scolopax rusticola without frontiers

8/6/2019 Scolopax rusticola without frontiers

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Scolopax rusticola

without frontiers

joseba felix tobar-arbulu

(Coordinator*: [email protected])


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Mikel Arrazola


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Ibon Telletxea

Zarbo Ibarrola


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Abstract. We deal with our third experiment about the tracking of the

Scolopax rusticola. As in the previous experiments, the point is to know the

Eurasian woodcocks migration along the Western Palearctic.

The first two projects fixed the beginning of a new era in the knowledge of

that migration. It was the first time that such experiments were made in

Europe with this kind of birds, due to their small weight and their veryspecial behavior.

In these projects (first with 12 gram Solar PPTs in 2006; second with 9.5

gram Solar PTTs in 2007) we have real problems with interferences1.(As a

result, we thought that one possible way to overcome the interferences could

be to increase the charge of the PTTs.)

In March 2008, MTI gave us two new prototypes (9.5 grams) equipped with a

new technology, to try and prove them.

Here some clear consequences of the use of this new technology during 2008:

a) The charge has been greater than in our previous experiments.b) The emissions data given by Argos have been much better in quality

and quantity.

c) The frequency of the emissions has been more regular than before.d) The frequency has been broken only in very few occasions, when

clearly there were no interference problems. So, as hypothesis, we

have tried to link this phenomenon with the woodcocks roding or

croule.

The final result is net: the European interferences have been overcome with

both PTTs, during all the time the tracking lasted and in all the different

atmospheric circumstances.

1. Introduction

We started our project in 2003. At that time there were no

available PTTs for the Eurasian woodcock.

In 2004 we analyzed all the information that was available in

internet. At the end of 2004 we knew that MTI was preparing new

solar PTTs of 12 grams.

We did know that some woodcocks were equipped with transmitters

of 12 grams2

, for traditional telemetry tracking.

So, at the beginning of January 2005, we contacted MTI.

We sent MTI some information about our project3:

- We are planning to track the migration of the Scolopaxrusticola (Eurasian woodcock) in order to know its staging

and wintering areas.

1 See http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/winter_05page8.pdf and

http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/spring_06page8.pdf ).2 See Duriezs thesis (2003).3 The first e-mail was sent on January 7th, 2005.


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- The migration routes can start in the Urals Mountains andfinish in Morocco.

- We are also planning to monitor its counter migration fromthe Spanish state to its breeding areas.

- The woodcock which visits us has a middle weight of 305grams, so we think that we can start the project with thenew PTT-100 12 gram Solar PTT from Microwave Technology

Inc.

2. Some characteristics of the Scolopax rusticola (Eurasian

woodcock)

We also sent MTI some characteristics4 of the Scolopax

rusticola:

- The European woodcock (Scolopax major Rusticola) weightsabout 300350 grams with an overall length of 28-33 cm.- In September they usually reside in the mountains up to

1000 meters where fir trees are abundant. When the weather

is bad they move to lower elevation to seek shelter in

dense dark thickets.

Habitat: Moist, early-success ional woodlands near open fields

or forest clearings; abandoned fields, brushy forest openings,

wooded edges of streams and ponds, brushy edges of open swamps.

Habitat requirements: (a) Clearings for courtship displays andnighttime roosting. (b) Areas of soft, moist soil containing

earthworms and with overhead cover. (c) Young, open woodlands

for nesting.

Diet: Earthworms (staple); insects, especially larvae of

beetles and flies; spiders, millipedes, snails; some seeds and

berries

In order to track its migration (from September-October until

the middle of November) we should have to take in consideration

some problems:

(a) It is time for its hunting, so lot of problems to survive.

(b) The bird uses brushy forest to protect itself.

This is why we would prefer to follow it in its counter

migration, from the Spanish state to its breeding areas (maybe

up to the Ural Mountains).

The counter migration has some advantages:

4 Our dear Cathy (MTI) asked for that information.


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(1) The bird goes right away to its breeding areas.

(2) It does not use as much the brushy forest as it uses in its

migration.

(3) There is no hunting.

The counter migration period is a short one: the bird leaves

the Spanish state around the middle of March and in a couple of

weeks all, or at least most of the birds are gone.

All the above makes our project easier in the counter migration

than in the migration period.

Here some more points to take in consideration:

(i) In its longest trip, it will go from the north of Africa upto the Ural Mountains, kind of 5,200 Km, and in the even

longest trip around 5,500 Km.

(ii) The bird flies by night. During the day the bird rests in

places where there is no much light.

(iii) After reaching its breeding area, if female she will rest

and try to make its nest. If male, he will be roding.

(iv) From April to September-October the bird does not fly long

trips.

(v) From September-October on, there will appear the problems

we mention above about the migration; the worst of all will be

that the hunting period will be open.

In principle, we will try to follow the bird up to its death.

3. Decision

On March 1st, 2005, we sent MTI an e-mail with the following

decision:

(a) We are planning to follow the counter migration of the

Scolopax rusticola starting next March, 2006.

(b) So, we will need (some) PTT-100 12 gram Solar PTTs to be

in our hands by next January, 2006.

4. The Palearctic


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(Palearctic)


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(Western Palearctic)

(Eurasian woodcocks area in Europe, Snow and Perrins)

Yellow: the strict breeding area

Blue: strict winter areaGreen: breeding and winter area


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First project (2006)

Trasgu: Scolopax rusticola without frontiers

5. Trasgu (female?)

(Trasgus track, days)


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(Trasgus track, distances)


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(From Catalonia towards the Northeast)

Interferences

We used two kinds of PTTs: one PTT-100 12 gram Solar PTT, duty

cycle 48/10; and two with duty cycle 72/10.

Some results:

a) Few emissions up to Russiab) The Catalonian bird went into the interference-holec) Trasgu was in her possible nest from May 27th to June 16th

without emitting. (This is why we think the bird was afemale.) After that, the bird disappeared.

d) We were aware of the problem of the interferences inEurope.

We did know that in 2006 MTI were developing 9.5 gram Solar

PTTs.


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(Asturs track, days)


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(Asturs track, distances)

7. Navarre (female)


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(Navarre after her release)


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(Navarres track, days)


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(Navarres track, distances)

We used two kinds of PTTs: one PTT-100 9.5 gram Solar PTT, duty

cycle 48/10 and transmission interval of 60 seconds (Astur);

and the other one with duty cycle 48/10 and transmission

interval of 45 seconds (Navarre).

Some results:

a)Very few emissions up to Russiab)Asturwent up to the Ural Mountainsc)Navarre was nesting during some daysd)Inside Russia Navarres PTT (transmission interval of 45

seconds) gave better emissions than Asturs PTT

(transmission interval of 60 seconds)

e)The PTT we used in 2006, 12 gram solar PTT, duty cycle48/10, gave much better emissions, in quality and quantity

f)Inside Russia, the PTT we used in 2006 gave more regularemissions than the new ones, the frequency of theemissions was much better


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g)The charge of the PTTs is the key point, not only againstinterferences but also to give better emissions

h)So, in new projects the PTTs would have to charge morei)The problem of the interferences is really serious, hard

and deep

We were able to determine the location accuracy of some class A

and B locations5.

First time that we think about the possibility of going up to

the Ural Mountains and release there a couple of woodcocks, one

at each side of the mountains to track them.

8. Navarre: Iron Woodcock

Following MTIs guides, the CCB has been tracking woodcocksduring the last two years. Navarre is a young woodcock we

caught in Bakaiku (province of Navarre on March 2007); the bird

is a female (known by genetic analysis). Navarre went up to

Russia, came back to 11 km from the point she was released

(traveling more than 7,600 km).

5 See Location accuracy of emissions gathered via satellite:

http://www.euskonews.com/0484zbk/gaia48404en.html .


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(Navarres position on February 5th, 2008:

11 km from her release point of March 2nd, 2007)

According to some European people in charge of the most famous

clubs of woodcock hunters, our Navarre has almost become a kind

ofmythological hero.


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(Navarres whole way from

March 2

nd

2007 toFebruary 5th 2008)

We did know about the woodcocks habitats and habits. In this

particular case, Navarre has proved that she has come back

right to her winter resting place, the beautiful beech grove of

Aralar.

More than that, in order to reach her winter place to stay

resting, she has had to come along very different places where

the hunting period was opened: many different European regionswith hunters everywhere. This is why some European fellows have

defined her as iron woodcock.

Being female, almost a mythological hero, and, above all, an

iron woodcock, some friends of ours wish this bird had lots of

chickens, just to give them her biological strength and her

intuition, so that her chickens could be also able to solve all

these dangerous obstacles.


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Long live Navarre!

As William Shakespeare wrote, Navarre shall be the wonder of

the World.

9. Navarre: Iron Woodcock becomes Golden

We have already dealt with Navarre as the iron woodcock6.

But this wonderful woodcock continued her journey, second time,

to Russia. She was in Russia after traveling around 11,425 km.

6 See MTIs Newsletter:

http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/spring2008page6.pdf .


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11,425 Km

(Navarres whole way from March 2nd 2007 to

February 5th 2008 to May 6th 2008)

More than that, she was nesting again: around 2.8 km from last

years nest:


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(Navarre on May 30th

, 2008, nesting:2.8 km from last years nest)

So, we have redefined her: from now on, she is and always will

be the golden woodcock.

(Golden woodcock with diamond eyes)


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(Golden woodcock with diamond eyes)

(Golden woodcock with emerald eyes)

As William Shakespeare would say7, Navarre is the wonder of the

World

7

Actually this is what Shakespeare wrote: Navarre shall be the wonder ofthe world (http://www.clas.ufl.edu/ipsa/journal/2005_krims06.shtml ).


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(Navarre with her PTT after the release, at nigh:

March 2nd, 2007)

Long live Navarre!

10. Will Navarre become a Diamond woodcock?

Since last August, 2008, we have no news from Navarre. But letus wait Who knows?


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(Golden woodcock with diamonds and cabochon sapphire eyes)


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Third project (2008)

Scolopax rusticola without frontiers: new technology

In this third project we deal with two prototypes8 given by MTI.

As in our two previous projects9, migration is the subject. Once

again, this Scolopax rusticolas tracking is the first done in

Europe with this kind of PTTs.

8 The special characteristics of these new PTTs will be explained by Paul

Howey in the 2009 MTI Conference.


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The PTTs have a special duty cycle of 55/8. One of the main

aims of this project is to see the performance of the new PTTs

against the European interferences. Another one, of course, is

to know the migration of two Eurasian woodcocks: Araba and

Laguna.

11. Laguna

On March 8th, 2008, Laguna10 was caught in Legutio (Araba, Basque

Country). After putting the PTT, Laguna was released (43 00'

02, 27'' N 2 39' 37'' W). Laguna is male, young, his weight is

385 grams.

(Laguna before his release)

9 About the first project, see

http://www.euskonews.com/0380zbk/gaia38002eu.html and

http://www.euskonews.com/0383zbk/gaia38302eu.html in Basque; and

http://www.euskonews.com/0380zbk/gaia38002es.html and

http://www.euskonews.com/0383zbk/gaia38302es.html in Spanish. About the

second project, see http://www.euskonews.com/0431zbk/gaia43102eu.html and

http://www.euskonews.com/0433zbk/gaia43302eu.html in Basque; and

http://www.euskonews.com/0431zbk/gaia43102es.html and

http://www.euskonews.com/0433zbk/gaia43302es.html in Spanish.10

The name Laguna is our small tribute to Paul Howey, to show him ourfriendship. Laguna means friend in Basque.


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(Laguna with his PTT)

(Lagunas release point)


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(Laguna after his release)


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12.Araba

On March 10th, 2008, Araba was caught in Lukiano (Araba, Basque

Country). After putting the PTT, Araba was released

(425605.38 N 25038.97 W). Araba is male, young, his

weight is 335 grams.

(Araba before his release)


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(Araba with his PTT)

(Arabas release point)


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(Araba after his release)

13. Tracking

In both cases, the tracking of the two woodcocks has had threedifferent stages: (a) the movements around their release point

before crossing the Pyrenees; (b) from the Pyrenees up to

Russia; and (c) the movements inside Russia.

(a) Movements around the release point

(1) Data given by Laguna

After his release, Laguna gave the following data:

In March:

8th (B location), 12th (Z loc. with coordinates), 14th (1

loc.), 17th (Z loc.), 22nd (1 loc.), 25th (0 loc.), 27th (0

loc.), 30th (0 loc.).

In April:

2nd (B loc.), 4th (A loc.).


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(Lagunas locations around his release point: Legutio, Araba,

Basque Country)

(2) Data given by Araba

In March:

10th (1 location), 12th (B loc.), 14th (2 loc.), 16th (1 loc.),

19th (2 loc.), 21st (B loc.), 24th (A loc.), 26th (Z loc.),

29th (Z loc.).

In April:

1st (0 loc.), 3rd (2 loc.), 6th (A loc.), 11th (B loc.), 16th

(A loc.).


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(Arabas locations around his release point: Lukiano, Araba,

Basque Country)

b)Data from the Pyrenees up to Russia

(1) Data given by Laguna

In April:

7th (0 loc., in France), 9th (0 loc.), 12th (2 loc.), 15th (0

loc., in Lithuania11), 17th (Z loc.).

(2) Data given byAraba

In April:

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Laguna went from Poland to Lithuania (294 km) at night (from 21:31 to01.03, UTC); his average speed was 84 km/h, maybe with the help of some kind

of wind.


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19th (1 loc., in France), 21st (1 loc.), 24th (2 loc., in

Germany), 26th12 (2 loc.), 29th (A loc., in Sweden).

In May:

1st (0 loc.), 4th (A loc., in Estonia).

(c)Data in Russia

(1) Data given byLaguna

In April:

20th (B loc.), 22nd (A loc.), 25th (0 loc.), 28th (B loc.),

30th (0 loc.).

In May:

3rd (0 loc.), 5th (A loc.), 8th (A loc.), 10th (A loc.), 13th

(0 loc.), 16th (A loc.), 18th (A loc.), 21st (B loc.), 23rd (0

loc.), 26th (0 loc.), 29th (B loc.), 31st (A loc.).

In June:

3rd (A loc.), 6th (A loc.), 8th (B loc.), 13th (B loc.), 16th

(1 loc.), 19th (A loc.), 21st (0 loc.), 24th (B loc.), 29th (A

loc.).

In July:

2nd (A loc.), 4th (Z loc.), 10th (B loc.), 13th (B loc.), 15th

(2 loc.), 18th (B loc.), 20th (B loc.), 23rd (0 loc.), 26th (B

loc.), 28th (A loc.), 31st (Z loc.).

In August:

5th (A loc.), 8th (B loc.), 10th (Z loc.), 16th (Z loc.), 24th13

(Z loc.).

Laguna has gone up to the surroundings of Elizarovo14, in

Kostroma.

12Araba in his way from Germany to Sweden crossed the sea at night (from

20:18 to 21:56, UTC); to travel 108 km, his speed was 66 km/h.13 This was the last emission given by Laguna.14 See

http://maps.google.es:80/maps?t=h&hl=es&ie=UTF8&ll=58.542641,44.782333&spn=0

.025173,0.071411&z=13. (Use the zoom.) See also

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?zoom=14&countryCode=RU&lat=59.4204440720195&lon=42.7822687187302#map=58.53722,44.81417|12|32&bd=useful_information&loc=RU:

58.53722:44.81417:17|elizarovo|Yelizarovo%20(Elizarovo),%20Kostroma.


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(Locations given by Laguna in Russia)

After that emission (on September 24th), Laguna gave no more

datum. On December 27th was hunted at Legutio, at 454 meters

from his release point.

How is it that his PTT gave no datum at all?

Lagunas weight when we caught him, before his release: 385grams. Lagunas weight when he was hunted: 300 grams. This

decrease is normal, since the bird traveled from Russia and

crossed the whole Europe.

But this decrease does not explain the fact that his PTT gave

no datum. In spite of some possible looseness of the harness,

the PTT could have been charged and, therefore, it could have

emitted.


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(Laguna dead)

Despite his death, Laguna has also become an Iron woodcock. He

has been able to come back to the same place where we caught

him, crossing Europe while the hunting period was open.

Long live Laguna!


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(454 meter from the release point to the hunting-point)

(2) Data given byAraba

In May:

6th (0 loc.), 9th (1 loc.), 12th (B loc.), 14th (A loc.), 17th

(1 loc.), 19th (0 loc.) 22nd (1 loc.), 24th (2 loc.), 27th (1

loc.), 29th (A loc.).

In June:

1st (A loc.), 4th (Z loc.), 6th (3 loc.), 9th (0 loc.), 11th (A

loc.), 14th (2 loc.), 16th (A loc.), 19th (1 loc.), 21st (A

loc.), 24th (2 loc.), 27th (3 loc.), 29th (2 loc.).

In July:

2nd (1 loc.), 4th (0 loc.), 7th (A loc.), 9th (0 loc.), 12th (2

loc.), 14th (2 loc.), 17th (3 loc.), 20th (A loc.), 22nd (3loc.), 25th (A loc.), 27th (1 loc.), 30th (A loc.).


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In August:

1st (B loc.), 4th (3 loc.), 7th (A loc.), 9th (1 loc.), 12th (B

loc.).

After being one month without emitting15

, here the data ofSeptember:

14th (1 loc.), 22nd (Z loc.), 24th (Z loc.), 27th (B loc.),

29th (Z loc.).

In contact with MTI, we tried to follow the emissions of that

PTT, in order to try and recover it.

The PTT gave some data16 in October:

2nd (Z loc.), 7th (A loc.), 17th (Z loc.), 20th17 (Z loc.)

Araba has gone up to the surroundings of Rantala18, Republic of

Karelia.

15 How is it that the PTT has not emitted during a whole month? In all the

different emissions from September 14th on, the activity sensor has not

changed. So, the bird is dead and/or his PTT is detached. The last emission

given by Araba, while still he was alive, was on August 12th.16 In all these data the activity sensor was without changing.17 This was the last emission given by Arabas PTT.18 See http://www.maplandia.com/russia/republic-of-karelia/suoyarvskiy-

rayon/rantala/ and

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?zoom=14&countryCode=RU&lat=59.4204440720195&lo

n=42.7822687187302#map=62.36667,32.11667|13|32&bd=useful_information&loc=RU:

62.36667:32.11667:17|rantala|Rantala,%20Respublika%20Kareliya.


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(Locations given by Araba in Russia)

From September 14th on, in all the different emissions the

activity sensor has not changed: the bird is dead and/or his

PTT is detached.


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(Location of Arabas PTT)

(d)Tracks

(1) Lagunas track


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(Lagunas track, days)


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(Lagunas track, distances)Lagunas whole track is around 3,710 km.

(2) Laguna: Iron woodcock

As mentioned before, in spite of his death, Laguna has become

an Iron woodcock. He has been able to come back to the same

place where we caught him, crossing Europe while the huntingperiod was open. All in all, his whole track has been around

7,420 km.


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(Lagunas whole track from March 8th, 2008, to December 27th:

around 7,400 kilometers)

Long live Laguna!

(3)Arabas track

7,400 km


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(Arabas track, days)


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(Arabas track, distances)

Arabas whole track is around 3,280 km.

E. Some conclusions

Here some different kinds of conclusions: (a) related tolocations; (b) related to the speed of flight of the birds; (c)

related to the resting periods during the track; (d) related to

the duty cycle; (e) related to the roding or croule; (f)

related to the interferences; and (g) related to the global

results.

a) Locations

Laguna and Araba have given a lot of locations, but not very

continued in time so that we can measure the accuracy (and theerrors) of class B and A locations.


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On March 16th, Araba gave a class A location that can be

measured, if we take into account that the period between that

class A location and the previous class 1 location was 4.5

minutes, to much time.

In this occasion, we have used a new methodology: to the resultthat can be gotten from the previous methodology19 we have

added, in the worst hypothesis, the space that the bird could

travel in those 4.5 minutes.

According to the new methodology20, the accuracy of that class A

location is of 5.8 km. (In 2007, the accuracy of the class A

locations given by Navarre and her PTT were between 1.77 and

5.65 km.)

Again, this is what we would like to underline: class A and B

locations are very important for our woodcocks, since they arereal and objective. To know the accuracy of these locations, we

do have a good, clear and precise methodology21.

b) Speed of flight

Laguna:

On April 14th, Laguna went from Poland to Lithuania (294 km) at

night (from 21:31 to 01.03, UTC) given two emissions. So, his

average speed of flight was 84 km/h.

Araba:

On April 26th, Araba in his way from Germany to Sweden crossed

the sea at night (from 20:18 to 21:56, UTC) given two emissions

to travel 108 km. So, his speed of flight was 66 km/h.

c) Resting periods

Laguna:

19 See http://www.euskonews.com/0433zbk/gaia43302eu.html and

http://www.euskonews.com/0433zbk/gaia43302es.html . See also Location

accuracy of emissions gathered via satellite:

http://www.euskonews.com/0484zbk/gaia48404en.html .20 See Location accuracy of emissions gathered via satellite:

http://www.euskonews.com/0484zbk/gaia48404en.html .21 See http://www.euskonews.com/0431zbk/gaia43102eu.html, section 7, note 5

and note 18 of this work. As we said in the mentioned work, the accuracy of

the locations depends on the pair PTT/bird. This year, in spite of Arabas

PTT and Lagunas PTT being of the same characteristics, the emissions givenby Araba have been much better in quantity and quality than the ones given

by Laguna.


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Laguna was resting in France five days.

Araba:

Araba was resting in Sweden two days.

d) Duty cycle

As we have said, these PTTs have a special duty cycle of 55/8.

As a conclusion of our previous two projects, we underlined

that for future projects, to overcome the interferences, and

with the old PTTs, the duty cycle should have to be of 72/10.

If we compare the old and new PTTs, it seems that the new

ones (with the old nomenclature) duty cycle is of 69/10. The

point is that the new PTTs use a new special technology22.

Taken into account the data from our previous two projects and

the data from this project, here some clear consequences of the

use of this new technology during 2008:

a)The charge of the PTTs has been greater than in ourprevious experiments.

b)In each emission per day, Argos has given more locationsthis year than in the previous two years.

c)The emissions data given by Argos have been much betterin quality

23

and quantity.d)The frequency of the emissions has been more regular thanin the two previous projects.

e)The frequency has been broken only in very few occasions,when clearly there were no interference problems. So, as

hypothesis, we have tried to link this phenomenon with the

woodcocks roding24or croule.

f)The problem of the interferences has been overcome withhigh charge, as we proposed in our previous experiments.

e) Some notes on roding or croule

Laguna and Araba have been missing during some few days, when

they were in Araba (Basque Country) and in the breeding zone.

Were they roding? Mating females?

22 This new technology will be explained by MTI in the 2009 Conference.

Although one of us new about the characteristics of these PTTs, he gave his

word to Paul Howey not to say anything about them. These two PTTs are

prototypes and we have put them in practice. MTI developed five (5)

prototypes to be checked all over the world. The PTTs in our projects are

the smallest of them.23Arabas emissions have been better than Lagunas.24 See what is said below about roding.


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Can be related those missing days to mating after roding? It is

really difficult to give a right answer, but we will try to see

all these missing days, and, as hypotheses, try to relate

those data with possible mating periods25.

(a) Lagunas data(young woodcock):

While Laguna was in Araba (Basque Country) the bird was missing

during the following dates:

March 17th to March 22nd.

While Laguna was in Russia, here his missing days:

From June 8th to June 13th; from June 24th to 29th; from July

4th (LC Z location) to July 10th; from July 31st (a LC Z

location) to August 5th and from August 10th (a LC Z location)to August 16th (two LC Z locations) and then to August 24th (a

LC Z location)26.

(b)Arabas data (young woodcock):

While Araba was in Araba (Basque Country), here the dates when

the bird was missing:

March 29th (a LC Z location) to April 1st. From April 6th to

April 11th and then from April 11th to April 16th.

While Araba was in Russia, the bird was no missing27.

Again, we must underline that all these data are related to

dates where the birds were missing. Missing to mate females?

Taking into account the specific technological characteristics

of these two PTTs, which are able to be charged in very

difficult environments, it can be plausible that during the

above mentioned dates28 both birds could have been first roding

and then mating females.

f) Interferences

It is true that there are interferences around the

Mediterranean Sea. In our two previous projects there was no

25 See Woodcocks behavior in the breeding season: roding and nesting:

http://www.euskonews.com/0472zbk/gaia47204en.html .26Laguna gave his last emission on August 24th.27Araba gave his last emission on August 12th, being alive.28

This does not mean, of course, that these missing days were the only dayswhere the males were possibly mating females. Furthermore, if we consider

that the special duty cycle of the new PTTs is 55/8.


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way to localize the birds in different places of Europe and

during long periods of time.

It is clear that MTI and Argos did know that problem29. This is

why Paul Howey (of MTI) wanted to check two prototypes in

Europe and with woodcocks:

(a) To know whether these prototypes charge better or not.(b) To know if these new PTTs charge well with such a

special bird as the woodcock is (moving in special

spaces, traveling at night, and so on).

(c) To know the performance of these new PTT against theEuropean interferences. (We do know that in order to

overcome the interferences the PTTs charge is the main

variable.)

The final result is net: the European interferences have beenovercome with both PTTs, during all the time the tracking

lasted and in all the different atmospheric circumstances30.

g) Global results

Here what can be said about our third project:

(1) With reference to the weight of the PTT and to theweight of the bird, this is the first experiment done in

the whole world.(2) Using these kinds of PTTs, this is the first experiment

in the whole world made with woodcocks.

(3) We can make the same questions as we did before: Do thewoodcocks cross the Ural Mountains? Where do the

woodcocks which are in the other side of the Ural

Mountains go in their migration? In what direction do

they travel? How far?

F. Last words

Is it possible to gather even more data? To gather even more

accurate data? We will keep working, researching, trying to

know more about the migration of the Scolopax rusticola and to

gather data with more frequency and better accuracy, always

following the advices of MTI.

29 See http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/winter_05page8.pdf andhttp://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/spring_06page8.pdf. 30

As MTI people have told us, from now on they will use the same special andnew technology our PTTs had in all the new PTTs they will produce.


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Bibliography

Duriez, O. (thesis, 2003), Stratgies individuelles

d'hivernage chez la bcasse des bois (Scolopax rusticola):

compromis nergtiques pour la slection de l'habitat

(http://tel.ccsd.cnrs.fr ).Fadat, C. 1995. La bcasse des bois en hiver. Ed. C. Fadat,

Clermont-1'Hrault.

Hays, G.C. et. al. (2001) The implications of location

accuracy for the interpretation of satellite-tracking data,

Animal Behaviour, 61 (5):1035-1040.

Lucio, A.J. and M. Sez de Buruaga (2000) La becada en

Espaa. Federacin Espaola de Caza y Fedenca.

Show D. C. and C. Perrins (1998) The birds of Western

Palearctic - (Concise edition), Oxford: Oxford University

Press.

Vincent, C. et al. (2002) Assessment of Argos locationaccuracy from satellite tags deployed on captive Gray Seals.

Marine Mammal Science, 18 (1), 156166.

Acknowledgments

This work is based on the different projects performed by

the CCB (Club de Cazadores de Becadas) since 2006 up to 2008.

The projects have been sponsored by the Government of Navarre

(2006, 2007, 2008), the Government of Catalonia (2006) and

Microwave Telemetry Inc (MTI) (providing two prototypes with anew technology in 2008); also by the CCB itself (in all these

years).

Here some of the people we would like specially to thank:

(a) The Navarrese team (Isabel Leranoz, Alfredo Beloki andJose Inazio Urriza) and the Araba team (brothers Asier

and Rubn San Vicente, Josu Salazar, Victor Regueiro,

Javier Uriarte and Ikatz Prez de Arriba).

(b) Dr. Charles Fadat and Dr. Nikita Chernetsov gave veryhelpful information.

(c) Jonathan Rubines used genetic analyses to know the sexof our woodcocks.

(d) The friends of Argos always have been ready to help:Maura Massana, Anne Marie Breonce, Aline Duplaa and

Bill Woodward.

(e) Last but not least, special thanks to the whole teamof Microwave Telemetry Inc (MTI), to Cathy Bykowsky,

and mainly to Paul Howey.

(*) This work is part of a series of different papers done by ateam composed by Ibon Telletxea, Mikel Arrazola, Zarbo


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Ibarrola, Ral Migueliz, Joakin Anso, Izaskun Ajuriagerra,

Ruben Ibez, Roberto Gogeaskoetxea, Felipe Diez and Joseba

Felix Tobar-Arbulu. The photos were taken by Mikel Arrazola,

Zarbo Ibarrola and Ibon Telletxea.

The project in the press

- A First!:http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/spring_06page7.pdf

(Mistake: instead of 5000 km, it should be read 3000 km.)

- Navarre, the Iron Woodcock:http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/newsletters/spring2008page6.pdf .

- Les Voyages dAstur et de Navarre,Bcasse Passion, 2007, 62: pp. 16-22.

- Navarre, suivie par Radio Tlmtrie 760 Km parcourus, BcassePassion, 2008, 65, p. 11.

- Trofeo Caza:http://www.trofeocaza.wanadoo.es/trofeocaza/html/carticulos/168279_1.html

- Club de Caza: http://www.club-caza.com/articulos/137becada.asp - ACCA: http://www.accazalava.es/revista11.htm - ACCA: http://www.accazalava.es/Pdf/revista12/ccb.pdf - ACCA: http://www.accazalava.es/actual03.htm - Amatios blog:http://eibar.org/blogak/amatino/archive/2008/02/07/201cnavarre201dk-

urrezko-domina-galdu

- Trofeo: Viajando con nuestras becadas, 2006.11, pp. 64-68.- Diario de Noticias (Navarra), 2006.11. 17, El viaje indito de Trasgu.- Diario de Navarra (Navarra), 2006.11.15, De Etxarri-Aranatz a Rusia.- La caza y su mundo, 2007.11, Desde Rusia con amor, pp. 27-41.- Diario vasco, 2007,03.11, El misterio de la becada.- El Correo digital, 2008.08.28, Un viaje de 3000 Kilmetros.- Todo becada, 2008, Seguimiento de becadas mediante radiotelemetra va

satlite, pp. 14-21.

- Basque TV (ETB-1, 2008, in Basque joseba; ETB-2, 2007, in SpanishRal)

scolopax rusticola without frontiers

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