Satellite Tracking

Following the use of GPS satellite transmitters on Scottish golden eagles and the tracking, sadly brief, of a young white-tailed eagle in Ireland in 2007, I was asked to organise GPS satellite transmitters for the Mull Eagle Watch. We have successfully tracked six young eaglets to date: two in 2008, two in 2009 and two in 2010.

Photo by Laurie Campbell

In 2008 two radios were purchased by the Mull Eagle Watch and in June I fitted these on the two chicks at the Loch Frisa hide nest on Forestry Commission land. The tagging visit was organised by Dave Sexton, the RSPB’s Mull Officer, and the project was a community project.  We named the chicks Mara and Breagha.  This was the first time GPS radio transmitters had been used to track sea eagles in Scotland and has added much interest to the visual observations from the Loch Frisa Hide.  The transmitters being used are 70 gram Argos GPS solar transmitter manufactured by Microwave Telemetry in the United States.

In 2009 two more chicks were tagged; one from a different nest whom we named Oran, and one from another  nest whom we named Venus.  In 2010 a further two chicks were tagged, one from the same nest as Midge, named Venus, and one from the same nest as Oran, named Shelly.

The transmitter sits on the eaglet's back and is attached by a harness

All tagged eaglets receive a BTO metal ring

To view details of the birds’ movements please click on the individual links on the left. 

Alternatively, click on the following link to visit the RSPB’s site:  RSPB Mull Sea Eagles