This Topic has been set up to follow the Spring 2012 migration, and summer activities, of satellite tracked ospreys, excluding Rothes and Tore from Loch Garten, who are followed on this thread.
It replaces this earlier thread, Satellite Tracked Ospreys (non-LG) Aug 2011 - Feb 2012.
I thought Rothes was further down the coast Alan? And in what seemed a relatively safe place. But then what is safe? Dulas seemed to be in a good place so why move. All we know for sure is that life is precarious for them and proves how amazing the birds that make it back are. However, with such a low rate of return its worrying for the future. Its frightening that all of the chicks born sine 2008 in LG alone are all gone. And the number of tracked birds last year recorded on this site is down to 1.
I commented on the Dyfi site yesterday about wondering if the aerial on the back of these birds is making them more vulnerable from either a curiosity, cost of equipment or even fear of the unknown point of view. The majority of the population in Guinea Bissau will have no clue what is on the back of these birds and certainly never have learnt of protection and conservation. They will be poor, hungrey and even frightened. I also had no idea that all the youngsters from Loch Garten since 2008 had perished and we are down to just 1 from other nests. When AW from Rutland perished earlier this year, I questioned whether these tracking devices were making them more vulnerable. Thank god Beatrice winters in Spain - having just returned from there, I know that the conservation and protection of wildlife is getting much better.
Margaret M said:I also had no idea that all the youngsters from Loch Garten since 2008 had perished and we are down to just 1 from other nests.
Yes but Garten from 2009 was not satellite tagged and she has not been seen either.
There were three chicks at Loch Garten in 2004 and 2006 and none of them have ever been positively identified either.
The reality is that every year a lot of juvenile ospreys head south and the vast majority of them are never seen again whether tagged or not.
75 ospreys were translocated to Rutland Water. Only 13 were ever seen again.
Tiger Signature
Hazel b said: Yes but Garten from 2009 was not satellite tagged and she has not been seen either. There were three chicks at Loch Garten in 2004 and 2006 and none of them have ever been positively identified either. The reality is that every year a lot of juvenile ospreys head south and the vast majority of them are never seen again whether tagged or not. 75 ospreys were translocated to Rutland Water. Only 13 were ever seen again.
I know you are a wizard with stats Tiger and you will know, but it seems to me that the juvenile return rate from Rutland, even allowing for several nests, does seem higher than Loch Garten - if that is so - any theories?
Here are the last known Google Earth locations in Guinea Bissau of ospreys mentioned earlier apart from Talisman who was last heard of in the Bijagos Islands near Rothes:
Margaret M said:I know you are a wizard with stats Tiger and you will know, but it seems to me that the juvenile return rate from Rutland, even allowing for several nests, does seem higher than Loch Garten - if that is so - any theories?
Given that all but one of the returned juveniles are descended from 03(97) - good genes!
I have also wondered if it is less a higher return rate, than that the Rutland birds are perhaps more likely to return to southern areas of the UK, where there are fewer ospreys, more people, and they are perhaps just more likely to be identified as returning. For birds returning to Rutland, the team also have a wonderful asset in volunteer John Wright (think I've got the name right!), who is an excellent wildlife photographer & can identify even unringed birds based on their under-wing markings.
Rachel R said:Given that all but one of the returned juveniles are descended from 03(97) - good genes!
I think you are right there. However if say 3 (97) had not made it back from Africa what would have happened to the whole Rutland project? Would it have died?
Margaret M said:I know you are a wizard with stats Tiger and you will know, but it seems to me that the juvenile return rate from Rutland, even allowing for several nests, does seem higher than Loch Garten
You are correct that the return rate at Rutland is very good indeed. As Rachel says almost all of it seems to be down to 3 (97) who I see as the Northern Dancer of ospreys.
One of the reasons I had high hopes for Einion, Dulas as Leri is that 3 (97) is their grandad.
Now 11 (98) at Glaslyn is also a wonderful male. However he does not seem to have been nearly as successful in establishing a dynasty as 3 (97)
So genes have a lot to do with it.
Hazel b said: Now 11 (98) at Glaslyn is also a wonderful male. However he does not seem to have been nearly as successful in establishing a dynasty as 3 (97) So genes have a lot to do with it.
Now you have touched on my very favourite Male Osprey and each season I am overwhelmed with how he and his mate return within hours of each other, regularly raise three healthy chicks with little or no publicity, a legend like 03(97). I always look for the news on Black 80 at Threave and now there is one of his daughters known to be back intruding at LOTL. Having read what you said about Rutland returnees, there must be a good chance that a juvenile from Garten has settled in Scotland without anyone knowing or intruding at the nest. What happened to Byneck's sister from last year? I'm sure when we went out to Spain she was OK.
Margaret M said:Now you have touched on my very favourite Male Osprey and each season I am overwhelmed with how he and his mate return within hours of each other, regularly raise three healthy chicks with little or no publicity, a legend like 03(97).
We now got the stats written up! See Glaslyn
Oh Jaybird I am so embarrassed. I did not recognise you. Lovely to see you again.
I am afraid Tore came to grief.
See Great Sadness.............