It is May and the osprey season is in full swing.
EJ and Odin have settled into their old routine and now we can expect a hatching around 14th May. The weather has been changeable and they have had to cope with snow.
Likewise Loch of the Lowes is expecting a hatching in May. Good news too that FR3 from last year is doing well in Africa.
There have been strange goings on at Dyfi where Monty has got two females and two nests. However he now seems to be ignoring the second nest and Blue 24 is discovering what it is like to be a single mum. Not very happy.
At Glaslyn Aran returned on April 12 and quickly settled down to his old routine. Mrs G is now sitting on two eggs, the first laid egg being discarded.
There have been a lot of happenings at Kielder including the pair on nest 1 moving to a new nest. The female on nest 2 did not return but 37 has found a new partner. All going well at nest 3 too except there has been a lot of snow.
The news at Manton Bay Rutland was good in that Maya and Blue 33 arrived back and got down to nesting. and they should lead the way with a hatching around 11th May.
The sad news is that neither 3 (97) or his partner have come back so a great partnership comes to an end.
All the stats to be found at Nest Stat Index.
Since this month is hatching month it is well to explain the maths of hatching
First eggs usually hatch on 37 days
2nd eggs usually hatch on 36 days
3rd Eggs usually hatch on 35 days
EJ is unusual in that her first egg usually hatched on 36 days
ChloeB has countup clocks to keep track of the age of the eggs There are alternative clocks for those people who have not got Flash
I have also got a spreadsheet of dates of first hatch
Tiger Signature
So how did all those translocated ospreys learn to fish? They did not have any dad to teach them?
Video Q&A about osprey behaviour. Learning to fish at 11mins.
Thanks, Tiger, for the information. It adds to what I have already read and chanced upon over the years. I do really have an open mind on this and many other issues and was merely questioning any categorical statement one way or the other. I have read many 'facts' about ospreys that have been shot out of the water recently with all the webcam coverage and the increase in competition which a larger population brings with it. The Highlands osprey item was, in my opinion, brilliant in photographic terms but the script may have been a bit simplistic.
Belatedly, thank you, Mary, for bringing our attention to this outstanding programme.
Meant to have posted this yesterday ( and reminded me as saw it posted elsewhere,)
Osprey catches Goldfish
Great story! I was amused to read the comments underneath. One person asserted that the entire thing was a set-up and that it was a trained bird! If only, I say--that commentator obviously is not a reader of these threads!
Kind regards, Ann