Author Archives: Rosieshields

Coincidentally, exactly 6 years after the first chicks were ringed following the rebuild of the nest and the installation of the osprey nest camera, we were back again to ring the 2022 class. Both chicks have grown exponentially since they hatched and were starting to wing flap and exercise their flight muscles ready for theContinue reading “RINGING DAY”

The chicks are growing quickly and well, getting bigger every time I look. They dropped their fluffy down overnight at the weekend to transform into mini dinosaurs and now are starting to venture around the nest, propping themselves up by their wing stubs. Samson has been working hard providing a good supply of fish; pikeContinue reading “NEAR DISASTER!”

Well, excellent news and sad news in this short blog. The more exciting is that we have a second chick, which we first saw at just before 3pm when Juno stood up to collect a fish, another pike, from Samson. This little one was very sneaky because views of the contents of the nest atContinue reading “AND THEN THERE WERE TWO!”

For the first time in 5 years, and after so much heartache and disappointment in the intervening period, I can announce that we have a chick. Hatched out overnight, it looks strong and ready for breakfast. Let’s hope it doesn’t have to wait long. Proud new parent, Juno, is being very protective so we haveContinue reading “AT LAST!”

Juno finally allowed us to see that there were 3 eggs and, at present, we are on track for the hatching window to open on 30 May. She has continued to make me eat my words of last year and she has been an attentive and careful incubator – when she has been allowed onContinue reading “THE LONG WAIT”

Well, I know you’ve all been waiting to hear whether Juno laid a third egg yesterday and I can tell you that she did…..probably. However, handover of incubating duties have been very slick, Juno seems to have particularly feathery pantaloons and the loss of the nest camera for 24 critical hours have combined to leaveContinue reading “A COMPLETE CLUTCH?”

A very quick note to say that Juno has laid a second egg today, right on time. As a first time breeder, she may stop at 2 but, if she lays a third, it’s likely to be on Saturday. So far, Samson has been the keener of the two to incubate but she has beenContinue reading “A SECOND EGG”

As those of you who read my last blog will know, one very important condition had to be met before I was prepared to give our female, JW6, a name. She was such a nuisance last year with chasing off any rivals but then not being prepared to settle down with Samson, that I saidContinue reading “HER NAME IS JUNO”

I know many of you have been wondering what has been happening since Samson appeared last Monday and whether he’d found a willing female this year. Well, I wanted to make sure that we weren’t witnessing a flash in the pan but he has found a female and she seems very interested in breeding. WhatContinue reading “MIGHT SHE?”

Well, having kept us on the edge of our chairs, given us sleepless nights and worried our fingernails down to the quick, Samson arrived this morning and was on the nest at 0913. He’s since had a wash and brush up and is now working away redecorating the nest after our feeble attempts to makeContinue reading “PHEW!!!”