Fishing

Last year at Loch Garten both the Female (EJ) as is expected and Male (OVS) not expected left as the juveniles Nethy and Deshar fledged. Obviously they were never taught to fish and learnt to fish on their migration route.

Diane L said:

My husband myself have watched with fascination the progress of the Osprey family all summer?

What I would love to know is when do they learn to fish. Do they have to learn or is it in the "genes".

I maybe missed something, though I have waited with baited breath for every new post.

They moved around L Garten for a while but doubt if they caught fish as it does not have clear water. I think they learnt themselves at their month stop overs at Fairford and Kent.

However a couple of years back rememeber watching Henry stay with his 3 offspring taking them all on fishing trips and returning with fish. The young also returned with their own fish.

Roy Dennis in his book states many Ospreys learn to fish on route and will fish for the first time on migration - unfortunately some do not learn. One of Roys satellited chicks Morray was found dead last year on Lewis early in to migration weighing only 800 grams yet weighed 1450 grams at ringing/satelliting - failed to catch fish and weakened we presume.

Roy also mentions depending how close the nest is to the parental fishing grounds. At present and the next few weeks the juveniles will hang around the nest on a favourite perch and wait on the male bringing in fish and maybe feed at the perch or sometimes in the nest. I suspect at LG this may be the case as the fishing grounds are further away - Spey or Spey Bay area he appeared to approach from the North. May be at LOL with the fishing ground at the nest we will see a differant characteristic where the juveniles may follow the male. Early days they do not venture too far but increase this as time increases.