The History of The Loch Garten Group

I was talking to a long standing member of this group and they remarked that I did not post here much but I still know what is going on. Well i still read a lot of the post and this is still one of the best sources of osprey history. 

For the record I have been a member of this group since it  opened on 21 July 2009. That is over fourteen years. 

So how long have you been here and what have ospreys done for you? 

  • Great to see you here too. You have made huge contributions to this group. 

  • The last thread where we'd hoped to see Clarach back on her nest at Aberfoyle was from 2021. The way this site is now organised means it's too difficult for me to find out if she was ever spotted. She was definitely seen in 2020 at Aberfoyle.  What I found interesting about Clarach was that, although born at Dyfi, one of her ancestors was from Scotland. Tiger will remind us who that was. The genetics of ospreys and the extent to which they display natal philopatry (males more than females I think) must be covered in one of the many books on ospreys?

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    The last thread where we'd hoped to see Clarach back on her nest at Aberfoyle was from 2021. The way this site is now organised means it's too difficult for me to find out if she was ever spotted. She was definitely seen in 2020 at Aberfoyle.  What I found interesting about Clarach was that, although born at Dyfi, one of her ancestors was from Scotland. Tiger will remind us who that was. The genetics of ospreys and the extent to which they display natal philopatry (males more than females I think) must be covered in one of the many books on ospreys?

    From the world's worst searcher!

    All I can find is that Clarach was/is Blue 2R(13) and that she visited Glaslyn on her first return - Glaslyn's note on Facebook gives her known history up to 2019.   I'm posting it despite it being unhelpful to your query, Korky, because it's a nice little read.

    ©️BywydGwylltGlaslynWildlife

    On 3rd May 2016 Dyfi born Blue 2R (2013), better known as Clarach, landed on the Glaslyn nest. This was the first resighting of her as an adult. Ten days later she was back again causing havoc, she stole two fish that Aran delivered and also did a bit of leg pulling when snatching a trout from him! She trampled on Mrs G and even pooped on her back. Mrs G remained on her two eggs throughout and did not behave aggressively towards Clarach, who was behaving similarly to how a juvenile would, Mrs G clearly did not perceive her to be a threat and chose to protect her eggs. Clarach left the Glaslyn nest on the 14th May. On 17th May she intruded at the Manton Bay nest at Rutland and on 29th May she was at Glaslyn born White YA’s original nest in Kielder Forest.
    In mid-April 2017 she was spotted advertising herself to non-breeding males at Rutland Water, but just a few days later she was on a nest in the Aberfoyle Forest in Scotland and had been joined by an unringed male. The pair went on to successfully raise two male chicks together that year, but sadly although she returned to Aberfoyle during 2018 and 2019, Clarach failed to breed. Let’s hope 2020 will be a successful year for her.
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    I don't know precise statistics but males are most often philopatric and female are most often not.
  • Thanks scylla.  Yes 2017 seems to have been her only successful breeding year, at least at Aberfoyle.  But she could be nesting elsewhere of course!

  • Long time lurker and only very occasional poster - I visited LG as a teenager on family holiday in 1990 and have returned many times since. Followed the diary and blogs since 2004, first one I remember was the competition to name white EJ, no controversy back then with the winner! Favourite osprey was Henry and was thrilled the year it looked like he had gone only to turn up very late, thin as a rake and oiled. I still wonder what happened to him on that migration, blown out to sea and found refuge on a ship maybe? I think that was the first year eggs went overboard after Orange VS had taken advantage of his late return but was swiftly evicted.


    Anyway, thank you so much to all of you who post regularly - even more important now the diary/official posts seem to have stopped.

  • Thrilled to hear your memories. I think 1990 was one of my first years as a volunteer at LG. I had to count those votes that eventually resulted in naming EJ … the day I declared voting was open and released the email address to vote it caused RSPB website to crash. The powers that be suddenly realised the world wide audience of the cam and the readership of the diary. I know that the passing of the diary / blog has been commented upon by many. I have no words that can be published. So glad that, like me, you were hooked.

  • Happy Birthday. Have a great day.