Spring is always an interesting time of the year for the White-tailed Eagle project that we run in partnership with Forestry England, based on the Isle of Wight. Satellite tracking has shown that the eagles often make long distance movements as the weather improves and days lengthen from February onwards, and this year has been no exception, as Tim Mackrill explains.
The youngest eagles tend to be the most nomadic, but older birds also continue to wander extensively until they pair up, at which point they become resident in a well-defined home range. Undoubtedly the most interesting flight this spring was made by G542, a female released on the Isle of Wight in 2021, who remains unpaired. She became the third translocated eagle to visit mainland Europe, crossing the English Channel on 13th March and spending just over a month exploring Northern France, before returning to her favoured areas in Southern England in mid-April.
Like many of the unpaired eagles G542 has divided her time between various favoured locations in Southern England over the past twelve months, including East Sussex, Colliford Lake on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, and also the Isle of Wight. On 13th March G542 headed east along the South Coast. The satellite data shows she spent time circling over the sea between Hastings and Dungeness, and then, as she approached Folkestone, she headed more purposefully out into the English Channel, aided by a helpful northerly tailwind. It is likely that from her altitude of 528 metres on a bright clear day, she could see the French coast, and she eventually made landfall at Bounlogne-sur-Mer, having flown 55km in 75 minutes.
G542 subsequently travelled south-west along the Normandy coast, just as another translocated eagle, G818, had done last spring. She continued west across the Cherbourg peninsular, and reached Brittany on 17thMarch. It seemed she was heading for the west coast of France, but next day, as she approached Ploërmel, she made a 90 degree turn to the north, and travelled back to the north coast near Saint-Brieuc. Once there she changed direction again, following the coast east back into Normandy.
After spending three days along the River Douve on the Cherbourg peninsular, G542 continued east along the Normandy coast on 23rd March, before cutting inland towards Paris, and then north-east to Beauvais. She was now a considerable distance inland, but on 29th March she headed north-west from Beauvais towards Dieppe, and then followed the coast north to Le Touquet, just south of Bounlogne-sur-Mer. It seemed she was going to attempt the return crossing, but with winds not favourable she remained on the Normandy coast on 30th, and then began heading south-west again on 31st.
On 5th April G542 reached the most northern tip of the Cherbourg peninsular, at Pointe des Groins. She was now almost due south of the Isle of Wight, but a 105km sea crossing would be dangerous for a heavy bird like a White-tailed Eagle to undertake. Perhaps recognising this, she moved south again, passing Caen on 7thApril before travelling another 100km south to Mamers on 10th. She made the return flight back to Caen on 11th, and then began moving north-east through Normandy once again.
After roosting near Blangy-sur-Bresle on the River Seine on 13th April, G542 continued north the next day, passing over Bounlogne-sur-Mer at 11:30 and then setting off back across the English Channel from Wissant, at 12:20. The 34km crossing from Wissant to Dover took just 35 minutes to complete with favourable tailwinds. Once back in England, G542 returned to a favoured area in East Sussex, having flown 250km that day.
Overall G542 flew 3277km (2036 miles) in just over a month. Her flight was very similar to that of G818 last year, who 2062 km (1281 miles) in 22 days between 22nd March and 8th April. The flights of the two birds are shown in the map below.
Although G542’s French flight was different to her movements in previous years, many of the White-tailed Eagles we have tracked return to the same sites in successive years. An excellent example of this is G625, the chick which fledged from a nest in southern England in 2023. This young male spent the majority of last summer in the Cairngorms National Park, predominantly favouring the Angus Glens. He eventually returned to the South Coast in early September and then spent the winter at various locations, including Chichester Harbour and Poole Harbour, where he regularly mixed with translocated eagles.
This spring G625 headed north again on 13th April, and arrived back in the Cairngorms seven days later, on 20th April. Once back in the Cairngorms, G625 spent several days in the company of G641, a male White-tailed Eagle that we translocated to the Isle of Wight in 2023. G641 had also spent summer 2024 in the Cairngorms before returning to the South Coast over the winter, frequenting many of the same areas as G625. This spring G641 headed north again on 31st March, travelling through central and north-west England, before arriving back in the Cairngorms on 7th April. He subsequently returned to the same area, in the east of the mountains, that he had favoured the previous summer. He was joined by G625 on 26th April, and they remained together for several days, before going their separate ways in early May: G625 back to the Angus Glens, and G641 remaining further north.
It is likely the two birds will remain in the Scottish Highlands for the rest of the summer, before returning to the South Coast in early autumn. By that stage that will be at the age when they may begin to pair up, and may even be a potential mate for G542, or perhaps G818. The latter bird has recently joined the two younger males in the Scottish Highlands, having spent all winter on the South Coast, usually favouring Christchurch Harbour and the Avon Valley. She too has also returned to areas she visited in previous years. It will be fascinating to follow their progress over the coming months.
Very many thanks to everyone who has made donations to the Foundation and the White-tailed Eagle project in the past few months. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate to our work, then you can do so via the link below.
