The Further Adventures of Breagha

This is a continuation thread following the travels of osprey Breagha, hatched at Loch Garten in 2013. 

I put together this table to set out the big events of Breagha's life, and his migrations. I might continue trying to get it to display better, but the links to LG blogs seem to work. 

Sue 

2013

 

28 May

Breagha hatches, from EJ’s fourth egg

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/05/28/two-chicks-from-two-eggs.aspx

6 July

Breagha and older sibling Oighrig ringed & tagged

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/07/06/ringed-named-and-tagged.aspx

19 July

Fledges

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/07/19/sky-high.aspx

23 Aug

Leaves Loch Garten, roosts near Glenfarquhar Lodge, Aberdeenshire

24 Aug

Roosts on S side of R. Tay

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/08/25/where-are-they-now.aspx

25 Aug

Bentpath, Dumfries & Galloway

26 Aug

Nr. Newport, Pembrokeshire

27 Aug

Sheviock, Tamar Estuary, Cornwall

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/08/28/and-the-race-is-on.aspx

28 Aug

Crosses to France; roosts near Magneville, Cotentin peninsula, Manche

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/08/31/breagha-and-oighrig-tracking-update.aspx

29 Aug

Photographed perched in marshes near Carentan, Manche

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/09/01/brie-a-stops-to-say-quot-cheese-quot-in-france.aspx

http://forum.gonm.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=644&sid=e20177f729a4ff7adfb4f864daff352f&start=90

30 Aug

SE past Caen, roosts near L’Aigle, Orne

31 Aug

Turns south, roosts S of Le Mans, Sarthe

1 Sep – 4 Oct

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/09/04/oighrig-is-in-oighrig.aspx

Stopover near Loire/Vienne confluence; main roost Lac de Tetine, Savigny-en-Véron, Indre-et-Loire

5 Oct

Restarts migration, roosts Cabanac-et-Villagrains, Gironde

6 Oct

Into Spain, roosts Tagus basin nr Torrijos, La Mancha

7 Oct

R. Guadalquivir near Lora del Rio

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/10/09/there-39-s-change-now.aspx

8 Oct

Crosses to Morocco, roosts reservoir SE of Casablanca

9 Oct

Over Atlas Mts

10 Oct

Crosses Anti-Atlas mts

11 Oct

SE into Sahara, enters Mauritania

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/10/14/landfall-for-breagha-phew.aspx

12-14 Oct

Turns SW, 20km N of Senegal river on 14th

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/10/15/worry-ye-not-breagha-39-s-through-the-sahara-phew.aspx

16 Oct-25 Nov

Based Diawling NP area, SW Mauritania

26 Nov-

Travels south to Casamance region of Senegal, explores area S of river

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2013/12/08/breagha-is-exploring.aspx

All 2014

Settled on south side of Casamance, in mangrove swamps between Elinkin & Diantene

2015

 

Jan-Apr

Settled on south side of Casamance

26 May

Begins northwards migration; roosts near Bansang, Gambia

27 May

Data missing; flies through northern Senegal

28 May

Crosses Senegal river, roosts north of Lake Aleg, Mauritania

29 May

Roosts near N1 road, NE of Nouakchott

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/05/30/if-you-want-something-doing-do-it-yourself.aspx

30 May

On Mauritania/W Sahara border E of Nouadhibou

1 Jun

Spends time & roosts near Gulf of Cintra, W Sahara

2-5 June

Travels E then N to northern Mauritania/W Sahara border

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/06/09/breagha-is-moving-on-up.aspx

5 June

Reaches oasis of Tighmert, Morocco

6 June

Crosses Atlas Mts, roosts SW of Marrakesh

7 June

Roosts SW of Meknes

8 June

Crosses Straits of Gibraltar; roosts Guadarranque reservoir

9 June

Nr Luciana, Ciudad Real

10 June

Reaches Douro basin

11 June

Starts over Bay of Biscay, turns back to near San Sebastian

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/06/16/when-a-capercaillie-met-a-dodo.aspx

12-13 June

Crosses to France, takes rest day near Pontonx-sur-L’Adour, Landes

14 June

Eygurande-et-Gardedeuil, Dordogne

15 June

NW of Mansle, Charente

16 June

SE of Mollay, Maine-et-Loire

17 June

Begins stay in Touraine

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/06/23/breagha-is-in-france.aspx

19-20 Aug

Begins migration south, pauses N of Parthenay, Deux-Sevres

21 Aug

Nancras, Charente-Maritime

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/08/24/farewell-odin.aspx

22 Aug

Crosses Gironde to Medoc, travels E to Etang de Saint-Maigrin

23 Aug-13 Sep

Ranging between Etang de Saint-Maigrin & Gironde estuary; frequent roost Etang d’Allas

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/09/06/39-i-39-m-an-osprey-and-i-39-m-hungry-39.aspx

14 Sep

Static signal from wood nr. Saint-Dizant-du-Gua, Charente-Maritime

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/09/25/a-blog-of-two-halves.aspx

Tracker identified as Breagha’s, and some osprey feathers, later found by Noisette http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/archive/2015/10/19/breagha-s-tracker-found-by-jeremy-roberts.aspx

  • I don't understand how it all works, just that it appears on my GE!  Isn't Mike at LG responsible for downloading the data?

    Edit:  I suspect it is far more complicated than merely 'downloading' data, so I apologise for being lighthearted about it!

    Edit again:  ignore my comment, I had not see the news. 

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • I'm really sad to hear this, I live about 10km away & know the area well, if anyone wants me to go & look for him please get in touch by email with exact last place.

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • I've just looked at the dates & the 13th in the afternoon we had a tornado come through near us at St Bonnet & there was torrential rain all up the estuary. I know because I drove through St Dizant taking an injured Honey buzzard to Royan, for taking on to the Rescue centre the next day.

    It was also the first day of the hunting season, but with the horrendous weather there wouldn't have been many hunters about.

    The 14th was windy & showery because I was tramping across sodden ploughed fields counting Stone curlews.

    So how did he die?

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • I have only been watching Ospreys since 2012 but every year I pray for a chick to come back to Loch Garten and thought 2016 would be the year. Now at least 2018 for the next ones to be likely.  So very sad.

  • I just cannot believe this - I am absolutely devastated

  • Oh no.  Unbelievable.

    Thank you Noisette for the information about the weather.  I would much rather believe that something occurred as a result of that, than it be to do with the hunting season.  Why don't you get in touch with Jen, I would imagine she would be most appreciative.

    I just don't know what to say.  We've been thru it so many times, I really am so upset.

    Birdie's DU Summaries 2018   https://www.imagicat.com/

  • Sorry Sheila, I don't know who Jen is!! If anyone can contact the people concerned with the search on my behalf it would be great!! I'm off out in a minute but any emails will be replied to late tonight & I can go out looking tomorrow if I know where to look!!

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Spinneygal said:

    I have only been watching Ospreys since 2012 but every year I pray for a chick to come back to Loch Garten and thought 2016 would be the year. Now at least 2018 for the next ones to be likely.  So very sad.

    The last chick from Loch Garten that  is known to return was hatched  in 2,000 

  • Noisette. Jen was the warden at LG but has now left. I have just rung Roy Dennis to see if he has any contacts but regretfully he can't help. As it is Friday all the offices are closed so I'm stuck for where to try next. The person we want is the 'Mike' who downloads the data so let's hope SueC can make contact as she suggests above.

    Anyone got any other ideas??

  • Mike B said:

    Noisette. Jen was the warden at LG but has now left. I have just rung Roy Dennis to see if he has any contacts but regretfully he can't help. As it is Friday all the offices are closed so I'm stuck for where to try next. The person we want is the 'Mike' who downloads the data so let's hope SueC can make contact as she suggests above.

    Anyone got any other ideas??

    I have a contact I can try.