Re: Osprey Q & A

Fish - the guy must have left it there after returning 2nd ringed/tagged chick & forgotten it - didn't remember til he got back to the centre and said -' can't go through all that again for a bag, will get it this time next year'!!!! lol

It's nothing but the power boxes that connect all the cameras to the Centre.

Another thread that needs promotion.

Agree Tiger as there is some very interesting and detailed information on this thread that would be a shame to lose.

I notice that the Hellgate juveniles have been banded Blue with white numbers eg 73 the same as the Scottish Ospreys, does anyone know if this is the only North American nest that has banded their birds blue and white or are there others? and could the same numbers be used and maybe duplicated as the same numbers as the Scottish Birds?

Also it seems that Alba has more or less followed Blue XD's migratory tract, I made a funny caption at the start of the season about EJ and Blue XD already having a liaison down in their wintering grounds, but is it possible that Ospreys do meet up or winter in the same area as each other each year, has there ever been any record of say for instance Red 8T and Blue XE (when he was still around) wintering in the same area as they were in their summer area.    Dont think I am managing to put over correctly what I am wanting to know but hope someone will understand.

Mary GK

Also it seems that Alba has more or less followed Blue XD's migratory tract, I made a funny caption at the start of the season about EJ and Blue XD already having a liaison down in their wintering grounds, but is it possible that Ospreys do meet up or winter in the same area as each other each year, has there ever been any record of say for instance Red 8T and Blue XE (when he was still around) wintering in the same area as they were in their summer area.    Dont think I am managing to put over correctly what I am wanting to know but hope someone will understand.

You just a fantasy. Ospreys choose their wintering grounds before they choose their partner.

Also what would happen when they change their partner?

Green J and Blue XD are a perfect example.

Just for the record here is a lovely picture of Red 8T

ALAN PETRIE

The greatest recorded number of breeding seasons for a single bird is 23.

BTW, Tiger, I also agree that this thread needed promotion - thanks for bringing this one up, it's been interesting reading!

I know I wasnt putting it correctly Tiger, I didnt mean about them being partners, I was meaning was it possible that some not all may winter in the same vicinity or come upon each other in their wintering grounds as they must when they are in Scotland, as we discussed before when Blue XE didnt return Red 8T was supposed to have taken over his nest - so was just wondering if it was possible that their paths could cross in wintering grounds, OK guess it was a stupid question!  will keep my crazy fantasies to myself now LOL.....

Edit: Also just wanted to bump the thread back up to the top again as I had to go looking for it way down on the next page.

Clare

ALAN PETRIE

The greatest recorded number of breeding seasons for a single bird is 23.

Would that be the Lady of the Loch?

Alan was referring to a Canadian bird.

Lady has had 22 breeding seasons if I have counted right.

The longest in the UK  a bird called Red Z  See page 112 and 113  "Life of Ospreys" by Roy Dennis

Red Z pops up again, were discussing her not that long ago, she was a favourite of Roy's wasnt she.

MARY - I would not say this is a fantasy - As TIGER points out Ospreys chose there wintering grounds before there partners. But if Ospreys are in a close proximity at winter why should they not bump into each other.

It would be very interesting should a partner or same year sibbling bump into each other what the reaction would be.

Percentage wise very few tracked so we do not know and not many partners or sibblings tracked in the past.

On 22 October 2009 LG bird Mallachie almost bumped into Rothes near Varela in Guinea Bissau.

Thanks very much Keith, thats the kind of info I was looking for, apart from the tracked birds we are not to know what goes on and where LOL....    I would love to know where EJ winters, presumably in Africa, but more interestingly Id love to know if any of Beatrice's or Green J's opffspring winter in Spain, wasnt some of Green J's juv's tracked sometime will have to do a search and see if I can find anything on it.

Tiger

The longest in the UK  a bird called Red Z  See page 112 and 113  "Life of Ospreys" by Roy Dennis

This is fascinating reading. I have always presumed the apparent lack of 'social bond' between ospreys is due to the rules of survival. I still feel sure that one of EJ's earlier (unringed) offspring landed on the nest this year. Normally she would see an intruder off well before it had the chance to land - but on this occasion she didn't even get up, just sat and shouted for a bit. The bird returned again a few times and seemed to hang around the nest area that day. It seemed a case of "go off and find your own nest, I can't afford to feed you anymore". I haven't much experience and am probably wrong, but it's nice to speculate :-)

I was also wondering, given the amazing distance Alba travelled to Africa in just a fortnight - and now Ceulan seems to be doing the same - does the age of migration make a difference? The older the chick, the stronger and more intuitive?