Osprey Drama

I have mentioned a few Osprey websites here in the UK that I have been following, but this week has been pretty dramatic and I have been following the story through both twitter and on Facebook through the medium of my smartphone.

The location I am talking about is the Dyfi Osprey Project and the twitter presence is @DyfiOspreys and Facebook here. Just 'like' it to follow.

The drama is playing out so don't hang about, get following and enjoy.

I reckon from the track of Dulas, he was overhead here in Stratford on Monday.  Be nice if one of the Dyfi team could share with us.

Martin

Wildlife Webcams to watch

Just a quickie from me tonight to share a couple of webcams that are most definitely worth a watch.

The first one is from Nottingham Trent University and it is following the fortunes of a nesting Peregrine pair.  I have loved watching this and it surprises me still to see how late the adult birds fly.

As I type this, one of the parents is just sitting off, keeping an eye on the four chick, that are getting bigger on a daily basis.

The second one is from Rutland Water and is following a pair of nesting Ospreys as part of the English re-introduction programme.  Two chicks have hatched in the last couple f days so we will now see much more of the adult bird movements now they have chicks to feed.

Check in and have a peek.  It is great to watch.

It would also be great if you could let us know of any other favourite web cams that you have at this time of year.

Martin

The ospreys have headed south

Here in the UK, I have been following the fortunes of two sets of Ospreys this year either on webcams or via Twitter.  these have been at Loch Garten in Scotland, and closer to home at Rutland Water.

Well both of these feeds have closed as the subjects have started their long migration to Central Africa.

Here is the final message from Loch Garten, and here from Rutland

Let's hope they safely run the gauntlet of shooters in France, Spain and other places en route and we see them back here next year.

Martin

News Update

Great story here on a very prolific breeding and very old Osprey.

Well done to her.

I also see that the Ospreys at Rutland Water are doing very well, based on the Twitter feed I get from there.  More on their website here

Apologies for two quick short blogs today - but time pressures have overridden blogging.  Back with more content tomorrow

Martin

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

Local Patch-Raleigh

Well as i have been away for the last couple of weeks i thought i would report on my local patch, Last night we had 5 deer next to our garden where i put some corn out-2 does and 3 young which are always nice to see,The bird feeders haven't been filled since i went away so they are a bit quiet although the woodpecker has been on the fat feeder along with crows which will eat me out of house and home,The cardinals are still around as well as some American goldfinch in full colour, I was up before light this morning and went to a lake nearby where the ospreys are,They were still there and didn't come off of the nest for an hour but then had a fly around to stretch their wings and then when they re landed one of them picked an old dead fish on the side of the nest and started tearing small pieces off and i guess feeding the chicks that i couldn't see so all seems well there,There were a few other ospreys flying around as well as a bald eagle in the distance, One bird that turned up that i didn't expect to see was a loon in the centre of the lake-the first that i have seen and i think will only be in migration although i hope it stays, Lots of herons on the lake as well and they looked great flying through the early morning mist that was rising off of the lake, I only stayed about 3 hrs as the sun came up the light was harsh,Just as i was about to pack up a sharp shinned hawk flew over the osprey nest and over me aloowing my first shots of this small hawk,The lake level has dropped allowing me to get closer to the osprey nest and not have to use the D300 as much as i don't need the extra reach, I must admit that i preferred the D300 over the D3 for alot of my shooting when i first went over to Nikon but lately the heart has swung the other way and i absolutely love the D3 now-such a capable camera in any situation

Dave