Latest news on Rothes is that she is still in the same general area as she has been for several days now, adjacent to La Gironde river, north of Bordeaux. Her most recent position was at 08.00 this morning 19th August and she was between the villages of Camailleau and Fontaine. From Google Maps, there looks to be a lake there or some such body of water anyway, and where there's water there'll be fish for Rothes, so she seems to be in a good area. Too good, perhaps? Are easy picking keeping her there? Can't be a bad thing, I guess.
Talking of easy pickings, meantime here at the rez, yep, you guessed it, the other four ospreys are all still here. I haven't up-date Mallachie's movements on the map because they have been so insignificant, just very short distances away from the nest thus far, that to map all those micro-movements will make the map look like a Jackson Pollock painting or a child's frantic crayoning, i.e a mess (no offence to those that like his work, but you know what I mean). She has though, ventured all of 400m to Loch Garten, so she may have had a go at fishing for herself. There are very few fish in there and the water is so brown & peaty that seeing them is difficult, but she just may have been lucky, though we haven't seen her return with anything. She'll need to get out more, if she's to hone those fishing skills before departing. Is she, and Garten for that matter, becoming couch (well, nest) potatoes? Will eventual hunger bring on their fishing abilities once they are on their way? For how much longer will parents EJ and Odin continue to spoil them?
Only myself and Alice here at Loch Garten, can access the tracking data and up-load it etc,. Alice is away on two weeks leave and I'm off for a long weekend south (including Bird Fair) so HQ web-team colleague Katie Fuller will keep you in the picture in my absence. Katie will be holding the fort until Tuesday, by which time surely there will be some developments. By then Rothes might have moved on, EJ will surely have gone and, feeling bereft of company, maybe Mallachie and Garten will decide to head off too. As for Odin? Male ospreys are always (!) last to leave, but this lot seem to be full of surprises, so who knows when he'll wend his way.
Over to Katie. Back Tuesday.
Thanks, Richard ... very interesting update. Enjoy your long weekend ... we await further developments next week!
Thanks Richard. Enjoy your visit to Rutland Water and Bird Fair. It looks like Rothes is settled in a good area for now and as for the others who knows when they will leave. We are just enjoying the great camera work from LG and making the most of the viewing while it lasts.
Thank you Richard, for the update. Please do have an enjoyable weekend, and I will await Katie's blogs and hope she may have some news for us during that time! Or maybe not, of course, which is more than likely with this family! :)))
Very hot now on Tracy Island 27 degrees.
Wind: SSW 14mph 23kph
Hum: 46%
Press: 1012mB
Vis: Good
Too hot for Hamish. He is in the shade resting.
Lens wiper working overtime at LG.
Have a nice time at the Bird fair!!!
Alan - thanks for saying about the lens wiper, I thought we were driving in a car (or my computer had gone funny). Are you taking the p*** with this 27 degrees??? It's pouring down up here in the frozen north (of Cumbria).
Thanks Richard for the update - I find it incredible that the four ospreys are still with you! Maybe they know something we don't - an Indian summer on the cards for Scotland??!? We can hope!!! Does make one wonder what 'triggers' migration, especially since Rothes has now 'stopped' - maybe she just fancied a change of scenery!
Enjoy the break Richard!!
Thanks again Richard. Alice you anjoy your leave and Richard enjoy the Bird Fair. Soosin will there so take care!!!!!
Thanks for the update....have I got my dates wrong but, Richard, I've had it in my calendar for a while that you were doing your last talk of the year at The Boat on Monday? Is it still on?
Thanks Richard...what will this family do? I guess they will do their own thing and if it were possible they would be 'avin a laugh' at us humans : we think we know what they are doing/thinking. But it is fun !!!
Bird feeder almost empty and Sammy/Susie squirrel is INSIDE feeder. ~(:o) x
Two birds in the nest both mantling I think it was Odin bringing a fish for G or M
Thanks Richard, enjoy your weekend. Hope the weather holds, 27 degrees here today in the W Mids.
I have emailed my contact in the French LPO and given him the details.
Also address of this site and told him about the site and that part of Scotland - very, very different to
where Rothes is at present - very flat and open.
Will let you know of any developments.
This is all very new to me and you all seem experts. What is all the talk about BigRab's video?
How would I find it? Sounds great.
Tweed Valley ospreys still being fed by mum despite the fact that 2 of them are catching their own fish.
Hi all, Thanks Richard, Rothes still hanging around, that's ok though, she has plenty time, doesn't she.
Oh and thanks Tish, ( Take care, soosin will be there.) lol I'm harmless, honest.