Carol said

27 August 2008 12:03

Judging by the movement of the trees on the feeder webcam at the moment, it must be very windy at Loch Garten. It is making me feel quite seasick to watch. I suspect that both Nethy and Deshar have found easy fishing so are stocking up and honing fishing skills before they fly further south. (just for David Coventry 2-3 Newcastle (After Extra Time) and should have been easier, Middlesbrough 5-1 Yeovil walk over!)

quietwoman said

27 August 2008 12:21

Thank you, David. I am going to miss your comforting reports along with Claire and Kealey's. Just to say very many thanks to you all for everything you have done. Read our ignorant blogs and answered questions that sometimes, to you, must have seemed quite basic knowledge, put up with all our pleading for information and remained calm, good tempered and humourous through out. For me it has been a rather special summer being able to follow my favourite, EJ, so closely through her arriving, mating, laying and hatching, feeding and protecting her precious offspring. You will be packing up soon so fond farewells and may your God go with you. P.S. If EJ makes it back to Loch Garten next year I should love to see her with a new younger mate which, I believe ,you were all hoping for this year.

BarbaraAnne said

27 August 2008 13:42

Hi David and the gang, Thanks for the update. I am waiting in anticipation for Deshar to drum up the courage to launch out over the channel. I am mentally ( and I mean that literally :-) ) willing him to just follow one of the big channel ferries so he won't get lost, again !!! Have just read our local paper The Strathy which has a nice write up on the Ospreys departure ( how very famous they are ) and laughed as the editorial comment in the front said 'The more glamerous half of our readers will not be surprised to learn that it was the male bird who failed his first navigation test putting paid to men's long held myth that women can't map read !' I am loving editor Gavin Musgroves sense of humour....

Sally-A said

27 August 2008 13:46

Thanks David for keeping OUR feet on the ground!

Sixy said

27 August 2008 13:47

Quietwoman, you have said it all. We will miss you David, Claire and Keeley. Thanks for all your updates. Not sure what we will do without you unless you join the general blog! Ple-e-ase!

Heather27 said

27 August 2008 14:09

I cant think of anything to add to what has already been said but i'll add it anyway!

Bengee said

27 August 2008 14:40

Hi everyone,  We have been watching the ospreys since EJ returned back in April although we have not joined in the blog before.   We live in Fairford. We have been out every day since we heard Nethy was around here. Burnie came with us on Monday but unfortunately we chose the wrong spot.  Finally this morning WE SAW HER!!!   She was quite a distance away but my binoculars picked her up beautifully. Unfortunately  it was dark and drissly and the pictures we took were from a distance do not do her justice and I was a little dissapointed to say the least with the pictures when I got back home and down loaded them on to the computer but feel very privilidged that we have had the chance to see her. I have to say that Nethy couldn't have picked a better place to take a break as the river is well stocked with trout. There are waterfalls and water pools that are deep in places and fish are jumping all around. She was sitting on a branch of a dead tree overlooking the river when we spotted her.  We have already been down twice today and we are just going down to see if we can get some more shots of her work has been cancelled untill further notice!! I will give you an update this evening but until then we will send the photos anyway.

Tiger said

27 August 2008 15:31

Quietwoman what this about EJ and a younger mate? I was hoping that Henry would come back early this year. Sadly Henry is probably no more.

Bengee that is fantastic news. I look forward to seeing your pictures.

Matty said

27 August 2008 15:37

How lucky you are, Bengee, to have seen Nethy. It's great to have someone give us a visual confirmation - now we all know she is safe. I bet you'll hardly be able to tear yourself away from the spot from where you can see her. You can let us know when she decides to resume her journey. Thanks for letting us all know. Looking forward to seeing the photos.

Valerie said

27 August 2008 15:38

Oh Bengee you lucky person , how excited you sounded in your blog , is there anyway that the photos can end up on this site so we can see her , I am hoping she might head a bit further south so I can go and find her so just waiting now to hear where she goes next . So many had said she probably passed over their houses but how lucky can you get to see her , even I am excited !!!

Sixy said

27 August 2008 15:39

Bengee, thank you so much for taking the time to update us.  It is amazing that someone from the blog has spotted her.  How lucky is that?!  Send her my love (I've forgiven her now!).  I will await your next blog and the photos and I hope you get some clearer ones later.  Fingers crossed!

Barbara Anne.  Deshar wasn't lost, he was PRACTISING!!

M M G. said

27 August 2008 15:48

Bengee that was great I am so pleased you seen her and great for us who write on the blog to know she is safe and well and being Nethy in a place where fish are in abundance.

I hope you manage to get better photos when you go again, keep writing and let us all know the latest thanks. David and L G team I bet you are pleased with that piece of news.

Wild Freckle said

27 August 2008 16:05

Wow - Bengee - how lucky to see Nethy - must have been a fantastic feeling and so reassuring.  These birds have the weight of so many well wishers on their wings - if only they knew how much everyone was rooting for them!  great stuff - cant wait to see the photos - how/where can we view them?

Burnie said

27 August 2008 16:39

Photo's look good, but just silhouettes, so hopefully we'll get better ones when we go over later. Weather is much brighter here now. Oh I hope she's still there!!!!!!!!!!

Patricia Thomson said

27 August 2008 17:01

Bengee.  You lucky thing!  Way out west of the Irish Sea I have no chance of seeing any of them (though I saw both Nethy and Deshar in the nest when I was at LG earlier.  Hope we can see your photos.  Keep watching.

Sixy said

27 August 2008 17:01

Tiger, every female should be entitled to a younger mate!!

Carol said

27 August 2008 17:18

All housework has stopped in my household and the reason once again is ospreys. This lunchtime a package dropped through my door and I haven't done anything since. It was my copy of Roy Dennis's book! I have found  answers to questions and lots of the statistics I was wondering about and next year I shall sit with it beside the computer when the ospreys return.

Thank you to all on the team at Loch Garten and also the other 'techies' who have provided us with the wonderful live streaming from the nest. EJ and OVS raised two beautiful babies despite a poor summer with rain and high winds and concerns over poor parenting. All four birds are a credit to those who watch over them and work hard to protect these wonderful creatures. Well done to everyone!

hazelwoods said

27 August 2008 17:23

After OVS's successes of this year, I think EJ deserves to have a Toy Boy next year. Every woman should have a Toy Boy to keep her young :)

louie said

27 August 2008 17:55

Wow - who would have thought one of us would be priviledged enough to actually see one of our two in the feather!! I would be uncontrollable with excitement!! Its awe inspiring to see their locations in such detail now that I'm au fait with Google Earth, it's almost like seeing them but again so different. Looks like we're going to be with them for a long time yet. LG team a question Is it correct that they won't come back until they are ready to breed. Or do they have any practice flights maybe the year before? I was just thinking that they may be spotted as intruders or are all intruders ready to breed? If Nethy doesn't comes back in 3 years she may be fighting off EJ for the nest site!!

Sally-A said

27 August 2008 18:40

Sixy, Here!Here!

Tiger said

27 August 2008 19:11

Sixy, Henry was younger than EJ!

troutfisher said

27 August 2008 20:05

Found a couple of nice video's of Loch Garten from Weirs Way in 1983. You'll find them on http://video.stv.tv/bc/search/osprey. Roy Dennis is interviewed.

Valerie said

27 August 2008 20:35

Sixy I dream !!! Bengee come on we are on the edge of our seats now please dont keep us in suspense , if she is still there I might set off tomorrow and see her myself .

Sandra said

27 August 2008 21:53

How lucky you are for seeing her. How I wish that I could of seen her pass over where we live.

Sally-A said

27 August 2008 22:28

Oops! Correction from earlier - Hear!Hear!

Heather K said

28 August 2008 00:19

Thank you, Troutfisher, for the link to those two wonderful Weir's Way videos.  The scenery at Loch Garten really is spectacular and the photography was wonderful.  The osprey bringing the stick to the nest reminded me of OVS' seeming obsession with sticks! Tidying, etc. LOL Also brought back lovely personal memories with Tom's accent as my grandparents were from Edinburgh (they often spoke Gaelic)!  Godspeed to the LG team - what a marvellous place in which to spend the Spring and Summer:  I echo Sixy - would love to see them join the blog.  Lucky Bengee to see Nethy - trust her to find the best fishing spot in the area:  look forward to pics.

Susan Warne said

28 August 2008 00:24

WOW Bengee, thanks for the info Nethy is beautifull, she looked fantastic when I saw her at LG, Deshar is even more handsome.  Wish I knew where they were going then I would do a Shirley Valentine & join them for the winter!!

Sandra said

28 August 2008 08:44

Deshar is typical of any man he needs his Sat Nav not a map.

louie said

28 August 2008 08:45

Sorry all I've not really lost it - I meant to say"if Nethy DOES come back"  Now it's Thursday am and they appear to be having another good rest!! At this rate they wont get to W Africa til Christmas.

Tiger said

28 August 2008 09:15

Deshar does not like flying over water much. I notice that he went out over the sea a second time and then came back to land. Wonder if he will seek the shortest trip over the channel?

Bengee said

28 August 2008 09:26

Hi everybody Sorry for keeping you all in suspense. Spent all of yesterday afternoon walking the area where we first saw her but unable to spot her again. We then continued our search yesterday evening Burnie joined us on the hope of catching a glimpse but we only managed to see Buzards and Herons. I have just come back from another early morning trip to the area also to no avail. We are wondering if perhaps she as moved on. We will keep looking as long as she is in the area and hope that more bloggers will get to experience the same as we have. We feel extremely privaliged, and of course we'll let you know if there is any more news. we never got another chance to take any more photos which would have been the icing on the cake, but have sent the ones we took which are very dark to the L.G.team so if there is a way of letting other peple see them and the team think there good enough then thats fine by us. I must say what has aready been said that without the very hard work of the L.G. Team and modern tecnology Nethy would have passed through and we would have never of known. Big Big Thankyou.

quietwoman said

28 August 2008 09:37

Like you, Carol, I have had my nose in Roy Dennis' book. Fascinating! The first thing that struck me after a quick browse was that the Osprey seem to be arriving and departing earlier!

Henry was younger than EJ and I was very sad when he didn't return this year. He was a much better provider. Of the three birds VS is the oldest.

What good news from Bengee. My daughter was hoping to see Nethy as she lives not far from Fairford and feels sure Nethy must have flown over the farm. I shall pass the news on just in case she hasn't read the blog. Hope you get some good pics. By the way, why is it that v. old men can have wives half their age but if a woman has a man with a similar age difference she is a 'cradle snatcher', or he is a 'toy-boy'?

quietwoman said

28 August 2008 09:39

Aha! Who was that filling up the feeders?

Sixy said

28 August 2008 09:59

Tiger, yes of course he is. Unfortunately I never knew Henry but I can see your a big fan, I can tell you have missed him this year along with lots of others. I hope he does turn up next year (I don't like to think that he has died) but he will have to stop dawdling and get there before OVS! I don't like the thought of all this egg-kicking he used to do! Maybe he has just had a rest this year. Who knows?

Tiger said

28 August 2008 10:40

Oh Sixy, Henry was the most famous osprey in the world. Last year he featured on the national news of the UK, Germany and Canada. He was also much revered on a Long Island osprey site (Dennis Puleston).

Mind you Ollie, Henry's predecessor was much revered too especially when in 1993 he raised the chicks as a single father after the mother disappeared. Ollie once brought 14 fish to the nest in one day.

Troutfisher thanks for those wonderful videos. Roy Dennis looks so much younger than he does today.

I notice that Roy in his new book develops his theory that ospreys were never really extinct in Scotland. I first here this in a BBC radio programme called the "Bird Boys" which was aired in 2004. It is available online.

Sixy said

28 August 2008 11:58

Well Tiger, let's hope we see Henry again next year and I can get to know him myself. The 'love' triangle is certainly well documented and their story makes watching even more interesting. I had heard about Ollie. That was incredible! Has that been known before? And 14 fish! What happened to him and how old was he when he disappeared/died?

Joan B said

28 August 2008 12:30

Sixy - Henry was a beautiful bird and an excellent provider but he had a very jealous streak where EJ was concerned.   He considered her his and his only and anyone else who mated with her was definitely fair game, so to speak.   We saw him at LG one year doing very spectacular aerial displays.  It was something to behold, but sadly it appears he may have perished as I'm sure he would have been back this year if he possibly could (he did come back one year very late and seemed to be covered in some substance which the LG team thought might have been oil from a ship).  Anyway enough of nostalga - EJ definitely deserves a toy boy for next year and one that will provide adequately for her and any chicks.

Bengee it must have been wonderful to see one of our babes and it's so disappointing when ones pictures come out less than perfect.  Hopefully the LG team will be able to do something so we can share the joy you must have experienced.

Many thanks must go to the LG team for their excellent work this year not only with the updates but also the live webcam - it certainly brought it all to life for so many of us and we'll miss you immensely when you close, which must be fairly soon now.  Hope you all have a wonderful winter break and thanks again for all your good work.

Sixy said

28 August 2008 12:42

Will, I was just reading back over the blogs and loved your name for EJ: Flower of Scotland.  I love that song, it reminds me of when I was teaching English in Spain and my fellow teachers, all from Scotland (strangely enough), used to sit on the veranda at night and teach the children to sing it, they loved it.  The air used to be full of the refrain from dawn til dusk!

BarbaraAnne said

28 August 2008 13:06

Oh Dear Dear me.....more sad stories from Mull...

http://blogs.rspb.org.uk/mulleagles/archive/2008/08/28/Highs-and-lows.aspx

Sally-A said

28 August 2008 13:10

Tiger, regarding Henry, do you know if there have been any occasions in the past where one of a pair of ospreys has broken allegiance and mated with another osprey instead? Could this be what has happened to Henry? He did have a tough time last year by all accounts. Perhaps he thought 'stuff this for a game of soldiers!', and moved on. Is this possible?

glynnsmith said

28 August 2008 13:47

I tried the new flight simulator feature in Google last night. Very difficult to control without a joy-stick. I found that by varying height between 100 and 400 metres it was possible to see where the birds were high and where they were low. I retraced Deshars route up the country, marvelling at how high he was at times...apparently 2,500feet over South Yorks...then my excitement was slightly dampened as I realised the altitude data was not exact (unless he really did fly through a hillside somewhere east of Edinburgh). What I did find interesting was the fact that only Deshars trace goes down to ground/water level (once) at Loch Garten. Nethy seems to have made her journey at a lower mean altitude. As an alternative to the flight sim feature you can adjust to a near horizontal view, use the zoom function to put your line of sight just above the ground then 'pull' the scenery towards you. If you pull quick and release the left button as it goes off the map, you can   set a reasonable speed. Deshar appears to have flown from Scotland to Folkestone in one bite so to speak. Nethy took a look at the river north of where she is now. If you follow the "fishing hook" she has drawn (Nethy currently being at the point) you can see she probably landed where the "eye" of the hook is. The flight sim is available in "tools".

Kathyj said

28 August 2008 14:05

It is great that Nethy has been spotted.  I was a little concerned that she might get into trouble with the little airport that is close by, so I am relieved that she has been seen safe and sound.

Carol said

28 August 2008 14:10

Reading the sea eagles blog made me realise just how lucky Nethy and Deshar have been to successfully fledge and start  migrating. They could have easily been blown off the nest in similar circumstances. Lets hope their luck holds and we see them back in two or three years time. EJ has already had experience of a toy boy Red 8T in 2005 who was unable to provide enough fish but luckily Henry arrived very late but no chicks were hatched that year

Tiger said

28 August 2008 14:27

Sally-A. There is a really obvious example of a male who abandoned his nest and that is OVS. This year he abandoned his other nest and came to Loch Garten now that the love of his life (EJ) was finally free of the tiresome Henry. I would really like to know what became of OVS's nest and his former wife  Green 7B (Ollie's grandaughter) who has featuered in the Loch soap more than once.

Come to think of it I think I have read somewhere that no chicks were raised at OVS's old nest this year.

Anyway for what it is worth I do not think we will ever see Henry again.

But for those who believe in ospreys coming bck from the "dead" then I can think of one example. It is 08 (01) from Rutland and he magically reappeared after six years. Mind you he has never nested as such. See http://www.ospreys.org.uk/Archives/Update2007.1-3.htm

Tiger said

28 August 2008 14:45

Oh Carol thanks for the reminder of Red 8T the rather inept toy boy. I would love to know what happened to him.

In his new book Roy Dennis has revealed that a Rutland bred chick ha been breeding in Andalucia. This to my knowledge has not been reported anywhere before and must give some hope to those who believe that Henry is out there somewhere.

Rena said

28 August 2008 15:02

Sixy, Tiger – enjoying your blogs about Henry and Ollie.  I too have wonderful memories of these very special males.

This season, my hero is “EP”, the new dad at Galloway.  HD lost her mate last year and EP arrived for his first season.  He was too young and they were unsuccessful breeding but HD and EP spent the 2007 season bonding.  They both teamed up again this year producing 3 chicks and what a father he has turned out to be.  Definitely gets my vote for “2008 Dad of the Year Award”.  Brilliant story and well worth reading.  Details at http://www.dgcommunity.net/DGCommunity/Miniweb.aspx?id=193  

Will – spot on.  EJ will always be “EJ” but she is indeed our Flower of Scotland.

Sally-A said

28 August 2008 15:06

Tiger, many thanks for the information and the link. What wonderful stories. There is hope for Henry yet! You amaze me with your fund of knowledge. How long have you been studing ospreys and what drew you to them originally?

Sixy said

28 August 2008 15:38

Yes, thank goodness we have Tiger as our fountain of knowledge. We all look to you to answer our questions. Do you want the job Tiger? I have a lot to learn!

Susan Warne said

28 August 2008 15:50

Our local osprey has definately started migration, it has not been seen since Saturday when it was spotted flying SSE over the firth, a course which should have taken it near to LG as the crow flies.  It seems so empty without it sitting on its favourite perch, a tall boat mast in the harbour at high tide.  I think I know how the LG team must have felt when the family left.

louie said

28 August 2008 15:53

Rena  Thanks for the link - it was  really good.  Looking at all the other osprey sites I have really come to understand what they said to me in Lochgarten back in April. That it's the fathers abiltiy to fish that ensures the success of the clutch.  If OVS had brought in more and done it regularly, they may have reared all three!! Hope springs eternal for next year.

Lesley said

28 August 2008 16:02

Thanks everyone for all these wonderful links.

Sixy said

28 August 2008 16:49

Louie, to be fair to OVS, the weather was atrocious up there and in particular at the time the 'wee yin' died.  They were unfortunate circumstances converging beyond his control.  They raised three in Glaslyn but perhaps so much further south the fishing weather was a little better.  Apparently they still haven't left!  

Tiger said

28 August 2008 17:00

Rena I agree with you that EP should be given the prize of "2008 Dad of the Year Award" as HD disappeared for 40 hours leaving EP minding the eggs on his own. All seemed lost but remarkably all three eggs hatched.

The thing I love about the Galloway nest is that when an osprey returns from Africa they ring the bells in Wigtown. I love this custom.

I do know that Ollie had his first season at Loch Garten in 1990 and was the resident male until he failed to return in 2002 leading to the current saga. If you do a search for "ollie the osprey you will find a number of stories.

I really got interested in ospreys when I read the book the "Scottish Ospreys" by Philip Brown around 1982. It was heavily discounted.

My interest really took off when I found the first streaming osprey webcam in 2004. That combined with all the various websites has been fantastic.

Any news of Nethy or Deschar?

Dorothy Wilson said

28 August 2008 19:01

I for one really do not want a love triangle at Loch Garten ever again. Last year was a disaster and while OVs is not entirely satisfactory feeding wise you cannot get away from the fact we have Nethy and Deshar. 'Oh yes' you say 'that was because EJ took matters into her own hands' well to some extent. Do not forget that he still provided most of the fish. I for one would certainly not be sorry to see EJ and OVS again and I think that is what we will get. Let us not forget that there was a point when EJ was sitting on her clutch we feared Henry's return. You would not have had what you had this year if Henry had come back.

Sally-A said

28 August 2008 21:04

Tiger, thanks for answering my questions. I love your description of the Galloway custom of ringing the bell when an osprey returns from Africa. Perhaps we should start a campaign to encourage others to make it a more common practice. Shall we start with Loch Garten? Who could we persuade?

Possibly BarbaraAnne???

SLAEMUIR said

28 August 2008 21:29

This whole osprey thing has been wonderful. We had Gordon Brown himself opening our new school today. Yes, really.....he went to school with my headteacher so she chanced her arm and invited him to open Newark Primary, Port Glasgow, and he accepted!!  The interactive whiteboards (like giant computer screens the size of a blackboard but touch-controlled with light pens) are up and running and my new class have been fascinated by the squirrels, blue tits etc. Little do they realise that come April they will be absolutely hooked by next year's Osprey soap saga!!! I will start off reading 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' and gently get them addicted to birds. Well, it worked last year so what's to lose? I will have to change my user name as Slaemuir Primary is no more but P3 will be back next year. Godspeed to Neshy and Deshar (and the Wee Yin) and best wishes, thanks for the cyber-companionship (I can't think how else to describe it) and 'tioraidh an dràsta' to all. See yous all next spring.

gsnowey said

28 August 2008 21:42

Hello everyone, I am back from my holiday in Grantown-on-Spey, just up the road from Loch Garten.

I went into the centre on Thursday last week and met all the lovely girls who had been working there this season and they made us really welcome.

While we were there, the news came that Nethy and Deshar, had left, to start their migration,and everyone was so pleased for them, as this was what it had all been leading up to, the start of their complete independance,starting out on this huge journey not only to Africa but the rest of their lives and I wish them well and Godspeed.

Having looked at Google Earth today they have done remarkably well especially our Deshar bless him!!

Both appear to have found areas where there is water and hopefully lots of fish to feed them up for the next stage of their journey.

Deshar already has experience of flying over water so hopefully the Channel won't be a problem for him.

It's taken me ages to catch up with all the blogs and one thing I will say......

This blog has been a pleasure to be a part of and I was a little sad to see the blip and glad to see everything patched up now, we are all together on this ,that the health and wellbeing of our ospreys is paramount to us all, don't lets spoil it!!!!

Libs said

28 August 2008 21:47

Is anyone else having trouble with Google Earth? Both chicks are still where they were at the beginning of the week. Is there something I should be doing?

Tiger said

29 August 2008 09:31

Libs I think that Nethy and Deschar are both having stopovers. This happens quite often on migration. Sooner or later they will restart their journey.

Mitch said

29 August 2008 11:19

Thanks for everything to all at LG. It's been great. I hope you all have a good winter and come back refreshed next spring. I'd still like a job please if there's one going next year!

Sixy said

29 August 2008 12:10

Sally-A  I love the picture in my mind of Barbara Anne tolling a big bell in her garden on EJ's arrival.  How about it Barbara?  Or maybe even a flagpole in the garden!

Thanks Tiger as usual for the all the stories.  I love reading the history.

Tiger said

29 August 2008 17:33

Oh no problem Sixy. There are so stories and a fantastic one that I learned just today. However TBTB have chosen not to let it through. Guess you will have to search for it on the the other forums.

BirdForum is a good plce to look.