A memorable journey

It is very sad that LA’s transmitter ceased to work on 23-May, ending the Whimbrel tracking project that has been running since 12-Feb-2017. Signals on LA’s transmitter have been unstable since earlier this year, which was reasonable for a transmitter that has functioned for 3 full years, and travelled nearly 53,000km.

Not many signals with high accuracy was received after LA arrived Panjin, Liaoning on 9-May. From the low accuracy signals, it could be confirmed that LA departed Panjin around 20-May to head north to Russia. As the transmitter was switched on again on 23-May, only one low accuracy signal came through showing that LA did manage to get close to the breeding grounds.

Based on the unstable performance of the transmitter earlier this year, we believe that the transmitter has failed and that LA is still alive. Hopefully it will show up again at 40-50km south at Eighty Mile Beach in the non-breeding season! 

Migration summary of Whimbrel LA (transmission ceased on 23 May 2020):

Number of days since transmitter deployment	Distance travelled (2020)	Total distance travelled
1196 days	9561 km	52,978 km