Tracking Other UK Ospreys

And the NW wind should help a bit - maybe Mallachie can keep a lookout if he makes it to the Portuguese coast

Birdnuts:  Of course I meant NW wind blowing him TO the East!

Re the picture that Alan mentioned above.  I have emailed the author of the pic asking him if he could zoom in on the ring to try and identify it and that the colour would help.  The message I sent is as follows:

Bonjour

Je fais partie du groupe RSPB au Royaume Uni (équivalent à la LPO en France) et nous suivons la migration de plusieurs balbuzards au départ de l’Ecosse.  Votre photo aujourd' *** est vraiment magnifique.  Nous avons remarqué que cet oiseau est bagué et je me demande s'il serait possible the zoomer sur la bague dans l'espoir de pouvoir l'identifier.  La couleur de la bague est aussi un renseignement utile. 

Si vous auriez la possibilité de fournir cette information, nous vous serions très reconnaissants.

En vous remerciant à l’ avance.

 PS :  Vous pouvez suivre la migration de deux jeunes balbuzards sur  le site suivant

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/t/4615.aspx?PageIndex=7 .  Un de vos collègues qui fait partie du groupe Faune Aquitaine, Didier Domec, a pris des photos d’un jeune balbuzard qui est nommé Mallachie.  Il a reproduit ses photos sur ce site sous le nom internet de Xalbai.

I hope this is OK. 

Alan thanks for the link wonderful picture.  My word these ospreys hav certtainly got themselves noticed this year and wonderful that more an more people have found these wonderful birds, they really are special.

Glad to hear you are on standby, hopefully you won't be needed.

For those waiting for news about Rothiemurcus, Roy Dennis has now posted this:

"Later he did start flying to the SE at 0600GMT - over the next four hourly fixes he was flying SE or SSE 27-35km/h about 40-47 metres above the sea. Then at 1000 to 1200GMT he only traveled 3 kilometres north in 3 hours - was he on a boat or something floating in the sea? and then at 1711GMT his next non GPS fix is 143 kilometres (88 miles) SE - to a location about 8 miles off Porto, Portugal. Need some GPS locations to try to work out what is going on - did he rest and then fly on; did he fish and feed while on something floating on the sea, was he on a boat - did he fly on or was he on a boat going to Porto harbour? We should find out with the next transmissions."

Deeply mysterious - we can only wait the next instalment. Porto = Oporto to Anglophones.    

Sue C had looked at roy Dennis' site earlier but this has obviously been posted since so thanks for putting this news on.  As he is only 8 miles from Portugal it would seem there is a good chance of him finding land soon.  Please God let that be the case.

Thanks Sue C.

Wonder what he was floating on.... As you say Margobird, he is only 8 miles off the coast, seeemingly heading in the right direction so fingers crossed.

Phew!!!!!  I think that was a very close call for Rothiemurchus!  The very latest data puts him only 5 klm off shore, and heading directly towards it!  My personal interpretation of Roy's data is that he spotted a boat and rested, or better still, rested and ate, and when the boat came in close enough that he could see land, he flew towards it himself.  I like to imagine some kind fisherman seeing a bird obviously off-course and throwing one of his own fish up on the cabin roof to entice Rothiemuchus down.  However it happened, Rothiemurchus found something moving on which to rest, which I'm sure saved his life!!!

Goodness.  How nerve-wracking.  I think, I hope, Rothy will now be OK.  Do hope so..  Fingers still crossed until I know he is back on land.  I too think a boat/ship came to his rescue.    Keep going, Rothiemurchus.   Don't give up yet.