Second Half Of The 2007 Osprey Migration

E-mail & Map from Jim Martin:

Fellow Observers:

I attached the latest 2007 Northbound telemetry migration data - plotted on a Google Earth© map. It shows the second half of the migration - 1,490 miles. Notice that TM missed the Florida mainland/peninsula this year. The Southwest winds must have been considerable as the Male (TM) was 120, 160, 180 and 175 miles from the West coast of Florida.

The miles traveled on March 21st are the greatest distance (680 miles) I recall seeing in a single day since the transmitter was attached. The distance from the Havana, Cuba shoreline to the shoreline along the Florida panhandle is ~560 miles. We now have two years, 4 trips, of migration data for this Male. With a life expectancy of the transmitter straps that hold on the transmitter the Osprey of about 3 years we could get one more round trip. June 24, 2007 will complete two years that the transmitter has been in operation.

Possible TM stop-over locations over the Gulf of Mexico on March 21 include the Western most Florida Keys, the islands of Dry Tortugas (60 miles West of the Keys), and 6-8 small islands 25 miles South from the Florida panhandle shoreline.

To contrast 2006 versus 2007 Northbound Migrations paths, look here:

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Resources/osprey/migration.htm and here http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Resources/osprey/alumcreekosprey.htm

Best Wishes,

Jim Martin.