I can't find an Osprey Chat Thread for November, so here is one, in the hope I am not duplicating.
September and October were very sad months when we learned of the death of Breagha, whose tracker and feathers were eventually found by Noisette, Alain & Dominique, of the LPO, and the ONCFS. The last signal was on 14 September in a wooded area 2.8 km from the east bank of the Gironde River. Searches were undertaken on 26 September by ONCFS & then one by Noisette and her friends on 12 October. Feathers were found. Noisette asked Roy Dennis for his opinion and he confirmed they were osprey feathers. On 16 October Noisette, Alain and Dominque went out again to try to find Breagh's body. The terrain was extremely difficult with ponds, water filled ditches and bog . They were successful in finding Breagha's tracker and it was sent to RSPB LG, here.
There is more information can be found on the various blogs, here. Also on the various forum threads The Further Adventures of Breagha here; The Hunt for Breagha here; and Breagha, the Investigation here.
Currently the RSPB is liaising with the LPO. All information, photos, feathers (currently with ONCFS) etc were to be sent to the legal department at LPO HQ.
It is a very sad end to Breagha's short life, particularly after his first northward migration, where he decided to stay in the Loire area, and appeared to be safe and well as he headed back to his winter quarters. Much thanks is due to Noisette for her tenacity and persistence in recovering the tracker.
All seemed well, too, with Kielder's Nest 2 youngster, Blue 7H(14). She has been settled in her winter quarters in Morocco after an intriguing ship to ship migration south last year, until we read the 29 October blog. Some memories of 7H's short life were posted by jaydee, here, and Paul Wildlifewriter also wrote an interesting blog on 7H's travels, here Another sad end to too short a life. News of the other two from the Kielder year of 2014 is mixed. There has been no data received on VV(14) since 11 September 2014, when she was in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. There might be some concern for VY as there has been no data received since 18 October, but she just might be out of range of cells towers. UV has not returned to his original territory on the Langue de Barbarie, but has moved to the northern end of the spit, and appears to be enjoying his beach holiday.
Meanwhile the LotL pair, FR3 & FR4, are doing well, and the latest tracking update is here. And quoting the Bassenthwaite blog: White 14(13) "crossed into Africa from Europe on the 23 September 2014, on 12 October he dipped his toes into the Gulf of Guinea. Yesterday morning at 6.00 am he was sitting in a tree on the south coast of Bioko, a tree that he last saw on the 21 April of this year before his 2015 European tour."
If I have got any facts wrong, please let me know and I will correct them.
The reason for starting this thread was really to put a link to an interesting BBC article on mangrove forests, which made me think of how many ospreys spend their winters in this area.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
I think Keith or Tiger might be able to answer your questions Sheila but as far as I know Drunkie unringed, Katrine ringed Green 011, and don't think the chick ring number was revealed.
© Scottish Wildlife Trust - Loch of the Lowes
Thank you Starling.
With reference to Aberfoyle, I put this link on the sighting thread. I wonder whether Blue HT6(15) is this year's chick for Drunkie and Katrine.
Shiela - I had my own names for three nests being monitered and used to call Katrine/Drunkie as Nest 3. They did have cameras at two other nests. Nest 1 was such a height of a soap drama with Metal Ring smashing eggs and nothing much happened at Nest 2 after 2011.
You may recall some of Katrines/Drunkie young - Tony and Tia Maria in 2012. Heather - Elizabeth - Otto in 2013 and of course when the filming took place in 2014 the year of the two chicks including Lonaig and Murrin.
Prior to this I only have ring numbers.
We know of Katrine with Green 011 but Drunkie not ringed.
Unfortunately the Autumn edition comes with a sad ending to the osprey story.
I think after inactivity at Nest 1 and 2 Aberfoyle switched attention to this nest and installed the cameras but the pair had been previously together for some years.
Oh thank you so much Keith. That solves one mystery. Nest 3 is now the prime nest with Drunkie and Katrine! I saw you commented on their FB page about Blue CH2(13) f, asking which of the three chicks which were named she was. I see there was no response.
Shiela - Aberfoyle did respond to me in a PM.
I had the ring numbers but never matched the names to the numbers so was not sure who CH2 was by name. However it was good to seee one of Katrine's chicks returning home.
David ringed them but never named them that was probably DML.
Drunkie was appropiate name for the male as he does visit Loch Drunkie and is only 6km from his nest - Lake of Monteith (The only lake in Scotland)maybe 1/2 a km further where the fish is well stocked maybe his favourite hunting grounds but we could not call him Lake of Monteith.
Loch Venachar is less than another 1km from Loch Drunkie where I saw my very first osprey way back in the 1980s when my children were young and we were sat having a picnic on the shores of the loch. I like to think maybe Drunkie is a distant relative :).
It is good to know that they responded to you Keith. I love the idea of Drunkie being a distant relative! I hope your enthusiasm for osprey was passed to your children on that special day
Remember part III of "Loch Lomond" a year in the wild" is does on Tuesday 24 November at 8pm.
Tiger Signature
Thank you Tiger. I have enjoyed it so far.
Hazel b said: Remember part III of "Loch Lomond" a year in the wild" is does on Tuesday 24 November at 8pm.
For those who may have missed 1st(Spring) and 2nd(Summer) episodes,
if you have SKY they are available for another 2weeks to view on SKY GO,( Lovely Osprey shots including, Fishing and tagging in 2nd series)