Topic: Ospreys

[Carol]

Woke up to quite a nice morning for a change, sun still around albeit hidden now and there behind a grey cloud.  Husband and I decided to pay the Loch of the Lowes nr Dunkeld a visit to see the Ospreys.  I read that the female had been successful again and was now feeding her two young.  There had been a third one, but apparently it had died last week.  Cause of death not known yet.

We had a lovely drive up through Perthshire and beautiful part of Scotland.  It is well worth a visit folks and arrived at the Centre just after 2pm.  There are 3 hides and immediately we spotted the Osprey perching high in the nest with the young hidden.  By her stance, it looked like she was waiting on the male returning with another fish.  We didnt have too long to wait when hubby spotted the Male approaching with a fish in his talons.  It was a super sight seeing him hand over the fish to his mate.  She immediately set about feeding the 2 youngsters.  All this can also be seen from a Webcam.

We also spotted a red squirrel near the Visitor Centre busily eating the nuts left.  Also many types of garden birds, chaffinches, great, coal and blue tits, siskens, robin  all in abundance.

We had a lovely day out and thoroughly enjoyed the scone and coffee which followed in Dunkeld, before returning home.  A good day. ;D ;D

[Mrs Ava]

Oh Carol, sounds like a wonderful day!  How lucky to watch the mother feeding her young.  And a red squirrel too!  Next you will be telling us you have seen Nessie!!  ;)  Glad you and Mr Carol had a great day.

[Carol]

 :D :D :D
Thanks for the laugh EJ.  Mr Carol,  wait till I tell him!!!  

Yes, twas a loverly day.  Hope to try and see Nessie later on this Summer and maybe a Red Kite or  three.
 :P ;D ;D

[Plocket]

Oh that sounded like a wonderful day. Isn't nature great?

Took my daughter to Formby Beach a month or so ago, to see the red squirrels in the sanctuary. Didn't see a single one of the little blighters (although usually there are hundreds!) - they must have emigrated up to Scotland!

[Val]

thanks for telling us Carol, it sounds lovely nature is great. :)

[viv]

went to Rutland waterlast week to see the ospreys there - not oneof them decided to show itself  :'( :'(

[Val]

Thats usually our story. ::)

[Mimi]

Formby beach... oh Plocket you have brought back many happy childhood  memories.  Used to love rolling down the sand dunes there.   ;D  I have been there so many times and never once seen a red squirrel. :(  Even did a project in school about the planting of marram grass to preserve the sand dunes.... good old days. ;)

[Spurdie]

Hi Carol

I also love to see ospreys and have been fortunate enough to see them several times locally.

I have a friend whose hubby is a wildlife ranger and he was telling me about all the osprey's uphill struggle to raise their chicks this year.

Up here we had several weeks of torrential rain (you'll probably remember me moaning about it) and as opsreys always nest at the very top of a tree, the young were permanently wet and cold, resulting in their death from hypothermia. The rest starved due to the adults' inability to catch fish in a river permanently in spate.

Hopefully they will be able to raise new clutches seeing as the weather has finally turned!

Regards Spurdie