Wednesday 2 April 2008

Venus Pool - Osprey

Well, what better way to follow a fantastic March with a key bird for April openers. An Osprey had been seen by a few observers on the evening of March 31st and it returned with a vengeance today!!

It was present for much of the afternoon and during the evening today. Obviously stuggling, given the very windy conditions and surface ripple etc, it remained fishless for hours! I managed to get a couple of decent but distant record shots.








A useful sense of scale provided by one of several mobbing rooks!






Best views were in the fading light at 7.00pm however, whilst with Dave Western in the top field. We were watching a Barn Owl hunting over the seed crop......






when suddenly the Osprey reappeared over the Trout pool, OMG - which way do we turn! The Osprey got the vote and it was a quick dash to the causeway for closer views, climaxed over the next 30 mintes with two attempts to nail a fish. The first plunge was amazing - the Osprey literally disappeared under water for a few seconds before the head reappeared, followed by the wings and then a monumental effort to become airborne again! Oh to have captured this - closer and in decent light.....

These are really dodgy pictures but help to convey the scene......