[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Folks,

Good news, the webcam is up and running at Loch of Lowes too, live and I have just seen an Osprey on the nest.

http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/swt.php

Now, all we have to do is wait for their partners to return.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

[Ben Nevis]

Well spotted "Osprey Godmother".According to reports,she has already mated with an unknown male but the regular male,may still be on his way north.

Have we read similar things about Ospreys before...?

The words EJ and Henry spring to mind..!

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ben and Everyone,

This lady is the oldest known Osprey in Scotland and they are hoping this year she will have laid her 50th egg. Full story at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...al/7321646.stm

I wonder if all female Ospreys can be fickle given the opportunity? their instinct is so strong to raise a family. Sorry don't know how else to put that without causing offence.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

[Ben Nevis]

Is it my PC,or are the photos of the bird not very clear ?

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Folks,

It is 10.20 am BST, in the UK in case you forgot to alter your clocks and the female is busily tucking into a large fish breakfast.

Osprey cams are great when you have a day's holiday, the one at Loch Garten is showing a picture taken of EJ yesterday so is obviously off line at the moment.

Bye for now.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Folks,

It is now 10.30 am and there are 2 Ospreys standing side by side on the nest. Sorry I have no pictures myself to check if it is last year's male that has returned but they are not fighting ,just standing there looking as if they are at home.



Ann
Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

I can't believe the old girl has made it again. I'm so chuffed. I'm actually feeling very emotional. :)

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Anne,

Like you, I felt emotional when I read the BBC news article as I haven't been watching Loch Lowes as long as some of the others and didn't know the Lady in question was the oldest Osprey here.

I saw a male mating with her today and hope it is her regular partner, as I don't know what he looks like plus they had their backs to the camera, so here's keeping my fingers crossed that another family is on the way.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Originally Posted by A CHAPLIN

Hi Anne,

Like you, I felt emotional when I read the BBC news article as I haven't been watching Loch Lowes as long as some of the others and didn't know the Lady in question was the oldest Osprey here.

I saw a male mating with her today and hope it is her regular partner, as I don't know what he looks like plus they had their backs to the camera, so here's keeping my fingers crossed that another family is on the way.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

Yes Ann she's old. I think they worked out she was 19/20 years old now. When I think of all the miles she's travelled it leaves me in awe. I know it sounds romantic but the way she feeds her chicks and cares for them puts a lot of humans to shame. Its amazing how something so sharp like her beak and claws can be so gentle at the same time. I think I must be menopausel LOL.

Its been reported that it isn't her normal male but this happened last year too. He arrived after she had mated with an upstart.

Here's hoping for egg no. 50 and 3 healthy chicks.


Ann
The Other Mother

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ann,

It is unbelievable the miles she will have flown over the years to and fro on migration, I hardly walk anywhere, I use buses.

I hate it when people refer to those of us who don't behave well as animals, it is a slur on the animals and birds they behave a lot better and as you said are often better mothers and more loving families as well. Sorry don't know how else to put that but seeing the news every night makes me shudder there is so much mindless violence.

I think the live camera at Lowes is fantastic I have had clear pictures all weekend unlike Loch Garten, at one point the swaying of the trees made me feel a bit seasick and the female was tearing off the spray tip of a branch next to her, nest material no doubt and trimming the foliage to make herself more comfortable.

It is great to meet another (romantic) mother called Ann without the e, sorry I spelt yours wrong earlier, most people get mine wrong as well and I have known them for years.

Ann
Osprey Godmother

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ann,

The lady may be old but she has still got a good pair of lungs on her. I have lost my direct link but found another and left the speaker on whilst I went outside, she is sitting on the nest screaming her head off as if she is demanding to be fed.

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Hope no one minds.

This is the diary entry for LoL.

1 April 2008
Good morning everyone and welcome to the first Osprey Diary of the year! Loch of the Lowes is buzzing with excitement due to the arrival of two very special guests, and we have been glued to our new High Definition screen.
No doubt you will have guessed that our ospreys are now back in residence, and again it comes with its share of soap-opera antics!
Our female arrived at around 2pm on the 30 March, only she wasn’t alone: a yellow-ringed male was in tow. Those of you who remember last year's shenanigans will no doubt smile at what could only be described as a “little bit of just dessert” as the old girl proceeded to mate with this new male. Revenge is sweet? Perhaps…
Her usual mate arrived the next morning at around 9.30 am and quickly saw off his yellow-ringed rival. With no hard feelings, the home improvements began as the nest had been somewhat damaged by the rather stormy winter.
Once the home was up to scratch, the ospreys began mating… nearly ten times in the day with breaks for feeding and bringing back nest material.
With this in mind, we eagerly await the eggs. Keep watching the webcam and popping in!




So the old pair are together. FANTASTIC!!!!!


Ann

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ann,

I hoped you would put the diary entry up as I feel they are your birds, you have known them much longer than I have.

If you have a direct link to the webcam could you post it please as mine has gone, all I get now is a message saying the page no longer exists. Thank you it will be very much appreciated.

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Hi Ann.

Try this link. If it doesn't work I'll post another one you can try. Its in the middle on the top row.

Ann

http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorpora...om/swt/swt.php

[Selsey Birder]

It works perfectly, thank you very much

[Cosworthlady]

Theres an awful lot of noise coming from the nest!!! She likes to be heard LOL.

This is the latest excerpt from the warden of LoL

4 April 2008
Yesterday came with a bit of drama as another osprey flew into our pair’s airspace just after 10am. The intruder was swiftly seen on its way by our male and life returned to normal.
However… last night the male flew off for a considerably long time, prompting the female to catch her own fish. First thing this morning we checked the cameras to find the female looking rather anxious and peeping away… what had happened to our male? Was he OK? Was he even still alive...?
He was! He arrived back not much later, and may have in fact been there all night; and we just missed him.

[Cosworthlady]

They are both like book ends on the nest just now. One of them is peep peep peeping and its being answered away in the distance. Another osprey perhaps still hanging around?

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ann,

Just checked the nest and thank goodness the worst of the snow missed your area, I was worried about her when I saw EJ and snow. The lady was tucked up fast asleep at 1.00 am and is fine this morning. I noticed she was arranging a lot of soft grass yesterday and staying off it, must be for the eggs, whoopee more Ospreys, I wish her well.

Ha ha typical female she was shouting at the male yesterday when he was next to her, taking no notice as males do.

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Originally Posted by A CHAPLIN

Hi Ann,

Just checked the nest and thank goodness the worst of the snow missed your area, I was worried about her when I saw EJ and snow. The lady was tucked up fast asleep at 1.00 am and is fine this morning. I noticed she was arranging a lot of soft grass yesterday and staying off it, must be for the eggs, whoopee more Ospreys, I wish her well.

Ha ha typical female she was shouting at the male yesterday when he was next to her, taking no notice as males do.

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

I seen poor EJ in her snow filled nest yesterday. She looked Brrrrrrr.

This is the latest info from SWT

7 April 2008
Life has been relatively steady over the past few days. Apart from an intruder, again, flying over the nest on Saturday the pair have had a fairly quiet weekend.
Even though the temperature has plummeted (and we had snow in Angus!) this hasn’t stopped the male from managing to bring fish to the nest.
And given the amount of mating, hopefully we’ll have a great wee family!






If anybody else wants to add the wardens diary please do so.

Ann

[Mad_BMS]

Welcome back birds and the 'Loch of the Lowes' regulars just tried tonight and found webcam live. Obviously not been keeping up to date here! I am really looking forward to watching this year again with as many trips up there as I can manage.

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Tom,

The live web cam is great, I love the sound it is like having an Osprey here with me, I watched it tonight until it was too dark to see. I just wish I could identify all the other birds sounds I hear as well. I have bird CD's but however often I play them I cannot recognise or remember them.

Enjoy your visits up there and I look forward to seeing your photos.

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Hey Ann.

The webcam is one of the best live ones I have ever seen. Its brilliant that they actually follow the osprey if it moves off camera. The sound is awesome too. I can recognise a few other bird calls but the rest defeat me LOL. Isn't she making a brilliant job with that nest. She's got it looking really comfy. Fingers crossed for healthy eggs, perhaps even her 50th. I've got my eyes peeled.

Ann

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Ann,

The webcam is awesome. This morning I had just clicked on and found myself soaring over the loch it was a bit scary, I thought my PC mouse was being operated by a ghost as I was nowhere near it, it wasn't fully daylight here but there they both were side by side. The lady is a lot better at her housekeeping than I am that's for sure, that nest looks cosier every time I look.

I wonder how long it will be before she lays her first egg? I noticed the Glasyn female (lot younger of course) laid her first yesterday but the nests at Loch Garten and Bassenthwaite have no adult Ospreys yet, I think EJ has moved out of the snow or gone looking for Henry I hope?

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Originally Posted by A CHAPLIN

Hi Ann,

The webcam is awesome. This morning I had just clicked on and found myself soaring over the loch it was a bit scary, I thought my PC mouse was being operated by a ghost as I was nowhere near it, it wasn't fully daylight here but there they both were side by side. The lady is a lot better at her housekeeping than I am that's for sure, that nest looks cosier every time I look.

I wonder how long it will be before she lays her first egg? I noticed the Glasyn female (lot younger of course) laid her first yesterday but the nests at Loch Garten and Bassenthwaite have no adult Ospreys yet, I think EJ has moved out of the snow or gone looking for Henry I hope?

Ann
The Osprey Godmother

I hope that EJ returns soon. Its just so sad if no chicks are to come from there this year too. The site of the empty nest is upsetting.

Ann
The Other Godmother

[Cosworthlady]

Hey Ann

Just checked the website and she laid her first egg on Friday the 13th last year and the last one on the 19th April.

Ann
The other Godmother