ALYTH OSPREYS MARCH 2024 - FEBRUARY 2025

Alyth is located in Perth and Kinross on the east coast of Scotland.

The Osprey nest is at the Alyth SSEN Transmission sub station and is the tallest of all the nests on camera in the UK.

Background information:-

The Ospreys have nested at the site for many years since 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 17 osprey chicks have been observed to have fledged from the new site.

Due to the height of the tower, no ringing can take place.

The resident ospreys are called Harry and Flora (blue HK0), 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.

In 2023 Flora HK0 arrived on 30th March and Harry on 4th April. Together, they successfully raised three chicks to fledging.

Flora was last seen on 10th August and Harry 7th September. (The camera stream was offline from 13- 23 August) 

Thank you Richard for initial information which I’ve edited to include last year’s figures. 

Links

August 2023 to February 2024

Live stream - SSEN Transmission as provided by Wildlife Windows

RETURN DATES 2024

Flora (Blue HK0) 28 March 19.19

Harry 29 March 14.40

EGGS LAID

15/04/24 at 11.01 ———————-Hatched 21 or 22/05/24

18/04/23 at 09.04 (I think!) ————--Hatched 23/05/24

21/04/23 sometime in the morning. ————Hatched 26/05/24

SADLY, ONE CHICK DIED ON THE NEST ON 30/05/24

LIVE STREAM WAS DOWN FOR OVER TWO WEEKS FROM MAY 31.
WHEN IT RETURNED, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHICK REMAINING ON THE NEST.

The CHICK FLEDGED on 26/07/24

MIGRATION

Flora and the juvenile left at some point before the end of August when the live stream was down. (12-22 August)

However, I suspect it may have been the 21st August that the last one (or both) left as Harry was seen on the nest on the 22nd with a fish.

Harry was around for a few days after, seen on the 26th August and probably it was him on the 30th as well, which would have been his last sighting.

All photos and videos copyright SSEN Transmission Alyth and Wildlife Windows

Harry (left) and Flora HK0 at the beginning of season 2023.


July 2024 - (from left) Flora, chick, Harry.  


July 2024 - The chick and Flora.

  • May 13

    08.03 Thankfully for Flora, she gets an early morning fish after dropping the one last night.




    Away with it in her beak again.


    08.20 Flora returns with a large clump of soft nesting material. 

    I reckon she managed to eat this fish in a short time as it was very small.

    ©️NWWT, WW, BOP

  • May 22

    There’s been a hatch here, not sure if today or yesterday as the cam has continued to been down for long periods. The very observant nest watchers heard chupping from an egg yesterday at 04.57.05.


    Today was the first time the bob was able to be seen. It looks quite strong in the neck so perhaps hatched later yesterday? EDIT - counting the days since laying on 15 April, today is day 37, so more probably early this morning. Shame about the camera problems this season. 

    Luckily the cam came on when Bob was getting a feed this morning. We weren’t able to see Harry’s fish delivery but he stayed with Flora during the feed and left as she was finishing off and tidying the nest cup.

    04.05 the bob’s head was first seen. It looked clearer on the scroll-back as it was moving!


    06.44  Feeding time


    06.47 the bob took quite a few pieces, Flora tidied up scraps and Harry flew off.


    ©️SSEN Alyth

  • Super news Hatching chick

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • 17.42 The cam had been off and when it came back on, Harry was there with a fish.

    He flew off with it a few seconds later.


    19.52 Just over an hour passed then Harry returned with the fish.


    Flora was hungry and took some quick mouthfuls. 

    I think she gave Bob one too, the smudges on the lens are making viewing tricky.

    19.54 Flora then flew off. Harry was still on the nest with Bob.


    Bob was calling, Harry went over to brood his chick.


    19.55 Flora returned 


    she waited on the perch for a short while


    19.56 then flew down to take over from Harry.


    19.58 A couple of minutes later, Harry left. The fish is still on the nest.


    ©️SSEN Alyth

  • There’s been a hatch here

    Aww, fabulous! Thanks Glider Blush

  • It is good news indeed Sandra. Blush


    The little one had a good feed for 3 or 4 minutes here. 21.01 - 21.05





    ©️NWWT, WW, BOP

  • 23 May

    07.53 Harry brings in a fish end. I wonder if it‘s the remains of last night’s fish?


    Little bob is up straight away when Flora rises. A flappy piece of black plastic sheeting is revealed in front of the nest cup.


    07.55 The feed is initially blocked by Flora


    07.56


    07.57


    07.58 feed finished, Flora settles over bob and the 2 eggs again


    ©️SSEN Alyth

  • 15.28 Harry brought in a whole fish

    15.29 Flora got up to reveal 2 bobbleheads


    Flora made sure the second bob got some fish too.


    15.30


    ©️SSEN Alyth

  • Oh, yay - super news! Grinning

  • Oooooh! Hatching chickHatching chickBlush

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr