The Ospreys are back !!

Seems to be some mixed success around. However, the fact that we have these birds at all, and that numbers are increasing is heartening. Good news on the south coast, mind with those first time breeders!

First time breeders at LG too, so it will be interesting to see how they fair. Should the pair at Llyn Brenig succeed in raising both of their chicks that too will be a success as they have only managed one in the past, and of course last year their nest was vandalised.

Wonderful news!! The first chick since 2016 has hatched at the Loch Garten nest at around 5:30 this morning, and the new mother, unringed so has been given the name by followers as Mistle, has started to feed it with some success. The "new" father, blue Darvic ring No.AX6, born Glen Affric in 2016, and nicknamed Axel, has supplied at least a couple of fish to the nest today, so things seem to be going well. Fingers crossed that the other two eggs hatch out and the chicks are reared successfully.

WN, a little information, although a bit of date, about the Ospreys in the Biesbosch area, where I believe you are.

In 2014 – 2019 Ospreys Pandion halieetus built nests at nine different locations in the Biesbosch area, SW Netherlands. A pair settled and bred succesfully from 2016 -2019 in tree nests and raised in total 8 youngs. A cluster of nests in different electricity pillars a few kilometers south resulted in successful broods in 2017 and 2019, with 4 fledglings in total. None of the breeding attempts failed and average breeding success of those 6 broods was 2.0 fledglings. A third territory with two built nests was settled in the same area in summer 2019. In 2018 and 2019, territorial Ospreys were also present in the Maasplassen area in Limburg. After building a small nest in 2018, an artificial nest was placed, but not used to breed thus far. Ring readings revealed that (potential) breeding birds come from eastern Germany and Rutland, UK. The show natal dispersion distances of over 400km of these male birds. The settling Ospreys have to deal with other raptors, such as White-tailed Eagles and Peregrines, which can influence the choice of nesting places for Ospreys. In Limburg, Canadian Geese occupied the nest until the beginning of May 2019. Human disturbance seems to be most challenging at his moment and no entrance within a perimeter of some 100s of meters around the nests is proposed.

The second Loch Garten chick hatched at about 3:00 this morning, and seems to be doing ok. However that cannot be said for all, as some have failed to hatch and 4 chicks, at least, have died, including one at each on the nests at Llyn Brenig, Loch Arkaig and Kielder No.6 nest. Also one of the four Goshawk chicks, at LG, has not survived. 

At Manton Bay the chicks are at least 5 weeks old and they will be ringed in about a weeks time.

Just a quick update....The 3 Manton Bay chicks, all females, have just been ringed, 1H1, 1H2 and 1H3.

I will give further updates during the week.

Went to see the Loch Garten family last week along with Goshawk and WT Eagle nests near by. The latter two nests though only via their webcam setups. Good to see the Ospreys have returned closer to the visitor centre this season. The WT eagles are on the verge of fledging. We did see one adult flying around the Boat of Garten area. A really huge bird. Hope they establish themselves on the south coast of England and provide such a delight for the many folk down there.

A latest update.

At Keilder Nest 1A has 4 chicks feeding: 2 and 8 no news: 3 no pair took up residence: 4 has 1 chick feeding, 1 died and 1egg FTH: 5A no chicks after 2 dying and 1 FTH: 6 has 2chicks feeding and 1 died: 7 has 2 chicks feeding and 1 FTH.

There has been 1 chick die at each of Llyn Brenig, Loch Arkaig and Loch of the Lowes, but the remaining chicks are feeding well. At Loch Doon 1 died and 1 FTH, but still 1 feeding.

At Esthwaite Water 2 out of the 3 FTH, so only 1 feeding.I

Three nests have had their chicks ringed so far. M.B. see above: LotL 2 sex undetermined, LP8 & LR0: Foulshaw 3 ringed, no note of sex yet, Darvic No. 479, 480, 481.

The pair at LG are feeding 2 chicks and 1 egg FTH.

Cheers for the update Nellie.

Also I seemed to have missed your post on the Biesbosch Ospreys so belated thanks for that as well.

No problem, WN. 

It looks as if the 3 chicks at Llyn Clywedog will be ringed tomorrow or Friday, but if not then they will not be ringed.

The 3 chicks at both Glaslyn and Dyfi were ringed today.

3 Females at Dyfi: 7B0 named Pedran, 7B1 - Padarn, 7B2 - Paith.

Do not have details of the Glaslyn chicks.