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Loch of the Lowes Ospreys 2009 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Cosworthlady
- Start date
Mad_BMS - our paths must surely have crossed unwittingly - I rarely post on here as I haven't got used to it yet (am on the Loch Garten Facebook community regularly). Anyway, myself and my wife, together with our (noisy!) wee boys (aged 3 and 4) were in the hides for a short spell both in the morning and afternoon of 25th July! We saw the heron coming swooping in around 4:30pm or so. It took ages to spot the 2nd juvenile who was hiding in the tree directly opposite the hide. Then lo and behold spotted Marge. If you DID by chance have the misfortune of being disturbed by my two sons, I humbly apologise (couldn't have missed the youngest one - pair of red wellies on!!).
Hi BigRab and welcome to BirdForum. Nice to see another local on here.
A thread you may be interested in visiting on occasion is Tayforth Birding and we'd be really pleased to hear what you've seen when out and about.
Keep an eye on the Scottish Bash Discussion thread We usually have a few each year and they are all great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us if you can manage.
D
A thread you may be interested in visiting on occasion is Tayforth Birding and we'd be really pleased to hear what you've seen when out and about.
Keep an eye on the Scottish Bash Discussion thread We usually have a few each year and they are all great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us if you can manage.
D
Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Hi BigRab
I was gone by 4:30 but were you in the newest large hide around 15:00? I rember a family with a rather loud youngster
. Think I said 'now I know who is calling'. I have no problem with kids though as I am accused of brain washing my 4 year old grandson but they only need a little encouragement to love the natural world, their own curiosity does the rest. Enjoy the forum as I have now for a number of years.
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
Latest from the Loch side diary.
27 July 2009 Listen to the latest osprey diary
Our wee osprey family are doing brilliantly here at the Loch of the Lowes. The chicks are spending most of their time off the nest and flying around building up their wing muscles for their long trek to Africa whilst the father is actively fishing and making sure they are well fed. The mother will soon make her return trip back to Africa in around three weeks time now that both chicks have fledged and then the chicks will follow at the end of August along with the father.
The chicks have been spotted playing in the water, practicing their diving and figuring out how to take off from the loch. In the past chicks have also been seen coming out of the water with sticks as they practice their hunting technique. It is unusual for osprey chicks to start catching prey for themselves at this stage as they normally begin after they leave for their wintering grounds so they are still totally reliant upon the father to be fed.
We have a great number of birds visiting our feeders and we have as yet not had any reoccurrence of the parasite which is brilliant. If you were having lunch in the hides on Wednesday you would have also had the luck of spotting a pair of otters swimming by which is a brilliant sight when you are relaxing beside our peaceful loch.
27 July 2009 Listen to the latest osprey diary
Our wee osprey family are doing brilliantly here at the Loch of the Lowes. The chicks are spending most of their time off the nest and flying around building up their wing muscles for their long trek to Africa whilst the father is actively fishing and making sure they are well fed. The mother will soon make her return trip back to Africa in around three weeks time now that both chicks have fledged and then the chicks will follow at the end of August along with the father.
The chicks have been spotted playing in the water, practicing their diving and figuring out how to take off from the loch. In the past chicks have also been seen coming out of the water with sticks as they practice their hunting technique. It is unusual for osprey chicks to start catching prey for themselves at this stage as they normally begin after they leave for their wintering grounds so they are still totally reliant upon the father to be fed.
We have a great number of birds visiting our feeders and we have as yet not had any reoccurrence of the parasite which is brilliant. If you were having lunch in the hides on Wednesday you would have also had the luck of spotting a pair of otters swimming by which is a brilliant sight when you are relaxing beside our peaceful loch.
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
Hello Big Rab.
Its always great to get another poster on the LotL forum.
As for the children making a noise at the Loch i have only one thing to say - LOL.
Your 3 and 4 year olds are the next generation who we have to rely on to keep these wonderful birds coming to our country. get them interested when they are young and they'lll love wildlife all their lives. i had 3 babies in 3 years so know the noise that little ones can make but its a lovely sound.
. Good on you for taking them there.
Elanor
Well-known member
Hi...o
It is so lovely see how this two are growing up, Oor and Wee..the are on the nest just now...
In diary is so: the chicks will follow at the end of August along with the father
In Finland the chicks are still learning fishing after the fathers are gon. Then before the cold period starts they leave. So different they are, or are they really
) This litle tit, great tit, what is the Latin name of it? I have seen it, heard it, but no not know its name)
It is so lovely see how this two are growing up, Oor and Wee..the are on the nest just now...
In diary is so: the chicks will follow at the end of August along with the father
In Finland the chicks are still learning fishing after the fathers are gon. Then before the cold period starts they leave. So different they are, or are they really
) This litle tit, great tit, what is the Latin name of it? I have seen it, heard it, but no not know its name)
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Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Hi...
this litle tit, great tit, what is the Latin name of it? I have seen it, heard it, but no not know its name
Hi Elanor
'Parus major' is the latin name you are looking for for the Great tit, one day on the camera just after they fledged, there was a little bird clearing up on the nest possibly the great tit that we have heard chewing the microphone for nesting material but it was hard to tell.
Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Hi...o
In diary is so: the chicks will follow at the end of August along with the father
Elanor
I must admit I thought the father went first and they followed on in their own time after him but independently of him. I am sure someone here will confirm.
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
I agree with you Tom. Mum goes first, dad a couple of weeks later and then the chicks have to go ss there is no one around to feed them any more.
Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Hi all
Sorry Ann took this quote from recent diary -
"After saying in the previous post that it is very rare for juveniles to hunt at this stage and before they leave for Africa, one of our juveniles did the unthinkable and was spotted catching a fish on Sunday."
All I can say is why not the Sunday I was there Aagh. Photographic evidence as well. Never seen a catch yet but live in hope. Sounds like an active week no mention Marge so I take it she is still around?
Sorry Ann took this quote from recent diary -
"After saying in the previous post that it is very rare for juveniles to hunt at this stage and before they leave for Africa, one of our juveniles did the unthinkable and was spotted catching a fish on Sunday."
All I can say is why not the Sunday I was there Aagh. Photographic evidence as well. Never seen a catch yet but live in hope. Sounds like an active week no mention Marge so I take it she is still around?
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
To my favourite Mother Bird of all time ... GOOD LUCK sweetheart. Please be safe and come back next year. You've had an amazing year and your chicks are big and strong just like Mum and Dad. Sad to see you've left but bon voyage. Roll on March 2010. I'll be here and I hope you are too.
10 August 2009 Listen to the latest osprey diary
It appears that the mother osprey has finally returned back to equatorial West Africa. We believe that she left last Wednesday (5 August) as she has not been seen by any member of staff here at the centre since then. This is normal for the mother to leave around three weeks after the chicks fledge as she is no longer required to feed or protect the young.
Some viewers have requested an easy way of identifying which juvenile is on the nest. We have come to distinguish them from their size and the markings on their head. The youngest chick appears to be the largest and the brown markings on its head are a lot more splayed than the older chick whose brown patch is more of a barred shaped. The youngest chick also spends the most time on the nest and makes the most noise which, combined with the size, suggests that it is likely to be a female but it is hard to be certain.
Now that it has been over three weeks since the chicks fledged they will be getting alot more adventurous when they fly, using thermals and soaring through the sky. In another two to three weeks, when they reach about 11 or 12 weeks old, they too will also be ready to migrate to Africa for their first experience of seeing and living in their wintering grounds. This is usually done during a period of good weather and can take about a month to get there. It is a very risky trip for juveniles as this is when the highest mortality of fledglings occurs as they are at risk of flying off course and finding themselves out in the sea. Because the oldest chick is now hunting for itself, it relies less heavily on dad and will probably leave a lot sooner than the youngest chick.
As well as deer and the wide variety of birds seen on the reserve we have also had the opportunity to see the otters swimming on the loch at around 4 pm on last Friday. It is always lovely watching them swim past the hides within a few feet of our budding wildlife watchers. The kingfishers are also starting to make an appearance on the loch now that the breeding season has past so there is always plenty to see here.
10 August 2009 Listen to the latest osprey diary
It appears that the mother osprey has finally returned back to equatorial West Africa. We believe that she left last Wednesday (5 August) as she has not been seen by any member of staff here at the centre since then. This is normal for the mother to leave around three weeks after the chicks fledge as she is no longer required to feed or protect the young.
Some viewers have requested an easy way of identifying which juvenile is on the nest. We have come to distinguish them from their size and the markings on their head. The youngest chick appears to be the largest and the brown markings on its head are a lot more splayed than the older chick whose brown patch is more of a barred shaped. The youngest chick also spends the most time on the nest and makes the most noise which, combined with the size, suggests that it is likely to be a female but it is hard to be certain.
Now that it has been over three weeks since the chicks fledged they will be getting alot more adventurous when they fly, using thermals and soaring through the sky. In another two to three weeks, when they reach about 11 or 12 weeks old, they too will also be ready to migrate to Africa for their first experience of seeing and living in their wintering grounds. This is usually done during a period of good weather and can take about a month to get there. It is a very risky trip for juveniles as this is when the highest mortality of fledglings occurs as they are at risk of flying off course and finding themselves out in the sea. Because the oldest chick is now hunting for itself, it relies less heavily on dad and will probably leave a lot sooner than the youngest chick.
As well as deer and the wide variety of birds seen on the reserve we have also had the opportunity to see the otters swimming on the loch at around 4 pm on last Friday. It is always lovely watching them swim past the hides within a few feet of our budding wildlife watchers. The kingfishers are also starting to make an appearance on the loch now that the breeding season has past so there is always plenty to see here.
Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Agree Ann she is an amazing parent and hope we see yet another successful brood next year. Meanwhile will still try and catch fleeting glimpses of the chicks and maybe one more trip up before Dad then chicks go :t:
Elf
Well-known member
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Week-end at Loch of the Lowes
We have just returned from a long week-end at Loch of the Lowes. We stay very near the Visitor Centre, and called in twice a day!
Yes, we saw all three ospreys on Friday evening - one on the nest, one perched in the silver birch opposite, and one in what I call the skeleton tree to the left of the birch.
We also saw the woodpeckers, the red squirrel and at our B&B we had a Buzzard early one morning! I took a shot of a swan - can you see the droplets of water?
The Staff and Volunteers are always helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
On our way back to Northumberland, we called in to see the Glentross Ospreys, not live but from the webcam.............only they were away from the nest, so we enjoyed a chat with a very knowledgeable Volunteer, who has made some superb black silhouettes of birds of prey, and also with Emma, who writes the daily Blog from there.
We also called in to see the Red Kites at Argaty, near Doune, but they had recently been fed, so were not much in evidence.
We have just returned from a long week-end at Loch of the Lowes. We stay very near the Visitor Centre, and called in twice a day!
Yes, we saw all three ospreys on Friday evening - one on the nest, one perched in the silver birch opposite, and one in what I call the skeleton tree to the left of the birch.
We also saw the woodpeckers, the red squirrel and at our B&B we had a Buzzard early one morning! I took a shot of a swan - can you see the droplets of water?
The Staff and Volunteers are always helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
On our way back to Northumberland, we called in to see the Glentross Ospreys, not live but from the webcam.............only they were away from the nest, so we enjoyed a chat with a very knowledgeable Volunteer, who has made some superb black silhouettes of birds of prey, and also with Emma, who writes the daily Blog from there.
We also called in to see the Red Kites at Argaty, near Doune, but they had recently been fed, so were not much in evidence.
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Mad_BMS
Well-known member
Nice pictures June sounds like you had a good time. Never stayed up there being only 1.5 hrs away but have heard others mention B&B near the visitor centre being a good place to stay. There is another good farm on the Galloway trail for Red Kites you could try next time you are up this neck of the woods. Name escapes me just now but you are probably aware of it :t:
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
Thats dad and chicks gone now too. Looking forward to seeing Homeric back in his rightful place next year. Hope the chicks do well and that tyhey have a very full and long life. Be Safe.
SEE EVERYONE BACK HERE NEXT MARCH!!!
14 August 2009
We have not seen the osprey chicks or the father since yesterday morning which is leading us to believe that they may have left for their wintering grounds in equatorial West Africa. It will take them about a month to get to their wintering grounds and it will be a very dangerous journey for the juveniles who have a higher mortality rate during their first migration.
Even though our ospreys may have left I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about a story I was given about an osprey and a great crested grebe at Blatherwycke Lake in Northamptonshire. The osprey visited the lake in early August to hunt, but this day took an unexpected twist. The osprey dived into the water for a fish and came out with non other than a great crested grebe. Understandably the grebe was not amused by its attack from the osprey and was squawking and flapping about desperate to get away, mottling several of its feathers in the process. The osprey quickly released the grebe which dived back under water in a desperate attempt to get away and the osprey went back to hunting for fish completely unperturbed by its catch. Whether the osprey mistook the submerged great crested grebe for a fish due to its streamlined body we will never know but I am sure the grebe will always be wary from now on when its dives under water when an osprey is overhead!
SEE EVERYONE BACK HERE NEXT MARCH!!!
14 August 2009
We have not seen the osprey chicks or the father since yesterday morning which is leading us to believe that they may have left for their wintering grounds in equatorial West Africa. It will take them about a month to get to their wintering grounds and it will be a very dangerous journey for the juveniles who have a higher mortality rate during their first migration.
Even though our ospreys may have left I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about a story I was given about an osprey and a great crested grebe at Blatherwycke Lake in Northamptonshire. The osprey visited the lake in early August to hunt, but this day took an unexpected twist. The osprey dived into the water for a fish and came out with non other than a great crested grebe. Understandably the grebe was not amused by its attack from the osprey and was squawking and flapping about desperate to get away, mottling several of its feathers in the process. The osprey quickly released the grebe which dived back under water in a desperate attempt to get away and the osprey went back to hunting for fish completely unperturbed by its catch. Whether the osprey mistook the submerged great crested grebe for a fish due to its streamlined body we will never know but I am sure the grebe will always be wary from now on when its dives under water when an osprey is overhead!
Cosworthlady
Well-known member
Beautiful pictures June. Sounds like you had a great time. Hope you come back up for next years Osprey season.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Bye for this year
We had a super time, and now I'm logging on to follow the migrations of the various ospreys. One flew over the Derwent Reservoir, not far from us!
Here is a pic of a darling swallow nest in the recess of the bungalow where we stay. It was a family of four littl'uns and whilst we were having breakfast, we could watch them making sorties, flying around the beautiful garden, and then swooping back to the nest - wonderful!!
I have Roy Dennis's book and the Migration Atlas, so we shall be keeping track through the winter. Let's hope that all our ospreys flying from the UK are kept safe, and that all, or most, return in their allotted time.
Thank you Ann, for your postings - always a pleasure to read!
We had a super time, and now I'm logging on to follow the migrations of the various ospreys. One flew over the Derwent Reservoir, not far from us!
Here is a pic of a darling swallow nest in the recess of the bungalow where we stay. It was a family of four littl'uns and whilst we were having breakfast, we could watch them making sorties, flying around the beautiful garden, and then swooping back to the nest - wonderful!!
I have Roy Dennis's book and the Migration Atlas, so we shall be keeping track through the winter. Let's hope that all our ospreys flying from the UK are kept safe, and that all, or most, return in their allotted time.
Thank you Ann, for your postings - always a pleasure to read!
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