This thread is a total experiment! I thought of it because a few nights ago, a lot of of useful information about ospreys was being posted in the LG Diary comments, but because of the blog format, it will be out of sight once a new blog is posted, and easily forgotten.
The idea for this thread:
· To provide a place for people to ask questions about ospreys at Loch Garten, or ospreys in general, which members of the Forum will answer to the best of their ability. NB Questions directed to the team at Loch Garten, should still be posted in the Comments area of the Loch Garten Osprey Diary.
· To preserve the answers for future reference
Asking Questions
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Replying to Questions
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General
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Well that's an interesting one Andrew.
Osprey expert Roy Dennis says in his book "A Life of Ospreys" that he personally has never seen them catch anything else, but "there are occasional records of them taking water birds or small mammals". Given that European ospreys have to cross the Sahara, one wonders what they might eat at a desert oasis where there is water but no fish - amphibians maybe?
I also remembered this thread from Birdforum, which shows an osprey - in Texas - catching blue crabs.
Thanks Sue
Just wondered as i photographed one last week and it put the fear of god in the plovrers about
They maybe judt saw it as a raptor tho regardless of its prefered diet
Andrew
Andrew I am pretty certain I have read that ospreys have been known to eat lizards and small birds but I think that was in the Carribean. My first experience was watching streaming osprey webcams was in June 2004. It was a four chick nest and the fouth one died shortly after the I began watching. Now Betty the mother served the body of that chick up as a meal to the other chicks about 24 hours later. There is a video of that if you want to see it.
Tiger Signature
Just been looking at your osprey pics Andrew. They are great!
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
Thanks Chloe. Havent seen as many this winter as normally do mind you
Tiger thats an interesting fact. I guess its like other raptors that stash a larder for when hunting times are lean
I think this is a very useful thread and I would have used and still will be useful to me and others. So I have pushed this back up and hope no-one minds
Unknown said: I think this is a very useful thread and would would have been and still will be useful to me and others. So I have pushed this back up and hope no-one minds
I think this is a very useful thread and would would have been and still will be useful to me and others. So I have pushed this back up and hope no-one minds
Yes it is a great thread. Best save it in your favourites on your home page.
I will do and I can see myself using it more as questions no matter how complicated or simple, there will always be someone willing to answer here.
I hope it is used more often now the new season is starting and Glaslyn it has :)
Can I ask what people's views are as to whether an adult osprey 'teaches' its offspring how to fish........... something that has been referred to in many books about ospreys?
Some people think Ospreys are a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.
Well my view is that fishing is innate to an osprey as otherwise translocation projects could ever happen.
I have heard stories of how dads are supposed to help their offspring to learn to fish by dropping fish in the water. I do not know whether these tales are real or imaginary.