It was –9 C last night and Jack Frost had been out & about. Everywhere was white-over with rime this morning, and was it all looking beautiful, or what? It was absolutely stunning. Despite the cold, coal tits were determined to sing , an early sign perhaps, heralding the Spring to come
Many of you I’m sure saw the latest episode of BBC’s amazing Earthflight series, showing grizzly bears scavenging fish scraps from beneath a feeding osprey, somewhere in North America. It makes you wonder whether that was something that happened here in the days of yore, many, many moons ago, only brown bears in our case, not grizzlies, feeding beneath osprey nests.
Like you no doubt, seeing that osprey footage brought into sharp focus how close we are now getting to another osprey season. Only another month, come mid to late February and those innate yearnings to return north to breed will again begin to stir. Already in the press there have been many other reported early signs of spring, how long then before the first osprey sighting is reported? It is likely to be this spring that Rothes might well make her move and it’ll be exciting to keep tabs on her in particular, as best we can, in the coming weeks.
Julie has checked the latest data and there is very little movement from Tore this week, but don’t panic she’s fine, pottering about on the Casamance River. Bynack is still visiting the same coastal area of Mauritania, although he has been returning inland to roost at night and Rothes, is as ever is still on Ilha de Unhocomozinho.
With the season looming, preparations begin, and amongst all that’s to do, we need to be thinking ahead to satellite tagging this year’s young ospreys. Before too long, I will need to place the order for tags with the company in USA- a long lead-in time is required to make the tags and ship them to us in time for tagging in late June/early July. Many of you have already chipped-in to help fund the tags and it is very much appreciated, thank you, but we are currently way short of the funding level necessary to buy the tags. We’re exploring other ways & means of doing this, but if any of you out there feel able to contribute, please do so by clicking on the Make a donation to 2012’s satellite tags, under Support us (see right). Many thanks indeed.
Jack Frost hasn't been the only jack about the place in recent days, we've had jack snipe too, not on the reserve as such, but close by. This diminutive wader is smaller than its cousin the common snipe but equally cryptic and easily overlooked. Its name refers to its small size i.e fishermen refer to small pike as jack pike and in bowls the jack is the smallest of the balls. Jack is also a term used as an indication of sex, as in the male donkey, the jackass. Combining these uses of both being small and male, has given rise to old country names of the female common snipe as Jill to the male, Jack. The jack snipe once being considered, not a seperate species, but the smaller male of the common snipe, in the same way that in so many, if not all birds of prey (ospreys included) the female is the larger of the pair. Here in Strathspey jack snipe are considered a rare winter visitor, this is quite likely the case but probably due in part, because they are so secretive and rarely seen, often not until they break cover when flushed from right at one's feet. It's nice to know they are around but with the ground like iron they'll struggle to probe for worms except in the softer, unfrozen wet flushes.
Other than that, Loch Garten is frozen over and appears lifeless for now, yet stunningly beautiful on such crisp & frosty days. Silent too, save for the reverberating deep, resonant cronking calls of ravens passing high overhead, very evocative.
That's it for now, more news next week.
Nice one Richard you always paint a beautiful picture for us and I am already looking forward to my 'holiday' at LG and so looking forward to the return of EJ Odin Rothes and that very special bird Garten , keep a look out for White PH , I shall go look at my bank account and see what I can spare for the fund xxx
Richard thank you for your update and always good to read.
I am so glad Rothes, Tore & Bynack are doing ok.
You say the Loch is frozen over and lifeless but beautiful, can I be presumtious and ask for picture and it does not have to be from you :) JulieQ or any volunteer would be very much appreciated as I would love to see the words you are describing. I know cheeky but if you do not ask you do not get :)
I mean presumptious and no edit on here which is sometimes my lifeline :)
B&B I have loads of Loch Garten but not frozen I can post one of them up if you like.
Thanks Richard for the update. Yes, everywhere looks stunning with a thick frost all over the countryside but keep warm. Glad that preparations are going ahead.
Thanks for the blog telling us about how bleak loch Garten looks. It is hard to believe that in less than ten short weeks we can expect EJ to swoop into Loch Garten. I have not decided on my exact guess for time of arrival yet. :)
Mind you EJ is no stranger to bleak weather. In 2010 we saw her on a nest completely covered in snow.
I would like to repeat B&B's suggestion that it would be great if someone could post a picture of Loch Garten at present. A photo of the nest would be great too.
Thanks Richard for painting such a picture with your words but it sure is cold up at LG. Thanks for the update on our three birds and perhaps Rothes will be spotted in Scotland this year.We are all looking forward to the new osprey season and the return of EJ and Odin to hopefully produce another fine family for us to watch. Not long now until we will be glued to our screens and not doing what we should be doing but I wouldn't have it any other way. Ospreys came into my life 4 years ago and I will never tire of seeing these wonderful birds gracing my computer screen. Take are and hope you all manage to stay warm.
Thank you Richard for the most colourful blog. I can just see in my mind how beautiful it must look. Quite a job for you to keep warm though!!! Glad to hear the ospreys are doing fine. I am really looking forward to the new season!
Thanks lmac and I would love to see them on the visiting LG thread.
And it would be wonderful to see a picture that makes us see Richard's description of the frozen loch.
thanks for the update Richard
Good to know all is going well. You paint a wonderful picture:)
Off to get my credit card...
B & B - I've put a few photos my daughter and I have taken over the past few days. We went to Loch Garten on early Sunday as the sun was coming up, it was beautifu, but very, very cold! you can see them if you click on the photos file at the top of this page.
Thanks Richard for a most descriptive scene. I see there could be snow on the way for you, around Thursday.
Always good to hear any news of the ospreys but I would also love to catch sight of a jack snipe.
Julie and Fiona, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your brilliant photographs with us. I don't know how you were able to hold the camera when it was obviously so cold.
Thanks Richard it does sound a bit chilly definitely thermal weather up there. Have been lucky to see Jack Snipe they are pretty elusive little birds but quite pretty. Also thank you Julie for the photos what a lovely tranquil place.
JulieQ Thank you so much for those pictures. Wonderful to see Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie with so much ice. Love the picture of Loch Morlich too. Loch Morlich was the site of the frustration eyrie of 1956.
It reminds me of the Glenmore Cafe Restaurant was virually the last stop on our Loch Garten visit. I was so impressed with that cafe.
Someone kindly made me a calendar of the Loch Garten trip. The Glenmore cafe and Shop, and the sculpture of the ski man feature for the month of October 2012. By that time another osprey season will be gone. I think this calendar might prove to be a good reference.
March on the calendar features Loch an Eilean. Rather appropiate for the return of the ospreys.
Really makes the memories come flowing back!