Predictions For 2010

Odin will return on 26 March at 11:23 am. EJ will return on 3 April at 3:39 pm. A young female will already be taking up residence on the nest, but EJ will challenge her and see her off after a fight. EJ will once again claim the nest as her own. (EJ and Odin will be forced to see off a record number of intruders this season. It will be an ongoing battle.)

EJ will lay 3 eggs, but one will be damaged and rendered nonviable in a fight with an intruder or possibly due to bad weather. Two chicks will hatch, a male and a female. The female chick will be big and feisty. Her much smaller brother will have to struggle to compete for food, but he will hang tough. The big female will be a handful at ringing time, and she may offer uncharacteristic resistance. Richard should beware! Both birds will fledge. The female will leave early.

Also, I had a dream that Mallachie is alive and well and returns to Scotland this year! I know that would defy the rule book. :-)

What a detailed prediction Diane!

I'll go the other way - given the hazards of migration, i don't want to make any predictions about EJ or Odin returning on specific dates - I'll just wait to see what transpires. I'd agree about the likelihood of competition for the nest though, if other nests in Strathspey have been damaged by the winter snow. 

I must say I am totally in agreement with you SueC. I have held back from making any predictions because of the dangers of the 3000 mile each way migration. I will just wait and see what happens and I am sure that whatever it is it WILL be unpredictable. 

SueC and Alan: If I could really predict the future, I'd spend my time playing the stock market -- and the lottery! LOL I hope all of the ospreys thrive this year.

Diane has her money on EJ arriving today!

Hi Everyone

My predictions for the return of 'our' birds are:

EJ.......Tuesday 29th March at 3.45pm

Odin...Thursday 31st. March at 11.20am

There will be  3 chicks  2 girls and 1 boy.

Watch this space to see me being proved wrong!!!!!!  {:o) x

Hi Maureen my predictions are:

Sunday 28 March - EJ

Wenesday 31 March - Odin

Wild guesses and we will have to wait and see.  I wonder whether bad weather has held them up.

Did nobody predict the correct bird on today's date??

Unknown said:

Did nobody predict the correct bird on today's date??

OG

Diana's prediction was 26 March at 11.23am. The first report I can see of an osprey is 2.07pm. So she was right to within about 2 hours and 44 mins. So I guess Diana is closest unless someone else knows different.