Another Osprey

Today we planned to just follow our noses, visiting local birding sites. First up was the Dulnain Bridge layby - sure enough a pair of Dippers in attendance but staying at a discreet distance. Also, both Grey and Pied Wagtails had nests close by - in fact the Grey Wagtail had nested a couple of feet below the parapet of the layby wall. Three Common Sandpipers were noisily moving up and down the rapids and one finally settled fairly close to me allowing several nice pictures.

Next we drove via Carrbridge and Aviemore to ********* where we checked out an Osprey nest that Dawn and Jim had put me onto last year. Viewing from the road, the nest looked abandoned, and down on the lakeside it looked even more forlorn and then Liz spotted a bird sat in an adjacent tree - another Osprey. I had left the camera in the car so it was a matter of a hasty return. There was no panic - the bird was going nowhere - in the following couple of hours it preened, snoozed, poohed and snoozed some more. Finally, excitement! It flew off on what I thought would be a fishing trip, I readied the camera for the return - disappointment, more nest material. At least the upside is that the returning pair are committed to breeding again.



Nobody home.

 

Because the bird was mostly in silhouette, getting reasonable shots was difficult, so we decided to withdraw and return in the morning when the light would be improved. Oddly, due to other developments we never went back so I do not know whether nest refurbishment was completed.