Hochelaga, right where we expected him to be. (©Project SNOWstorm and Google Earth)

Just a very quick update to say that all three of our tagged owls are where we’d expect them to be. After going dark for a week, Hochelaga’s transmitter picked up enough solar juice to reconnect regularly starting Feb. 20, and his data show he’s doing what he’s been doing all winter, hanging around the Montréal-Trudeau airport and nearby highways. (Sigh.)

Maybe one trip to James Bay was enough for Newton. (©Project SNOWstorm and Google Earth)

Similarly, Newton hasn’t pulled any more quickie north-and-back flights but remains near Heaslip ands Tomstown, ON. Loren moved a few kilometers from where she’s been hanging out near Masseuville, QC, which is notable only because she’d barely budged since she was moved from the airport, but then moved back again.

The only oddity you’ll see on Loren’s map is that she appears to have flown 36 km (22 miles) to the northeast, and then back to exactly her starting point near Masseuville, all within the space of two hours. While I suppose it’s not impossible, it seems much more likely that her transmitter threw a bad GPS location, which happens occasionally. Just ignore that blip.

Just ignore that streak to the northeast; we think Loren’s transmitter threw a bogus GPS point and that she hadn’t really moved 36 km and come immediately back. (©Project SNOWstorm and Google Earth)