I have just had a look at Sanibel cam and I see an Osprey has arrived. No idea who it is - is it Ripply from last year or a new bird. I remember last year finding a facebook/blog page about this nest but for the life of me can't remember what it was so can't compare images from last season, so if anyone else can remember......
pinkshell.com/fort-myers-beach-ospreycam ChristyB ...This a link to a nest on Estero Island near Sanibel Island thought you might be interested in. This pair are incubating 3 eggs due to hatch hopefully in the next week or so. It is a new nest and I was lucky enough to see it built from scratch on the cam. I think there is a lot of competition for nests on Sanibel hence problems for mating pairs.
Karen M - thanks for this link and an interesting cam to follow.
There are as many pairs of ospreys on Sanibel and Captiva as there is in the UK and only a Small Island. Ding darling refuge said when I was there 18 months ago that they estimated well over 200 pairs so the competition for nests is fierce althought the electric company have laced many nesting dishes above the conductors on the poles.
I am out there in May and Sanibel/Captiva is one of the best places I have been to watch ospreys. Estero Island only a 4 mile hop accross the water from ding darling's refuge on Sanibel. They love their ospreys around this area.
Thanks Karen, I can see her there on the eggs. That is interesting Keith, too many ospreys in an area can be a problem for them, it seems. Will we eventually have this situation in GB, -well, in prime areas of Scotland first.
The couple on Sanibel have been around today, and it looks as though she has been calling for a fish, which he has not brought yet.!
ChrisyB said:Will we eventually have this situation in GB, -well, in prime areas of Scotland first.
I think that problem arose in Scotland many tears ago. See translocation background
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Chrissy B - I discussed saturation point last season with Richard and he had that very converstaion with Roy Dennis.
Roy believes 300 pairs would be about the numbers he would like to see in Scotland and that would be considered comfortable. There is still plenty of room around Central Region where I reside to sustain more nests and further to the north in the upper Tay area. The forrestry commission in my own area are still doing much work to attract more nesting pairs.
The problem in England and Wales is the opposite especially Wales and this is why The Rutland project along with Kielder, Lake District, Dyfi and BGGW are so important. Natural colonisation has not taken us very far.
Thanks Keith, it does seem to be that they need some help in spreading their disribution of nests. It is so good that there are the people willing to help with this.
Another area not far from Sanibel where I saw vast numbers of ospreys was an island just a few miles to the north of Sanibel - PINE ISLAND. I went there to look at the manatees another creature I am fascinated with but got two for one.
Hi Everyone, Last summer when we were watching the Ospreys at Manton Bay at Rutland, a volunteer in the hide told us that North American Ospreys are somewhat happier nesting and fishing close together than are Ospreys in Europe. The two types are not identical, apparently, and so behave slightly differently.
Kind regards, Ann
Unknown said:Hi Everyone, Last summer when we were watching the Ospreys at Manton Bay at Rutland, a volunteer in the hide told us that North American Ospreys are somewhat happier nesting and fishing close together than are Ospreys in Europe.
Very much so. In the past there have been colonies of 800 ospreys.
I may be able to find you an osprey nesting close to a house, maybe even on a house.
Unknown said: Clare, have looked into this a bit further. This is a 2013 article from alertapescadora.com an osprey website run by FAPAS, the conservation body in Asturias region which ringed Panchita (Yellow 82), and monitors osprey activity along that section of Biscay coast. They say that in 2012 & 2013, Panchita was at her Ria del Eo wintering site till the beginning of March, so this is an unusually early return even for her. I think the reason might be the weather - the Urdaibai Bird Centre site is reporting the same sort of seabird wreck seen recently along the English south coast. Perhaps she has come back to the Loire in search of calmer fishing.
Clare, have looked into this a bit further.
This is a 2013 article from alertapescadora.com an osprey website run by FAPAS, the conservation body in Asturias region which ringed Panchita (Yellow 82), and monitors osprey activity along that section of Biscay coast. They say that in 2012 & 2013, Panchita was at her Ria del Eo wintering site till the beginning of March, so this is an unusually early return even for her.
I think the reason might be the weather - the Urdaibai Bird Centre site is reporting the same sort of seabird wreck seen recently along the English south coast. Perhaps she has come back to the Loire in search of calmer fishing.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.