to follow their movements every day (3
> signals per  day) as they return 6-8,000 miles north
> to their breeding grounds. We  expect them to leave
> in April and early May, so stay  tuned.
>    To check out these birds, go to www.frg.org  and
> click on "Field Research". Next click on "Southern
> Cross  Peregrine Project". A list of the seven
> falcons will pop up. Each bird  has its own page so
> click on one of the names, e.g. "Arena"  (highlighted
> in blue). 
> When its page comes up, scroll down to  the map. You
> can zoom in by clicking the + on the sidebar to the
>  left. This will allow you to move all the way down
> to see individual  buildings and groves of trees. You
> have to see it to believe  it.
>    If you left click on the orange symbol, you can
>  see the time and date of the signal. You can also
> click on the blue  dates on the right to see where a
> particular bird was on that  day.
>    For those of you that have a Google Earth
>  capability (you can download it for free), click on
> the Google Earth map  icon and you can explore the
> Chilean ranges in much greater  detail.
>    I have been working with falcons for over  40
> years and I have to say that this is one of the most
>  spectacular things that I have ever seen. The
> marriage of satellite  transmitters and Google Earth
> is nothing short of amazing.  
>    Thanks to Mike McGrady and Keith Bildstein of the
>  Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in PA for donating the two
> male PTT  transmitters.
>    And I'd especially like to thank all 204  FRG
> members that contributed to make this project
> happen. Enjoy  the results everyone. And pass this
> message along to your  friends.
>    Stay tuned...
>    
> Bud  Anderson
> Falcon Research Group
> Box 248
> Bow, WA  98232
> (360) 757-1911
>  bud@xxxxxxx






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