Strathy had been ringed and tagged as chick near Aviemore on 25th June 2010, on Strathspey Estates. This bird, a male, was ringed with BTO ring number ZZ1421 and satellite transmitter was a 70 gram Microwave Telemetry Argos GPS Solar model; number 95065, funded by the Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The female chick, in same nest, was named Cullen and tagged with transmitter 21197. Both birds are on the Cairngorms RaptorTrack website.
- Map showing locations during Strathy’s lifetime
In late August, Strathy spent time in the Angus mountains around and to the west of Hunthill. On 1st September at 2pm he headed north into Aberdeenshire and at 2pm was on the north edge of Glentanar and then by 4pm had flown a little west. On 2nd flew north and was east of Loch Builg to Delnadamph on 3rd and 4th September, then flew north on evening of 4th to Carn Mor on the Ladder Hills, then on 8th to Glenfiddich and back to Ladder Hills. Strathy remained in the Corriehabbie Hill and Glenfiddich area from 8th to 12th September, and then moved to The Buck on the 13th and 14th of September. On 15th he flew west to the Ladder Hills and was still there on the 16th September.
On night of 16th/17th he roosted in a steep glen/gully SE of Carn Mor in the Ladder Hills, he remained in same area until at least 9am. He flew a short distance NW and was perched at 10am. At 11am he was further east on the slopes between Dun Muir and Geall Chairn flying NNE at 45km/hr. This was the last GPS transmission for this batch of signals. Between 11.30am and 6.38pm there were non GPS locations for the area near Scors of Blackwater on Cabrach Estate.
The next scheduled transmissions for Strathy were 21st and 25th September but no signals were received. The transmitter had been working perfectly throughout it’s lifetime and was expected to transmit for 3 -5 years; the solar panel was charging the battery. The transmitter used on this eagle stored hourly GPS locations from dawn to dusk and transmitted them to Argos CLS Toulouse satellites every four days. If the bird was killed it could have traveled anywhere on 18th, 19th and 20th so its final location is not known.
Our conclusion is that this bird has probably been killed and the transmitter destroyed although it is impossible to be certain. Transmitter failure is not expected. A report was sent to Grampian Police Wildlife Crime Officer. If anyone has any information relating to this eagle, please report it to the officer at Banchory Police Station.
