Lake District Osprey Watch's photostream  

Meanwhile, Number 12 repeats the previous report. The map above shows his activity from the 2nd to the 7th of February.

Friday 10th February.
With just over seven weeks to go before the new Lake District Osprey Project season begins and when, hopefully, our adult ospreys return we show the chicks from 2002. That year the adult male returned on the 3rd April and then had to wait until Mrs turned up on the 18th April. Two chicks hatched on the 17th and 19th June, the third egg was found later damaged at the bottom of the nest. If you are a keen Osprey watcher you will need to look out for black rings on the right leg marked 8N and 8S. 8N was thought to be female, 8S male. They fledged in mid-August that year and were last seen in early September 2002.
Many thanks again to Pete Davies for the photograph.

Friday 3rd February 2012
As January came to an end Number 12 remained roosting in his usual location. He has,however, seemed to be developing a taste for fish from the Hulahine Delta as well as those from the ocean.

Tuesday 31st January 2012. Nine weeks to go before our adult Ospreys are due back, around about the 1st April. It is also nine weeks to go before The Lake District Osprey Project officially opens for a new season. It has been announced this week that the 2012 Season will run from Saturday 31st March until Sunday 2nd September. Will you be the first to spot our returning Ospreys?
Number 12 remains in his regular spot in Gambia at the moment, avoiding all attempts to be seen by a group of our collegues from Rutland Water.
Meanwhile over the next few weeks we thought we might remember the past - the picture above was taken by Pete Davies back in 2001 and shows the first chick to be hatched on Bassenthwaite in recent times. That year the adults returned on 15th and 17th April, a bit later then, and the single chick hatched on 13th June. It was then given a red ring with 15 on it, and so remains in the records as Red 15. There have been no confirmed sightings of it since but as Ospreys often live into their twenties it could still appear. So whereever you are, be it Cumbria, Gambia or somewhere in between the season for looking skyward is on its way.