RUTLAND OSPREYS - 2014

The team are off to The Gambia on 7/1/2014 and Tim's latest Blog gives all the details. Watch this space.

  • Wow - you bet we will.  Wouldn't it be fantastic if the miracle happened and they spotted one of the Manton Bay youngsters?

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • That is a very exciting blog Mike, I wish Tim and his team all the very best in finding both 30(05) and 5F(12).....  the work they are doing out there is marvellous too, by installing the computer equipment it gives those youngsters an opportunity to learn more about Ospreys and other things, which without Rutland's input would probably not have happened.   

    I hope that they find many Ospreys ringed and unringed, and that we may get some sightings of birds we are familiar with. 

  • Thanks Alan. I checked this morning but there was nothing new. The excitement is infectious. Roll on those Blogs.

  • Thanks Alan.   Really looking forward to reading their blogs.

  • I was talking with an RSPB colleague from Market Harbrough today near to RW. He knows Tim Appleton and thought he recalled him saying that some of the translocations during 1996 to 2001 may have come from Norway.

    From my own reminiscenses - I thought all 1996 to 2001 and further 2005 translocations were from Scottish origin.

    I am not sure if any one on here can confirm this.

    I do know the Red Kites translocated to Aberdeen are of Norwegian origin and so are the Sea Eagles translocated to Scotland and he may be getting mixed up with them.

  • I think your final comment is probably the reason for the confusion. AFIK all the Rutland birds came from Scottish nests selected by RD.

  • Yes all the birds translocated to Rutland  were from Scottish nest. In fact a most of them came from the same group of nests. 

    Actually what has not occured to me before is that this potentially could have led to inbreeding.

    I do know that 01 (99) was 8 (97) little sister but she came back to Scotland to breed.

    05 (00)  and  08 (01)  were siblings.  ( so 08 (01)  was heavily related to 30 (05)  ) 

    As for the number of birds being translocated to Spain. 60 seems a very low number. Other projects have used well over 100 and some nearer 200.

    I think Andalusia used about 164 birds.

    See collection of nine ospreys

    See  diary for 1999

  • TIGER and MIKE - Many thanks for your help here and your further information was of great interest to me. I will digest this thoroughly tonight. Earlier in December I was talking to the chap from Piper Dam who ran the fishery some years ago and he spoke well of the bird that nested here that came from Rutland - (I assume this is 01/99) - he also discussed the demise of the nest and the expensive houses being built that encroached towards the nest and felt it was this that discouraged the birds.

    The 60 quoted translocations to Urdaibai - Spain was quoted as minimum of 60 over a five year period due to losses they will expect and I think they may only be referring to Scotland translocating bearing in mind the licence agreement will only allow 12 annually from Scotland. This does also jeopordise any other translocations from Scotland until this licence has expired should a further translocation programme to England be considered (I suppose this gives time for papers to be drawn up with the justifications and conditions and placement and expect RW to be the forefront of this). I do believe England does require a further translocation programme from Scotland

    I do think your total taking in other countries assisting this project will be nearer to your estimate of well over 100 somewhere towards 200.