Tracking Other UK Ospreys

Thanks as well from me Flying C.

Great work and would be great to see thier pictures.

Didn't Katie post a web site about ring sightings?

Hi Alan, and Gary

I tried Katie's web site but all you can do is fill in a form from the BTO (I think) and they might send you a reply within the next 6 months (presume they are very busy!)  The site she gave was  http://www.ring.ac .  See if you have any better luck at getting identification.  I got a bit confused trying to identify 'other species'!

I tried to upload the picture onto this page but am not very technical when it comes to photos.  I could email the email with the picture attachment  (if you see what I mean!) to someone else who might be able to do it.  The attachment makes it possible to zoom in on the leg.  Having said it looked like GH, am thinking it could be G8?  If you wish to receive the email, leave a message on my personal page and I will delete it asap.

Hi Flying C,

I know faune-aquitaine are linked to LPO, maybe they are parts of the same organisation. I advised Richard some time ago that a message had got through to the LPO Aquitaine at Begles, the same address as f-a. Here is what the LPO replied, edited version to remove email addresses:-

Message du 24/08/09 11:28
De : "Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux"
LPO Aquitaine
Objet : TR: Fs: tr: Rothes, Balbuzard pecheur.

Bonjour, Nous avons bien recu votre message et vous remercions vivement de la confiance que vous accordez a la LPO. De par la nature de votre envoi, nous le transmettons a  nos collegues de la LPO Aquitaine (109 quai Wilson, 33130 Begles, Tel/fax 05 56 91 33 81, Contact e-mail : )   Nous restons   votre entiere disposition et vous souhaitons une saison estivale passionnante et riche de belles observations.
Avec nos cordiales salutations.

oooOOOOooo

So they told their members to look out for Rothes,  and my message had detailed the fact that she was tagged, by the RSPB. To date there have been no sightings that I am aware of.

Thanks jsb.  I knew you had been in touch with various organisations in France but how brilliant that the LPO let everyone at Faune Aquitaine know what was happening.   All thanks to you.

Just a thought, but my impression is that Faune Aqutaine is composed of brilliant photographers so am wondering if that is the main reason for its existence.   On a more frivolous note,  I think Rothes likes to think she is camera shy so is keeping a low profile until she can show us all the size of the fish she has just caught!  ~Then she will parade in front of all the lenses and will be snapped in every pose imaginable...  Hmm.  One can but dream!

FlyingC, thanks for the comments, but, there were a few of my relatives and their friends in the bush telegraph chain. Rothes, well, we all would like a positive sighting, but in another sense I respect her privacy. We know she is OK. I think that many factors are in her favour:-

• the sturgeon farm people are friendly and my guess it is private land, because of the fish.
• it is extremely well hidden by all the trees on three sides.
• the open end towards the water has trees screening the site as well.
• I think the ground between the 'bassins' and the shoreline is wet and probably soft, sort of 'marais salee' salt marsh, not much use for tripods? There are many drainage ditches.
• the area is sparsely populated, etc, etc.
• if you look at where she is fishing, it is not that accessible, but not impossible.

I do hope that Dr Alan Jones gets a photo though, as a reward for his kindness, so that he can put it on his new brand 'Osprey' caviare. That guy has a sense of humour!

Thanks for the attachment FlyingC. I am with you and think it is G8 but there seems to be a 7 next to it so I dont think it is a British bird. A bit like the RP 4 one that was found dead.

Well spotted Alan.  There DOES seem to be a 7 there.    Seems so obvious now, can't think why I didn't see it earlier - must've been wishful thinking that is was one of 'ours'.

Thanks for all the hard work on this Flying C and everyone else. Sorry I wasn't around much today but I see you got the photo on the page:)

Great photo.

Lets hope someone spots Rothes, that would be super.

Morning Alan, so Red 8T gets the bragging rights as the first tracked osprey to reach Africa. Not bad for a bird that 4 days ago was in North Yorkshire! Interesting that Roy has added what he suspects would have been his route had he not been pushed westwards by the wind. It would appear that he "knows" exactly the direction he needs to fly in to make the crossing near Gibraltar. Wonder where his final destination will be?

Great that Rothie is finding the fishing areas in Portugal and is stocking up before pressing on. Interesting to note that a jaunt south east will bring him close to Mallachie's current position.