Osprey Chat Thread for September 2019 to the end of February 2020

I did have an ulterior motive for starting the new thread!  Please forgive the length - I never have been succinct.

On 20 July I spent the day at an increasingly muddy Birdfair, at Rutland.  From the marquee demonstrating/displaying bins and scopes I looked out on, I think, Lagoon 1 and spotted an osprey (+ another and what may have been a marsh harrier) flying over the trees towards a platform which had a rudimentary nest on it.  The first osprey appeared to be carrying a fish, and it made a bee-line for the platform where it settled to eat its tasty meal.  I was later told it was more than likely to be 6K the male which has been spending the past two or three years on the Lagoons and this year had made this one its territory.  All it needs is a passing female.  Perhaps better luck next year.

I then headed for my favourite marquee, the Art Marquee.  I love this marquee for all the art work of very different mediums.  I chatted to Keith Brockie and his wife, and bought a copy of his latest book.  You will remember that Keith has ringed many an osprey including our wonderful EJ, and is a superb artist. 

Last year I came across and admired the glass work of Rachel C Taylor, who lives in Wales, so I sought her out again this year.  As tempted as I was, I don't have the right place to hang or stand any of her work which would bring out the wonderful colours, nor perhaps the pocket, but I could buy a card or two which caught my eye.  "Study of a young osprey, Pandion haliaetus" pen and ink on Bristol board, dated December 2012.  Clearly a 2012 chick, but who!  We had a long chat.  Rachel created this particular drawing from a photograph, taken at ringing, although I am unsure whether she was actually there.  She had a note of the ring number, but not to hand, so I tried to contact her (at her suggestion) to find out.  Unfortunately she has had a massive web page malfunction recently, but over the weekend she got the front page, and photos of some of her work, back on-line.  Before this I managed to contact her thru Twitter message – I follow Twitter, but have never tweeted, merely liked, and had not used this function before.

This beautiful drawing is of Glaslyn Blue 0C(12) f, a chick of Orange 11(98) m & Unringed – Mrs G.  It is a blank card, so you can write your own message. 

Edit:  Zero not 'oh'

© Rachel C Taylor

Rachel is working on her web page and she intends that it will give details of her work, including size and price, but examples can be seen via the two links on the front page.  I am not on commission, LOL, but I think they are really beautiful.

Sheila, A lovely story and gorgeous drawing of 0C(12)--thanks for posting. (That is a nought, not an 'O', isn't it?!)
Regarding the new thread, thanks, but I'm not bothered about when threads begin or end as long as they exist! But I am confused as to why you telling about your time in the art marquee at Rutland required a new thread since you chatted with artists and bought the card in August--lol! (And if I'd known you were there we could have squelched through the mud together!)
We bought a drawing of White YA(07), an older brother of 0C(12), when we were at Glaslyn in July. Not sure which room he'll end up in but lovely to have the drawing. You probably remember that he is the bird who was rescued from entanglement in netting at a fish farm several times, so definitely a charmed and lucky bird and he has been nesting at Kielder for some years since, producing many grandchicks for Mrs G and her first partner, Orange 11(98).

LOL, I did say I wasn't succinct. How wonderful that you have her a drawing of her brother! And what a life he had had too. Indeed I do remember about his entanglement (s?)!
If I go again next year, I will announce it beforehand!

Edit  And thank you for reminding me it is a zero, and not an 'oh'!  

Sheila, We could have a mini-meet-up of Forumates at Birdfair (and possibly another meet-up of Osprey-obsessed ones, too--LOL!)

Sheila: That drawing is beautiful! Rachel Taylor is very talented.

I hope you don't mind me posting this on here. I saved this poem/picture that was posted on the 'Explore' site a few years ago, I don't know who put it on there at the time so cannot give copyright credentials. I feel it is very fitting to the journey all ospreys in the UK (and elsewhere) are undertaking

Gosh. Makes me feel a bit tearful!

It does the same to me, Korky

Thanks Sandra. It’s lovely and now I’m tearful too!