Osprey Quick Facts 2003

Some quick facts compiled by Pete Davies for the 2003 season up to the end of May

• The male returned to the nest site on the 8th April 2003 at 11.00hrs

• The female returned on the 16th April 2003 at 18.50hrs Incubation began at 0529 on the 30th April.

• Number of eggs is unknown---commonest belief is 3

• Incubation period is 37 days (34-40days being the range)--source 'The Birds of the Western Palearctic' 2nd June 2003 was day 34

• The male has undertaken 31% of the incubation. This is consistent with the figures for nests in Scotland of 20-35% (Green 1976: source Poole 1989 'Ospreys- A natural and Unnatural History')

• The female has undertaken 67% of the incubation Leaving 2% when they are both off (this has been mainly dealing with other bird intruders)

• The average number of male/female changeovers per day at the nest site is 13.

• As of 2nd June 89 fish have been brought to the nest site/female by the male . The male has probably caught the same number of fish for himself. 25 (28.09%) of these fish have been between the hours of 4am and 12 Midday 64 (71.91%) have been between Midday and 10pm Apart from 8 to 9am (8 fish) the most productive times are from 4pm to 10pm with 44 fish (49.44%) brought in.

• The average number of fish brought to nest per day is 2.6 although the last 5 days (late May 2003) with the better weather has seen 4,3,3,4,4.

• The fish species have been: Perch 35 Pike 10 Roach 1 Unidentified 43 (we are better at birds than fish!) 35 (39.33%) fish have been delivered between 10am and 5pm

• The fledging period is given as 53 days (49-57 being the range) source: 'The Birds of the Western Palearctic