Alyth Ospreys - 2023

This is a new thread following the Osprey nest at Alyth electricity sub station, located in the Perth and Kinross region.

The Ospreys have nested at the site  for many years, first year was around 1990.

They were nesting on a nearby electricity tower, but due to a planned expansion of the site a decision was taken to resite the old nest to a specially constructed 25-metre nesting tower and two nearby 8.5 metre resting perches, which were erected in 2014. Advice was sought from Roy Dennis.

Since that first breeding season in 2014, a total of 14 osprey chicks have been observed to have fledged from the new site.

The resident ospreys are called Harry and Flora, named by a local school in Alyth. All pupils were also given their own osprey soft toy as a thank you from the teams for getting involved and for showing such enthusiasm about the ospreys.

          

Richard B

  • 07 April

    The evening breeze showing the spread of the plastic sheeting - sometimes it flattens and looks as tho the central bit is gone, but it ain't Tired face

    08 April

    Flora flew in to shoo off a Tawny Owl - she then stayed all night until Harry brought fish in the morning but wouldn't give it to her - and next time he refused again - tease!  I haven't stayed to capture her eventual breakfish,which she surely must have had.

  • Here’s a quick one for you Scylla!

    An owl (tawny I’d say) landed on the perch at 02.40 this morning.

     HK0/Flora must’ve been roosting on the cam pole as she immediately flew down to chase off the owl.

       She stayed on the nest until 02.47 then flew to the perch and remained all night. The weather was awful - driving rain. She’s one incredible bird. 

  • Haha Scylla, you’re already on it!!! Great work ClapClap

    NOTE to myself - I must always refresh the page before posting anything! Laughing

  • Thanks Sheila. I presume posters on here will be calling them that from now on. Great that the local school was involved with their naming and that of the chicks too.Thumbsup
  • Nellie, it was good that you raised the question of names otherwise we’d still be calling Harry “he!” Thanks Blush
  • No problem, better to have a name to call him than just refer to him as Harry than a plain "he" all the time.
  • Oops that's makes no sense!!
    It is much better to call him Harry than just refer to him as "he".
  • From scrolling back, this is what I’ve found this afternoon. Mating on the cam pole! (Titanic anyone?!!)

     Harry flies off afterwards.

     Mating on the nest

     More mating

    Intruder calling 

    There was lots more mating throughout the day.

    Headless fish delivery


    HK0/Flora takes it off the nest

    A gunshot is heard at 20.03.53 and with the noise of the second shot, Harry flies off the nest with the piece of plastic in his talons that he’d just delivered.

  • Happy Easter Sunday SunnyBlossom

    Early morning mating


    HK0 Flora with a stick

     Again HK0 Flora with a white plastic bag this time Persevere
     HK0 Flora hurriedly dashes into the nest. Intruder alert!

     She flaps and calls. Harry joins her. 
     The intruder’s wing is seen as it flies to the cam pole.

     HK0 Flora has had enough, she flies up to sort the intruder out!
     Scuffling noises can be heard and talons appear at the top of the screen. Harry watches closely from the nest.

     He vigilantly stays on the nest for a while longer and as he leaves, Flora returns.

    She tries sitting in the nest cup

     but when she gets up, she has caught her foot in the handle of the plastic bag she brought in earlier. 

  • Happy Easter to you too Glider, hope Flora gets untangled from that bag, plastic is such a dangerous nuisance now!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr