TWO…?

Lots of excitement yesterday evening when it was reported that there were 2 ospreys flying around the nest. I shot back but by the time I got there, there was only one and in the gathering gloom of an incoming heavy rainstorm I couldn’t make out enough details to positively identify who it was. What I could see was that it was a female, with a blue ring on her left leg and she seemed quite familiar with the nest. Was it 500/Augusta back?

I left after the rain started and with no further idea who it was we had up there on the nest but was back again this morning, and was encouraged to see a familiar sight as I drove in of an osprey sitting on the nest perch. By the time I got around to where I sit, there were 2 birds on the nest. Samson was doing his normal mantling/subservient act in between moving a few sticks around and the female joined him and did a bit of stick renovation as well. When she hopped back onto the nest perch I could see her ring clearly…but it was not 500! We were being visited by KX7, the star of Kielder’s nest 7 cam, and the reason she was familiar with the nest and Samson is that she was our non-breeding female from 2019 and has been on a visit several times in the years since. She started gently food begging (such a difference to 500’s raving) and Samson obediently flew off after a fumbled mating attempt during which she seemed receptive but Samson got his angles all wrong!

She disappeared from sight shortly after Samson thermalled away to fish downstream and wasn’t seen again, even when he brought back a nice looking grayling. He proceeded to eat it while keeping an eye open for her but, when she didn’t arrive, he took the opportunity to finish it off. I am advised that she appeared back on her own nest at about 1615, looking totally innocent, but we know better!

I’ll let you know of any further developments of this or other goings on at the nest when they occur. In the meantime, I’m grateful to K Ramsay for these photos of Samson flying around yesterday and then bringing in some decorations for the nest.