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.
Hello June thankyou for the update. I find this nest and Blue24 so sad but must accept it as it is :( I want Blue 24 to have a successful happy nest she so deserves. Maybe a nice male intruder will take a shine to her but cant see Monty putting up with that! ( I think the nests are quite close)
JUNE - Sorry to hear of the incident today not far from you in Pike County.
Blue 24 - Guess it would not take too long for Monty to show little interest and that all would turn sour for Blue 24. This was the post from Friends of the Ospreys last season and seems very similar.
Blue 24, an Osprey on one of the nests in mid Wales, Managed to lay eggs but was unsuccessful, she mated with a bird from another nest nearby but could only manage 6 days of incubation , She then had to leave the nest to feed herself, the male bird that she mated with had his own nest, with eggs that was expecting to hatch any day, It will happen for this great bird one day, maybe next year.
Off to Galicia in NW Spain tomorrow.
This is an area where Blue AE (ROTHIEMURCHUS)spent much time on stop overs during migration.
Looking forward to seeing the areas but alas BLUE AE No More.
I have weekends off and taking a car on arrival so hopefully will get along to Urdaibi along the coast.
Keith, having read your posts for a while now, I know you are far superior in your osprey knowledge than me. I followed Rothiemurchus and was a fan, and have been interested in the return and future mating of this nearly 7 year old osprey. However, I wonder why you think he is "no more"? Roy Dennis wrote on 5 Dec 2014 on his Highland Foundation for Wildlife website: "I feel sure his transmitter has come off – which is what they are designed to do after about 5 years – he was tagged in summer 2009 – so his transmitter has been working for five and a half years." www.roydennis.org/.../rothiemurchus
I am very much hoping that he will still be spotted on his return to his natal area in Scotland.
NATURE LOVER - Firstly like you I followed Rothiemurchus from the start and also a fan and spent Summer 2014 tracking him in the upper Tay area. The reason I believe that Rothiemurchus is not with us is for a few reasons.
He was always sighted at his usual wintering ground by Chris Wood who visits the area in winter. Despite extensive searches winter 2014/2015 he was not found.
Likewise this winter 2015/2016 he was not sighted at his usual wintering grounds again despite extensive searches by Chris.
In recent summers he was always sighted intruding over Loch of the Lowes and regularly photographed. Summer 2015 he was not.
In addition he has not been sighted at his usual stop over in recent migrations in SW Spain (Galicia). He is normally sighted and photographed.
However Nature Lover if you wish to think he is alive and well I accept that but unfortunately I do not. I am aware that the evidence I put forward does not mean he is not with us its just my own opinion and an opinion of many.
I am not sure if the transmitters are designed to drop off after 5 years. Beatrice wore hers until she died during this migration and understand that Morven still holds hers although it does not work..
Like you - I very much hope that he will still be spotted somewhere in the future but I do not hold up much hope.
Unknown said: JUNE - Sorry to hear of the incident today not far from you in Pike County. Keith, this incident is closer to where I grew up than to where I live today Also seems closer to me considering that I passed through this area when traveling from Athens to Cincinnati when I worked in Athens and also when traveling To my parents home from Cincinnati. Even closer to me was an incident that happened about a week ago only a few miles and a few minutes drive from my childhood home. An 82 year old man and his 62 year old caretaker were found dead and it is being investigated as a homocide. Taken together they are rather shocking to one's system. Thanks for the sympathy..
Keith, this incident is closer to where I grew up than to where I live today Also seems closer to me considering that I passed through this area when traveling from Athens to Cincinnati when I worked in Athens and also when traveling To my parents home from Cincinnati. Even closer to me was an incident that happened about a week ago only a few miles and a few minutes drive from my childhood home. An 82 year old man and his 62 year old caretaker were found dead and it is being investigated as a homocide. Taken together they are rather shocking to one's system. Thanks for the sympathy..
June terrible incident 8 people "execute". When they mention Ohio, I always think its close to you, but of course the distances in the States are huge LOL!
Approx 280 miles between my family home (Devon) and my present home in Kent. Huge distance in my mind but nothing to you!
SNOW??? Again!!!
All clear at LOTL, Dyfi and Manton Bay. but I liked this double view at R MB.