DAILY UPDATES - Loch Garten nest - June 2019

Starling said:

Didn't we read a story recently about an osprey being spotted in a nest that had not been used for 40 years. Obviously no webcam there, but still no osprey bothered with it. However as has been said, I suppose anything is worth a try.

Starling, I don't remember that, however the last time I questioned your memory about Loch Arkaig I was wrong and you were right :) Ian

Well Ian I will try and paste a link, but don't hold your breath :)
community.rspb.org.uk/.../1243890

Hooray, I managed

Hi Ian, if you type in "A9 birds" on a web search, you will get their face book page. I am not on face book but if you scroll down a good bit, you will see a picture of a tree with the Osprey nest and the heading, nest used after 40 years.

Snap, Starling and Tiger have beat me to it. Well done.

Unknown said:

Does anyone know how close other active Osprey nests are to the Loch Garten nest? How many years does it take to set up a translocation programme? Might RD and friends consider translocating young Ospreys from other Scottish nests to LG? Could enough volunteers be found locally to support such a programme for as many years as it would take? Or is the entire prospect completely unfeasible and totally ridiculous?

Hi Ann, not sure that would be for the benefit of osprey, sounds more like for the benefit of us camera watchers. Whilst Loch Garten is iconic & the introduction point for many of us (me included) to these superb birds, in the grand scheme it is just another nest. Of course in the 50s it was so much more than just another nest, it was a shining beacon for wildlife conservation, but that is less so now. What really matters (I think) is the health of the total osprey poulation, not just one nest. I don't think a relocation programme from other areas to LG would automatically improve the general population numbers, but could be wrong. Ian

Ann, the whole purpose of Translocation was to try and get Ospreys to colonise areas outside their, then, established area of Scotland.
I don't think there is any need to consider such a scheme at LG and I'm not sure it would get approval anyway.

I suppose we are not really used to the scenario we now have at LG for I think all the public nests we watch have always been occupied and when one has not returned then the other resident attracts a new mate and so it goes on.

Unfortunately here at LG, both residents are gone for sadly EJ failed to attract a dependable mate who would carry on when she gave up her reign as now. So it is just as Tiger says despite LG being a world famous nest it is now just another platform.

On a brighter note the situation is not as bad as back in the early 1900s when the osprey was extinct from Scotland! Plenty around and just like those who jumped for joy in 1959 we will too when one eventually lands here and stays :-)

Ian and Mike, Yes, I realise the reason for translocating Ospreys was to spread them more quickly to areas without any Ospreys than would happen naturally. Also, I was not particularly suggesting such an action--simply wondering about any and all possibilities of getting Ospreys to nest at LG again and that might be one. Ospreys are a huge draw for LG and with no Ospreys the RSPB might drop LG as one of their sites (or not! since there are other attractions around LG, otherwise Springwatch would not be in that area!). I also understand that permission must be received before any such activity takes place and hence my question about how far away are other active Osprey nests close by--that would surely be one of many possible reasons for denying permission if there is one or more other nests too close.
Sorry to write and run, but I must leave the computer now. I'm off to the dentist so will not see any more responses until later today!

Well Monty must have been attracted to an unused nest, wasn't he the first occupant at Dyfi?