It seems only yesterday that we were waiting on the ospreys to arrive and now some of them are probably winging their way south. By the end of August most of them will be gone.
Odin and EJ have continued to thrill as they play out their failed season. Hopefully they will both be back in 2016
It has been disappointing that Breagha stayed in France rather than come home to say hello to mum and dad.
Not so with White 14 at Bassenthwaite. After an incredible journey he arrived home to Bassenthwaite and was photographed. A new superhero is born.
All the young ospreys fledged at Loch of the Lowes but FR4 did take her time.
Also a complete fledge at Manton Bay but once again the third chick taking its time.
No such delay at Dyfi. All three chicks fledged fledged in less than four hours with two almost going simultaneously.
Meanwhile the late chicks at Glaslyn continue to grow and and are winning all the cute birds competitions.
I am afraid that it will soon be time to start looking at the countdown clocks.
Tiger Signature
Clare says thank you
"Birds are, quite simply, little miracles - and as such they require care and consideration."
Magnus Ullman
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Good work, Chloe!!!
Hi, all. I thought I'd post this link here, although it's not directly related to ospreys. The article is about a current program to teach California Condors to avoid power lines. California Condors are the largest flying bird in North America, with a wingspan of 9 1/2 feet (2.9 meters, I think), so they are easily electrocuted on power lines.
It's critically important to protect these highly endangered birds. In 1987, they were extinct in the wild (only a few captive birds remained), but with much hard work by conservationists, the species has recovered to 400-500 birds.I thought you all might be interested, because I know that ospreys are also very vulnerable to electrocution. An identical program would be impossible with ospreys, but perhaps the idea could spark some type of aversion method for those birds as well?Take care, all.
Thank you Diane :)
Thanks for the article too. Very interesting.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
Just wondering if being hatched early is an advantage? I notice that Glaslyn chicks are usually leisurely about their migration. I do not think that the same will apply to this year's duo?
Hazel b said: Just wondering if being hatched early is an advantage? I notice that Glaslyn chicks are usually leisurely about their migration. I do not think that the same will apply to this year's duo?
There also could be disadvantages oif being hatched early especially in Northern Scotland - the weather in early May can be like winter and supporting three chicks may be difficult. As Glaslyn have pointed out at present the migration window is still favourable so at present do not see the migration for later hatches to be too much of a disadvantage. Maybe finding ground in Africa arriving later than most birds could be a disadvantage.
Ozwald never left Scotland until 11 October and UK 19 October and he made it to Mauritania OK not arriving till late November. He survived OK until April next year when whatever happened we do not know.
We also know Rothiemurchus was a very late brood and did fine over his years but again we do not know what has happened to him - certainly no sightings around LOTL where he used to like to pop in.
Then we have the other side of any debate - MORRAY who did not hang around migrating 26 August only three weeks after fledging and was recovered on Isle of Lewis. I think far too young to migrate and caught up in bad winds not able to cope.
I think GLEN was a similar situation so altough migarting as early as three weeks after fledging may have been the most contributary factor they did get caught up in a late August/early September unfavourable weather system.
ALL IN ALL - I AM NOT TOO SURE. Maybe the luck of the draw as it pans out.
Unknown said:We also know Rothiemurchus was a very late brood and did fine over his years but again we do not know what has happened to him - certainly no sightings around LOTL where he used to like to pop in.
It is true that Rothiemurchus did very well in spite of both a late start and early migration. I know that we cannot be sure what age Rothiemurchus waswhen he migrated but it may have been as early as 72 days.
However Rothiemurchus was not the first late chick tracked by Roy Dennis. That honour goes to S8H tracked in 2001. As you can see he did not fare so well as Rothiemurchus.
Timeline of the 2013 season
The place for general osprey chat.
Survival rates are hard to quantify. In my view it is around 20%
Now some ospreys do rather better than that. Site B at Rutland had a 100% return in 2004 and a 66% return in 2005. Mind you that means that other survival rates are even lower to give an overall return rate of 20%
There seems to have been a poor return rate of ospreys hatched in 2013. Of the six that left Wales none have yet been sighted. None from Kielder either. Of course White 14 did make it back to Bassenthwaite after a European grand tour.
TIGER - Friends of the Ospreys are now reporting that the return rate for young birds is 24% based on returning birds up to 2014 up from 2004 at 20%.
Still the number of fledged chicks does seem to be slowly increasing.
That is the fantastic news that there has been an increase over this ten year period.
I think that the only thing that has improved greatly is both record keeping and the number of people out trying to identify ringed ospreys.
I think that no matter what we do there will always be problems.
One has to ask where Aran at Glaslyn came from? I guess we will never know.