So, that's why Easter is associated with eggs
It's springtime and the established ospreys are laying
It’s a strangely calm time in the osprey world. The last few nests are filling up. We have a few more changes than usual. NC0 has replaced Lassie at Loch of the Lowes, Blue 5F is now in Delyn’s old spot at Clywedog, but one change has saddened many long-term osprey watchers…
Dyfi
Well, now. Dyfi is all about heartbreak and hope, for watchers at least. All the signs are that Monty, the beloved resident male there for the last decade, has not returned. It’s now been a week since his latest arrival date so far. Hope, while not extinguished, is certainly fading.
But Telyn, in the osprey way, has not been mourning. Instead, she’s been bonding with a new boy, whom the good people at Dyfi have decided to name Idris:
Mythology tells us that many moons ago a giant lived in these parts. A giant of such stature that he used a local mountain as a chair; he is said to have studied the stars from on top of the 'chair'; it was reputed to bestow either madness or poetic inspiration on whoever spent a night on its summit.
Today we call this mountain Cader Idris - Idris' chair.
Here’s the impressive young chap:
But wait. There’s more:
He has no leg rings, so nobody knows when he was born. He's probably Scottish. But I think I know who he is - let's call it a hypothesis for now, a hypothesis for another time, another blog.
If (lots of 'ifs' coming up) Monty does not return, and if these two lay eggs, and if they have chick(s) that survive to five weeks old, and if we're out of isolation and we can ring and buccal swab them.... DNA will either prove - or disprove - the hypothesis with 100% accuracy.
Such. A. Tease.
So, we now have two anxious waits at Dyfi: for Telyn’s first egg with Idris, and for the revelation of the theory…
Glaslyn
Mrs G and Aran has a happy Easter with the arrival of their first egg.
But Aran, in a moment of stick-obsession, very nearly did it a mischief:
😱
Luckily, all seems well.
Loch of the Lowes
While Laddie and NC0 carry on bonding, the wind has been making things hard. However, the new female has decided to help out with nest work. Well, sort of…
A few people are concerned that NC0 isn’t being seen around the nest much. She’s new to mating and breeding, so this could be a nerve-wracking year…
Loch Garten
Last year, we had the sadness of seeing this most iconic of osprey nests empty and abandoned. This year we have… mystery. Lockdown means that the nest is not being streamed, nor do we have any regular reports. Is there a new couple on the nest?
Only time will tell.
But… there is, at least, a new podcast. Fergus interviews Valerie - one of the leading lights of the online osprey community.
Kielder
Lots of well-blogged news from here:
Y1 - a 2016 chick - intruded at nest 1A.
Meanwhile Blue Y6, another 2016 bird from nest 2, intruded at Loch of the Lowes.
7L/Aln - a tracked 2017 chick - has migrated to Normandy, where she spent much of last summer. While she stay there? No! She’s in the UK. And here’s details of her travels. Where next for this unpredictable youngster?
KX7, last seen with Samson of Border Ospreys last year, intruded at nest 1A.
Border Ospreys
Samson is home, and waiting for KX7. Will they meet again?
Manton Bay
Maya and 33 have 3 eggs! No - four eggs:
And there are 19 ospreys back at Rutland in total. But, sadly, 28(10) is not one of them.
Poole Harbour
CJ7 is back, and has made herself very comfortable on the one live-streamed nest:
All she needs now is a male… Her vigil has been covered by Mail Online.
Lake District
White 14 arrived back in Cumbria on 7th April. It’s their 20th anniversary, and they’re marking it with a series of vlogs:
It’s time for ospreys to go a’courting…
Loch Arkaig
Louis and Aila are building, mating… and defending:
Llyn Clywedog
With Blue 5F now firmly ensconced on this nest with Dylan, it might be time to say goodbye to Delyth:
I had seen an Osprey on Monday morning (6th of April), it was a female unringed osprey. I don’t know if this was Delyth. I’d like to think it was! I don’t want to think of her as failed to return but I do want to think that if she can’t win back her nest, that she is smart enough to find one else where.
Meanwhile, it’s been reported that Tegid, who had been bonding with 5F last year, has now settled on a Friends of the Ospreys nest with a female whose established male failed to return.
Other nests
Two ospreys at Balgavies - but the lockdown is making identification hard
Signs of incubation - and partner feeding - at Threave
Other reading
It’s 60 years since Roy Dennis first saw an osprey.
A lovely podcast from the Roy Dennis Foundation on the rebuilding of an osprey nest.
And a PhD thesis in UK osprey recovery is on its way:
Coda
Did I miss anything? If so, do let me know. Have a great (locked down) week.