Artificial Osprey Nests Constructed

whyulittle

A number of artificial Osprey nests have been constructed around the country this Spring. Would be cool to see them get taken up in the next few years.

https://www.facebook.com/BirdWatchIreland/posts/121679311352586

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.514235188634399.1073741827.144404808950774&type=1

Judgement Day

Can't say I'm over excited by this given the repeated poisoning of other reintroduced birds of prey in Ireland. Will the fishermen follow the farmers example?

OpenYourEyes

Would be a fantastic bird to have back in Ireland again, although I'm sure the fishermen wouldn't share our excitement alright.

At least they aren't a scavenger like the reintroduced raptors, so they couldn't really be poisoned. Persecution would rely on shooting or damaging eggs/nests, but the first few nests/birds would be very well monitored which would make that much more difficult.

Fingers crossed they'll re-establish here again in the near future and that there won't be any problems with fishermen!

Birdnuts

Judgement Day wrote: »

Can't say I'm over excited by this given the repeated poisoning of other reintroduced birds of prey in Ireland. Will the fishermen follow the farmers example?

Ospreys naturally live at low densities and only take one or 2 fish every day. A very different proposition compared to the likes of seals and cormorants. I don't think any informed/reasonable fisherman would have a problem with them. AFAIK there has been little or no illegal persecution in the UK where the population and range of Ospreys have increased substantially over the past few years.

OpenYourEyes

Birdnuts wrote: »

Ospreys naturally live at low densities and only take one or 2 fish every day. A very different proposition compared to the likes of seals and cormorants. I don't think any informed/reasonable fisherman would have a problem with them. AFAIK there has been little or no illegal persecution in the UK where the population and range of Ospreys have increased substantially over the past few years.

In fairness, informed/reasonable people have never been a problem when it comes to raptor persecution!

But that's true that you never hear about Osprey persecution in the UK, so hopefully that would be a good indication that they wouldn't be targeted if they established here.

dodderangler

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

At least they aren't a scavenger like the reintroduced raptors, so they couldn't really be poisoned. Persecution would rely on shooting or damaging eggs/nests, but the first few nests/birds would be very well monitored which would make that much more difficult.

Fingers crossed they'll re-establish here again in the near future and that there won't be any problems with fishermen!

All bops will scavenge especially in hot weather were its a lot easier to scavenge than to waste energy on trying to kill their quarry even ospreys despite not much chasing as its fish their after but a washed up salmon or pike or salt water fish is easy pickings and could easily be laced with poison
But also keep in mind that ospreys do hunt mammals aswell but fish make up majority of their diet
So they could still be poisoned and in this country and certain people in it it could happen
There is also a problem if there is buzzards about
I seen a video not too long ago of a buzzard distracting a female osprey with chick and as the female tool off to defend her chick another buzzard swooped in and took the chick and apparently this happens a lot more than people would think but I'm sure prob happens vice versa

OpenYourEyes

dodderangler wrote: »

All bops will scavenge especially in hot weather were its a lot easier to scavenge than to waste energy on trying to kill their quarry even ospreys despite not much chasing as its fish their after but a washed up salmon or pike or salt water fish is easy pickings and could easily be laced with poison
But also keep in mind that ospreys do hunt mammals aswell but fish make up majority of their diet
So they could still be poisoned and in this country and certain people in it it could happen
There is also a problem if there is buzzards about
I seen a video not too long ago of a buzzard distracting a female osprey with chick and as the female tool off to defend her chick another buzzard swooped in and took the chick and apparently this happens a lot more than people would think but I'm sure prob happens vice versa

I realise that, i just meant that scavenging is a big part of the Red Kite and White-tailed Eagle's feeding behaviour - Osprey's will of course occasionally scavenge, but not nearly to the same extent.

Judgement Day

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

In fairness, informed/reasonable people have never been a problem when it comes to raptor persecution!

But that's true that you never hear about Osprey persecution in the UK, so hopefully that would be a good indication that they wouldn't be targeted if they established here.

True, but who is going to pay for the 24/7 monitoring of any nest sites (as in the UK) to prevent them from the attentions of egg collectors? If it was the UK I'd be in favour of it but this is Ireland where things are done differently.

cameramonkey

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9359846/Nest-camera-captures-buzzard-stealing-rare-Osprey-chick.html

this is the video.

OpenYourEyes

Judgement Day wrote: »

True, but who is going to pay for the 24/7 monitoring of any nest sites (as in the UK) to prevent them from the attentions of egg collectors? If it was the UK I'd be in favour of it but this is Ireland where things are done differently.

While I don't think anyone will be paid to monitor them 24/7, the first few nests will be well monitored simply because of their novelty - i.e. by NPWS, Golden Eagle Trust, members of the raptor study group, other interested ecologists, birdwatchers etc. I would assume that the installation of webcams would be considered too. I don't think egg collecting is as big a problem here as it is there either (although I'm sure its under-reported).

Don't forget this is natural recolonisation (albeit an attempt to *slightly* speed it up). It isn't a reintroduction!

Zoo4m8

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

In fairness, informed/reasonable people have never been a problem when it comes to raptor persecution!

But that's true that you never hear about Osprey persecution in the UK, so hopefully that would be a good indication that they wouldn't be targeted if they established here.

Thank you for the informed/reasonable comment...

Not the usual unfortunate blanket condemnations.

Judgement Day

A rare, as rare as an Osprey (?), positive post from me.

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

There's a very good webcam at this site but it's not great today because of the poor weather. Start watching today as the resident pair of Ospreys are in situ and first egg is eagerly anticipated. The sort of operation that is in place at the Loch of the Lowes could be a major tourist draw if properly replicated in Ireland - we can only hope.

siledee

I love ospreys and I would love for some of these sites to be colonised.

JD.. the cams in Britain are superb.
Not only Loch of the Lowes where Lady has laid her first egg but

http://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/stream where the resident female Nora has not yet returned but Elin has turned up as a possible partner for Monty.
Their Facebook page gives all the details.
The handbags will be out if Nora returns and Elin has to be evicted.

Then there is http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochgarten/lochgartenospreynest.aspx
Where Odin has already kicked two eggs out of the nest.
Resident female EJ had a dalliance with Blue XD before Odin arrived back so he (thinking the eggs were not his) kicked them to the kerb.
There's hope for another egg (Sat or Sun)which Odin will accept.

White YA has returned to Kielder http://kielderospreys.wordpress.com/
after having to be rescued three times from nets at his stopover point Blagdon Lake.

I'm telling you these osprey cams are so much better than any "soap" on the tv.

Judgement Day

Anxiety is growing at the Loch of Lowes site as the first of four eggs has failed to hatch on schedule http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/ but there's still time for the remaining three. If you know any Osprey prayers now would be a good time.

siledee

Prayers have been answered. A chick hatched this morning

recedite

Is there a reintroduction programme to go with this nest building or is it a case of "build it and they will come" ?
I wonder how big a lure this will be to migrating ospreys...surely if they liked the habitat and wanted to stay, they would be capable of building their own nest?

OpenYourEyes

recedite wrote: »

Is there a reintroduction programme to go with this nest building or is it a case of "build it and they will come" ?
I wonder how big a lure this will be to migrating ospreys...surely if they liked the habitat and wanted to stay, they would be capable of building their own nest?

From listening to a talk from a guy from Scotland responsible for getting Ospreys back there, I'd imagine we're going with the "build it and they will come" approach.

I think its an attempt to speed the process up - make a few very obvious suitable nesting sites so the Ospreys don't have to look too hard once they get here, and they might be more obvious than natural sites too thus increasing the chance that more than one Osprey will hang around them and increasing the chances of pairs forming.

Capercaille

The Golden Eagle trust followed the guidelines of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Specialist Group for Reintroductions (RSG). One of the guidelines states that reintroductions should not be undertaken if natural colonisation is very likely. The chances of Golden Eagle, Sea Eagle and Red Kite recolonising Ireland any time soon were remote at best.
Osprey populations are booming in the UK and they will likely start breeding in Ireland so reintroduction is unwarranted. The limiting factor in Ireland is nest sites so that's why nest platforms are being constructed.

Conservation money would probably be better spent on wildlife such as Curlew, Corncrake than a non-threatened bird like an Osprey. Would love though to have Ospreys back breeding in Ireland where they rightly belong.