Previous Editions
July 2010
30(10) Makes His First Flight- Our regular contributor Lynda was in Waderscrape Hide when the first of the Manton Bay chicks took to the air
July 2010
Guided Walks and Water Rails - Trainee warden Michelle Househam spends a week with the Osprey Project
July 2010
A Boat, Rutland Water, a Warm Summer Evening and Two Fishing Ospreys- Lynda Berry on a spectacular first Osprey Cruise of the year
May 2010
Mr Nosey Drops In- An Afternoon In Waderscrape- Val & Alan Brown write about an enthralling afternoon in Manton Bay
May 2010
05(08) Returns Home- The earlist ever return for a Rutland two year old, photographed by Brian and Liz Nicholls
April 2010
First Shift Of The Year- Ken Davies sees the return of the 5R show in Manton Bay
February 2010
A Mid-Winter Gathering- Walks, works and welsh ospreys at the Osprey Mid-Winter gathering
October 2009
Time To Say Goodbye - Lynda's Summer Diary- Goodbye to Site N, and to another Osprey season
VOLUNTEER DIARIES- TIME TO SAY GOODBYE- 9th September 2009
Lynda Berry says good bye to another osprey season, and good bye to Site N-
Last week as I ended my shift chatting with Peter and Di, we watched 5N disappear SSW and we all wondered whether we would see her again this year. A call from Liz to confirm my shift for this week also confirmed that 5N had started her migration on Saturday.
And so it was that today I approached the hide feeling slightly melancholic that she'd left and that this would probably be my last journey to Site N this year. The weather on this August day was as mixed up as I felt; grey, showery and with the tail end of Hurricane Bill pepping things up. As for me, well I was feeling grey because soon there would be no ospreys to see and mixed up because whilst I was pleased to still see some of the family at Site N, I was very sad that 5N and others had already left.
As I approached the hide I could see 08 sitting on a favourite dead tree and a juvenile on the nest tucking into a very large trout. A while later 08 flew up as Blue 03 landed on the nest (meaning the bird eating the fish was 04). 08 returned to his dead tree. As the morning wore on poor 03 watched Blue 04 and the ever diminishing trout. At one point two ospreys appeared in the sky, one of whom could well have been 08 but in the fierce wind it was difficult to identify him. The other one however was quite aggressive and flushed both the juveniles off the nest. Blue 04 was flying around with his fish and finally landed on the perch but decided that with the strength of the wind, he was safer to carry on eating in the nest. Poor Blue 03 tried every trick in the book to steal the trout; he flapped his wings, he hovered right over 04, he circled the nest and tried to rush at his sibling, but 04 showed great strength of character against all these antics and also considerable physical strength against the intruder – hanging on to that fish in the strong wind was no mean feat. They are both going to need that kind of stamina in the coming weeks.
As Di arrived to take over, we took our eyes off the ball only to discover 04 on the perch cleaning his feet and just when we thought that we'd lost 03, Di caught sight of the top of his back in the nest. I can only assume that after standing watching 04 for nearly four hours, he was exhausted and was having a rest whilst guarding what remained of the fish. 08 too had disappeared so perhaps that's the last I'll see of him this season. After the huge disappointment of last year's failed nest, I must say that 08 has behaved impeccably and it has been a joy to watch over this family at their new home. Dare I say that he has looked happy this season. He has sometimes flown over me, probably in warning, but I like to think that we was greeting an old friend and he once did a 'barrel roll' right in front of me as he swooped back to the nest. As I took one last look at the juveniles, the sight of 03's back reminded me of earlier in the season when a few feathers were about all we could see.
For me, there have been many, many wonderful moments at this site, the ospreys being the most exciting. Sorry Julia (Bradbury), even the thrill of being invited and appearing on prime time TV, Countryfile, doesn't beat what I've experienced at Site N. Many of us have watched them build their nest, seen the start of incubation and spent cold, wet, windy nights helping to protect the eggs. My memory of the night in the tent is not a happy one, but without mentioning any names I don't think I came off the worst – rumour has it that at least two people got stuck in the tent, on separate occasions I hasten to add! And then the magical moment when food was offered down into the nest and finally the growth and fledging of two fine males.
We've had the strange 'goings-on' at Site B which started when 05 didn't return, but an unringed female very soon stepped in to replace her. When I first saw her in flight, I thought that she was one of the most beautiful ospreys I'd ever seen. I spent a couple of nights at Site B during incubation, in positive luxury compared to Site N. The final night was superb weatherwise even if I did arrive home looking as though I'd caught measles (insect bites) – I'll remember the repellent next year. Watching the sunrise was beautiful and I saw the tenderest of moments between 03 and his new female when he flew to the nest as if to say 'Good Morning', flew off and returned with a fish. I also saw several fallow deer that morning, absolutely wonderful. On one occasion at Site B I did take my eye off the ball for the first time during a shift. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, the female was brooding her chicks and 03 was taking forty winks so I took the chair outside the hide and started on my weekend shopping list – one eye on the birds, one eye on the list. I glanced left to see a large herd of bullocks descending upon me, thank goodness I hadn't taken the scope outside. I made a hurried call to the team and an offer was made for someone to come and join me, which I declined. I did take photos as evidence of one particularly nosy bullock whose nose almost reached through the window to the end of the scope which was inside the hide. I'm still not convinced that there was not much laughter going on at Lyndon at my expense.
There have been worrying moments; Blue 04 had made his maiden flight and gone missing for 36 hours. Poor Tim had the worry of this whilst Countryfile was being filmed and then whilst on the Rutland Belle with the TV team, he received a call from John to say that he'd been found otherwise there would have been a search party after the boat trip. The poor bird hadn't eaten for two days but watching him today, he's survived and come on really well.
At the Birdfair last weekend we were lucky enough to have 32 and his unringed female around on Lagoon 4 for long periods and I was also excited to see Maroon AA (06) for the first time. He was hassling the female whilst 32 was away, but she soon saw him off. There are really high hopes for 32 and this female next year as they have bonded very well. They have also been complete nuisances at Site N and Bite B; let's hope that they return and raise their own family – that will keep them busy. I do so hope that all our birds arrive safely at their wintering grounds after their perilous journeys.
I've been fortunate on my shifts to see many other birds and beasts; for the first time, boxing hares and a marsh harrier, which passed in front of me between the hide and the nest, the little tree sparrow nesting in the bottom of the osprey nest (John Wright's drawing of it reminded me of the 'Where's Wally?' cartoons), red kites, buzzards, muntjac deer, many pheasants, one of whom walked stealthily past me only four feet away, a beautiful kestrel which landed in the tree above my head, many bugs and butterflies, etc, etc. I also saw a grasshopper warbler being ringed at the Birdfair.
I've helped out at the three Osprey Family Fun Days and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the wonder and awe in the childrens' (and some of the adults') faces as they've discovered and learned about these magnificent raptors, and had fun into the bargain playing games and searching out ospreys.
Last but not least, I've met some lovely people, volunteers and the general public. I remember at the very beginning of the season accompanying two new volunteers to Shallow Water Hide, Tony and Judith. It was their first shift and as we arrived at the hide to relieve Doug, an osprey had just landed on the fallen tree where the Manton Bay nest was originally. There was great excitement for the rest of the morning. Tim hot footed it down to the hide and we identified the bird as 08(97) just back from his winter sojourn. I did warn Tony and Judith that not all shifts would be as exciting, but looking back on this season, there has not been a single shift for me when I've been twiddling my thumbs, not even when I was writing my shopping list! That reminds me, I have another shopping list to make – the Project Team are putting on the end of season party at the weekend and I've a pudding to make.
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