This thread has been set up to follow the travels of Caledonia and Alba, the young ospreys raised at Loch Garten in 2012.
Their mother is “EJ”, the resident female at Loch Garten since 2003; there is some doubt about the identity of their biological father, given EJ’s dalliance with a male from a neighbouring nest, Blue XD, both before and after the return of her regular partner Odin, who raised them.
Caledonia hatched on 16th May and Alba on 18th May; they both fledged on 14th July.
This is a link to the Loch Garten blog describing the ringing and satellite tagging.
Caledonia’s ring is Blue/White AA1, reading downwards. Alba’s is Blue/White AA2, reading upwards.
Following the tracking
This page gives a quick overview of the routes on a map, which will be more useful once they start migrating.
If you want to look at the routes in more detail on Google Earth, this page contains instructions on setting up your PC to do this.
This blog contains some useful information about how the tracking works – we are now on a 3-day reporting period.
OK here’s something to keep you occupied. Apart from being in Spanish, perhaps it requires a bit of explanation.
Alamillo Park is located at the northern end of Seville; Caledonia roosted there for a bit in late September, and still goes back there fairly often, probably to fish in the adjacent river basin.
On the park’s website, I found a link to this online book “Guide to the Birds of Alamillo Park”, in .pdf format. Ospreys appear on p.45, with some interesting information; if Caley stays in Seville, she won’t be the first osprey to winter in the area.
Thank you, SUE C, it's encouraging to know that Cally doesn't have to move south if she doesn't want to :-)
IMAGICAT
Sue C: Very interesting, still nothing from Google Alerts, re sighting of Caledonia.
Here is a Microsoft translation of sorts. I have saved the download of the PDF for future use.
"Identification: Superior parts of dark brown color whereas the inferior ones are white pure resisting a dark band in the chest as well as the spots of the wrists. Tail like flight pens slightly barredas in clear gray with the ends gray dark. Clearly angular wings. Young people with wings and back slightly speckled. Females greater than the males. Fishing eagle Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) similar Species: None. Habitat: Species very related to the water is observed in coasts, rivers, salt marshes, etc. Behavior: Normally it is observed fishing, or oteando to its prey from an innkeeper or flying over the water lamina on which blossoming frequently before plunging itself to capture some fish. Normally nidifica in cliffs although it can even do it in trees and in the ground. Distribution: The birds observed in the zone belong to the nominal subspecies, of paleártica distribution. Some isolated individual uses the dock of the Guadalquivir river during the winter to even fish and like dormidero."
Dormidero = roost.
Now what I find amazing is how did Caledonia find this location, which they report being used by single individuals for over-wintering in the past. If it were not for tracking, we would be none the wiser. However I strongly believe that more could and should be done with this sort of information.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data Site
Sat track schedule Spring 2014
LG 7 days; RW & SWT nil; LDOP varies
That's VERY interesting SUE and JSB......so let us hope Caledonia gets no urge to move and takes a leaf out of previous osprey's books
Great information Sue - hopefully she will stay there and be safe
Fantastic information Sue and so pleased to see this thread being used more :)
It would be the icing on the cake if we could get a photograph of Caledonia in Seville, just a pity that she hasnt been sighted out there.
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
Mary GK: Maybe it is best that Caledonia has not been observed or photographed, it is a double edged sword, so to speak. Nice for us to see her, but Seville has a population of over 703,000, about the size of Leeds, so is publicity in her interests? I have had a Google alert running for any sightings and the only results coming up are posts on here, like this one I am writing now. Incidentally I was horrified to discover that the text inside my spreadsheets, is also exposed by Google searches, so I have borne that in mind, when deciding what to write.
After all we do know she is there and is doing fine.
JSB - I was thinking more along the lines of what LotL have done by contacting similar Ornithology Groups to go and have a look for Blue 44 and were rewarded with fantastic photos of him. Nothing has been done like that for Caledonia.
Mary GK: I think with this situation being in a city, makes it very different. Just my opinion.