Keith and Ann closed last month with some lovely chat and osprey news. It is this kind of coverage that we must have if The Gabfest is to be able to continue.
The Gabfest does have a purpose - a reason for being. That purpose is to educate about wildlife in general and ospreys in particular. We do that by following the osprey we care about with pictures and narrative, and by entertaining ourselves with other topics of interest to us. If we are interested others probably will be also. They will thus be drawn to our site where they will get to know the osprey we love.
Pictures are not necessary to make an interesting post. I was hooked before I ever saw a cam simply by reading the entries on The Main Blog. They did not use pictures then. Through the years many Gabbers have added to our thread with simple observations and comments.. The posts of one Gabber in particular are greatly missed. SUGAR'S early morning observations of the Loch Garten nest were a joy to read.
It is to be hoped that we can have many reports, comments and observations this summer, both with and without pictures, as we enjoy the antics of our favorite osprey.
The library is "nice". It always works well, but if there is a glitch there is always someone there to help and if I don't like one I can switch to another.. However, at home my computer is available 24/7 and I switch back & forth from chores to LT to TV to LT to errands to LT, sleep LP, etc. Also, my computer should be set up with MY "stuff" which of course the library isn't. Neither is this new computer quite yet. I still haven't made connections with my e-mail, for example It takes a while to get everything the way I want it.
SO MUCH FOR GALLANT CHIVALRY.
58willow said: I watch with interest what White 14 will do next! Hes in the middle of the Sahara last information and hope hes out of it soon! He seems to be crossing right through the middle of it rather than skirting round the western edge through Mauritania like the others have done? The temperature must be ferocious there!
I watch with interest what White 14 will do next! Hes in the middle of the Sahara last information and hope hes out of it soon! He seems to be crossing right through the middle of it rather than skirting round the western edge through Mauritania like the others have done? The temperature must be ferocious there!
His sister 15 followed a similar pattern on her first migration and made it to Northern Mali but after spending 8/9 days in the desert in what you describe as ferocious heat she came to an end.
Maybe we should not be too surprised that we lose ospreys and indeed other birds to the Sahara Desert but should be surprised that any survive the journey at all. No 14 was one of the fortunate ones.
This was Number 15 journey until it ended.
Unknown said: Evening, June (and Anyone else who might be here!). I was away for two days and was delighted to come back to find that Glaslyn's male, Aran, has finally returned and that LDOP Bassenthwaite's White 14 has begun his return journey to the UK. Fingers crossed that he makes a successful migration. Keith, I know you are not sentimental about Ospreys, but I imagine you also hope White 14 returns safely! Willow, I, too, wonder if White 14 will do a European tour again before turning up in England.
Evening, June (and Anyone else who might be here!). I was away for two days and was delighted to come back to find that Glaslyn's male, Aran, has finally returned and that LDOP Bassenthwaite's White 14 has begun his return journey to the UK. Fingers crossed that he makes a successful migration.
Keith, I know you are not sentimental about Ospreys, but I imagine you also hope White 14 returns safely!
Willow, I, too, wonder if White 14 will do a European tour again before turning up in England.
Don't ask me why some of these ospreys are my favorites. Some of it has to do with unusual events that I have observed, some of it has to do with the relationship between the two birds, some of it really unexplainable. I have just enjoyed my time observing them. Some of it is related to how long I have known particular birds...some I have not known long, but somehow they have captivated me. A mystery.
As with any osprey I do hope 14 arrives home safely and am sure he will - he has a long life to lead and is still in his boyhood years. However I am very aware that some day our favourite ospreys do not return as we have seen this year with 03(97) and his partner and Blue XD and various others. I do not shed any tears of sentiment for any of them.
Unknown said:As for Blue XD, what can I say? He was very likely the father of several of our chicks, even though they were accepted by Odin and raised by him. A great osprey, I understand, but I shed no tears at his departure
He is not a man, and he is certainly not the devil incarnate; nor was this behaviour immoral.
He is an osprey, not a human being - our 'moral codes' do not apply to them any more than they do to any other wild creature.
Maybe if he was still around I might have persuaded you to like him :):) - Maybe Not.
Blue XD - Not exactly a villain, nor was I fond of him. Who we are attached to, fond of, consider a "favorite" is indeed a mystery. I have acknowledged that Blue XD was important in the history of the LG nest.
You get no argument from me on this one. Maybe after 8 or more years of watching, seeing that they are NOT "faithful mates for life", (see above posts re Monty) and losing so many, maybe I am coming around to your less emotional attitude. But you are now admitting that you have favorites .Maybe it is just that in the middle of my night I am not in the mood for a fight.
Hopefully this is the worst it got up north. The nest is now clear of the snow and I understand is meant to stay clear.
Well she is keeping the three eggs warm and has seen all this white stuff before.
Well JUNE - Do you like "Monty"
Hopefully the Loire Valley will be a bit warmer than Scotland next week.
58willow said:I am overjoyed that Aran has returned Mrs G has been waiting patiently. I was beginning to get a bit worried .
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After the initial six years of translocation at Rutland 1996 through 2001 they discovered there was a gender in-balance but this time it was females (They had too many single males) so they did an extra year of translocation in 2005 of females only. However there were two orphaned chicks from our other villain :) Orange VS after his partner disappeared one being male (Yellow 7S) and he was translocated with them. Ended up translocating 9 Females + 2 Males.
There was another male translocated that year Yellow 33 but do not know the circumstances as to why he was part of the latter three to translocate just aware he needed hand feeding.
Do I like Monty? A good question, so let me sort out my feelings. For several years now, Monty has been an acquaintance, but never a favorite ( Same as Beatrice and Rothiemurchus, for example). Now this stunt that Monty pulled yesterday - - to take advantage of Blue 24 sexually then steal her worldly goods (her means of livelihood actually) is just about as cowardly, low-down and villainous as a human being could get. But as you so carefully point out, they are not humans, they are osprey.
So how does it affect my liking or fondness for him? Certainly it increases my knowledge and awareness of him as the resident male at Dyfi. And that, I think is about it. Looking at it as a sociologist, one culture is not to be judged or liked by the standards of another culture.