Blue XD departed on migration about 11am on 1st September after fishing at Aviemore. It was a grey day with a cold north wind so he was off heading for the sun. He passed Falkirk at 2pm, followed the M74 through the Borders and over Lockerbie at 3.20pm. At 5pm he was over Haweswater, over Blackburn at 7pm and west of Birmingham at 9.30pm. The first signs that he was flying by moonlight and he continued as he set off out to sea over the Needles, Isle of Wight, 50 minutes after midnight flying just east of south at 600 m above sea level. He flew strongly over the Channel and was just off NE Cherbourg at 0154 and flew over the French coast at 2.40am. After over 900 km flying he stopped south of Carenton at 3am, but not for long. At 0715 he was off and passed Fougieres at 10am, crossed the River Loire at 1236hrs and over the River Gironde at 1648hrs, Soon he tracked out SW over the sea but at 2035GMT he turned SW for Bayonne. Last signals of batch.
September 1st – 2nd
