MANTON BAY - March 2020

Manton Bay Nest Summary

The Manton Bay nest was first used in 2007 by White 08(97) and Green 5N(04) who successfully raised 2 chicks.  They paired again in 2008 but the nest failed and in 2009 the nest was unused.

In 2010 a new pair, Green 5R(04) and an unringed female nicknamed Mrs 5R, took up residence and over the next four years successfully raised 11 chicks.  

Green 5R(04) failed to return in 2014 resulting Mrs 5R took a new mate, Blue 28(10) and laid 3 eggs.  Blue 33(11) arrived determined to claim this nest and succeeded removing Blue 28(10) and kicking out the eggs.  Mrs 5R was officially named “Maya” and she spent the remainder of the year bonding with Blue 33(11).

In 2015, Maya and Blue 33(11) returned and to date have successfully raised 14 chicks including a brood of four last year - the first time seen on a public webcam.  It was a pure joy to watch and a summary of the 2019 season can be viewed here

© Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

Maya, for the second successive year, was the first osprey to return home last season arriving on March 14 and was reunited once more with Blue 33(11) when he returned on March 23.   

Will she be first back again this year?  

Time will tell but I am sure you will all join me in wishing Maya and Blue 33(11) a safe journey home and for another successful season.

  • Morning All - thanks for all the earlier posts and captures.

    Unknown said:
    I seem to remember that 5N has visited the Manton Bay nest not long after she arrives (please correct me if that's wrong and it is a different female who has often visited early in the season!) so fingers crossed that she will drop by if this mystery first-arriving Rutland female is her.

    .

    You're right Ann - Green 5N(04) usually does pay a visit and I remember one year her nicking Maya's fish!  She was then dubbed "the fish burglar" LOL

    Blue 25(10), another breeding female is also an early returnee and was first back in 2016 and 2017 arriving on March 17 both years  (post about it here).  She too has been seen at the Manton Bay nest.

    Yellow 30(05), I think usually arrives a little later and she also has visited the Manton Bay nest.  

    I have highlighted their ring darvics just to help us remember them for when an osprey lands - Maya is not ringed, we need to look for the "X" on her head :-)  

    I don't know of any other breeding females but my guess is that it is Blue 25 who is back :-)

  • Rutland has posted a blog "One Week In" .   Still no further information about the returnee other than what was earlier posted.   

  • Thanks, Everyone, for the pics and posts. Hope Rutland soon tell us who the mystery female is.

    Thanks for the details on the early female visitors to the Manton Bay nest, Karen. Of course lots of our favourite Ospreys are related to each other thanks to the Rutland translocation project, but I still love it those 3 females are closely related to Glesni, who was ringed Blue 12(10).
    Green 5N(04) is her Mum and
    Blue 25(10) is Glesni's sister-in-law because Blue 25(10) has been having chicks for years with Glesni's brother, Blue 11(10) so I hope they both return again this year.
    Yellow 30(05) is Glesni's Auntie, hatched in the same nest but a year after Glesni's Mum--both are daughters of the famous Mr Rutland, 03(97), and female 05(00), both Scottish-hatched birds translocated to Rutland. In addition,
    Blue 25(10) and Glesni are first cousins. Blue 25(10)'s father, Blue AW(06), is a younger brother of Glesni's Mum and Glesni's Auntie and he hatched from the same nest in 2006. (I hope you are all paying attention since there may be a quiz later--lol!)

    Scylla, Glad to hear you were tired and do not have that thing--stay well!

  • Unknown said:
    I hope you are all paying attention

    My head was spinning and I started to despair of ever remembering any of it.  What a wealth of "relative" info Hushed

  • The blog refers to 33(10) but it should be 33(11) if the data on ukospreys.uk is correct!
  • First visitor to the nest I have seen today!

  • Cormorant has arrived now.  

    and the night cam has just come on - 18:25

    I'm off for the night now.   

    Hopefully we'll see Maya or/and Blue 33(11) tomorrow.  SYL

  • ANN....LOVE your post about family relationships Glesni was a favourite of mine and we had an awful shock when she didn't return. I hope all the relatives you have mentioned return safely to have another successful seasonand the same goes for Glesni's offspring who we know have return safely in recent years. I so hope Clarach becomes a mum again this year