Loch of the Lowes Osprey Wildlife Diary

This is just to say a huge thank you to all of you who have purchased cards from Jeanette. The total raised so far is £300 and I’m informed that another cheque is on the way!
Obviously the biggest thank you goes to Jeanette for putting in soooo much time and effort. It’s all been very much appreciated and definitely going towards a worthy cause.
The total from fundraising for satellite tagging stands at £6000, including all of Toby’s sponsorship and money from Jeanette’s cards, so we are well on the way to tagging next years chicks (yes, there will be chicks, there will be chicks…positive thinking everyone!).

Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times from all of us here at Lowes and SWT.

“GOOD NEWS FOR LOCH OF THE LOWES FUNDRAISING”

Jeanette

  The osprey diary today is no not so much about our Lowes birds, who haven’t been seen on the Loch at all in the last 24hrs, probably having started their autumn migratory wanderings. Other local birds, however, are still around, and reports are coming in thick and fast of osprey beings spotted travelling through. I myself saw an adult osprey fishing at another of our reserves, Stormont Loch, yesterday which doesn’t have a breeding pair, which just shows it is worth keeping an eye out in all sorts of local waters.

Our webcams are still plagued by technical problems- how grateful are we that this didn’t happen in the middle of the osprey season!!! Most of you will sympathise with the endless contradictory answers we’ve been getting and the ‘on hold’ phone queues we’ve been enduring trying to sort out the problem, which now appears to be phone line and electricity related. Our sincere apologies for the lack of visuals and we assure you are not missing a great deal on the nest- just the sad sight of grass growing on it now there is no one home!

Emma Rawling

Perthshire Ranger

Good Afternoon, all!
I thought I’d create a separate blog post on the possibility of displaying an Art exhibition at Loch of the Lowes this winter. The proposed dates will be from the 23rd of October until the end of November. We would love to showcase local talent and our appreciation for all areas of Scottish wildlife at this time, particularly as the winter months do get quite quiet!
Paintings/sketches of our Ospreys, red squirrels or any aspect of Scottish Wildlife are all welcome.
If you are interested in submitting any pieces, we’d love to hear from you!

Charlotte

Me again with another protest for you to join if you have a minute
!
Greenland have been given the go ahead to start hunting 9 humpback whales a year (not due to start until mid-October), however, Greenland’s Prime Minister has given in to pressure from whalers to start the hunt sooner.

Follow the link to send an e-protest to the Greenland Government:

https://secure2.wdcs.org/view_e_protest.php?e_protest_select=45&&select=693

If you’re on Facebook, you can leave a polite message on Mr Kleist’s page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kuupik-Kleist/282886137154?v=wall

Just clike the ‘Like’ button which will allow you to post.

Info on the hunt can be found at:

http://www.wdcs.org/news.php?select=797

Thank you all…again!

Well folks, it looks like our young ospreys are on their way- with no sightings for a few days we can assume they have begun their wanderings, that will hopefully lead them safely south to their wintering grounds in Africa. Our male too must be on the cusp of migration, having fulfilled his role to perfection.

The satellite tracking studies that have been done with ospreys so far, indicate that most young ospreys tend to have a good wander in the few couple of weeks, often zigzagging across their home territories and a little further afield, before settling down into a southward pattern.

 Some researchers such as Roy Dennis speculate that the Scandinavian ancestral genetic origin of our Scottish birds has left them with a tendency to fly west first (which would have kept them on a coastal course from Scandinavia). This can lead to some birds getting into trouble, especially if they end up to far out to sea- an osprey can catch a sea fish after all, but without anywhere to stop and eat it and rest, they soon die of exhaustion at sea.

Lets hope that our two Loch of the Lowes youngsters are exploring Perthshire and getting fully fit before choosing a safe and direct route south over the UK. Safe journeys wee ones!

Emma Rawling

Perthshire Ranger

I though I’d write a separate blog about the bat detectors so you all have a point of reference.

The detectors we sell are from made by Magenta and you can view their website and more in-depth information: www.magenta2000.co.uk

Bat4 Bat detector is an entirely new Superheterodyne detector.
Features include:
Low distortion loud speaker
Low power design gives long battery life
Top illuminated large diameter frequency dial
Headphone socket
Recorder output socket
Built in LED torch
Wrist strap
Frequency from 15 – 130hz

Price £59.95 (10% for members, 20% discount on bat walks)

Bat5 digital quartz bat detector.
Features include:
Backlit 4 digital LCD frequency display for easy visibility
High stability
Easily tuned local oscillator
Extended 10 – 130hz frequency
Weatherproof speaker
Headphone and recorder sockets

Price £89.95 (10% discount for members, 20% discount on bat walks)

BatMKII Bat Kit
Self assembly kit

Price £35 (10% discount for members)

Carrying case for all detectors

Price £7.99 (10% discount for members, 20% discount on bat walks)

Orders can be made in-store (if you’re local!), credit card via phone (01350 727337), by email (lochofthelowes@swt.org.uk) or cheque by post (SWT, Loch of the Lowes, Dunkeld, PH8 0DP). There will also be a small postal charge which I will work out and let you know.

Camera Update: Peter is working frantically on the camera  problem again this morning- sorry folks! 

 There is definitely a wee autumn chill in the air in the early mornings here at Lowes- and a beautiful mist today in the lee of the hills. Although we are still be treated to some glorious sunshine, ideal for outdoor work and play, the nights are drawing in and the odd local cottage now has wood smoke curling from the chimney of an evening.

The time of mellow fruitfulness is upon us here in the Highlands , and with it the change in all our wildlife- our summer visitors are already leaving – Dunkeld village seems quiet without the swifts screeching cries- and those that remain are beginning the frantic quest to fatten up and store food for the winter. Many, having had a very favourable summer season, are looking very healthy and plump, like our wee fat and sleek red squirrels, and should be well set for a winter ( even if it is early as predicated).

Our ospreys too should be well set for the time ahead- dad has done a great job as we all know and having remained right up until late August, he has ensured his offspring have not struggled for food and should be a  good weight. Incidentally, observations of osprey chicks have found that it is not necessarily the fattest ( at fledging)  that have the best chance of surviving migration- though a little extra fat as insurance against fishing failures on route can’t hurt!

Our male osprey has been seen just yesterday at the nest- as if looking for his errant teenagers! -and one of the juveniles was seen briefly over the loch yesterday. Keep your eyes open today for these lightening quick snippets of ospreys before they disappear all together.

Emma Rawling

Perthshire Ranger

Sometimes I wonder how I, as a human, fit in to this place.

I arrive disturbing jays, robin and chaffinch as I walk along the wooded path. A fox barks at times, moths flutter. Bats are roosting. I peruse the loch and marvel at the water alive with insects skimming the surface and the occasional breaking of the silver sheen by pike, or the wind pushing waves on shore. There are fungi in the woods and flakes of late blooming flowers in the air.

On the Loch itself, are the plentiful, and might I add, fanciful great-crested grebe with now increasing numbers of tufted duck  and goosanders, a solitary pochard. They are all relishing small invertebrates, perch, trout and pike. Grey herons are doing the same from shore. Of course there are the “up-enders”; mallards, Canada geese and mute swans seeking their vegetatation and invertebrates. I could go on…

Yesterday afternoon we were graced by “our” stalwart male at the nest, for moments only, but exciting ones to us. Monitoring of any kind has its’ merits, sharing of information beneficial. Perhaps as mused earlier he and his two young have been seen on thursday morning. I was certain that we were seeing one juvie roosting on thursday evening.

As I marvel, I wonder, as a human, how I fit in… Rinchen

How do they know?

I have been able to answer many queries from past experience in handling, monitoring, gathering data, writing, working with “experts”, and learning. One of the questions that continues to baffle me is “how do young ospreys know when they have arrived on their winter grounds”? If they have not experienced migration before, why do they either keep on flying or reckon that they have arrived? Fortunately for me, most visitors do not ask this question. It is easy for me to talk about many migrants, whether they be cariboo, monarchs, warblers, many raptors, terns, etc. for they mostly gather in groups and have past experience as a collective mass. Ospreys seem not to flock on migration, they fly as individuals. By stating that they have done this for “eons” is not correct, in that only 6 or 7 thousand years ago glaciers were receding in most parts of the northern hemisphere. The few years that osprey have been occupying this part of Europe surely is not sufficient time to allow for “eons” of imprinting.

I do not know.

The important aspect of us knowing is that we do have a profound impact on all migrants by being responsible for protecting waterways, breeding habitat, safe stopover/rest areas, food supply, air and land space. 

This we know. Rinchen

The wonders of migration.

Update: Our Apologies for webcam problems again this morning- we  are having problems with our broadband internet connections. Thanks for your patience.

Moist spider webs are everywhere! Whether it rains or just in the early morning dew. Every late summer/early autumn I am amazed at just how many constructive arachnids there are! They all thrive on the wealth of insects, day and night.

We had a bat and moth talk/walk last evening. There was a fine cross section of keen individuals. Oddly, there were not as many pipistrelles and daubentons bats as we had hoped, but all of us did “hear” a few. Bat detectors are cool. We all learned a plenty, from massive fruit bats to thimble sized mammals…

Being out last evening allowed us to see what I am quite certain was one of “our” juveniles return to roost in one of its’ favourite perching locations. I had seen three ospreys yesterday morning whilst doing a census of the birds on the loch. One of those birds also perched on a well used branch. I wonder, are “our” young still nearby, honing their skills before venturing off? Over the past years, this is about the time that the young leave. I will continue to be vigilant with overviews of the area and keep you updated.

There is always something fresh here, there and everywhere at; the Loch of the Lowes. Rinchen

Update: Camera problems again folks! Bare with us! Also, 3 ospreys have been seen flying around, although we have no idea if they are ‘our’ ospreys or visitors!

  Thanks to everyone who has sent osprey sightings from around the UK, and we hope you are enjoying seeing them in your neck of the woods. The next month or so should be a very productive as far as sightings go, except for those of us in the far north whose sightings will dwindle.

 As the wonders of migration unfold this autumn, we are lucky to be able to follow some osprey’s journeys in real time via tracking technology. We did not have the opportunity to satellite track our ospreys here at Lowes this year but there are young birds being tracked by Roy Dennis of the Highland Foundation for wildlife from Speyside and at the Lake District Osprey project (www.ospreywatch.co.uk). Check out their websites for detailed updates of the chick’s progress this migration season. You can also follow some birds all winter via Roy site: www.roydennis.org.

 Our male osprey has been around on the nest at Loch of the Lowes over the last day or so, but still no sign of the chicks- they must be out and about in the area , so we will let you know of any sightings today.

 Emma Rawling

 Perthshire Ranger

Update: Sorry for the interruption in viewing! Seems to be a problem with our internet connection. We’re working on it! On a positive note, our Laird has been seen for a while this afternoon, so they are still with us…well dad is anyway!
Fiona

A beautiful morning here at Lowes, with blazing sunshine and a light wind- a perfect late summer day. But what is noticeable is how much the evenings are already shortening, with dark now falling well before 10pm, a sure sign the year is turning fast.

 We know that most animals and birds respond to day length, rather than temperature as triggers for migration and other seasonal behaviour. So little wonder that our ospreys thoughts are all turning south!

 This time of year with ospreys from all over Scotland are migrating,  so those of you who live in southern areas are in for your twice yearly chance of seeing an osprey locally. The birds take all sorts of routes over the UK and can be seen , not just near water ( where they stop and feed and rest up on route) but flying over even built up areas- a couple of years ago, Roy Dennis even satellite tracked on osprey flying right over Heathrow airport!

 So, here is our guide to spotting an osprey:

 Look for a bird about the size of a buzzard (roughly five feet in wingspan) or a very large gull ( such as a black back).

 Look for a distinctive raptor silhouette, with classic ‘finger-tips’ on wing ends, and a slight elbow in the wing- Buzzards have a very straight front wing edge.

 Look for a pale white under belly (not just pale elbow patches like buzzards) and if you can, a pale head- a buzzard always has a darker head. .

 Good luck and be sure to let us know where you are seeing birds!

 Emma Rawling

 Perthshire Ranger

I’m being a bit cheeky, but as some of you are as passionate as me about stopping crazy developments from destroying wildlife, take at look at this one:

http://www.wdcs.org/national_regions/scotland/protect_our_dolphins/index.php

This one is particularly close to my heart as I studied this specific population of bottlenose at uni and even know them by name!
You can either help by sponsoring Miranda Krestovnikoff £2 for her skydive, join the POD plod, or write an email to the government at: mfaa.2010@decc.gsi.gov.uk.

My photos that I took while doing so ID studies can be seen at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=475535&id=706935067&l=b99cbfb75e

Thank you kindly!

  Good morning all, Emma here , back after another wee four day break, which means I have been busy catching up this morning on all our wildlife news with the team here at Lowes. I am so glad to hear our male was still around yesterday- I have become very fond of him this season and wouldn’t have wanted to miss saying ‘goodbye’. He has more than proven himself as a father and proved me wrong as his biggest doubter!

 The chicks however are conspicuous in their absence from the nest, but who can blame them- the draw of the wild world to explore must be strong. Only the need for food will be strong enough to tempt them back to the nest. However, in the local area, chances of seeing young birds are very good indeed if you have the patience to stake our local waterways.

 Our general sightings of ospreys locally will now start to climb too, as more and more birds start passing through the district on their way south.

 Hopefully more news today of our osprey family- I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks Emma Rawling

Perthshire Ranger

5pm Update: Dad has been around again today, but still no sign of the chicks on the nest- they must be roosting elsehwere. We have also had another adult osprey ( probably a female on her way south) pop by for a visit! Emma