Writing this post has now become a monthly ritual. Last month I wrote about how by now all the various ospreys would be back back and they would all be starting to produce a new lot of little humbugs. Well I was very wrong as that is not how this season has progressed at all.
The year 2005 was a horror year in that an awful lot of ospreys did not come back. The thing was that there was no social media in 2005 and we were not so aware of what was happening as we are now. Nowadays the power social media makes us more aware of what is happening on a almost minute to minute basis.
Anyway from the 15 March the great osprey watch was on. Then first two days did not yield any ospreys. However late on 17th March we heard that the great patriarch of Rutland viz 3 (97) was back. There was a great sigh of relief as he was injured last year and people wondered if he would be back.
The feeling was that the birds would start rolling in at an ever increasing rate. Well nothing could be further from the truth. Day after day has passed and the only thing remarkable is the paucity of the ospreys.
There have been the odd good day but they been few and far between. On 19th March the Glaslyn female arrived and most people thought that 11 (98) would not be far behind. Well not so, there is no sign of him and he is now roughly 12 days late and getting later by the minute.
Neither EJ or Odin have appeared either. Lots of the countdown clocks are turning red and look like screens in the stock market on the infamous Black Monday.
There is the odd crumb of comfort. The tracked birds like Blue XD, Beatrice, 30 (05) are all on their way but making heavy weather of it in their various ways.
We hope that weather is the explanation for this strange situation and that the ospreys will all begin to arrive soon. Otherwise 2015 will long be remembered as a calamity year.
There is the odd ray of hope. The partner of 3 (97) did turn up on the 24 March. Also the Loch of the Lowes male turned up on time on 21 March. Yesterday he was joined by a new female. So at least we have two pairs of ospreys.
We await developments with great interest.
Tiger Signature
Cirrus - my link take you to his homepage. Near the top you will see red writing and just below that he gives "quick links for 2015" where you can click on all the names of the birds which are in blue.
Thanks again KAREN
Cirius - Roy has quick linked the four birds tracked on his home page - Just click on their name.
Alternatively click on the tabs at the left - Ospreys - Then Current Birds or Previous Birds and that will take you to some but dont think Green J or Blue XD is in this part.
Quick Links are best in home text at top few lines down in Blue links (All 4 birds).
EDIT - KAREN - You beat me to the query but main thing Cirius got her answer promptly. I wont race you in the 400 metres as you will leave me in the blocks :).
Great to see EJ back
It looks like there's a minimum of 4-5 days - assuming good weather - before Blue XD could be back on Speyside. Fingers crossed Odin arrives in the meantime.
Unknown said: Seemingly I don't know how to use Roy's website anymore, I'm tearing my hair out here. Can't find XD and where is Green J's page please KAREN or KEITH
Seemingly I don't know how to use Roy's website anymore, I'm tearing my hair out here. Can't find XD and where is Green J's page please KAREN or KEITH
Cirrus. We give links on "The Osprey News Bulletin"
It is in my signature and in a number of others.
A few pictures from LOTL today on a visit to LOTL and Strathallan the forementioned the happier of the visits.
Posted here as may get lost in LOTL Thread.
The Happy Pairing (For now anyhow)
Well they appear Happy with what they are doing - The Old Lady may not approve if she catches them.
But they can always go over for a secret fling to this love nest he built and was adding sticks to today and had a sit over on it. This is the nest in the flat tree he was building with a female last year - still OK to renevate. First time I have been able to get a decent picture of this nest.
Not sure which one this was
And a close up of the couple together - had been clinging on to this fish for two hours taking it everywhere.
Unfortunately Strathallan not as happy a visit.
They had took the cherry picker down a few days ago but its back up and blasting out sonic bird scaring which has worked.
It appears the sonic scare tactics has frightened the birds not only from their home but any chance of nesting in the new home that has been built.
It appaers Mr and Mrs Roberts win and goodbye to the Ospreys - the Kingfishers who can not nest as they netted the riverbank and also the otters along with many other aspects of the countryside we are meant to protect.
Wonderful shots KEITH :)
Devasting news from Strathallan Keith. I find it very difficult to be supportive now of rspb and with that any contributions to membership or this forum and any of the threads going forward. A very sad state of affairs and I truly believe rspb and other wildlife conservation agency could have done more. I will no longer be contributing here. Instead I will ask if I can just contribute to LG with any monies going directly there.
LMAC - Dont be too hard on RSPB - although they accepted the original application without actually objecting they did change their stance recently and may well have objected more recently to the later review - they certainly are now objecting publically whether official or not.
I am more annoyed with the SNH for non intervention and advice to the police that no offence is being committed. They are the authority to stop this and have one of their Class 1 Ringers helping out DF Concerts and The ROBERTS Family in desturbing this osprey family. This same person will be the Good Samaritan to Ospreys again in July when he rings the birds in Perthshire.
It kind of spoilt the day at LOTL and SWT is one I will be a member of and donate through membership and activities.
I was in two minds should I turn off the A9 at Auchterarder or not. Wish I had not.