JW6 – A SHORT LIVED REIGN

As we wait to see whether/when Blue 500 decides to lay an egg, I just wanted to write a few words about JW6, nicknamed Juno, our previous female who failed to return from migration this Spring.

JW6 burst onto the scene at Border Ospreys on 20 Apr 2021, the fourth year that we hadn’t had a settled female, or a brood. She was one of 11 females we had visiting the nest that year, some ringed and some not; some eager to breed and others not. She definitely fell into the latter category and actually was a complete nuisance that first year. She chased off any other females about but refused Samson’s advances (but never his gift of fish) and then would disappear for days at a stretch, before returning and ousting any other female who had attempted to settle in the meantime. I expect she was checking out any other options but kept returning to Samson.

When she arrived on 2 April 2022, I thought that we were in for another frustrating season but I couldn’t have been more wrong. She became the ideal mate for Samson and produced two fine chicks, although one sadly was injured in a nest accident whereby it lost an eye and has to be euthanised. In 2023, she went one better and produced 3 chicks.

Despite losing one as a result of poor fish stocks, she did so well again, and even helped Samson out with fishing for the family. She looked set for a long reign as the Border Ospreys matriarch but something happened between her leaving on 15 Aug 2023 and her due back time this year and she failed to return. We have no idea what was the cause of her death but there are so many dangers for even the most experienced ospreys, both on migration and in their winter homes.

She was a strong, confident and very large presence on the nest. I sometimes worried about the survivability of the camera lens when her fish begging reached full volume but she was impressive in how quickly she learned to overcome the many difficulties in bringing up a family. One of my enduring memories of her was watching entranced via the camera as she worked out how to feed her first day old chick a meal of fish without trampling on it or stuffing pieces far too large for it down its throat.

She was very dominant and Samson was not allowed to incubate very much or brood, or even feed the chicks, something he had enjoyed with his first mate. However, she was a dedicated parent and a fierce protector of the nest and she was wise enough to take the risk of leaving the nest in 2023 to catch fish to supplement Samson’s efforts and ensure that the two remaining chicks survived.

I hope that her demise was quick and as painless as possible and I have my fingers firmly crossed that her genes will have survived in the shape of 688 (Sacha) who is due back this year and/or 733 (Jed) and 732 (Ursula), the last being a real chip off the old block. She left indelible memories during her time here and I am grateful for her deciding to make Lanton her summer home for those few years. I will never forget her. Fly high Juno.