The Flight of Osprey S12 in 2000

This Osprey was a juvenile male. It was the single young at a new nest. Its parents are a 3 year old female and 4 year old male. They produced 2 eggs and raised this single young late in the season. S12 was ringed on 5th August 2000 when it had a wing length of 377 mm and weight 1195g. It flew for the first time about 7th August and its radio was fitted on 10th August.

Roy Dennis thought it would be very interesting to see how well such a very late chick carried out its migration. .

Unfortunately, it turned out that S12's was the least satisfactory of the transmitters fitted in 2000. We received only poor quality data most days, making it difficult to determine the bird's exact position and whether there were movements or not. However, there were accurate locations recorded on 24/09, 04/10, 12/10, 25/10 and 27/10 indicating movements of 2 to 3 kilometres.

The long break in migration at such a northerly (and easterly) latitude was certainly rather surprising, although there were still reports of Ospreys in Britain and, no doubt, at other north European locations in October and November.

The bird seemed to be staying in the Rocherath Forest near the Belgium-Germany border. Many streams form in that area and all are contributors to the Rur river. It may be that it was using the Olef river that goes east to form the Olef lake (6km long, 1km wide) before going north to reach the Rur. It was in a region with low population, a woody area with large wet clearings and many small streams. The altitude is around 600m ASL. The Olef lake water is fresh and very clean and could well supply the food for an Osprey.

A series of readings received on 28 November indicated that this bird had moved south and may have been skirting around the west of the Alps.

By December, S12 had reached the central Sahara, taking a very easterly route. The final positions received indicate that the bird was still about 500km short of completing the crossing of the desert.