So what are your favourite ospreys both adults and chicks?
Yes, my heart alternates between one or the other. Odin was very special to me at the beginning but after a while I realised EJ was just as special - I think it was watching late one cold night and seeing her fly off the sleeping chicks and bring back a 'baby blanket' of some flat organic material to drape over the smallest Garten before brooding them all.
But, of course, the girls have captured my heart too. Mallachie was always my favourite and I was so sure she was a boy! But I find myself torn now about wanting to know that Garten has definitely made it to Africa instead of having to wait three years. And Rothes is such a lovely bird. So I can't be sure I have a 'favourite' any more. I want them all to thrive and safely migrate and grace the world in time to come with chicks of their own.
And I'm not at all sure I'm going to watch the migration (as I did last year) until an official blog says something like ' all is well in Africa' and then I shall believe Garten is also 'well in Africa'. I am going to miss this family SO much and do so hope EJ and Odin are together again next year.
All the evidence suggests that ospreys come back in their second year. Ok they are a bit later than the adult birds but they have often been sighted in June of their second year. That said only about 20% ever do come back.
My favourite adult osprey at Loch Garten was Henry.
My favourite all time chick was an American osprey called Flag. He was a born survivor and eventually did fledge. Oh to know whether he is out there or not.
Tiger Signature
after having just read Richards latest post about preparing ourselves for the migration of our ospreys, i have finally come to the conclusion that EJ is mine. I have hovered between all of them day by day, depending on whats been happening or who has been doing what, but now that the time is drawing nearer for their departure and knowing EJ will be first to go, i just have to go with the Fiesty Mamma as my favourite.
Hi Osprey.... I had to think long and hard about this one....I love them all to bits :o)
If you really pushed me I would say wee Garten for showing her fiestiness is my favourite chick :o)
Odin would be my choice of favourite adult for taking care of EJ and 'babies' so well :o)
BUT AS I SAY I LOVE THEM ALL xxxxx
"Birds of a Feather".... ~( :o )
Really hard to say who is favourite as EJ, Odin and their girls are just so special. EJ has been a wonderful Mum, Odin a wonderful provider and Rothes, Garten and Mallachie are all so lovely. I completely fell in love with Deshar last year and was heartbroken when he didn't make it. At the end of the day all ospreys are magnificant.
Margobird
You ask me about Flag. Well Flag came from the fourth egg in the Dennis Puleston Osprey Foundation (DPOF) nest of 2006. The DPOF cam was first steaming osprey webcam in the world back in 2003.
The first egg was mysteriously dumped from the nest one night and so only three chicks hatched. Everything was going great up until about June 20th 2006 with all three chicks forming an orderly queue for fish.
Then suddenly it all turned nasty and the middle chick (Stripe) really began attacking the youngest Flag. This was mainly because the food supply was not what it should be.
Flag showed an amazing will to survive and although he went to bed hungry on many occasions he always managed to survive.
Finally after 66 days on August 3 2006 he fledged to everyone's great pleasure.
There was one moment in particular which showed Flag's ingenuinty in getting a meal and is my all time favourite moment in webcam watching.
A quote from Tiger, June 22:
Yes I think I will have to revise my all time favourite moment in watching this cam. I think it will now be that wonderful moment when Flag pecked Star in the rump and somehow Star blamed Stripe and gave him a good hiding. Best of all Flag snuck in and got a meal.
Here was the video clip. See http://puleston.osprey.bnl.org:8080/ramgen/Osprey/060622_2047-my-turn.rm
The full Puleston site is at: http://puleston.osprey.bnl.org/index.php
Yet once more Tiger. Thank you for the great we site links.
Hi Folks,
Great to see that your getting up and running with the new RSPB community! However, as traffic becomes increasingly busy we would really appreciate it if you could post comments in the appropriate place.
This Forum is here for you to suggest new forums we should add. Otherwise your comments will be moved to the appropriate place in due course.
The Ospreys (as you can expect!) generate a huge amount of interest and debate and therefore there is an entire "group" set up just for Osprey related chat. Please see and more importantly join!: http://www.rspb.org/community/groups/lochgartenospreys/default.aspx
I wonder if any new favourite ospreys have emerged?
Could a staff member please move this thread to ospreys?