SAMSON IS BACK…NOW WHERE’S FREYA?

Wow! Who forgot to tell the weather powers that be that it was a public holiday this weekend? What a scorcher, unlike the wet, cold, miserable conditions that we normally suffer on such occasions.

Samson returned to us on 11^th but spent the first few days rarely visiting the nest or the immediate area so we weren’t exactly sure what he was doing but assumed he was keeping an eye on things from a distance.

However, in the last few days he has been much more in evidence, doing work on the nest by bringing in sticks and grass and “nest cupping” to produce a nice dip in the centre to stop eggs rolling around, chasing off intruders (possibly the same male osprey who took a little persuading that this nest was already taken) and catching and bringing back fish.

There was only one thing missing….and that was a mate. Freya has not yet returned and no other female has been spotted either. Freya didn’t arrive until 4^th May last year but, as I explained in an earlier blog, you would expect her to arrive earlier when she has a mate and a nest to which to come back. We’re not giving up hope on her yet but every day’s delay increases our concern that she may not have survived. Samson has started to display by sky dancing and, should Freya not return, there is every hope that he will attract another female. We can’t, of course, at this stage even speculate whether or not we will have any chicks but I will keep you posted.

What I can say is that Samson is in fine fettle and is well worth coming to see if you’re in the area (and the cakes in the restaurant are just as yummy as ever!). I’ll update you as soon as there’s any further news.

Rosie Shields
23/04/2019