Bird Cams Around the World

The abundance of Ospreys meant that there was lots of action to see from the hides. 33(11) put on a great spectacle too when, at about 14:35 this afternoon, he caught a huge trout in the Bay, right in front of Shallow Water Hide! He took his catch off to the dead tree behind the nest, where he proceeded to eat his half. The fish was so big it took him a while to get through it, and it wasn’t until an hour and a half later that he brought it to the nest! Look out for 33 approaching the nest from behind in the video below.

By Kayleigh Brookes on August 10, 2014
What a wet, windy day! Well, morning – the afternoon brightened up considerably, after the tail-end of the storm passed us by. For a while this morning, we couldn’t see much on the camera. When the screen cleared slightly, we could see Maya sitting on the nest food begging. Today it appears she decided to wait for 33(11) to catch the fish, rather than expend energy unnecessarily and go herself. In weather such as this, fishing can be difficult, as the rain creates ripples on the surface of the water, and the wind creates waves that hinder visibility.

Here are some great photographs by John Wright of 8F(12) sitting happily next to 33(11) in Manton Bay on Friday, and of Maya sitting next to two fish!

By Kayleigh Brookes on August 14, 2014

The Ospreys have been very tied to the nest for the past few weeks. There was a period of time a while ago when the birds would often spend time away from the Bay, and were sometimes seen leaving the area together. They could be gone for hours at a time, but would always return at some point during each day, and there was never a day when they were not seen in the Bay at all. Their recent reluctance to leave the nest area could be due to the influx of intruders we have seen lately. 8F(12) and 2F(12) have both been spotted around the nest a few times in the past week or so. Recently, there has been at least one intruder seen in the Bay every day. Therefore the Manton Bay pair will need to stay at the nest site, to defend it against these other Ospreys. Even though it is too late in the season for any breeding to take place, they still do not want their territory threatened.

It is fantastic that they have been on the nest so much recently, in more ways than one. Firstly, it means that they are undeniably bonded with this nest and will undoubtedly return to it next season, should both birds return safely, which of course we are hoping fiercely they will! Secondly, now that we have our live camera working reliably again, we have been able to capture countless videos and screen-shots of the Ospreys on the nest, and share them with you on the website!

Fish swap-overs are still carried out on the nest, unless Maya catches her own fish, in which case she’ll just take it to a perch and eat it. The birds are also continuing to bring in sticks and re-arrange the nest. This behaviour is indicative of the bond that the Ospreys have to their nest. Even though there is no need now to make the nest habitable – it will get neglected and weather-beaten over the winter anyway – they still feel the need to make it theirs, by bringing in new material and arranging the sticks just so. They are very particular about the placement of their sticks!

By Kayleigh Brookes on August 16, 2014

We are approaching the time of year when, one by one, our Ospreys will start to leave us. Generally, Ospreys begin their Autumn migration in late August or early September. Being more specific is difficult, due to the changeable nature of such things, as is always the case when it comes to the behaviour of wild animals! The birds don’t stick to the same dates each year, and we have had migration dates ranging from mid-August to mid-September.

It will be interesting to see when our Ospreys leave this year, especially the Manton Bay pair. It will also be quite sad, as it always is, to see the Ospreys go. Females normally leave first, followed by their juveniles, and the males usually remain at the nest until the rest of their family has left, and they have no chicks to provide fish for. However, it has occasionally been known, unsurprisingly, for Ospreys to stray from this widely-held belief! For example, in 2009 the two Site B juveniles migrated before both of the adults, in 2012 03(97) left before one of his chicks, and last year two of the Manton Bay juveniles left before the female.

Last year, the Site B female had already left us by now – she began her migration on 8th August! According to records, it is normal for her to leave that early. This year she is still with us today, as I write. We believe she may stay longer this year, as her role has differed slightly this season due to 03(97)’s injury, and the resulting necessity for her to provide the juveniles with fish. Therefore it is possible she may be the one to wait to leave until the young have migrated. We will see.

In contrast to the early departure of the Site B female last year, we have had Ospreys that have remained in Rutland until well into September. The latest migration date I can find is 16th September. This means that, in all likelihood, all or at least most of our Ospreys will have departed by the time we celebrate the success of the season at the Osprey Ball on 19th September, where we shall drink to their safe journeys!

Currently, all of our Ospreys are still with us. 33(11) and Maya remain in Manton Bay, steadfastly defending their nest. As you can see in the photographs below, 33(11) looks very settled on his nest, and will probably be unwilling to leave it at all!

If I tell you tomorrow I’m leaving

By Kayleigh Brookes on August 27, 2014

Recently, the question that everyone asks as they enter the Centre is “Are the Ospreys still here?” and then, at our affirmative answer, “When will they leave?” Well, as I have said previously, the answer we usually give is late August or early September, but given that this pair have not bred, that could differ for them. Ultimately, we just don’t know. Animal behaviour is always problematic to predict, which is not surprising, really, given that the behaviour of individuals rarely follows a set pattern.

According to records, Maya tends to buck the trend when it comes to migrating. Females are said to go first, before their juveniles, however this female always waits until all or most of her youngsters have left. In three of the four years she has raised young, Maya has migrated leaving one chick behind, and one year she left after they had all gone. Her partner, 5R(04), did not stick to the traditional beliefs about migration either. In two of his four years of breeding he did in fact leave last. However, in the other two, he left the nest before the female and one remaining chick.

It would seem that over the years she has bred, the dates that Maya has migrated have become steadily earlier, but always in September. In 2010 she left on 12th September, in 2011 on 9th, in 2012 on 3rd, and last year she migrated on 2nd. Prior to that, however, in the first year she spent at Rutland Water – 2009, when she did not breed – she migrated on 5th September.

In conclusion, it would seem that these dates tell us next to nothing, and no more light has been shed on the situation from collecting this information. Consequently, the answer to the question of when she will leave is still an “I don’t know”. We can speculate, of course, and it is entirely possible that this pair will stay later than usual, due to their bond with the nest, and the risk that once they have left it, another Osprey may try to stake a claim to it. Therefore, they may be the last two Ospreys in Rutland at the end of the season!

She’s off – 1000km in two days!

By Tim on September 2, 2014

As Kayleigh reported earlier today, things have been turning distinctly autumnal at Rutland Water in the past few days. One by one the Ospreys have been heading south, and we now know that our satellite-tagged bird, 30(05) is one of them. The latest data from her satellite transmitter shows that at 6am this morning, 30 was in northern Spain, 20 kilometres to the east of San Sebastiàn having set-off from Rutland on Sunday morning...

We don’t know exactly what time 30 left the Rutland Water area on Sunday, but it must have been fairly early because at 10am her transmitter showed that she was in northern Buckinghamshire, midway between Banbury and Milton Keynes, flying purposefully south at an altitude of 550 metres. She made excellent progress over the next four hours, continuing south through Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire at altitudes of between 500 and 1000 metres. By 2pm she had flown 151 km in four hours and was 1230 metres above the Isle of Wight with the English Channel in her sights. She made light work of the crossing to France and by 6pm GMT she was flying south through Lower Normandy. She eventually settled to roost for the night on the edge of a small wood, 55km west of Le Mans after a day’s flight of at least 520 kilometres...

30 races across the Sahara - By Tim on September 8, 2014
Our satellite-tagged Osprey, 30(05) continues to make staggering progress on her autumn migration. The latest data shows that at 9pm last night she was roosting in the remote desert of Western Sahara just eight days after leaving Rutland.

The previous data from the 30's satellite transmitter had shown that on the night of 4th September she had roosted north-east of Rabat in northern Morocco. Next morning she resumed her migration at first light, passing Rabat at 8am local time (7am GMT) and then maintaining a perfect south-westerly course for the next seven hours at altitudes of between 250 metres and 1000 metres. By 3pm she had already flown 320km and at that point she made a distinct turn to the south. Two hours later the vast Atlas Mountains would have been prominent on the horizon and, like her autumn migration in 2013, she turned to the south-west in order to skirt across the western foothills of the mountains; thereby avoiding the high peaks further east.

She may have missed the high mountains, but nevertheless at 7pm 30 was migrating at an altitude of more than 3000 metres and an hour later – with darkness falling – she was still going: heading due south at 33kph at an altitude of 1820 metres. Finally, at around 8:30pm she settled to roost for the night in a cultivated area just south of the mountains having flown a total of 536 kilometres during the day; her longest day’s flight thus far.

Next morning 30 resumed her migration later than the previous day; by 10am she was only 18km south-west of her overnight roost suggesting that she may have found somewhere to fish before resuming her migration. At midday she was just 11km from the coast, but at that point she turned to a more southerly heading, passing to the east of Tiznit and then past Guelmin. As she headed south the terrain would have become increasingly arid with spectacular rock formations and ridges. By 5pm she was passing just a few kilometres to the east of the area where another of our satellite-tagged birds, 09(98) sadly came to grief in 2012.

At 6pm 30 passed over a spectacular ridge that you can see in Lahoucine’s film. Satellite-tracking studies have shown that many Osprey use this ridge to aid their navigation, and sure enough, 30 made a distinct turn to the south-west as she passed over this ridge; exactly as she had done on her autumn migration last year.

30 continued migrating for another two hours, before settling to roost in an area of sparse vegetation at 8pm having flown 352 kilometres during the course of the day. It is fascinating to see how her route almost exactly mirrored that of her flight on 4th September 2013. Both her morning and evening roosts were within 15km of her previous journey.

Yesterday morning 30 was migrating again at first light. Conditions must have been good for migration because during the course of the day she maintained an almost-perfect south-westerly heading at altitudes ranging from 360 metres to 1210 metres. In just over 10 hours of migrating 30 flew 561 kilomtres; an average speed of more than 50kph. She eventually settled to roost on the desert floor just after 5pm in an extremely remote part of Western Sahara.

This all means that just eight days after leaving Rutland Water 30 has flown a remarkable 3665km. If she maintains similar speeds, she could arrive at her wintering site on the Senegal coast as early as Wednesday…watch this space! Last year she did the migration in 11 days; and she’s certainly on course to at least match that again this year.

Farewell is a lonely sound

By Kayleigh Brookes on September 8, 2014

This morning dawned bright and fresh – a typical autumn day. I could see my breath in the cool morning air as I walked to my car, which was covered in condensation. The vision that greeted me as I drove over the top of Lyndon Hill was a sight to be savoured. The water was perfectly still, and the trees on Lax Hill, which are just beginning to turn various shades of brown and gold, were reflected in the mirror-like surface of the reservoir. The weak morning sun set off the scene by illuminating the striking colours of the trees, and making the surface of the water sparkle.

The sun’s strength increased throughout the morning, and it turned into a lovely warm day. Another perfect day for setting off on migration. Apparently 33(11) thought so too. He was seen this morning at 08:20, but he has not been seen since. It would therefore appear that he has left us too!

Yesterday, after 51(11) intruded briefly at Manton Bay, he flew off over the hide. The direction of his departure was due south. Therefore, it would seem likely that that was him leaving. This means that 33 was the only Osprey left in Rutland yesterday, and today he has made the decision to leave, as there is no longer a threat to his nest.

Maya has definitely gone, as we thought. We know then, that she left us sometime between 08:30 and 09:00 yesterday morning. We know that Ospreys’ migratory abilities are phenomenal, and based on the data we have received from 30(05)’s satellite transmitter, showing the speed of her progress, it is entirely possible that Maya could already be in France!

So here we are, Osprey-less, at the end of another season. It is weird to think that all the Ospreys have gone, it feels rather desolate. Looking at that live camera, expecting an Osprey to land on it any minute, then remembering that they won’t. Not until next year, that is! The Lyndon Visitor Centre will remain open until Sunday 14th September, and then it will close its doors for the final time this year. The Centre will re-open next spring, on Monday 16th March 2015.

So, will we look back fondly on 33’s time here in Manton Bay this year? To begin with, he didn’t do much to win our affections, what with chasing off 28(10) and erasing any hopes of his eggs hatching, and indeed any eggs hatching in Manton Bay at all. The fallout that followed 33’s arrival was both inevitable and heart-breaking. Suffice to say, he hasn’t been everyone’s favourite Osprey. However, he has won most of us over with his devotion to Maya and the nest over the last few months. His practice run this year should make him an excellent partner for Maya next season.

Next year, 33 must ensure he gets back in time to stop any other Ospreys moving in on his territory in the early spring. This year he arrived back on 13th April, so he will have to do better than that! He had no real pressing reason to arrive back early this year, but now he has a mate and a nest, and a duty to fulfil. So let’s hope he gets here in time!

30 reaches her winter home

By Tim on September 12, 2014

She's done it! The latest satellite data from 30(05)'s transmitter shows that she reached her winter home on the Senegal coast at 11am yesterday morning after an amazing 11-day migration from Rutland.

The previous batch of data had shown that 30 roosted in the remote desert of Western Sahara on Sunday evening. Next morning she must have left her overnight roost site at around 9:30am because by 10am she was 18km further south, heading south-west at 41kph at an altitude of 660 metres. She continued to make fairly steady progress over the next four hours and by 2pm she had flown 158 kilometres on a south-south-westerly heading at altitudes of between 500 and 1300 metres. During the heat of the afternoon she took advantage of thermals created by the searing desert, crossing into Mauritania just after 4pm and continuing south-south-east at high altitude. By 6pm, she had covered another 133km and was migrating at an altitude of 2300 metres. An hour later she was a further 31km south-east and now even higher: 2440 metres above the remote and desolate desert. She continued flying for another hour before settling to roost on the desert floor in northern Mauritania after a day's flight of 350 km.

By first light on Tuesday morning 30 had moved 2km south from her position the previous evening and, like on Monday she resumed her migration at around 9:30am. For the first time in ten days of migration, though, it seemed that conditions were not in her favour. During the course of the day she only flew another 164 kilometres before settling to roost in the desert of central Mauritania.

For a third morning in succession, 30 resumed her migration at around 9:30am on Wednesday. By 11am she had flown 47 kilometres and was flying south at 34kph at an altitude of 350 metres. Conditions for migration must have been much better than on Tuesday because over the course of the next four hours she covered a further 146km at altitudes of over 1000 metres. 30 must have now sensed that she was getting closer to her winter home; she had made a distinct turn to the south-west and was nearing the Senegal border. At 17:30 she passed over Richard Toll and into Senegal, crossing the Senegal River; almost certainly the first water she had seen for at least four days. After flying over the huge Lac de Guiers she pressed on towards the coast. She passed to the east of St Louis as dusk was falling at 7pm and continued flying for almost an hour after dark before reaching the coast and settling to roost for the night. She was now just 40km north of Lompoul beach after a day’s flight of 450km.

By 9am next morning 30 was perched 23km south of her overnight roost site, probably eating her first fish for five days. She didn't linger there for long, though. Two hours later she was perched in one of her favourite trees just inland from Lompoul beach. Just over 11 days after leaving Rutland, she was back at the site where she has spent every winter since her first autumn migration in September 2005. She had arrived two days later than last year, but having departed from Rutland 48 hours later than the previous year, her migration has taken exactly the same length of time. And when I say exactly, I mean exactly. If you give or take a few minutes, her journey last autumn took a total of 267 hours.This year it was…yes, you guessed it, 267 hours. Remarkable!

Having arrived at her winter home 30 will spend the next six months in leisurely fashion; catching one or two fish each day and then spending the rest of her time on her favourite perches on the beach or just inland. We know exactly what the beach looks like because last year project team members Paul Stammers and John Wright visited it.
http://www.ospreys.org.uk/a-rutland-osprey-in-senegal/

We'll be sure to keep you updated with 30's movements over the coming months and watch out for a summary of her migration early next week. In the meantime, take a minute to marvel at this most incredible of migrations. Over the course of her 11-day journey 30 flew 4681km (2908 miles). She certainly deserves a rest!