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The Flight of Osprey
U10 Osprey U10 is
thought to be a male. It was translocated to
Rutland Water on 15 July 2001 and released on 31
July. Just before release this bird weighed 1500g
and had a winglength of 445mm. BTO ring number
1385687. U10 was an
extremely aggressive bird during the translocation
but was rather reluctant to take its first flight.
It misjudged its first landing and then disappeared
for two days. It is carrying a battery-powered
radio transmitter. |
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Observed feeding at
Rutland Water Baie de la
Somme 15 E of Le
Touquet 60km SE of Tangier,
Morocco Er-Rachidia, E end
of
Atlas Mts,
Morocco The three locations recorded on 27/8 were not accurate but do suggest that U10 had safely crossed the Channel. It was then about 290km from Rutland Water. By 2 September, U10 had left Europe behind and crossed into Morocco, travelling about 1750km in 5 and a half days. U10's positions are consistent with the routes of four other Ospreys S18, T08, S09 and R04 . However, all of these took at least 2 days longer for the flight from northern France to Morocco. 6 days later U10 had moved only 390km to the eastern end of the Atlas Mountains, perhaps indicating a stop-over in eastern Morocco. On 20 September an accurate location indicated a large reservoir just north of the town of Er-Rachidia. There have been no subsequent transmissions from U10's radio. |
