Osprey Webcam in Scotland

draoicht

From "The Scotsman"

Bird lovers monitor 25-year-old osprey as her condition worsens

Published Date: 21 June 2010
By Jenny Fyall
Environment Correspondent
HUNDREDS of bird lovers from across the world are on 24-hourwatch monitoring the condition of one of Scotland's favourite birds.
Scotland's most famous osprey – known as Lady – has been lying sick in her nest unable to move since Saturday morning and experts believe she has just hours to live.

At 25 years old, the bird has amazed people around the world by successfully producing 46 chicks, including two this year.

However, now her fans are glued to an online webcam, watching as the elderly bird prepares to breathe her last.

As her two chicks stand beside her demanding food, she has been lying in her huge nest on the banks of Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld, Perthshire, for two days, occasionally lifting her head but unable to open her eyes.

More than 700 people have posted messages on an online blog from as far away as New Zealand, Hong Kong and America.

One, who calls herself Walkingruth wrote: "I cannot believe what I am seeing, like so many others, through tear-filled eyes.

"May our Lady be released soon to fly with grace and speed through the celestial skies."

Another, called Mary G, from America, wrote: "Have been following this nest for several years and am heartbroken. My only wish is that Lady will pass quickly and the chicks will continue to be fed."

Peter Ferns, manager at the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve, stayed up all night on Saturday to monitor her health.

He has been watching over the bird for 17 years and said he will be devastated when she dies.

"She is still managing to lift her head up but she's not managing to open her eyes and her legs are very weak," he said.

"Normally she would be standing on the side of the nest giving her partner gyp to go and get some food.

"She can still hear when her chicks call. She tries to stand up but she can't.

"It is very upsetting but we have to remain professional about it."

Lady recently astounded wildlife experts by returning to her summer home at the wildlife reserve and producing an egg for a record-breaking 20th consecutive year.

She is more than three times the normal lifespan for an osprey, and well beyond the 14 years after which they are usually unable to produce chicks.

She returned to Scotland on 23 March after completing a 3,000-mile migration from West Africa.

After years of mating with a male seven years her junior, she has taken up with a bird known as 7Y who is only ten years old.

Mr Ferns hopes the male will look after the two chicks after Lady dies.

So far, he said, he has been doing a "sterling" job, bringing back plenty of fish for the hungry youngsters.

SWT has a policy not to intervene to help the bird. When she dies staff will remove her body, trying not to disrupt the chicks or their father.

A spokesman said: "Whilst it is difficult to watch such a magnificent bird in this condition, we have a no-intervention policy. We are monitoring the situation closely and although we have permission to remove the body for autopsy, we cannot intervene with the chicks."

The website can be found at www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/swt/swt.php.

Anyone following this? She seems to have made a bit of a recovery this morning.

Here's a link for the blog from The Scottish Wildlife Trust about the Ospreys:
http://blogs.swt.org.uk/osprey/

Judgement Day

Kind of epic - thanks for the link. Without being disparaging it rather puts the Mooney Cam in its 'box' doesn't it? Birdwatch Ireland should do something like this as the Scottish Wildlife Trust appear to be making the most commercial use of the Webcam possible. Great stuff.

Judgement Day

Just had another look in at the Ospreys and the good news is that mum is recovering!

Latest osprey blog

22 June 2010

3pm update

Our mum continues to do well today, feeding her chicks and herself. There have been 6 (I think!) fish brought by the Laird today and he seems happy to leave mum to do all the feeding once more. Can he sense that his mate has recovered?
As happy as we all are at the improvements she has made, we know that she is still no where near 100% and probably will never be again. Hopefully she can regain some of the body mass she has lost to keep her going for the next few weeks. If her episode was caused by an illness then there is a possibility that she may relapse, but I am staying positive that she will see her chicks fly and then she can rest easy. I think that regardless of what happens, this will be her final summer on the nest, but what a season she has given us!
Fiona

Judgement Day

She is stronger again tonight. Great stuff.

Just found this quality You Tube video of an Osprey fishing - enjoy!

Judgement Day

Just a reminder about the excellent Loch of the Lowes Osprey Webcam. After last years failed breeding attempt fingers are crossed for the hoped for return of the resident pair from their wintering grounds - any day now.

http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/

Judgement Day

Ospreys return to Loch of Lowes http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/ - but so far no sign of the usual resident pair. The first Sand Martin of the season was seen there yesterday!

Scotty #

Was going to start a thread a while back about good nest cams but never got to it. My fav at the moment is the Bald Eagles here...

www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Apparently the most popular live cam in the world. In the last two days two of the eggs have hatched and the third one has just pipped.

Judgement Day

Never seem to be enough hours in the day to keep abreast of everything but on checking in on the Loch of Lowes site tonight I was delighted to see that the Osprey pair have produced three eggs - the first hatched yesterday! The resident female who has been breeding at Lough of Lowes for 22 years got shut of her partner from last year and turned up with a new mate at the start of the season. The webcam is well worth looking in on and there should be lots of activity during the coming days. http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/about-our-ospreys/

siledee

Judgement Day wrote: »

Never seem to be enough hours in the day to keep abreast of everything but on checking in on the Loch of Lowes site tonight I was delighted to see that the Osprey pair have produced three eggs - the first hatched yesterday! The resident female who has been breeding at Lough of Lowes for 22 years got shut of her partner from last year and turned up with a new mate at the start of the season. The webcam is well worth looking in on and there should be lots of activity during the coming days. http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/about-our-ospreys/

I love this webcam and check it out everyday and dipped in and out of the hatching yesterday as it went on for a long time.
I was gutted when the eggs didn't hatch last year especially as she incubated for so long after the due date.
I honestly thought she was just too old but she now has one chick, 2nd due soon(could be tomorrow) and the 3rd later in the week.
I'm chuffed to bits for her.

Judgement Day

Thought I'd bump this again as there's lots of activity at the Loch of Lowes where the Ospreys are busy feeding their rapidly growing chick.

http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/

LostCovey

Judgement Day wrote: »

Birdwatch Ireland should do something like this as the Scottish Wildlife Trust appear to be making the most commercial use of the Webcam possible.

Maybe they should, but they are somewhat hampered by the current tendency of certain Irish rural dwellers (neutral factual term) to poison any and all large raptors.

It only takes a tiny percentage to sterilise a large area & eradicate all aerial predators, when these birds are so mobile.

I am sure if any survive long enough to breed consideration will be given to web streaming of live feeds from nest cameras. In the meantime I can see why they have other priorities w.r.t. birds of prey.

LostCovey