The mating between Red 6A and the green-ringed male was improving and seemed to be going well all week. He was adding the occassional branch to the nest and bringing in fish, although I was a bit surprised by his laissez-faire attitude.
Then on Saturday, as soon as the cameras were on, it was an unringed male who was on the nest and green ring was nowhere to be seen. Was this our original bird or another unringed male? The fact our female was so relaxed with him indicated the former, and on checking footage from 2007, it is indeed our resident male. He is quite distinctive as he has 2 stripes coming up from each eye to the top of his head. A marking I have never seen before in another osprey.
It's funny how when you have resident birds together their behaviour just gels and things progress so much faster. This male is on a mission and keeps bringing stick after stick back to the nest. After being off for 2 days I notice a definite improvement in the nest; it is much more formed and is greener, having been lined with moss and lichen. The male has been successfully mating with the female all week and bringing numerous fish to her, including a jack pike. Now that this male is in, things seemed to have settled down on the nest with no other ospreys venturing in for a while now.
Now we can get on with the business in hand!
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Menage a ...quatre?
On Monday when Red 6A arrived, the green ringed male tried to mate with her but she was having none of it and kept shrugging him off. She then did have a successful mating, but with which male we are unsure. It seemed too adept to be the green-ringed male and shortly after this mating he did try and was shrugged off again.
On Tuesday there was alot of to and fro'ing on the nest by Red 6A and the green-ringed male, with quite a few sticks brought in.
On Wednesday we finally got to see a fish being brought in by the green-ringed male. He was sitting eating it quite happily at the top of the nest when he dropped it. Red 6A, not one to miss an opportunity, nipped in and took the fish off to a nearby tree to eat it.
Shortly after when Red 6A was on the nest with green ring, another 2 birds joined the proceedings; the silver ringed male and an unringed bird. The latter was thought to be a male due to Red 6A's lack of response but could have been the previously unringed female. Talk about confusing!
Today there has been much nest building going on by Red 6A and green ring. However, although he keeps trying to mate with Red 6A, any attempt has been unsuccessful.
On Tuesday there was alot of to and fro'ing on the nest by Red 6A and the green-ringed male, with quite a few sticks brought in.
On Wednesday we finally got to see a fish being brought in by the green-ringed male. He was sitting eating it quite happily at the top of the nest when he dropped it. Red 6A, not one to miss an opportunity, nipped in and took the fish off to a nearby tree to eat it.
Shortly after when Red 6A was on the nest with green ring, another 2 birds joined the proceedings; the silver ringed male and an unringed bird. The latter was thought to be a male due to Red 6A's lack of response but could have been the previously unringed female. Talk about confusing!
Today there has been much nest building going on by Red 6A and green ring. However, although he keeps trying to mate with Red 6A, any attempt has been unsuccessful.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Nice to see you, to see you...
Well the nest was very quiet until midday when the unringed female appeared with the green ringed male and mating took place; more successfully than yesterday. The unringed female was food soliciting and the male kept flying off but was unsure as to what to do. So he returned with some moss and dried grass. Good boy!
Then at 2pm, the unringed female landed on the nest and was immediately chased off by another bird. A quick zoom revealed it was Red 6A! Welcome back our resident female, living up to her reputation of not standing for interlopers on her nest. :-)
Then at 2pm, the unringed female landed on the nest and was immediately chased off by another bird. A quick zoom revealed it was Red 6A! Welcome back our resident female, living up to her reputation of not standing for interlopers on her nest. :-)
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Well, hello....!
This morning started with an empty nest but was soon filled by a fourth bird; an unringed osprey, which we thought was a male due to its very light markings. In a tree behind was a green ringed bird which we thought was the same one as yesterdays, which looked female due to a very brown chest patch. Then lo and behold, green ring flew down to the nest and landed on top of the unringed bird! Obviously identification by chest patches alone is not to be relied upon. Lol!
The unringed female was very receptive to advances with submissive posturing but poor green ring seemed out of his depth and tried to mate with her head! Then he landed beside her on the nest and adopted the mating posture of retracted talons and flat legs, with us thinking "but you have to get on top of her first!" Subsequent mating attempts proved just as bad with him approaching the female sideways and this remained the status for the rest of the day. He tried many times but no successful mating attempts occurred.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.
The unringed female was very receptive to advances with submissive posturing but poor green ring seemed out of his depth and tried to mate with her head! Then he landed beside her on the nest and adopted the mating posture of retracted talons and flat legs, with us thinking "but you have to get on top of her first!" Subsequent mating attempts proved just as bad with him approaching the female sideways and this remained the status for the rest of the day. He tried many times but no successful mating attempts occurred.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.
Our ospreys are back!
While everyone else was reporting ospreys left right and centre, we were still waiting to see an osprey on live camera here at David Marshall Lodge.
Then on Saturday 4th amidst the pouring rain, an osprey landed on the top of the nest tree with a large trout. The trout was still alive and kept flapping, making it a difficult meal for the bird to keep hold off. After 5 minutes of pulling the fish up then it slipping back down, the fish had more or less given up the ghost and the osprey started to tuck in. On zooming the camera we noticed the bird didnt have its coloured Darvic ring but did have a silver leg ring. The male ate the head of the fish and while it was eating, another osprey landed in the actual nest. This was quickly chased off by a third bird which appeared to have a green ring, then it too took off.
Later in the afternoon, an osprey chased the male off his perch where he had sat for over an hour with the rest of the fish and landed on the nest. This time we got to see the ring which was yellow. We didnt get a good look at the letters but thought it looked like OU. This is the female that used to breed at the site prior to 2005 Since then she always turns up but is consistently chased off by Red 6A, our resident female. Is she yet to appear?
Then on Saturday 4th amidst the pouring rain, an osprey landed on the top of the nest tree with a large trout. The trout was still alive and kept flapping, making it a difficult meal for the bird to keep hold off. After 5 minutes of pulling the fish up then it slipping back down, the fish had more or less given up the ghost and the osprey started to tuck in. On zooming the camera we noticed the bird didnt have its coloured Darvic ring but did have a silver leg ring. The male ate the head of the fish and while it was eating, another osprey landed in the actual nest. This was quickly chased off by a third bird which appeared to have a green ring, then it too took off.
Later in the afternoon, an osprey chased the male off his perch where he had sat for over an hour with the rest of the fish and landed on the nest. This time we got to see the ring which was yellow. We didnt get a good look at the letters but thought it looked like OU. This is the female that used to breed at the site prior to 2005 Since then she always turns up but is consistently chased off by Red 6A, our resident female. Is she yet to appear?
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
2009 season approaches
Welcome back to the Aberfoyle ospreys blog. The 2009 season is almost here and we'll be keeping you up to date with what's going on throughout the season.
More details here shortly and at www.forestry.gov.uk/aberfoyleospreys.
More details here shortly and at www.forestry.gov.uk/aberfoyleospreys.
Friday, 12 September 2008
Recent sightings
The ospreys were still here on the 31st August (the adult male and 2 juveniles). The camera was then off all week and wasn't fixed till Friday 5th September. Nothing was seen the whole of last weekend. Then on Tues 9th September one of our volunteers spotted one of the birds. So we're not quite finished yet!
At David Marshall Lodge our live cameras are now pointed at the squirrel feeders - the squirrels are providing regular entertainment for visitors!
At David Marshall Lodge our live cameras are now pointed at the squirrel feeders - the squirrels are providing regular entertainment for visitors!
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