It's all happening so fast! Just two days after the male osprey turned up, a female arrived. At 3.15 pm yesterday, she flew in from the west of the nest site and plonked herself straight on the nest.
The male sprang into action and began displaying, flying high into the air and calling. Not to be left out, she began calling too, indicating that the male should go off and bring back a fish, which he dutifully did. Not long after his return, they were already mating.
As always with the female, it is difficult to identify her beyond doubt as she is unringed but the speed with which she has begun mating with the male and her apparent familiarity with the nest site and local area suggest that this is the same female as previous years.
The pair do not spend the winter together in Africa, they migrate seperately, so they will need to reacquaint themselves and carry out the usual pair bonding activities. It's amazing to think that they have flown all the way to Africa and back, yet here they are, sitting on top of exactly the same tree they left six months ago.
We're all filled with anticipation for the season ahead. It's fantastic to see the pair again, almost like welcoming two old friends back into the neighbourhood.