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 ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. 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