We have just received tonight’s update from Culver’s transmitter and it shows that at 18:20 this evening he was at Thorney Island, a few kilometres east of Portsmouth. Having having flown just under 90km during the course of the day he’s almost made it back to the Isle of Wight!
After roosting just north of Burgess Hill, Culver set-off this morning at 11:00. He skirted around the west of Burgess Hill and then continued south-west towards the coast, flying at a maximum altitude of 768 metres. At 13:00 he reached Shoreham-by-Sea and circled up on a thermal, reaching an altitude of 807 before heading west along the coast. At one point, as he skirted across the northern part of Worthing he was flying at just 51 metres. Someone must have seen him!
Culver skirted over the northern part of Worthing between 13:37 and 14:00
After passing Worthing, Culver headed more inland, passing to the north of Arundel and then across the southern part of the South Downs, flying at a maximum altitude of 1242 metres at 15:58 when he was 5 km north of Chichester. At that point he would have been able to see the coast and he headed straight for it, arriving at Thorney Island just before 17:00.
Culver was perched on the south-west end of Thorney Island this evening at 18:20
At 18:20 – the last data point in the batch he was perched on the ground in the south-west corner of Thorney Island. From that point he is just 16 km from the coast of the Isle of Wight. Will he return there tomorrow, or linger on the mainland coast? Check back tomorrow evening to find out.
Culver is now just 16 km from the Isle of Wight after a day’s flight of around 90 km.
Culver’s incredible exploratory flights over the past six days shows what remarkable navigational powers these young White-tailed Eagles have.
Culver’s flight, 29 August 4 September
