Katerina is in Karakoram! (Saturday 14th December 2002)
On Thursday, Katerina approached to the Kunlun mountains, but turned northward afterwards. Then she started to fly southwestward again - and this time she did not recoil at all! These moments (Saturday night) she is at the Karakoram mountains on the Chinese-Pakistan boundary and before her mountains about 7000 meters high.
Today was the most interesting day of all the Siberian storks watching. When it was morning in Czech republic and early afternoon in China, Argos system localized Katerina in front of the Kunlun mountains and even souther than where she had been on 22th November. I expected her to change her mind and get back to the Tarim basin - even if the conditions there are quite adverse. New coordinates in the afternoon showed to the upper stream of Yarkant river - so even souther! Katerina had her view to the icebergs and 6000 meters mountains. Still we did not take it seriously that she could dare to fly across Kunlun and then Karakoram.
Katerina flew to the Pakistan boundary till the evening. She is in the Karakoram mountains and if it wasn't night now, she would see the peak of Batura Muztagh 7758 meters high!
It's obvious Katerina's trying to overcom the highest mountains in the world. If she succeeds she will get to the Indic winter grounds.
Fresh Katerina's coordinates will be available on Monday morning and after that we will know if she succeeded to fly over Karakoram, if she got back or - died. Keep your fingers crossed!