Yesterday we got the amazing news that Seasca was missing in action presumed dead. Now she may well be but I find myself really very puzzled by it all as the more I think about it the less convinced I am that the evidence shows this.
At the second last update I had no worries whatsoever. A well fed juvenile osprey on her first migration what could go wrong. Well unfortunately lots can often go wrong but there are usually clues as to the reason.
If I had one concern it was that she was losing out in the fish war on the nest. However Mallachie in 2009 was losing out in the fish war and she got to Africa no trouble.
In times like this people are usually only too willing to blame the tracker. I am very reluctant to blame the tracker but in this case it may well be the only explanation.
Firstly it may be delayed data. We know that can and does happen. So on Thursday the missing data may turn up. Not as unlikely as you might think.
So if no data does turn up then it is time to look to other reasons.
In November 2012 Blue 44 was an incredibly well fed bird heading toward Africa when he simply disappeared without trace. Now that seems the closest parallel with the present case. Again not a hint of an explanation why. Was it a tracker problem or did Blue 44 come to catastrophic harm?
Well that has got this started and see what parallels we can come up with.
Tiger Signature
Thinking of you Scylla, extra sad for you, I feel, as you were so closely involved! You gave us all such an insight into her development, a lot of hard work & we are all so grateful to you!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
At times like this I just try to think of her flying free, and that it's better to have had a short life full of wonder and excitement than no life at all :(
© Scottish Wildlife Trust - Loch of the Lowes
Thank you Starling. That is uplifting. But it is so so sad, particularly so early in her migration.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Its sad I know, but nature being nature, an exhausted osprey isn't going to get far without a break, I just so wish she had managed to get to landfall though.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
'"Sunk without Trace" unless something concrete and substantial turns up.'
I know what you mean, Keith, but for me, someone has to come up with proof in the other direction - that she has gone without a shadow of doubt.
I am still suspicious of the tracker.
However remember that Bynack had a close call in the North Sea. Maybe something similar happened to Seasca.
NO! NO! NO! :'(
Tiger's Osprey News
Yes, TIGER - what a huge gap there was in Bynack's path down thru the North Sea :o I reckon he must have swum underwater, hopping onto a ferry wouldn't account for it ;-)
WendyBartter said:Thinking of you Scylla, extra sad for you
Thank you, WENDY, I don't know that I'm feeling any worse than the rest of you but I am taking it very hard and am particularly upset about not having an accurate fish record for the days before she left. I'm not the only one who thought she didn't do as well as she should have. I am also full of rage because it should not have been so difficult to keep track of events on the nest.
What with reliving dear Seasca's final hours, am not a positive bunny at the mo ;-)
IMAGICAT
Hello {{{NOC}}}
My post above was started nearly an hour ago, I ended up having to change browsers - so you weren't there when I started.
:'(
Is it the quality of the camera at LG or the lack of enough broadband strength that causes us to receive such a fuzzy pic?