DEESIDE WILDLIFE
Every year a male osprey comes to the fishery. It arrives with potential mates from wintering in Africa at the end of March, from either the Gambia or Senegal rivers in West Africa.
I have watched them catching mullet in the Gambia River estuary, and a local naturalist confirmed that many are Scottish birds. They spend the summer in Scotland to breed.
There are two local nesting sites, both about five miles from the fishery. I cannot be more specific in order to prevent disturbance.
In cooperation with Scottish & Southern Electric and Forestry Scotland, I erected this man-made nest platform adjacent to the fishery to encourage local nesting.
It is a substantial construction; the metal frame is of box steel and 5 feet across, onto which are wired many branches, giving an overall diameter of 6 to 7 feet. This mirrors the size of a natural nest.
Purely speculative, it may take years for it to be occupied, but in the meantime we are happy to enjoy the spectacle of visiting males plunging to take a trout on a regular basis. They obviously make a judgement from a height of about 40 feet before a plunging dive, as they target mainly the smaller trout in the beginner’s pond.
Sensible because it takes a lot to get back out of the water, gain height, and the long journey back to the nest carrying such a weight. They make it easier by carrying the trout in their talons torpedo fashion, head pointing forward.
If you wish to see osprey fishing, the best sites are the estuary of the River Spey at Spey Bay, Rothiemurchas fish farm in Aviemore, or Loch of the Lowes in Dunkeld, where cameras are always on the nest at the visitors centre.
Has the nest been a success?