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.
Morning Alan have been reading the comments about where ospreys live and I have to say I do agree with you. They do not want to be anywhere near London or the M25, they should be in wide open spaces with plenty of opportunites for fishing and I am not sure there would be enough fish to sustain them in these areas.
Margobird
Further info here:
http://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/Resources/HMWT/News/osprey%20platform%20press%20release.pdf
Thanks Sandy : I have no doubt that the osprey project is well meaning. We shall see what the ospreys think of it in due course.
Just to say, Roy Dennis and Rob Bierregaard have both updated their sites.
Nothing dramatic from Roy - all birds doing OK in their previous locations.
Rob B, sadly, has lost contact with 4 of the 7 juveniles he tagged this year - 2 still in the US, 2 in Latin America.
Thanks a lot, Sue. Great to know that all the tracked UK ospreys appear to be settled and are currently enjoying some winter sun - what an amazing turnaround in fortunes from previous years.
I'm afraid to say that I made a conscious decision not to follow Rob Bierregaard's ospreys this year. After Meadow became the fourth osprey to be shot on the Dominican Republic I decided I'd seen enough of ospreys dying at the hands of Humans. I'm so thankful that our UK birds can migrate freely through various countries without hindrance and can reach destinations where they are not merely tolerated but respected.
Of course after reading your post I couldn't resist having a peek! All I can say regarding the four lost juveniles is that at least there is no evidence that any of them were shot.
Latest Roy Dennis update :
"
Latest update 29/11: Rothiemurchus has settled in Djoud NR, Senegal; Red 8T in southern Senegal, Morven in Mauritania, Nimrod and Taisman in Guinea Bissau. "
Morvens transmitter is playing up.
Thanks for tghe update Alan have only just had a chance to log in. Busy morning shopping etc. Do you feel worried about the fact there was no mention of Mallachie in Alice's update.
Margobird : I am a little concerned about Mallachie as I have just looked at last weeks movements and she does not seem to have moved very much, certainly no where near as much as Rothes. However they often stay within a few kilometers of their roost so we will just have to wait and see.
She will be in my thoughts now and I just hope we have some news soon. Would be tragic if something has gone wrong now.
Unknown said: Latest Roy Dennis update : " Latest update 29/11: Rothiemurchus has settled in Djoud NR, Senegal; Red 8T in southern Senegal, Morven in Mauritania, Nimrod and Taisman in Guinea Bissau. " Morvens transmitter is playing up.
Thanks Alan, all good stuff. I don't think that it matters too much about Morven's transmitter, it doesn't seem likely that she is going anywhere significant in the near future. In fact it amazes me that all the adults, once they've found their wintering quarters, never venture far at all. They all seem content to roost and hunt in a very confined area. I suppose that if they have found a good area to both roost and hunt then there is little point in going on "jollies" just for the sake of it. They either have a very high boredom threshold or are happy to chill out and fatten up ready for their summer exertions.
BTW am replying re: Mallachie on the other thread.