Make-Do Osprey Chicks....

In-service days loomed large and prompted the question what to do together for fun and excitement

for the long weekend? The first weekend in June always holds some interest at the Osprey Centre at

Loch Garten, osprey chicks should have hatched and the RSPB reserve is usually teaming with

interest and new life.

So, we headed down to the Abernethy, 50 square miles of wildland stretching from the River Nethy

to the top of Ben Macdui, Britain’s 2nd highest mountain. The area boasts ancient Caledonian pine

forests, sweeping moorland, vital wetland and dramatic mountains. The mountain bike tracks are

numerus and well maintained and the wildlife is varied and unusual with Crossbills, Capercaillie and

Crested Tit thriving in this protected environment. The reserve boasts the stronghold for the

countries Red Squirrel population and we tripped over sightings of these delightful and comical

mammals throughout the weekend.

 

The first day took us on a 20mile cycle via the Osprey Centre at Loch Garten. Our promises of Osprey

Chicks should have been backed up with better research as our arrival at the RSPB reserve was met

with somewhat sombre wardens. The nest had three eggs unincubated and unhatched. EJ the

resident 21-year-old female had found new love in a new mate, George and laid three eggs, but had

then been left hungry on the nest by this fly-by-loch, inexperienced male and had had to go off to

find food for herself leaving the eggs to go cold.

 

Further tragedy had hit the centre as the ‘Duck-Cam’ was duck-less. The Goldeneye duck, Britain’s

only tree nesting duck was missing in action, her nest and 10 sky blue eggs were left as a plaintive

reminder of nature’s unpredictability. Staff teased us with video footage of previous years fledging

and the kamikaze jumps from the nest box. They commented that this is the weekend this spectacle

is usually witnessed. If interested please click on the link below and fast forward the ‘build up’ to

3:47 to see the action…

 

So as the rain came on and we prepared to cycle back to Nethy Bridge we had to make do with a

photo of our own make-do osprey chicks and demands for appeasement ice creams… Unfortunately,

we could not avoid the inevitable with the observation that Ospreys only eat fish!

 

We were 35 miles from our home in Inverness, but minutes away from two fantastic GP training

practices in Aviemore and Grantown on Spey with this wilderness playground of interest and oddity

on their doorstep.

 

Goldeneye chicks leap from the nest box - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc-S7xNEvxk

 

Dr Mark Taylor

ES & GP Associate Advisor, NES, Inverness Office