I guess that Blue XD is now set to be part of Loch Garten History. He deserves a page by himself.
Do people have data on his exact arrival time and some videos and pictures.
There has been a blog regarding him here on 28 Mar 2012 5:56 PM
There is still confusion as to his identity but he is said to be the long term partner of Green J or otherwise known as S06
So Blue/White XD may be S18 but there are certain problems with that.
S06 and S18 also parented a chick translocated to Rutland viz. T04
I wrote about Green J here on 3 March 2012
Tiger Signature
Well you caught me out, TIGER, picking up my accidental post on MOFFER's Facebook page ;-D
Until a couple of days ago I had thought that Blue XD's demise was a false alarm, was gutted to see that he really is lost :'(
So I've been burying myself in the videos, trying to find decent stills from them. Sorry to revive the thread, but it's cathartic for me to post some here.
MOFFER's capture from one of the outside cams, cropped, text added:
This "rug" was quite green, but not in shots that show both him and its size clearly ;-)
IMAGICAT
What lovely pics, Scylla. A beautiful memento of a much loved bird who has done his bit in the survival of the species.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Scylla, I agree with Sheila--thanks so much for posting these photos as a memento to Blue XD. Even though we know that Osprey's lives are tough and that nature is 'red in tooth and claw' as they say, it is still hard for many of us to learn that we have lost one. RIP, Blue XD.
Kind regards, Ann
My memory posted on Facebook on Thursday 25 February 2016
It is with great sadness that we learn that one of our favourite ospreys viz. Blue XD will not be coming home this year. Mind you many of us suspected that this be the case after the last update on 7th February 2016.
It was Wednesday 28th March 2012 at 11am when he landed on the Loch Garten nest to join EJ who had arrived a week previously. A very long time for such a feisty bird to be alone. They began their love in immediately.
Now for 5 days we were enthralled as to what was going to happen when Odin got home.
Well on the morning of 1st April Odin did return. Unfortunately we did not see it online as the webcam went down.
However witnesses testify that EJ, when she realised Odin was back, actually attacked Blue XD and pretended that it was all forced upon her.
Odin did prevail and sent Blue XD back to Carrbridge. However EJ went missing repeatedly and when the chicks grew up there was many a comment of how they did not look at all like Odin.
Thus started one of the great battles between ospreys.
In 2013 there was a repeat of the early season fling between EJ and Blue XD. However Odin cut up rough and smashed two eggs which he probably thought were not his.
In 2013 Blue XD was fitted with tracker of the GSM type. There was great anticipation of his 2014 migration north as his fans would know his whereabouts.
In both 2014 and 2015 Blue XD was held up and Odin got back early so there was no more early season romance with EJ.
Then today we find out that Blue XD is no more. A sharp reminder that we can lose even the most experienced of ospreys.
His arrival at Loch Garten in 2012
His biblio by Roy Dennis
Thank you for your memories, Tiger, and the links. You may wish to amend 2015...
We become so attached to these special birds. Perhaps we wouldn't if there were far more, but at the moment each one we know about is special, at least in my eyes.
Thankyou for the lovely tribute to our dear Blue XD. Thankyou for your tribute too Tiger :) He will be very sadly missed
I was gutted when I found out about Blue XD dying. Thanks for all the tributes. He was an Osprey who did so much for the population.
Rest in Peace Blue XD. Gone but never forgotten.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
AFter all this time I have only just found out about precious BLue XD. Like Heron, I am gutted.