I wrote in my last post that we were expecting our first chicks to hatch next month in Norway, but concerns of a later season due to the prolonged winter are unfounded and I heard a couple of days ago that the first chicks in our collection areas have started hatching, although its is still too early to see how successful the season will be. I'm always learning more about white-tailed eagles from Alv Ottar who coordinates our chick collection in Norway, in his last email he told me of two new nest sites on lighthouses!
Bird 8, a 2009 male has headed up to Shetland for his first birthday. This bird was our smallest male of 2009 and has spent the last 8 months in North Fife and on the Tay estuary, not wandering more than 30 miles from the release site, but he obviously got the urge to wander once the thermals arrived. He flew over Forsinard on the 6th April and then turned up on Fair Isle on the 21st April. You can view photos on the Fair Isle blog, my favourite is it getting harassed by bonxies (great skuas) whch don't often meet their match!
http://fibowarden.blogspot.com/
Once the wind changed he made it to mainland Shetland on Saturday, flying low over surveyor's head whilst they carried out a BTO bird atlas square in the Sandwick Hills. One of our 2007 females, tag 7, headed up to Shetland this time last year.
Away from birds, we're really excited about our new eduction project we've started with schools in Perth and Kinross and I've already received emails from pupils signing up to be project rangers to help us spread the word about the project.
Thanks for that Claire,surprising how quickly all being well they will be with you.