Ospreys

 

Ospreys (Pandion Haliaetus)

All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ospreys migrate to UK from West Africa in late March and April in order to breed. These fish-eating birds, sometimes called sea hawks or river hawks, were hunted to extinction in the 1880s and also disappeared across much of Europe. Egg-collecting and taxidermy were the main contributors to their decline.

In the 1950s ospreys flying to Scandinavia began to arrive in Scotland, though it is not clear why. The first confirmed breeding was in 1954, the last having been 38 years earlier in 1916.

The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has been involved from the beginning in protecting nest sites and educating the public.

Slowly numbers have increased and from the start of the 21^st century ospreys have spread south and now breed in England and Wales. There are now thought to be 300 breeding pairs in the British Isles. The young birds are tagged and some have radio transmitters fitted so that they can be tracked on their journeys.

Ospreys carry the fish catch in one foot

For a few years now I have been watching osprey webcams, in Rutland, Poole, Loch Arkaig and Loch of the Lowes. I find the most informative one to be at Loch Arkaig, where there are two artificial nest platforms monitored day and night. There is a thriving community of dedicated osprey watchers at this site, adding their daily observations and often giving news of activity at other webcams. 

Loch of the Lowes has a viewing site from which visitors can see the birds.

The Rutland Water site already has two eggs in the nest, and the Poole Harbour nest has three eggs. Meanwhile, Loch Arkaig’s male awaits the return of his mate, while at Loch of the Lowes both male and female arrived on the same day.

Breeding pair on the nest. The female is larger than the male.

Watching the nests can be a nail-biting experience, for not every nest is successful and even in those that are, there is sibling rivalry and often death.