After Tiger started the thread for tracking Rothes and Mallachie I thought that we could do with a thread for the tracking of ospreys fitted with transmitters by Roy Dennis. As the "summer" marches on it won't be long before the only way we can get our osprey fix is to follow their migrations.
This year we have the opportunity of following all three tagged birds from last year: Nimrod, Beatrice and Morven. It will be fascinating to find out if they will winter in exactly the same place as last year, and also whether they take the same route.
Added to that Roy has tagged two more adult males this year, Red/white 8T (an Abernethy bird) and Morven's other half (Logie's ex fella). I'm not certain whether Roy has any further transmitters or will attempt to catch any more adult males but, including Rothes and Mallachie, we will be able to follow at least 7 ospreys on their incredible journeys this autumn.
I was hoping the same thing about Blue MB and I do think that this plan is over-optimistic. I thought it was a joke at first. Where are they going to fish? Billingsgate fish Market perhaps? They had better have Tesco on standby.
Unknown said: I was really hoping Blue MB had gone on Thursday, while the weather was good down south. Perhaps he's hanging round in order to stake a claim on this: http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/4728592.New_home_for_ospreys/ I do think this plan is a little over-optimistic - it may be some time before we see ospreys nesting just inside the M25.........
I was really hoping Blue MB had gone on Thursday, while the weather was good down south. Perhaps he's hanging round in order to stake a claim on this: http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/4728592.New_home_for_ospreys/
I do think this plan is a little over-optimistic - it may be some time before we see ospreys nesting just inside the M25.........
Hi Sue. Ambitious as this nest-building may be there is no reason why, in time, ospreys will not nest as far South as this. As is stated in the article (another great spot!) ospreys used to be widespread throughout the country, before persecution pushed them towards extinction. We tend to think of them as birds of mountainous terrain but this is primarily due to the fact that they were driven to the least populated areas.
Hopefully, as numbers increase, competition in their strongholds in the North will force them to spread out further afield. We know from the tracking that many migrating birds pass over this region so might well check it out during stopovers. I agree that this nest might not be occupied for some time to come but if you don't try then you'll never know!
Unknown said: I was hoping the same thing about Blue MB and I do think that this plan is over-optimistic. I thought it was a joke at first. Where are they going to fish? Billingsgate fish Market perhaps? They had better have Tesco on standby.
Well, here presumably...
I haven't actually been to see the artificial nest site yet. Stockers lake has a large heronry & is a great place for winter ducks & often pop down to see Goosander, Smew etc when it gets really cold. The whole valley is a series of old Gravel pits used for varying purposes with several natural reserves, quite a few Fishing lakes & a couple of sailing lakes in an arcing chain of around 8 miles, possibly ideal Osprey territory? Sandy's Google Map above is a small section of the total chain that run along side the River Colne & the Grand Union Canal.
I agree it may take several years to get down here, although the leap to the Lake District a few years ago & Kielder this year from Scotland was a fair distance & certainly the 2 Rutland males that nested in Wales (one continuing) was a long distance leap.
PS There is a Tescos just off Riverside Drive in case of emergencies & an M&S Simply food by Church Lane in case they get a little more fussy. All we'd need is the man to climb the ladder, do you think Richard would pop down if it became necessary!!!!
Well, I didn't post this yesterday, but, if there is to be an osprey housing crisis in the near future, here are the development plans. ;-)
I see there is also a french version, maybe, that has windows with shutters and a wine cellar.
http://www.lrconline.com/Extension_Notes_English/pdf/ospry.pdf
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data Site
Sat track schedule Spring 2014
LG 7 days; RW & SWT nil; LDOP varies
We've got a pond 1 x 2 metres in the back garden, but I'm not sure what my wife would say about the telegraph pole nevermind the platform on top, I think she's more hoping for a swing bench. The anti predator protection would be useful to stop our kids climbing it.
jsb : Loved the intructions on how to build an Osprey Nesting Platform. Unfortunately my DIY skills are non existant.
Vespa Crabro : I still think the idea of an osprey nest inside the M25 is a non starter. Even with a translocation program there are too many dangers around there for the birds. Also would those gravel pits support an osprey catching around 6 or 7 fish a day to feed its family?.
Alan: Although I think it may be many years before they expand this far I see no reason why not.
I suspect that in much the same way as we viewed Red Kites as a bird of Welsh Woodland we now see Ospreys as birds of isolated Scottish Lochs. The only reason that they solely exist here was the persecution, remove this and in the same way Red Kites have found move advantageous breeding conditions elsewhere suspect Ospreys might also. A quick Google of "Osprey Nest City" bought up many examples of Ospreys nesting in far more urban environments in the States than the Colne Valley ex Gravel pits. In the last few years Kites and Buzzards have become daily sightings in the area; why should Ospreys be any more vulnerable?
As far as Food goes a quick look at Google Maps showed that the area of water in the Stockers lake area far exceeds that in the Loch Garten area (& we know that Loch Garten isn't even any good for feeding) The area of good fishing lakes looks to be half that at Rutland & about the same as Bassenthwaite which I've heard could support up to 6 osprey pairs.
As I said I suspect it maybe sometime before they expand this far but "nothing ventured...." !!!
Vespa Crabro, We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Although Loch Garten does not have many fish, the ospreys can use Findhorn Bay which is not too far away with lots of fish and also Rothiemurchus fish farm. There are also many well stocked rivers in the area with clean water such as the Spey and the Findhorn.
Red Kites are a totally different case. They are not totally dependant on fish and can eat many things. I often see them in ploughed fields not too far away searching for worms and bugs.
I live not too far from Rutland Water and there are no large built up areas around the reservoir. It is ideal for ospreys. If I was an osprey I would much prefer to live somewhere as far away as possible from London and the M25.