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.
No problem Glider. I've just checked in again Friday 19 June: 17:04 and the stream appears to be back, showing the correct time, so fingers crossed. The sole chick in the nest and Flora is currently on the nest perch. No update from WildlifeWindows yet so here is hoping the problem has been fixed.
Thanks Janni, here’s hoping.
June 20
16.50 Flora and the chick. Flora has been fish calling but Harry hasn’t responded yet.
©️SSEN/Alyth
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Just a quick check from the most recent session shows supper arriving - not big, but not a tiddler. The very next frame, it looked like empty skin, I couldn't get a better shot.
IMAGICAT
Aw fab Scylla, glad to see Harry back and with food! He was gone for quite a few hours.
June 21
There have been at least a couple of fish deliveries.
13.04 a good sized headless one
13.05 Flora has it
Flora feeding the chick
18.43 It shows how high the nest is at the camera side. Flora’s head is just peeking up above the cot rails.19.46 a small, whole fish delivery.
The feed begins.
June 22
The remaining chick continues to thrive.
15.23 Here’s one of the fish Harry caught today.
It was very windy up there.
The chick had a wing stretch as it got up to eat.
15.25 However, Flora stood with Harry for a bit, watching, waiting. The chick just looked at mum.
15.26 Harry then glided off.
15.27 Flora finally started on the fish
15.28 The chick got its first piece. (5 minutes after delivery)
23 June
Flora had been in and out quite a lot before Harry eventually arrived at 06:25 with breakfish - but I've never seen such a teeny tiddler !!! I have to do a gif so you can make it out:
Haha, thanks Scylla, Harry does like to bring a variety of sizes of fish to the nest!
10.33 Harry redeemed himself with a lovely large headless fish later in the morning.