Patrick Preston is in his 17th year as a volunteer at Operation Osprey. Every year he writes a poem, this year we have decided to put it on the blog. ENJOY

DESHAR'S LAMENT
Who’d have a bigger sister
you wouldn’t out of choice.
She’s pushy and she’s greedy
and she’s got the loudest voice.

I used to have a chance
when I was second in the queue.
But after titch gave up the ghost
those chunks of fish were few.

She’s only two days older
but she thinks that she’s queen bee.
“I’m bigger, better, nay – the best,
just follow after me”.

“I’ve flown across to that old tree
why don’t you have a try?”
“Give me some space to flap my wings –
I’ll show you I can fly”.

When I can fly I’ll learn to fish
before she gets the knack.
Then what I catch I’ll eat myself
and not bring any back.

When she gets older and comes back
to find herself a mate.
He’ll be hen pecked all the season
but I’ll leave him to his fate.


By Patrick Preston
Operation Osprey Volunteer

 

Other news...... The tracking is working and we have started putting data in, the problem is that the birds aren't going massive distances and as such plotting every point would leave the map looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. The data does show that the birds haven't visited any lochs, rivers or the fish farm yet so anyone who guesses that our chicks will leave this weekend may have to guess again.

 

Their will be a round-up blog sometime over the weekend, until then......

 

If you want to specifically help the Loch Garten Osprey Team 2008, you might consider supporting the RSPB. You can do this online via the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/join, if you add the code PR08 (that is zero eight), your membership will be credited to the Loch Garten team.