Saturday 28 August 2010

Video clip of returning bird HC from 2007

Here is a clip from the live nest of the returning youngster HCvisiting the nest site. He was originally from the "back up" nest and ringed there prior to fledging in 2007.

Friday 27 August 2010

End of season

The Tweed Valley Osprey Project is coming to a close for the 2010 season.
Another successful year with over 100 osprey chicks raised in the Scottish Borders in the last 10 years. News of returning chicks to the area just adds to the enthusiasm of all involved and inspires us to carry on and take the project even further for next year.
We hope that everyone has enjoyed hearing about the Tweed Valley Ospreys this year and that we will see lots of visitors at the Two Osprey Watch Centres again next season.
We would like to thank all of our faithful volunteers who make this project run so smoothly and dedicate their time each year. We also want to thank the staff from the Radio Branch of Forestry Commission who carry out all the technical work with the cameras. Thank you to Tony Lightley and Ronnie Graham for ringing the chicks for the project.
Glentress closes on 31st August and Kailzie Osprey Watch will remain open (unstaffed) until Sunday 12th September.

Best Wishes to all and see you next season hopefully.
Di (osprey information officer)

Thursday 26 August 2010

More news of returning chicks!

We have heard that another Borders bird ringed in 2007 has returned to the Borders to breed. She has a white leg ring letters EB and came from a brood of two chicks originally. She has successfully raised a family of her own this year on Tweed Valley Forestry Commission land. This is more fantastic news for our project and it is always a delight to hear that youngsters reared here are surviving their migration journeys and are beginning to return. We do not know the identity yet of her partner.

Friday 20 August 2010

Borders Chick from 2007 returns!

We are delighted to hear that the osprey spotted(white leg ring HC) checking out the main nest by sharp eyed volunteer, Iain Mckay while on duty, is a bird which came from our back up nest in 2007. He is now a mature bird checking out territory near to where he was raised in the beautiful Borders landscape which is so familiar to him.
More nesting platforms will be going up in our region to accommodate returning youngsters as they reach maturity and look for territories of their own.
It is great to hear news of any of the ospreys raised in the Borders and is testament to the great success of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project and the Team working in partnership which ensures that the project continues to thrive.

Thursday 19 August 2010

The youngest chick blue HF still visits the live nest regularly and her father is often seen feeding there and reluctantly still handing over his fish.
A white ringed male with lettering HC was seen at the nest last week and we are going to find out who this bird is and where he has come from. We will publish our findings shortly.

Ringed chick news.

One of the Borders ospreys ringed back in 2002 from our main live nest has been discovered alive and well. He is raising a family in Glen Almond in Perthshire, his partner is an unringed female.
It is possible that he has been there for a few years but it has only just come to light that he has a ring number which is visible and this has been reported to the ringers.
We are delighted to hear that he is doing well.
Often we do not get to hear what happens to chicks raised in the area and news of any sightings of ringed ospreys is always welcome, as we can then find out where they came from and when they were ringed.

Saturday 14 August 2010

Osprey Kids Theatre