Osprey feeding in silted waters (1 Viewer)

We have a possible problem at a coastal Osprey migration site in Southern England (I won't be specific, here, about the location at present, due to potential action to stop the problem...) where significantly increased clam and oyster trawling seems to be increasing the turbidity of the seawater in local creeks and the harbour entrance.

Normally, at this time of year, we host up to 6 or 7 ospreys at a time, that will temporarily halt their southerly passage for a few days - or longer - and feed on plentiful fish stocks.

This year ospreys have been arriving as expected, but seem to have difficulty in catching fish and none have stayed for more than a few hours. We are guessing that they can't see their prey well enough in the unclear water.

Can anyone point me towards information on feeding disturbance of ospreys (and other birds or marine mammals come to that) in turbid / silted coastal water. Also welcome, would be papers etc on bottom trawling and its effect on the quality of sheltered coastal waters, marine life etc...)

I know I'm asking a lot here, but someone may know of a good source of information that will help us prepare a case to put to the fishermen and their licensing authorities.

Thanks, Nick

Surely contacting someone like Roy Dennis or Tim Appleton at Rutland Water will help.Especially as you are more than likely dealing with their birds .

markho said:

Surely contacting someone like Roy Dennis or Tim Appleton at Rutland Water will help.Especially as you are more than likely dealing with their birds .

Click to expand...

You are quite right, we're almost certainly talking about (at least some of) their birds. Actually, I've found some useful American evidence this afternoon on shellfish dredging affecting turbidity of estuarine waters and how that affects Osprey feeding through the food chain (they move on!), so it's been quite a productive afternoon.

Thanks for the names above: I'll make contact.