We had zero chicks at Loch Garten nest this summer, so there are none to follow this winter. EJ and Odin have migrated south and with neither tagged we cannot follow them. Sadly, we have lost Breagha, the last tagged LG offspring. Once again a healthy Loch Garten chick is “lost contact, presumed dead”. Even the camera is away for the winter. Thus we have lost all contact with the Loch Garten nest. For the first time since I found EJ and the Loch Garten nest, there is NOTHING LEFT. Nothing left, that is, except HOPE for a better season in 1916.
On this note of hope I will maintain The Gabfest in a semi-retired state. Thus we will be open for any osprey news which comes through, whether it be from UK or USA or Africa. Also any bird or wildlife photos or news are always appreciated here.
Over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve some may wish to share photos of their cakes, Christmas Trees and/or some music videos. Winter gardening, trains, anything goes here on the Gabfest that anyone wants to talk about.
So if anyone cares to come in for a wee chat, the Gabfest may be sleeping, but it is open.
PLEASE CHECK BACK TO GABFEST AUG AND SEPT AS KEITH HAS POSTED SOME VERY INTERESTING INFO THERE ABOUT BLUE XD AND GREEN J.
He has also posted news of Beatrice and several other osprey, including a soap opera story.
JUNE - I like your introduction post but I hope for better than that. Ospreys were believed to be extint in Scotland in 1916 :).
The soap on Blue 24 goes on. Who was responsible for her eggs so I asked the question on Chat. Sue C has replied with the same thoughts as myself that Monty was trying out two females and was developing eggs when Glesni returned thus going off to a nearby vacant erected nest to lay them.
I saw this behaviour at Aberfoyle a few years back and wrote to Roy. He said she would go off and lay the eggs in another nest or drop them somewhere.
Now Monty had a few choices himself - try to raise two nests - stay at Dyfi - Go to Blue 24 nest.
Well he probably made the wisest choice and stay where he was previously successful and stay with the partner he also was successful with.
However when Glesni left he did hook up with her again - surprised she still hung around him as he deserted her and her eggs and eventually she had to abandon to feed herself after sitting for six days.
FASCINATING BIRDS. I think we will see Blue 24 hanging around Monty in April with similar behaviour till Glesni spoils her game.
Unknown said:Ospreys were believed to be extint in Scotland in 1916 :).
I am well aware of that. The overall recovery program I understand is doing quite well and that makes me happy. So the big question is ; Why is my nest of choice doing so poorly on rate of return (zero so far as we know) and now zero production for a season of healthy chicks. This of course is a rhetorical question, as I know we don't know the answer. But any speculation is always appreciated and enjoyed.
I tend to think like Tiger that the genes have much to influence.
The return rate of juveniles was reported as around 24% up 4% from 2004 when it was 20%.
I believe only 8 LG Ospreys have been tagged and of them 2 made it to two year olds or more and both made a partial return North both settling in France so 25% have survived to make a first migration North.
We do not know what happened to Rothes after that as that was her only migration returning to the Archipilago of Guinea Bissau where she perished just before her second migration.
The other bird Breagha we do not know as yet.
You could say Caledonia was unfortunate but then we may say that about all the birds that have perished.
Tiger mentions nests with great returns year after year. I like him can only say Good Stock.
And I agree with our two experts. :) Speculation is always good.
Hi All. Thanks, June for keeping the gabfest going. I hope you will be able to post a few shots from the Cornell webcams over the winter--I always enjoy seeing the birds there.
As for return rates, I, too, agree with our experts, but I also think luck plays a part as well (or they are blessed with exceedingly alert guardian angels!). Those Ospreys who survive just happen not to have landed on the sort of electricity pylon which might have electrocuted them, they just happen not to have fallen prey to a larger bird of prey, they just happen not to have chosen to go fishing at a fish farm and so escaped being caught in netting, they just happen not to have been downed by a sand storm or any other sort of storm, they just happen not to have flown into an electric or other cable (like the unfortunate Caledonia), they just happen not to have been seen and shot by misguided people who still believe that it is ok to break the law and to kill protected birds, etc.! And WE are lucky that some Ospreys are lucky (as well as having good genes!)! And that they do live long enough to produce enough young over their lifetimes such that some of their youngsters survive and continue to inform and entertain us each season!
Kind regards, Ann
Yes Ann, some interesting bird feeding station cams may be opening up. I'll check soon. Others can report on these same cams or other cams also. Please don't depend just on me.
Thanks, June. Not to worry--I don't expect anything from anyone but I consider everything posted to be a bonus! So please don't feel obliged to do anything, but just enjoy your winter rest! Unfortunately, I have not managed to find time to learn to post pics myself--always have something else to do! Maybe this winter... (or not--remains to be seen!) But I will be checking back here occasionally to see if anything has appeared.
Hi Keith. I wondered about Monty being the father of Blue24's egg but also could it have equally been the Snowdonia nest or DaiDot. I notice Friends of the Osprey are not saying.
Good afternoon all. Just read the interesting discussion on the survival rates of different nests. I do think that luck really has a lot to do with it as shown in Caledonias case and now Breagh, Oirigh and the list goes on. It seems to be a random set of circumstances and I do think that there are more LG survivors that just have not been spotted. We will never know but like to think so. What of Druie? Hopefully hes still around :)