This is a wonderful book describing how the ospreys were first extirpated in Scotland around 1916 and then were found to return in 1954.
A number of people on the forum now have a copy so we can have a discussion about it.
Here is what the book looks like. Its ISBN number is: 9780434089109
Tiger Signature
Just finished reading “The Scottish Ospreys - from extinction to survival” and what a read it has been. From those horrible destroying days to the glorious days of survival! I’m so full of admiration about the dedication to ‘Operation Osprey’ of those pioneers. And what a courageous and right-full step George Waterston took publishing the LG nest.
One thing that I’ve been wondering is the ‘hearing very thin piping cheeps’ (page 171) When they thought there was a hatchling yet adults didn’t feed it - so I was thinking could that have been the adults ‘talking’ to the eggs, as we have heard them do?
my photos in flickr
Auntie Is it not normal behaviour not to feed the chick immediately? The chick has just absorbed the yolk of the egg before hatching and does not need feeding for a while. It would be worth checking what the time gaps were between first hatching and first feeding. With Nethy I hazard a guess that it might have been rather quick!!
If the first egg was laid on May 1, 1959 then from what we now know we could expect a hatching about June 7 or 8th (Tuesday).
Now the first change in behavior of the male was early on June 9 (see page 172). He brooded early on June 9 but did not do so again. Now we do know that males do not brood chicks, only eggs. So it seems that the chick finally hatched early on June 9.
That would have given an incubation period of 38 or 39 days which is exactly what we would expect from the knowledge we now have. Clearly the team were using book data and a bit to much optimism by thinking the first hatch was on June 4th or 5th. As always the truth fits like a glove at the end of the day.
So in conclusion I totally agree with you Amy. the it was the adults 'talking to eggs' which the team were hearing in that period where they thought they had a chick which was not being fed. As Philip Brown says a chick left for four days without feeding would certainly be dead.
PS I see that a new cheaper copy of "Scottish Ospreys" has appeared today.
Hazel b said: ChrisyB I am so glad you listened to the "Bird Boys". It is such a great audio which was in celebration of 50 years of Loch Garten in 2004. Of course they managed to fit in a second 50th anniversary in 2009.
ChrisyB I am so glad you listened to the "Bird Boys". It is such a great audio which was in celebration of 50 years of Loch Garten in 2004. Of course they managed to fit in a second 50th anniversary in 2009.
I also listened to the Bird Boys and enjoyed it very much.
So, Tiger, there's another copy for sale at Abebooks? How many are there now? Perhaps we'll be flooding the market with ours when we've read them! (But I will keep mine.)
Terry in Cumbria
Unknown said: ChrisyB I am so glad you listened to the "Bird Boys". It is such a great audio which was in celebration of 50 years of Loch Garten in 2004. Of course they managed to fit in a second 50th anniversary in 2009.
Yes the bird boys is such a great audio. The factional infighting in the 1950s was just the same as today. Some things never change.
Well Abebooks now have 16 copies which is up a bit from a while ago when it was down to 13. Yes I can imagine the headline "Osprey fans rush to sell copies of venerable book". If you use this little tool you can get an estimate of how many books exist. Be careful though as many of the books are counted more than once. See http://www.usedbooksearch.co.uk/
I have my original copy from 1982 and it will be staying with me for as long as I live.
Hello at last. When I posted in late September I was expecting to go to the Lake District and spend time reading my new Philip Brown book, then report back here. Best laid plans and all that..... The holiday never happened as I ended up in hospital for a while. But all is now well, and I've just finished the book! And what a magnificent read it was. I didn't realise what those dedicated people went through to protect the early nests. It's put the whole thing in context for me, and I shall enjoy next season all the more knowing the background of those early days. So thank you all for the recommendation - is anyone out there still reading?
Sheila S said: Hello at last. When I posted in late September I was expecting to go to the Lake District and spend time reading my new Philip Brown book, then report back here. Best laid plans and all that..... The holiday never happened as I ended up in hospital for a while. But all is now well, and I've just finished the book! And what a magnificent read it was. I didn't realise what those dedicated people went through to protect the early nests. It's put the whole thing in context for me, and I shall enjoy next season all the more knowing the background of those early days. So thank you all for the recommendation - is anyone out there still reading?
Sheila sorry to hear of illness. I hope you are well now. I am very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the book and that it was a magnificent read. Mind you this thread is becoming like a new version of the book.
What were the bits you liked most?
As for who is still reading? Well Barbara Jean reported receiving a copy and isn't there another Shelia? Maybe just a change of avatar.
Hi Tiger. I thnk I would have cheerfully killed those early egg collectors....I read with amazement the author saying that he didn't feel huge animosity when he confronted one . But perhaps they were rather numbed sitting out there on an oil drum all night in the cold.
I can't help wondering what they would have made of us today had they known - sitting in front of computers all over the world enjoying live views of our ospreys in close up, tracking them down to Africa, and us all sharing our thoughts by tapping a few keys. Extraordinary.
Claire Yes chapter nine "A Clutch for the Taking" (p 149) is rather a dramatic one. I guess that if there has been internet forums on 3rd June 1958 there would have been some rather irate posters at the loss of a clutch of osprey eggs. The raider came well prepared with fake osprey eggs (chickens eggs smeared with brown boot polish) to give the impression that the eggs had not been stolen. The birds then attempted to built a frustration nest which was to have long term consequences....this frustration nest was four or five hundred yards east of Loch Garten (sounds familiar?)
Hi folks,
Don't miss this broadcast which was on last night on BBC 4, Birds Britannia...........now on iPlayer.
The British have always had a passion for waterbirds and the wild and lonely places where they live, but by destroying these vast wetlands we drove them to the brink of extinction. At the eleventh hour the tide turned, and instead of exploiting these birds we chose to protect them.
The osprey is covered towards the end of the programme, the history, persecution, protection and recovery to date, featuring 'Operation Osprey' with a few familiar characters, of the feathered and human kind. Enjoy.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data Site
Sat track schedule Spring 2014
LG 7 days; RW & SWT nil; LDOP varies
Thanks jsb. I watched the program last night and it was great to see Roy Dennis, George Waterston and the LG ospreys.