Loch Garten osprey diary

The ospreys at Loch Garten have people across the world gripped in their tale of violence, adultery and... well... fishing.  More...
Loch Garten osprey diary > All quiet at the moment

All quiet at the moment

It is ironic that in the week that "Henry the Navigator" found his way home in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket we at Loch Garten have come to the conclusion that our Henry will not be coming back. Some people are still holding out for a miracle but all the signs suggest that he will not be seen, possibly, ever again.

In his absence all is quiet at the nest, there is the odd buzzard which gives EJ a reason to leave the nest and give chase, but apart from that she is sitting tight and awaiting fish from OVS. She received two decent sized fish this morning which was good to see.

I will post another blog at the weekend just to let you know what has been going on.

Posted by david gascoigne at 16:59 on 9 May 2008.  23 comments

Comments

John Harwood
Posted on Friday, 9 May 2008 at 19:57
Thanks for the update David, nice to hear (as I have only seen it once) the OVS is providing EJ with food
Sixy
Posted on Friday, 9 May 2008 at 20:09

If Henry is getting on a bit, perhaps he couldn't make it all the way to Scotland, stopped off at the Lake District and found a new girlfriend (is it Bassenthwaite where the other ospreys are?).  OR, maybe he lost heart when things didn't turn out last year.  OR, maybe he got so fed up with the weather last year and decided to stay in warmer climes. OR, ...........

Seriously, could he really be in the Lake District?

Maureen
Posted on Friday, 9 May 2008 at 20:57
Hi Sixy, there are so many MAYBES. Let's stick with your theory that he has got a new girlfriend in the lake district. Have you seen the Peregrine chicks yet? Fabulous.
tom
Posted on Friday, 9 May 2008 at 23:15
henry wont come back now so ej will have these chicks in two weeks if all goes well we will have chicks cant wait to see them it will be lovely we were up in garten a few weeks ago but had to see her when she was fishing for her tea not on the nest until we came back home and we see her every day now its great keeping check on her hope all goes well for her. from polly pike.
Carol
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 0:07
Hi Sixy. The Bassenthwaite ospreys have their own website http://www.ospreywatch.co.uk Has anybody seen Henry at the fish farm this year? Don't forget the ospreys in Wales as well or maybe Henry has decided to found his own dynasty elsewhere as EJ seems to be a flighty bird!
esmith
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 9:22
It is sad not seeing henry return. but like i in the past "the futures bright the future is ORANGE"
Woody
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 9:39
perhaps Henry is at Glaslyn - an unidentified bird is flying around - late back... The Lakes pair have, surprisingly, moved nest site - not keen on their celebrity status or more likely fed up with the traffic on the A66! None of these other birds have names which I think is a shame .. EJ trips off the tongue well enough but OVS ? how about OliVer ?
quietwoman
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 9:41
Thanks to David and the team for the regular updates. Love watching the video and seeing them both 'cat-napping'; sometimes just for seconds the lower lid closes and the head droops. It must be exhausting keeping 24 hr. watch over their precious cargo. Same goes for Loch Garten team!!
Kathy J
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 10:29
10.23 EJ off the eggs and having a little preen.
Kathy J
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 10:30
10.25 Gently does it - back on the eggs now, wiggle wiggle. :)
Keith Rogers
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 15:38
Let us hope Henry is enjoying his later years in retirement. Will miss him. He looked after EJ and the three chicks so well in 2006 bringing in five fish a day from the local fish farm - He knew where to fish. Watched him bring up his offspring or surrogate offspring so well after EJ flew and her duties were over teaching them to fly and seeing them on there way. He was a good bird. Always enjoyed my weekend visits to the centre.
John Harwood
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 17:10
17:10...are my eyes deceiving me or is it snowing? Poor EJ
Susan Branch
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 17:26
Thank you everyone for keeping the blogs going, great to catch up with all the comings and goings. At present looks as if it is rainging and EJ is lying over the eggs, or has she fallen asleep?!!!!!
Sixy
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 17:44
Hi Maureen, just had a look at the peregrine chicks, aren't they brilliant. One of them is lying outside the nest! First time I've been able to get on to that webcam. 8.50 this morning EJ chased something off that flew in from the right of the picture but could not make out what it was. Anyone else see it? Has she fed OK today? She always seems to be sitting when I take a look. Keith: let's hope OVS looks after the chicks as well as Henry, he always has a rather bewildered look on his face!
quietwoman
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 18:24
Is Orange VS serving two nests? What happened to Green female at his other nest? My thanks to Royg for the swallow feedback and to Elgan Smith re black guillemots. Can I add to what Keith Rogers was saying about Loch Garten and say that VOLUNTEERING at any reserve is a rewarding and exciting experience. I have made new friends, learned a lot and had some very happy times ---- even at night, in heavy rain, seeking shearwaters.
RichardU
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 21:37
In the last couple of hours the only action has been EJ flying off for a minute. No sign of OVS. Maybe he doesn't go to the fish farm incase he bumps into Henry.
Maureen
Posted on Saturday, 10 May 2008 at 22:24
Looks like OVS is on night duty for a change. Both EJ and OVS appear to be very content now. I have also noticed that OVS is very gentle with eggs before settling down. 'AREN'T BIRDS BRILLIANT'.
Sarah P
Posted on Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 10:04

Hi, just joined the blog. I'm from Aberdeen but when I was little I would get taken to Loch Garten on holiday and was very proud of my osprey badge.

Visited again last year and was amazed how familiar it all was, thanks to David for encouraging us to get RSPB membership, I've become a bit addicted to the webcam as I now live in Yorkshire but I hope to get back up next time I visit the family. All your comments are great for filling me in on what I missed while at work!

Sixy
Posted on Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 10:21
Maureen, the peregrine chicks are brilliant, watched her feeding them before. Beautiful birds. Not seen OVS for a while, every time I dip in, EJ is patiently sitting. All very quiet and peaceful.
Carol
Posted on Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 10:46
OVS seems to be doing a lot of the incubating over the last couple of days. Perhaps EJ has taken to visiting the fish farm herself as Henry is not here to go for her. We visited Loch Garten in 2006, the day before the chicks were due to be ringed-lots of anticipation about finding out the sex of the youngsters. Didn't make it last year but plan to visit when we come up this year. Waiting with bated breath for first hatching. Last year people at work wanted to know why i was in tears as watched last egg being pecked by EJ.
John Harwood
Posted on Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 11:04
11am OVS brings a smallish fish to the nest and EJ takes it away to eat. OVS settles very carefully on the eggs till she comes back
RichardU
Posted on Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 12:42
11.03 OVS arrives with 4 inches of fish. EJ leaves straight away and comes back at 12.33. Does anybody else think that EJ sometimes does her own fishing? If OVS can only provide tiny fish for EJ how will he cope with 3 chicks to feed?
Maureen
Posted on Monday, 12 May 2008 at 13:32
Hi Carol and Richard, I too think EJ is fishing/feeding herself. She came back to the nest the other day and she looked extremely wet. Woody, maybe it is Henry at Glaslyn. I have told Glaslyn team to keep an eye out for him and report to us immediately or shoo him away!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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