As our season here grinds to a steady close with less than a week to go until we close for the season attentions are rapidly drawn to our migrating Ospreys and their progress southwards.
Has Tore plucked up the courage to make it over the channel? Is Bynack still enjoying the fine piscine cuisine of Fresnes-sur-Escaut? Well, don’t get your hopes up folks... As the title might suggest our girl is still dallying on the coast of England, this time moving westwards into deepest Cornwall, just ten miles south of St Austell. Might we see her cross into Brittany in the next few days or will she hang on for calm weather before she gathers the courage to head south? Hardy Bynack, on the other hand is making steady progress through France and is currently flying a good few miles west of Metz, on a parallel with Luxembourg. Will he stop to relax, take stock and fuel up before too long? Rothes on the other hand, stays comfortably in the Gironde area
In the meantime, visitors continue to report sightings of Ospreys in the area. Since Richard’s last post we haven’t spotted any visiting Ospreys or those from the neighbouring sites, but in the next fortnight we may see a few stragglers heading south on their quest for warmer climes. As autumn creeps southwards might she pack her metaphorical bags and head back to Guinea Bissau in the next few weeks?
Despite seeing our nest empty and wrecked by a frenzy of autumnal breezes, a wealth of wildlife continues to flourish here. Our Red Squirrels continue to flaunt themselves at the feeders, eagerly gathering the beginnings of autumnal windfall for their winter larders. Our resident male Sparrowhawk has kept an almost omniscient presence over our feeder area, steely eyes trained on the multitude of Siskins and Greenfinches squabbling at the feeders. On the paths, bizarre fungi of all shape and description seem to sprout and erupt overnight, providing shelter and and a tasty treat for the smaller of our inhabitants
The staff, mourning the loss of our Scottish Summer huddle feverishly under the heater with cups of tea, dreading the inescapable task of cleaning and packing up for the winter...Such is life.
So what next for Tore and Bynack? As ever, stay tuned to find out....
More coming soon...