Wednesday 24 June 2009

Ospreys - A quick round up of this year so far

I was reading an article in an Environmental magazine that I get at work and came across a short story on the successful return of Ospreys to Northumberland in the UK. It seems a pair have settled on a man made nesting platform on Kielder Water that has been provide but have naturally colonised it. These sort of platforms are common place in the US and have started to find some favour over here to help nature on its way. The full story can be found here.

This years nesting is the first for 200 years in this part of England. In addition, there has also been recolonisation elsewhere in England in the Lake District in Cumbria to add to the reintroduction programme that has been going on for a number of years on Rutland Water. Webcam and excellent website here for the Lake District Ospreys and here for the Rutland Water site.

Further north in Scotland, the success story has been going on for many years. At the RSPB Loch Garten site, there is plenty to do and see on their site here. The diary is also worth a read to check out the progress there - a proper soap opera it seems to be there.

I was there a couple of years ago taking some photos of these magnificent birds. A great place to go is the Rothiemurchus Fish Farm in Aviemore late of an evening to get them as they come into fish.

These two images were taken there on my old 1Dmk2N and 500f4L lens. The first image shows a Male bird being attacked by a Herring Gull. It shows the size comparison well and is surprising how large the Gull is.

The second image shows the bird going back to the nest with supper for the kids.



Martin

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