Another day, another Osprey!

Well, well, well. What a fantastic raptor day. Five Red Kites, five Common Buzzards, four Sparrowhawks and a couple of Kestrels all seen high heading southish during the afternoon. This was in addition to the usual four Marsh Harriers, two Hobbies, two Sparrowhawks and seven Kestrels around the fen!

This evening though took the biscuit. Pottering around the front garden (filling feeders, setting moths traps etc) at 1905h, an Osprey (yes, two in two days!) flapped lazily past not much above roof height. I followed on foot to watch it head towards the irrigation res, circle then break southwards again. It made it to Bevill's Leam where it turned westwards, flew for a few hundred yards then turned and retraced its steps. It had that classic hunched, head down shape of a hunting bird. It nearly reached Tebitt's Bridge before it turned westwards again and after a few hundred yards, bvroke off south and started to gain a little height. A couple of crows gave it a bit of stick, but it was already an a direct southerly line and soon out of their 'care zone'. I watched it for about another five minutes as it slowly moved down towards Ramsey St Mary's and was lost to view. It possibly went on to Woodwalton Fen, or other woodland block, for the night.

Arriving back home at 1950h I had an answerphone message from Don Gardner to tell me that Matt Webb had just an Osprey low over Ferry Meadows shortly before 1855h heading my way! I might not have got the call at the time, but at least I did see the bird!

Another coincidence is that in 2003 I had an Osprey at Prior’s Fen and the following day another Osprey over the house. Yesterday I had an Osprey at PF and today one over the house. What a double-double! The 2003 Prior’s Fen bird headed off strongly north-westwards, so I telephoned Will Bowell who managed to get to Deeping Lakes and see it 25 mins later! So my tip is if you see an Osprey going over, ring someone you know who is in the direction the bird is flying!

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth around one of the gardens as I was hot-footing it after the Osprey barely got a second glance!

What a day!