Scottish-tagged Norman has crossed the border and is now on the Northumberland coast, close to the birdwatching hotspot of Druridge Bay. As our only bird tagged in Scotland this year, it will be interesting to see what route he takes from here, and whether his movements through Europe differ from those of his English cousins…  

Cuckoo Jim has certainly motored on since we last checked in with him on 17 June. He has flown approximately 670 km (416 miles) south in just three days and is following the path of Sussex Cuckoo Wingston. Currently just on the outskirts of the city of Montpellier, close to the Mediterranean, will his next move see him heading east through Italy or attempt a sea crossing to North Africa, perhaps via Sardinia?    

Since our last update, just three days ago, Sayaan has continued heading east and has covered a further 680 km (420 miles). He flew over Geneva, Switzerland and crossed the Alps near Mont Blanc, before dropping into Italy. He then headed to the coast and spent some time around Genoa prior to making his way past Pisa. 

He is currently in central Italy on the Umbria / Tuscany border. Sayaan is considerably further into his migratory journey than he was at this time last year!
 

Cuach Cores is taking his time, making fairly steady progress through France. Since Tuesday he has moved down into southwest-central France and is currently exploring the countryside around the city of Limoges. If he follows the same route that he did last year, he will eventually head into Italy before crossing the Mediterranean.     

Newly tagged Cuckoo Jim has joined the southbound pack and has just arrived in central France, having covered 340 km (210 miles) since leaving West Sussex at the weekend. 

As of this morning he is by the River Loire, near the town of Cloyes-sur-le-Loir, approximately 45 km (28 miles) west of the city of Orléans.

Sayaan has really taken flight and in the last couple of days and has headed 660 km (410 miles) determinedly south-east from West Sussex, and on into the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France, close to the Swiss border. 

Tagged back in early June 2023, this is the third time that we will be able to follow Sayaan’s post-breeding migration! 

After a few days in Pembrokeshire, Irish-tagged bird Cuach Cores set off across the Channel, skimming the Cornish peninsula, passing Alderney and arriving on the French coast around La Hague on Sunday morning. From here, he has cracked on into western France and is currently close to Saint-Jean-de-Sauves in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. 

Cores was tagged in Killarney National Park in early June 2023, so this will be his third ‘autumn’ migration that we can follow. 

The first of our tagged Cuckoos to set off, Wingston is still leading the pack. Currently enjoying the delights of southern France, he is just north of Montpellier, close to the Mediterranean Sea. 

From here, will he head eastwards through Italy, west through Spain, or make a direct crossing into North Africa? 

Cuach Cores has already left Ireland and is now 300 km (186 miles) to the west . He is now on the Welsh coast around St Brides Bay, Pembrokeshire. 

Having arrived in Ireland on 22 April, he has spent just over six weeks in his breeding grounds!

Named by sponsors Cuckoo Broadband, Wingston Churchbill was tagged at Wisborough Green, West Sussex on May 14.

The first of our birds to start his post-breeding migration, he as already covered 520 km (323 miles), having left the UK just west of Worthing before crossing the Channel. He then headed inland toward Paris, after which he redirected toward the south-west, and our latest signal places him in the Loire Valley, between Angers and Tours. The race is on!