[R] analysis of circular data with mixed models???

[Steven Van Wilgenburg]

Hi.

I am trying to model data on movements (direction) of birds and the 
response variables are compass directions (0 to 360).

I have found two packages CircStats and Circular that can implement 
linear models for a circular response, which will do what I need for 
the data set I am currently working on (modeling movements for only 1 
species).

However, in the near future, I would like to extend my modeling by 
including multiple species, and treating each species as a random 
effect. It appears that analysis of circular data using a mixed model 
approach is possible (see the text Statistical Analysis of Circular 
Data, Fisher 1996); however, does anyone know of a package in R that 
implements mixed models for circular data?


Cheers

-Steve