From Colin Holter
30.03.03. 11:40 - 11:55 hrs,
Shoreham Beach, Sussex. TQ 206 043.
I was watching a small group of
Sandwich terns fishing on their way east along the coast.
It was sunny but there was a cool moderate NE wind
blowing. Despite the wind it had been quite a good
morning for migrants - I had counted 14 Wheatears along
the shingle beach and there had been a number of quite
high-flying groups of Meadow Pipits and Linnets coming in
off the sea all morning.
Looking away from the terns I was
aware of a larger bird above a melee of Herring Gulls,
quite low but a little further offshore - through my bins
I was amazed and delighted to find it was an Osprey. It
started circling, at first over the sea but drifting over
the beach and gaining height all the while. I thought for
a moment it may be going to join the terns fishing but no
such luck! It continued circling, slowly drifting away
from me east towards the estuary of the river Adur. It
was now a considerable distance away and if I'd taken my
bins down I would have lost it altogether. Still circling
it was briefly mobbed by what I think was a Sparrowhawk,
which seemed to send it back in my direction, along the
seashore. Then, having gained considerable altitude, it
embarked on one of those flapless, powerful glides on
slightly angled wings, inland in a NNE direction,
into the wind, only flapping its wings twice before I
lost sight of it in the distance.
I suspect it was following the
course of the river Adur northwards and inland. I
had watched for 10 - 15 minutes. I'm afraid I'm not
familiar enough with Ospreys to age or sex the bird and
at no time did I have a clear view of its legs so I don't
know if it was ringed or not, it certainly didn't have
any wing tags etc. and it looked in fine condition with a
full set of primaries etc.
I think it was only seen by
myself. I was alone at the time and I haven't seen
any further mention of it on the Sussex Ornithological
Society website sightings page so presume it went
unseen as it passed further inland (maybe it was too
high.)
This is the first time I've ever
been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right
time to see such a magnificent raptor come in off the
sea. I can still hardly believe my good fortune some days
later - I am totally in awe of the process of migration
in birds!
By Barrie Galpin
Good Friday 2003 and not your
typical bank-holidayat all: bright sun and clear blue
skies! So as usual the reservoir was thronged with
people, cyclists, birdwatchers, families out for the day.
At such times many people call in at the two visitor
centres, on the off chance that they will see Ospreys. A
few expect that they will be able to see them as easily
as you can see sea-lions taking fish at a zoo - so it's
an opportunity to learn a bit about really wild
life.
I'd been on duty at the Egleton
Centre, helping direct telescopes and binoculars towards
the artificial nest on Lax Hill and the sky above it. The
distance is about half a mile but we'd had some very good
views and most people could be convinced that the dot in
the sky or on the nest was actually an Osprey when they
looked down the Swarowski scopes.
At about 11.45 the shop and viewing
gallery were particularly crowded but, try as we might,
we couldn't locate an Osprey in the distance. Then a
female visitor, pointing upwards, casually asked: "What's
this big bird just here? Is it an Osprey?" An Osprey it
certainly was, poised before its steep dive into the
water of the lagoon no more than 150 yards from us. All
eyes turned water-wards in time to see the splash, the
struggle to get airborne, the shaking of water from its
feathers as it rose again, but without a fish in its
talons.
The bird took a brief survey of the
water and then came round again for another feet-first
dive to the same spot. This time there was more of a
struggle and as it emerged from the water it was carrying
a good-sized fish, probably a roach. It quickly flew away
north, continuing to shake water droplets from itself
which sparkled in the April sunlight.
A marvellous moment. After probably
hundreds of hours watching Ospreys, I have not had such a
spectacular view of a catch before. I'm sure it was more
special for me because, I knew to my cost just what a
rare sight this was.
But for some people present, this
was the first time they had seen an Osprey at all. Were
they particularly lucky? Will this have given them a
taste for more and so that they come back time and time
again and are (probably) disappointed? - or perhaps not?
However, I can imagine the conversation on the way home:
"Wasn't it great seeing that Osprey catch a fish?" "Yes,
it was like that time when we saw the sea-lions at the
zoo."
Spring arrival