When I write this I usually read over what I wrote a month previously.
Last month I wrote that the Loch Garten nest was plagued by intruders but that while it made life difficult for EJ and Odin no harm had come to any egg, not like 2004 when an egg was broken by an intruder. Within days that optimism was to be shattered in the most awful way possible. On Tuesday 4th May Odin delivered a fish at 7.19am and then was not seen again that day. A number of intruders made their increasing presence felt.
As Tuesday became Wednesday the fans began to ask "Where is Odin?" Well the real answer was that no one knew except perhaps Odin.
There was huge debate as to what would happen next? Well one intruding osprey who was dubbed "Orange Chest" became ever more bold. On Friday 8 May he finally managed to be alone with eggs and booted them to the edge of the nest, showing how a male takes over a nest. At that point it seemed that the Odin dynasty was at an end. However late on Sunday 10 May it was announced that Odin was back to great rejoicing. The idea that Odin was going to be resident male again was short lived as the intruding make now named Finrir was not giving up.
It was to be a number of days before Odin got his nest and partner. However the season is ruined as far as chicks are concerned. That all happened in the first half of May.
On Saturday 30 May came the nest that we have waited so long for and that was that Breagha headed north on Tuesday 26 May. Surely he will be back in Scotland by mid summer?
Meanwhile that other two year old tracked osprey has been coming north for the past month and was in Sweden at last reports. These birds do unexpected things.
The good news at Loch of the Lowes is that everything has been quiet and hatched three chicks without any fuss.
At Kielder we continue to get copious reports both from the tracked birds in Africa and the three nests. Nest II at Kielder had four eggs but one was lost due to an intruder. Still there have been hatchings at both nest I and II. There was sad news from Rutland when it was reported that the second clutch of eggs at site B had been abandoned. Still great just in Manton Bay where Blue 33 continues to prove what a fine osprey he is by providing lots of fish for his young family.
Dyfi has been a model nest this year with Monty and Glesni working very closely together but definite signs that Glesni is now more in charge. At time of writing there is two chicks on the nest and one expected tomorrow.
Glaslyn has been a revelation with Mrs Glaslyn just laying more and more eggs. She eventually laid seven and is incubating the last two with the help of her new male who has been named Aran.
Sadly one of the males intruding at Glaslyn was found dead on Sunday 10 May 2015. He was ringed Blue CU2 and nicknamed Jimmy.
On Tuesday 26 May Roy Dennis announced that Green J did not lay any eggs this year. Is this the end of reproduction for this most amazing of ospreys.
On Saturday 23 May there was the best news of all, a chick from the 2013 translocation had returned. It was yellow P2. Another chick (yellow P1) from the same translocation has been spotted in northern Spain. Always good to hear of new osprey centres.
So a very interesting time. What will June 2015 bring? Well for that you just got to keep watching.
All stories covered in The Osprey News Bulletin for May 2015
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Glad to see it Tiger and wish he was phoning home more often at this critical point
Tempo said: Glad to see it Tiger and wish he was phoning home more often at this critical point
Yes but there is nothing that can be done to change that.
I've had a lovely evening watching the Dyfi ospreys on their nest - Monty was particularly adorable to watch as Glesni sat back and watched him feed all three of their chicks - he does it very well, giving each their share. How unusual is he, being this paternal? Are there other male ospreys who have been known for this behaviour? I know that Laird fed his chicks when Lady was ill but that was highly necessary.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Hi Clare, well it does come to mind that just today Laddie fed the chicks and Lassie, too, on the nest. Also, the male at Milford Pt. Connecticut historically has fed the chicks and also his lady.
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Unknown said:just today Laddie fed the chicks and Lassie, too, on the nest.
Can't remember if last year or year before but whilst on duty in FH at LG, Odin did indeed feed chick I think it was maybe 2013 and Breagha.
Clare Bailey said:I did wonder if Odin was going to take the plunge last year
Odin took the plunge a very long time ago. See here
Wow. I didn't know he'd fed a chick in 2010 - you're the first person to tell me! I wonder why he didn't get into the habit?
Clare, the male at Caerlaverock, Yellow 80, fed his chicks last year. I think it is really lovely to see the males get involved. Here is a capture of him feeding #1.
(c) The Caerlaverock Osprey Project is a joint project with WWT, FCS and SNH.
Karen W said: I think it is really lovely to see the males get involved.