I know it in French but there are some stunning osprey pictures here. See http://balbuzard.over-blog.net/
Tiger Signature
Just posting, for the record, the BBC reports about the project to instal artificial nests and osprey decoys at the RSPB's Arne reserve and Poole Harbour, Dorset:
Report http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8638876.stm
Video including interview with Roy Dennis http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8641480.stm
Bringing this thread up, as it's relevant to the "why migrate?" issue which has come up in the Update. A wealth of new material about the osprey scene in France has just been posted:
Firstly on the news page of the LPO Osprey mini-site: http://balbuzard.lpo.fr/actualites/actualites.html
There is also a fact-filled new edition of the "Balbuzard Info" magazine - no 20/21
http://balbuzard.lpo.fr/actualites/balbuzard-info_20-21.pdf
This led me to a seemingly new official site for the French National Plan for the Restoration of the Osprey: http://www.lpo-missionrapaces.fr/bilan_balbuzard/index.html
I've only just started to look through all of this, but if anyone spots something here they would like summarised in English, let me know.
An interesting article about osprey ringing, with great photos, from Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, US.
http://www.chesapeakeboating.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=77C7A710696A484D9F652F9791B7D3AC&nm=Chesapeake+Sailing&type=ESpotlight&mod=Directories%3A%3ADistributors&mid=73C84580AB3E4296AA37A086B7E39DC4&tier=3&id=3DD3BB96E39C44BB9E75C794E463D12B
Oh dear - I think a lot of us would be classed as suffering from Stage I osprey addiction
Msny thanks to Sue C for this wealth of information, will take time out to read and look at all links.
Margobird
Thanks Sue. I seem to be well and truly classified as Grade 1. I will keep taking the tablets but they do taste fishy !!
I heard some interesting news yesterday. I had noticed a comment by Roy Dennis in his blog, back in the autumn, that he had been down south looking at "osprey habitat" in Chichester Harbour and on the Isle of Wight. I assumed he was talking about stopover sites. but seemingly not.
Yesterday I went on a boat trip in Chichester Harbour, run by C.H. Conservancy who manage the harbour for nature conservation and leisure purposes. http://www.conservancy.co.uk/
The guide mentioned that some artifical osprey nests are being built on Thorney Island in the harbour. I guess if ospreys did nest there, security would be provided by the fact that Thorney is owned by the MOD and is an army base! It would be great to be able to walk along the opposite shore and see them fishing.
Thanks Sue C for that info. As you know Roy Dennis was involved in the same project here in Dorset. At least on an Army base there would be relative safety for ospreys.
Sue C Any news from the Spanish project this year?
Hazel b said: Sue C Any news from the Spanish project this year?
I still can't find a website for the Andalucia project, but I did find a news report saying that the 2 pairs which bred in 2009 both returned, and raised 2 chicks apiece at Barbate reservoir and Huelva (recently visited by Bassenthwaite chick 12).