The Further Adventures of Breagha

The value of contacts across the globe is perhaps no better illustrated than in this account from Rutland just three years ago.

Scylla makes a very valid point concerning 'on call' particularly where the survival or recovery of an Osprey in this instance, is concerned and indeed I would suggest there is a reponsibility to provide that 24/7.

At Rutland in 1997, late one evening a translocated chick was seen to get grounded on Browns Island amongst dense vegetation. The message was passed to the Project Leader who promptly left her home, called for help from some wardens and a rescue mission was set in motion as darkness fell. The bird was eventually located, totally trapped in brambles, released and then replaced in an open cage on Lax Hill out of harms way. Those involved stated that the bird would never have released itself and would probably been predated during the night. I don't recall even thinking about whether those responsible were on or off duty when I rang them and they didn't either any more than Emyr did when he waded through chest high flood water to rescue Ceulan.  The satisfaction of a life saved was its own reward.

THAT is why I have no patience when faced with the frustration of trying to help outside 'normal office hours'.

TIGER - I agree and estimate about 20% may return to nest as mature adults. We now know it is not just the first years that is the demise of ospreys. Rothiemurchus may well have perished before gaining a nest at a much older age.

I posted less than 30% as an optimistic figure rather than a 20% incase someone might dispute and say 22% - I may edit to say around 20% as that is my estimate but agree it is hard to quantify.

Yes for some reason the 2013 broods have not faired well in sightings as two year olds.

In EJs reign at two breeding nests we do not know of twelve of her chicks that possibly may have returned - I am sure at least one of them has somewhere out there.

MIKE - I understand but in both cases the birds were either on the nest being monitered within the VC or on the reserve where a member of the public may have alerted RW to the event.

It may well be that the news only broke to LG well after the event through downloads and apart from alerting someone in France could not do much. Hopefully we can here more.

I assisted with the rescue of a bird at Lochter and we worked well into dark to build a temporary nest on high scaffold that we errected and managed to get it on this temporary nest until the next day so the adults could attend to it overnight before getting it back into the nest the following day - and it survived and migrated. The other option was to cage it overnight which in our case was not an option.

Unfortunately many birds away from VC are not watched daily and succumb to the event you describe at RW in 1997 (It wasn't 03 by chance - well that would be a turnaround).

Unknown said:

TIGER - I agree and estimate about 20% may return to nest as mature adults. We now know it is not just the first years that is the demise of ospreys. Rothiemurchus may well have perished before gaining a nest at a much older age.

Well there is always a 10% chance that an adult will perish in any year and we saw two famous birds fail to return in 2015.

However there is something else going on. I have never seen a three chick nest have a 100% return rate but I have seen 2 chick nests have a 100% return rate on about four occasions. I have also seen chicks return from a one chick nest. 

Now that makes very little sense mathematically. 

There has to be some other factor. Now geography and weather play a big part. 

I think that if we had a translocation to East Anglia it probably would do very well.

On the other hand a translocation to Kerry or Cork in Ireland might not do so well.

There is definitely a lot more going than mere numbers. 

The bird at Rutland was 02(1997) White ring, black lettering left leg. It was being monitored, along with all the others, by the volunteers and it was us who saw it go down.

The bird was filthy when rescued. The following morning, the day before BirdFair, a photographer came to get some shots and because of bad visibility was taken by a member of the team up on to Lax Hill. The following day,14/8/1997, a picture appeared on page four of The Times amazingly of the same bird perched on a feeding tray! Somehow during the early morning it had got itself cleaned up and looking pristine. How's that for a coincidence. Regretfully the bird has never been heard of since it migrated.

The point about out of hours contact is simply that it extends the possibilities for help and in Noisette's case would enable her to galvanise the local officials as no doubt she would!

I hope she gets the chance.

Hazel b said:

I think that if we had a translocation to East Anglia it probably would do very well.

Seriously, it's hard to figure out what is going on and why.  You'd think the offspring of a bird like EJ would carry some terrific genes but none of her chicks are known to have returned while the return rate at Rutland and Glaslyn is considerably better.

Clare Bailey said:

You'd think the offspring of a bird like EJ would carry some terrific genes but none of her chicks are known to have returned while the return rate at Rutland and Glaslyn is considerably better.

Maybe it is   Northern Dancer Syndrome

Any old fool can be a sire. But to be a sire of sires is very rare. 

Tiger, Thanks for the links for Green 2E.

Hazel, Wishing you luck in your attempt to do something about locating Breagha.  If it was a storm which defeated him I would not be surprised.  Tornadoes are often accompanied by lots of lightning so sitting on a prominent perch as Ospreys like to do would not be a good idea in such a storm.

Everyone, Regarding survival--I read on an Osprey website a few years ago that the chances of juveniles making it past their 2nd birthday is only 10 to 20 percent(!) so we are lucky to see any returns at all.  Fingers crossed for success for Odin and EJ next year.

Unknown said:

Everyone, Regarding survival--I read on an Osprey website a few years ago that the chances of juveniles making it past their 2nd birthday is only 10 to 20 percent(!) so we are lucky to see any returns at all.  Fingers crossed for success for Odin and EJ next year.

I myself think that it is about 20%  but that hides wide variations.  Site N at Rutland had two chicks (blue 11 and blue 12) and they both returned yet they were the only chicks sired by  8 (97) that did so. 

So one has to look at a lot of data to get  real feel for what the return rate really is. Also too many sites quote far too optimistic rates.