Satellite Telemetry Project Black Storks from Bavaria

[Felis silvestris]

Tracking Black Storks live - SatelliteTelemetry Project of LBV (Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern e. V.)

Project homepage: http://www.lbv.de/unsere-arbeit/vogelsc ... torch.html

A short summary of the project:

A Satellite Telemetry Project about this secretively living bird to understand it better in order to be able to protect it better. It is to find out, where the juveniles forage and why they do it exactly there. Define the routes they take to get there and back. And what are the biggest threats to the Black Storks in their breeding areas? Keyword: wind turbines?

On the map the flight path of the Black Storks can be followed live and the Blog [in German language] regularly informs about the project's latest news and developments

Introducing the three storklets:



Stork 1

- Name: not yet assigned
- Sponsor: still looking
- Gender: female
- Date of Hatch: May 7, 2014
- Location: Southern Main-Franconia
- Siblings: AT902 and AT903 (no transmitters)
- Peculiarity: likes to explore (was already in Saxony, Czech Republic and Austria)
- Ring Number: AT901
- Number of Transmitter: 3738
- Left Breeding Area: July 31, 2014



Stork 2

- Name: not yet assigned
- Sponsor: still looking
- Gender: female
- Date of Hatch: June 1, 2014
- Location: Southern "Reichswald" near Nuremberg
- Siblings: AT904
- Peculiarity: caring (preens and guards little sibling)
- Ring Number: AT905
- Number of Transmitter: 3739
- Left Breeding Area: August 20, 2014



Ludwig (der Bayer)[the Bavarian]

- Name: Ludwig (der Bayer) [the Bavarian]
- Sponsor: H.R. MUC
- Gender: male
- Date of Hatch: June 5, 2014
- Location: Southern "Reichswald" near Nuremberg
- Siblings: AT905
- Peculiarity: Baby of the family (was longest in the breeding area)
- Ring Number: AT904
- Number of Transmitter: 3737
- Left Breeding Area: August 30, 2014

[Felis silvestris]

Latest technology for Black Storks
How Satellite Transmitters work and what is behind:

The Black Stork transmitters are state of the art high-tech equipment, which are used in this implementation for the first time for Black Storks. They make it possible for the first time to record and analyse high-resolution, three-dimensional GPS data (longitude, latitude, and altitude), as well as movement patterns of storks.
The transmitters of German company e-obs weigh 57 grams and consist of several components, which are assembled in a weatherproof, durable plastic case. Just like a regular hand-held GPS device used by hikers, the transmitter records the GPS data of the stork with the help of satellites. This can occur even every 30 seconds, and thus shows a gapless record of the flight of the stork, depending on the battery voltage and memory status. This allows us to better assess the hazard potential of wind turbines and locate the preferred foraging habitats of storks.

In addition to GPS positions, these transmitters can also detect and store three-dimensional motion pattern of storks. Like this it is possible to determine by the line patterns whether the stork is active, stands or lies or if he beats his wings or is gliding in the thermals.

A Storklet with the "backpack" and the movement lines

(Photo from the project website, ©H. Röhl)

Excerpt of movement data of Stork 1

(Photo from the project website, ©H. Röhl)


The best part is that the transmitter battery is charged again and again by a solar module. Like this the transmitter theoretically lasts for a stork's lifetime. Thus we are able, provided our storks survive the diverse dangers, follow a storklet live for many years, from its first exploration flights, over its migration routes to the south, the wintering areas in Africa and its first breeding attempt here in Europe, to its death.

Until now similar projects have been difficult as one had to follow the animals for retrieving the data. Because only with a hand-held scanner and an antenna and in relative proximity to the animal, it was possible to establish a connection to the transmitter and download the data. Our transmitters on the other hand use today's globally distributed and well-developed mobile network. If the stork is in an area with good mobile phone network, he will transmit all data once a day encrypted to a specific website, from where we from LBV look at the data and can process them further. Even you can globally follow animals fitted with transmitters live: http://www.movebank.org

Should the transmitter at some occasion have no good network, it will send an SMS with the last five GPS positions to the Move Bank, so if in doubt, one still can follow the animal and read the data using the hand-held scanner. The data storage is large enough to save data of up to one year, so even after wintering in Africa no data will be lost. Once the transmitter has again mobile network reception, it will send all collected GPS positions and movement profiles to the Movebank.

The transmitter is attached like a backpack to the Black Stork using a Teflon tape. The material is especially skin friendly and weatherproof, so it is not chafing and should survive a stork's lifetime. This system has already been proven in a similar project with Latvian Black Storks. Including the Teflon straps and metal crimps, which ensure that the strap is not detaching from the transmitter, the whole backpack weighs a little less than 70g. This corresponds to about two to three percent of the stork's body weight.

Putting on the transmitters

In order to put transmitters on Black Storks, one has to aim high. Because you can capture the elusive animals best when they can't fly yet, still sit as hatchlings in the nest on the brooding tree. To make sure the backpack is not too large but fits perfectly, one has to wait until the young ones are shortly before leaving the nest, are so to say "teenagers". With 50 days they are big enough for the backpack and at the same time still "small" enough not to jump out of the nest.

Then professional tree climbers of the Bayerische Staatsforsten (Bavarian State Forests) climb up the nest tree. There they carefully pack up the storklets individually into cloth bags and let them slowly down to the ground by rope, where they are received by the LBV researchers. Before the backpack is adjusted, each stork is measured, weighed and ringed. The data provide information about the nutritional condition and can be used for comparison with other locations. The special ELSA stork rings of the ornithological institute Radolfzell can be read easily, even from great distances and thus help with identification if the Black Storks are spotted. The siblings of the transmitter storks get these rings.

The backpack system with the transmitter is carefully applied and checked several times for its proper fit. After all, it must fit perfectly for years. After this, all the storklets are again pulled up in the cloth bags to the nest and put back. The whole operation lasts for about 45 minutes and great care is taken that the parents are not aware of it. They are foraging for their ever-hungry brood all day and usually come back to the nest only after four to five hours for a short feeding.


Translation of the LBV website about the Black Stork transmitters: http://www.lbv.de/unsere-arbeit/vogelsc ... chnik.html
With thanks to H. Röhl for the permission to translate it - Felis silvestris

[Felis silvestris]

Background of the Black Stork Telemetry Project
With better knowldege for better Black Stork protection


Black storks fortunately have taken a positive population development in Bavaria. Nonetheless there is still a number of risk factors, such as the increasing construction of wind power plants in the habitats of the Black Storks and the destruction of feeding and breeding areas. Therefore we would like to know more about the Black Stork in order to protect him even better.

As the shy Black stork, contrary to his white relatives, lives very secluded in forests and is difficult to observe and explore, even when foraging at streams and on wet meadows, we want find out more about some Bavarian Black Storks with the help of high-tech satellite transmitters. That's why we started this year into the three-year Black Stork Telemetry Project by putting transmitters on three young Black Storks.

This latest technology allows us to track the flight routes and feeding habitats so accurately, so that we can later help the storks with targeted measures in the breeding areas where it is most necessary and where he will be disturbed least of all. In addition we finally can deliver tangible data, which are so important for the decision of planning of wind power plants: in which heights flies the Black Stork? How close does he get to the dangerous rotor blades? Does he fly around wind farms over a wide area or is he passing right through?

The LBV supports the expansion of renewable energies and in this way the construction of wind turbines, but only on condition that they come up at suitable locations and after decent planning and consideration of potential risks for wildlife have taken place.

This summer we have equipped three young Black Storks just before they fledged with satellite transmitters for the Black Stork Telemetry Project. One stork originates from southern Main-Franconia, the other two are siblings and are from southern Nuremberg "Reichswald" [N.B. transl. - no English article in Wikipedia]. We now can accompany them for a whole storklife and understand all their steps.

Next year we want to catch adult Storks as well, in order to explore flight routes and foraging areas in their breeding territories during the provision for their chicks.

During the third year, we will arrange renaturation measures to improve habitats in the respective breeding areas of our transmitter storks and try to guide the animals to areas with lesser disturbances in their territories. Based on the collected data, we will know by then what they particularly like as foraging area and why and which routes they prefer to fly there. In addition we will know more about the exploration of the areas by the young storks and thus hopefully be able to protect them better from dangers.


Translation of the LBV website about the Black Stork transmitters: http://www.lbv.de/unsere-arbeit/vogelsc ... tml#c27661
With thanks to H. Röhl for the permission to translate it - Felis silvestris

[Felis silvestris]

My thanks to LBV for the permission to use the data from the website!


Sept. 9



Stork 2 is west of Cordoba, Spain on 7th September

Stork 3 is north-west of Valencia, Spain on 8th September

Stork 1 is east of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic on 2nd September

[Felis silvestris]

Blog entries that have been added later:

31.07.14 Stork 1 leaves breeding area


Black Stork 1 on 30.07.2014 alone in the breeding area ©H. Röhl

This we did not expect! Less than one week after his first flight attempts Black Stork 1 leaves the parental breeding area and moves towards northeast. Previously it was believed that young storks will stay between 2 and 4 weeks in the territory and will make explorative flights with parents and siblings. Black Stork 1 however did not spend the night from 25th to 26th July on the nest and was roaming the breeding area alone looking for food. On the next day he left the breeding area completely.

19.08.14 Stork 1 in Czech Republic


Migration route of Black Stork 1 so far (last dot from 19.08.2014) ©H. Röhl

After Stork 1 left his birth area so quickly, he set off to Czech Republic over "Erzgebirge" in Saxonia. There he stays to this day and he seems to like it well!
With his flight to Czech Republic he "outed" himself as eastern migrant (Ostzieher) and will probably migrate over the Balkans, Turkey and Israel finally to Egypt and East Africa for wintering. Or will he once more surprise all and return once again to Bavaria, to reach Africa via the Western route?
I wonder when he will begin his actual migration to Africa. At the moment he is just exploring.

21.08.14 Stork 2 also leaves the breeding area


Here they were still united: Black Stork 2 and 3 for the last time together in the aerie ©H. Röhl

Now it is getting exciting in the second breeding area too!
Stork 2 circled on 20.08. once again in his familiar environment above fields and meadows to quickly make away towards north!? At that he left his three days younger sibling alone in the nest ...
I now wait daily for the departure of Stork 3, our literal "baby of the family".

22.08.14 Stork 1 back again in Bavaria!!

As if I had anticipated it (see blog from 19.08.): Stork 1 surprises us for the second time, since he is back in Bavaria. Today the transmitter reported from Upper Bavarian district Traunstein, just across the Austrian border. Now everything is open again and it really could be that Stork 1 moves on further west.
I'll keep you posted!

26.08.14 Stork 2 moves south


Stork 2 leaves towards south ©H. Röhl

Now Stork 2 apparently set out for Africa and it looks like he is a western migrant (Westzieher), thus taking the route via France and Spain.
From now on you can follow Stork 2 (ring number AT905) together with Stork 1 (ring number AT901) online live. Our own LBV interactive map is still under construction, but will be available for you from the beginning of September.
Because we want to keep the breeding area for the protection of the Black Storks secret, only the GPS coordinates of the migration routes will be visible.

27.08.14 Stork 3 spotted on the move with parents!


Stork 3 (far right) foraging with his parents ©H. Röhl

Our baby of the family, Stork 3, reported today for the first time from outside of the aerie, from a chain of ponds about 12 km away!
I immediately followed him with two colleagues and tried to find him to observe his behaviour.
And indeed: there is Stork 3 standing together with his parents on a meadow at the edge of a forest and learns what a Black Stork has to learn. But it seems Stork 3 is in fact a bit "easygoing". His parents wait time and again until he finally follows them, but Stork 3 lingers often and has to be "picked up" again.
Unfortunately I was unable o click a good photo on the fly from the distance, but at least here is a little impression.

29.08.14 Two transmitter storks move on; Stork 3 still in North Bavaria


Flight route of Stork 1 on 29.08.2014 ©H. Röhl

Stork 1 still continues to explore Czech Republic and paints a "balloon" on the world map. The route you can look up more detailed here

Stork 2 has, after a few days break at Lindenweiher, taken course again towards west and is located in the meantime almost at the level of the western end of Lake Constance. The route of Stork 2 is to be viewed on the interactive map at http://www.movebank.org with this link as well.

Stork 3, our smallest, is still on the move in the breeding area, but today without parents. But he is bearing up bravely, preening standing on a stubble field and glides beautifully in the thermals.


Stork 3 on a stubble field ©H. Röhl----------------------------------Stork 3 in flight ©H. Röhl



30.08.14 Stork 2 in Switzerland!


Position of Stork 2 on 30.8.14 at 16 o'clock ©H. Röhl

Stork 2 arrived today in Switzerland, in the canton of Solothurn. Since apparently he had bad cell phone reception there, not all data could be sent to the Movebank. This results in the last point at Movebank still showing in Germany, if you look at the route of Stork 2 there.
I get an additional E-Mail which contains the last point at the time of data upload (at the moment this is set to 16 o'clock). So I can tell you, he is already south of Basel!
Will he be already in France tomorrow? How long will he take to reach Africa?
In any case, I wish Stork 2 all the very best for the ever more demanding journey.

31.08.14 Stork 2 in France and Sibling 3 follows!


Good bye! The last shots of Stork 3, as he sets off for southern Bavaria. ©H. Röhl

Yesterday (Saturday) evening Stork 2 crosse the Swiss-French border! Hence he is the first of our three transmitter storks clearly moving towards the direction of the wintering areas in Africa - Stork 1's roaming in Czech Republic I don't count as determined migration towards south.

His little sibling, Stork 3, copies this now and left yesterday afternoon, 10 days after his older sibling, the breeding area. In parting he flew once again over my colleague Anne and me and stopped only in the evening in a wooded area in southern Bavaria, where he braves the rain until today.

02.09.14 Stork 1 and 3 rather inactive, but Stork 2 already in the South of France!

Finally there is our own map to track the migration routes of Stork 1, 2 and 3! Here you can now follow our 3 transmitter storks live and daily and look where it takes them to.


Helene at the attempt to find and observe Stork 3 once again (F: A. Schneider).

As you can see there, the three behave at the moment quite differently. While Stork 2 crossed almost whole France within two days and will most probably arrive in Spain tomorrow, his little sibling (the gender we will hopefully get to know soon!) and Stork 1 are not very active. Stork 1 hardly moves in his beloved Czech Republic (looking at the satellite images, it is really idyllic there) and our baby of the family, Stork 3, most probably got so scared by his move "from home", so that from shock he does not move on.
Anyway, due to the bad weather and the "slight migration performance" of Stork 1 and 3 are the solar-powered batteries so empty that not all recorded GPS points could be sent. But don't worry! As soon as the weather improves and both of them fly again longer distances (in flight the solar panel on the transmitter receives more light than when they stand only on the ground), the transmitter will send all in the meantime recorded data.

Now for me field work with the storks ends with this (now follows computer work), but for the three the physical work just really starts.

03.09.14 Baby of the family now also in "migration mode" - already in France!

Our youngest transmitter stork (Stork 3) has apparently now also got travel nerves! He follows his older sibling in great style and has crossed the French border north of Basel already today! The latest part of the migration route of Stork 3 you can't see yet on the map because the battery is still empty and because of that only half of the collected data was sent. The rest will follow later in the next days.
Stork 2 in the meantime already flew out of France and arrived in Northern Spain!

07.09.14 Both siblings now in Spain!


Flight routes of Stork 2 (pink) and Stork 3 (yellow) on 07.09.2014

Since the weekend both Stork 2 as well as 3, are located in Spain. The baby of the family (Stork 3) is in fact still more than 500 km away from his older sibling, but as he is taking a rest after the long flight, Stork 3 is coming closer.
On the picture I have marked the last point of stay of Stork 3, which was previously not visible on the map. Due to the poor cell phone reception both can send only a part of the data at the moment, but I do get additionally sent the latest point, which I added here for you.
Stork 2 taking a break in Spain is quite normal and occurs quite often with Black storks migrating on the western route. On average they stay 15 days, but can stay up to 32 days in good foraging areas until they fly across the Strait of Gibraltar and eventually reach the African continent.

10.09.14 Baby of the family overtakes them all!!

I can't believe it: our youngster overtakes them all and is now the southernmost of our transmitter storks. He apparently fishes in Rio Guadalhorce, on the western outskirts of Malaga in southern Spain. I would prefer he would not get that close to the big cities as now - expressway bridge and airport are right next to the river - but as long as he finds food and no human comes too close to him, he seems to feel well in big cities.
It would be great if somebody could observe him now. Does he fly alone or is he moving in a group? What does he eat in the river? If somebody is on holiday in Malaga, please report to me!
His elder sibling, Stork 2, meanwhile flies further west (wrong direction!) and arrived today in Portugal. As he has bad reception, he could again send only a part of the data.
I'm curious how it is progressing and secretly hope for a reunion of the siblings before the crossing to Africa ...


(retrospectively translated by Felis silvestris - please excuse mistakes I may have made)

[Bea]

With datas from 10. September stork #3 is in the area of Málaga in Spain

[airras]

is very likely that this over here, usually spend a few days before crossing the narrow
http://waste.ideal.es/fuentedepiedra.htm

[Bea]

That looks like a nice place for a migrating Black Stork, to "fill up fuel" before crossing Strait of Gibraltar, airras

[airras]

yes .. at this time there is much ambiance there

[Felis silvestris]

Thank you airras for finding the link to the place where the storklet made a break, interesting to see.

The blog has a new entry from yesterday:

12.09.14 Youngest transmitter stork first in Africa!

Stork 3 reported today at 4 PM for the first time from Africa! He is in Morocco and continues heading south. Rather than relaxing in Spain or Portugal like his older sibling, the Youngster wants to know it now. He is the first of our transmitter storks managing to reach Africa via the Strait of Gibraltar. Now a long and dangerous flight across the Sahara lies ahead of him before he will reach his destination in Sahelian zone. Godspeed and and power, little one!

Since all three storks keep on having poor reception, the live map may not be updated daily. But I will write in the blog if I receive new data of our Black Storks

(Translated from the blog on the project's website by Felis silvestris)

[Felis silvestris]

New entry in the blog:

15.09.14 Results of gender determination have arrived!

The time has come, the analysis of the DNA of our storks is ready. While putting the transmitters we had taken a feather sample of each stork to have a laboratory determine the gender. Now the results have arrived:

- Stork 1, still staying in Czech Republic and since weeks flying around the region around Budweis (Ceské Budejovice), is a female

- Stork 2, which in fact started migration to south first, but is now resting already since Sept. 8 in Spain and Portugal, is a female as well.

- Stork 3, which initially was the baby of the nest, but which is now the first of our transmitter storks in Africa, is a male.

[Felis silvestris]

Update in the Blog:

17.09.14 Live map up-to-date again

After technical problems over the weekend the live map is back to current status.

Now we can finally see from where in Morocco Stork 3 sent his latest data before starting the flight across the Sahara. However, the transmitter still has to send the data of the crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar. The straight line, which is seen at the moment, does not represent the actual route, but simply connects two points before and after the crossing. Stork 3 has no longer a connection to the GPRS net (mobile phone network with Internet connection), but was only able to send an SMS with 5 coordinates since he is in Africa. Once the transmitter gets a better connection again to the mobile network, it will deliver the still missing points.

His big sister Stork 2 meanwhile is having a good time in Andalusia and looks for food along the meandering river "Rio Murtigas" on the Portuguese-Spanish border. Such natural rivers with riparian vegetation are typical Black Stork habitats. On the one hand they will find much food there and on the other hand the trees on the banks offer the shy animals a certain visual cover behind which they can hide.

[Felis silvestris]

18.09.2014

Stork 1 still spends his time in Czech Republic, the map shows he's around Vlkovice, foraging on fields nearby

[Felis silvestris]

22.09.2014

(update from the map)

Stork 2 is still in the old area between Spain and Portugal



Stork 1 has left the Czech Republic now and went further south, maybe she will take ,unlike her sibling and the third stork, the eastern route and not the western. The latest signals came from east of Maribor, Slovenia



No update from Stork 3, he must be still on his Sahara crossing, Fly safe!

[Felis silvestris]

24.09.2014

New entry in the blog:

24.09.14 (Female) Stork 1 begins to move again

After the stork spent more than two weeks on the same meadow in Czech Republic, she seems now to want to move on. Yesterday she reported already from Slovenia and today she is in southern Croatia.


Flight route of Stork 1 on 24.09.2014

Stork 1 is once again full of surprises, because she shows "unusual for Black Storks" behaviour by flying along the coast. She even made a side-trip to an island. Usually Storks avoid open water (especially seas), as there they are not able to soar in the thermals. Unlike our Stork 1.

I am curious what she is up to next ...

[Bea]

Stork 1 has a very individual style - I already thought it would miss start of migration

[Felis silvestris]

Yes, it looked like the meadow in Czech Republic is so comfy, no need to fly anywhere ... But it's interesting to see that she prefers the eastern route, while the other two have taken the western. Their nest places are not that far from each other. Would be interesting to know what her siblings do, east or west?

[Felis silvestris]

26.09.2014

The live map has been updated.

Stork 1 has flown further south and is now in Albania, a bit west of Tirana



It seems quite clear now that Stork 1 will take the eastern route.

Stork 2 is still in the same area between Spain and Portugal, seems a nice area! No news about Stork 3, I hope the Sahara crossing goes well and he will soon reach an area with mobile coverage again!

[Felis silvestris]

29.09.2014

New entry in the blog:

29.09.14 Stork 1 flies over the Mediterranean and is in Africa!

I knew that Stork 1 would surprise us again: after she flew from Croatia along the Montenegrin coast and Albanian coast further towards south, she decided in Greece not to fly on via Turkey, but shorten the long way and fly directly over the Mediterranean.

Sunday noon she started from Greece and arrived during the night, most probably very early today (Monday) morning in Libya. After a few hours rest, she started again right this morning and seems to also want to tackle after the first big hurdle (the Mediterranean) already the second one: the Sahara desert.

Storks not taking the land bridges in the East (Bosphorus) or West (Gibraltar), but taking shortcuts directly across the sea, are rare, but it could be already proven by ring findings and other storks with transmitters. As thermal conditions over the sea are different from those above land masses, the storks have to invest much more energy in the flight. Therefore the detour is "paying" for the animals. Stork 1 however, belongs to the few bold who have completed the direct crossing successfully!

Now I wish Stork 1 once again all the best for the desert crossing!

[Felis silvestris]

05.10.2014

The map was updated, Stork 2 was on 5th October still having a good time near Rio Murtigas on the Spanish side.
No news as yet from the two storks already in Africa.