I had a very enjoyable visit to both the Glaslyn and Dyfi Osprey Projects in Wales, great to hear that all three chicks at each project are going strong.

Still no news of JC so I think we have to assume that she is probably dead.

JD is still doing well, he can be seen feeding at the nest site daily. Yesterday both EP and H/D brought back fish almost at the same time, proving that H/D has started to fish for herself…

 This week's press release:

One of the two Wigtown Bay osprey chicks from this year’s nest has unexpectedly disappeared.  

JC, the presumed female chick, which took her first flight only last week, was last seen on July 22. It’s normal for osprey chicks to stay close to the nest for at least a month after first fledging, but although the second chick, JD, can still be seen on a daily basis begging for food from…

On Friday, 22nd July I am going up to visit the Aberfoyle Osprey Project, the birthplace of H/D our resident female.

Hopefully this visit will give me some inspiration as to what could be improved with our own visitor centre at the Wigtwon County Buildings. It's just a pity that Aberfoyle has got no breeding ospreys this year, after the female abandoned the eggs just before hatching was due for reasons unknown. Check…

Our second 2011 Wigtown Bay osprey chick took it's first flight today at 11.35am.

Again I was not present at the visitor centre to witness the flight, but Bill again was lucky enough to be volunteering at the right time!

Aparently, JC took her first flights rather shakily from perch to perch in the nest tree, then after a few practices, took off and did a full circuit of the nest area before landing in the nest…

Just found a fascinating discussion on the Aberfoyle Ospreys Blog: http://aberfoyleospreys.blogspot.com/ about water logging of eggs causing egg membranes to become thick and difficult for the chicks to break out of, this could explain the death of our third chick.

The Summer guided walk season has started at the Crook of Baldoon Reserve, come and join me at mid-day every fortnight starting on the 1st August for a walk around the reserve.

Please bring appropriate clothing and binoculars if you have them.

I'll look forward to seeing you then,

Paul

JD our Wigtown Bay 2011 Osprey Chick fledged yesterday morning, 15th July, on his 52nd day as predicted. JC his day younger sister is expected to fledge on Monday 18th July.

Unfortunately I dicided to take yesterday off, and missed it, but Bill one of our trusty volunteers was in to witness the grand moment. Shame there were no visitors in to see it too...

I have been into the Wigtown County Buildings today and apparently…

Things are getting very exciting with the Wigtown Bay Osprey Project as JD shows signs of fledging imminently. JD who we are almost positive is our elder male chick from weight, size and behaviour, was seen on Tuesday 12th July jumping up and hovering so high he went out of camera shot. There was one classic moment when the wind caught him mid-hover and he got blown backwards across the nest landing squarely on JC's…

At last, I have finally managed to post Paul's amazing ringing photos. Enjoy....

Latest osprey news, JD who we think is the elder of the two chicks and is probably a male, has been doing a lot of wing exercising over the weekend, and has been doing spilt second hovers, not long before he will fly! Ospreys usually fledge around 52 days after hatching, so by our calculations it should be Friday and Saturday this week…

Hurray, thanks to the fantastic RSPB webteam this blog is now linked to the RSPB Crook of Baldoon Reserve webpage, which means you can now use the following link to find us: http://www.rspb.org.uk/crookof​baldoon

This address can now been advertised to the world, so hopefully we'll get some more supporters soon. This blog is shared between the Wigtown Bay Osprey Project and the Crook of Baldoon Reserve, so you can read…

The Wigtown Bay Ospreys were rung last Friday evening. Here's the press release:

Time is running out for a chance to view Wigtown Bay’s ospreys this year, as the successful nest’s two chicks get closer to taking their first flight.

The chicks, now named JD and JC, were ringed and weighed by experienced ringers last Friday (July 1) and are both looking healthy and ready to fledge. One chick, JC, was…

The Wigtown Bay Osprey chicks are growing up fast. Yesterday I saw both chicks feeding themselves properly, doing the full mantle food, stand on one leg, pin fish with other leg, and tear at fish with beak. H/D our prod mum jus stood back and left them to it. (although later on the same day she was back to feeding them like babies!)

The chicks are due to be ringed this weekend, so we should have some good photos to post…

I am slowly building up a group of keen volunteers to help me on the reserve. Recently the volunteers have been helping install a kissing gate and dismantle and reassemble a shed. There's still lots  more to do, so if you are interested in joining our team, please get in touch. The volunteers not only help out at the Crook, but also at the Wood of Cree, and most recently, painting the Wigtown Bay Osprey Visitor Centre…

Hot of the Press! 

(Well so hot that it hasn't even been sent to press yet!)

New arrival for Wigtown Ospreys

 RSPB Scotland takes lead role in osprey partnership

There’s a new arrival for the Wigtown Ospreys this week, but it’s not another chick.

Ian Brown, a community and wildlife officer for RSPB Scotland, is joining the project to help show Wigtown’s famous birds to visitors and locals. He’ll…

Wheatears bouncing along the path in front of me flashing their white behinds! Sedge warblers warbling, families of Linnets flying, pied wagtails wagging, aerial activities of Swallows, Shelduck out on the mud flats, common frog and rover beetles, and all of this just from spending an hour in the car park! Come down to the reserve and explore this exciting location, or why not join me on one of my guided walks, the next…

Hello, and welcome to the new Wigtown Bay Ospreys Blog on the RSPB Crook of Baldoon's page.

My name is Ian Brown, and I am the RSPB's new Wildlife & Community Officer for Wigtown and the surrounding area in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. This includes the new RSPB reserve at Crook of Baldoon, thus the link from that reserve.

As well as promoting the Crook of Baldoon, one of my main roles, is to act as…