Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape Archive

Osprey tall spray and evening sun. Pandion haliaetus

Ospreys midsummer evening fishing

Birds in the british landscape, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape
Osprey with up right flat wings pulls trout from water. Cairngorm NP. Pandion haliaetus

Osprey June action at Rothiemurcus

Birds in the british landscape, Life in wild Scotland, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

By June Ospreys breeding in the Spey valley need increasing amounts of food for their growing young. The Osprey fishing loch at Rothiemurcus is a reliable place for them to catch fish and a great place to see these spectacular birds in action.

Osprey 2nd try at leaving the water almost clear. Sept Cairngorn NP Pandion haliaetus

Last Osprey of summer struggling with large trout

Birds in the british landscape, Life in wild Scotland, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

By the end of August most Ospreys have started their migration south from the Scottish Cairngorms. Some of the adult males birds wait to make sure this years young are able to catch fish. This Osprey has caught a trout at Rothiemurchus and needed two attempts to pull it out of the water.

http://rothiemurchus.net/osprey-photography/

Osprey pulling large trout from a Cairngorm loch. Pandion haliaetus

May Ospreys behaving at Rothiemurchus

Birds in the british landscape, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

Rothiemurchus fishery is the place to watch ospreys fishing a few metres away. The water level hides are perfect for photography.

For more information click on the link.

http://rothiemurchus.net/osprey-photography/

Osprey with half caught trout. May Cairngorms NP. Pandion haliaetus

Ospreys, spray, trout and tallons

Birds in the british landscape, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape
Osprey dripping water after failed dive. May evening Cairngorm NP. Pandion haliaetus

Ospreys fishing and behaving at Rothiemurchus fishery

Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

Rothiemurchus fishery is the place to watch and photograph ospreys diving and catching fish. The small loch is away from the main fishery and has been landscaped to make it perfect for fishing ospreys, This year the hides have also been changed to make watching the birds an even better experience. All these images were taken in May, although there are slightly less dives than later in the summer there are long days with excellent light and fewer human visitors.

Click on the link for info on Ospreys at Rothiemurchus fishery

http://www.rothiemurchus-activities.co.uk/Activities.aspx

 

Ospreys fishing in intimate detail

Life in wild Scotland, Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

These images were taken at Rothiemurchus fishery during May 2013. Although Ospreys dive very close to the hides I used a 500mm lens to try and capture the action close up and in intimate detail.

This year Rothiemurchus fishery has built new low hides and this has reinforced its reputation as one of the best places any where to watch and photograph fishing Ospreys.

To get more info on Osprey watching at Rothiemurchus click on the link below and then click “On Land”

www.rothiemurchus-activities.co.uk/Activities.aspx

Ospreys fishing and missing at Rothiemurchus

Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

July and August are critical months for breeding Ospreys in Scotland. If young Osprey chicks are going to be strong enough to migrate back to Africa at the end of the summer they need to be fed constantly by the adults.

The Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorm National Park has for many years encouraged local Ospreys to take fish from their fishing Lochs near Aviemore. Rothiemurchus has a loch that is for the sole use of the Ospreys where the birds can fish undisturbed.

The hides on the edge of this Loch are one of the best places anywhere to watch and photograph fishing Ospreys. All the images on this page were taken over two days in mid July.

To get more information on Osprey watching at Rothiemurchus click on the link below and then click “On Land”

www.rothiemurchus-activities.co.uk/Activities.aspx

Ospreys In the Cairngorm Landscape

Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

Ospreys can now be frequently seen in the skies of the Spey Valley and Cairngorm National Park and there are now well over 200 breeding pairs in Scotland. Ospreys travel north from Africa because the long Scotish summer days allow them to provide enough food for their very fast growing and demanding young.

Ospreys feed on fish, which they catch with spectacular dives into lochs and rivers. Breeding birds have to have a reliable source of fish if their young are going to survive the challenging Scottish weather. Increasing numbers of landowners and Estates are stocking their lochs with fish for fishing and for the local ospreys, this helps more young survive in difficult summers.

The Rothiemurchus estate has had ospreys taking fish from their fishing lochs for many years and have actively encouraged the birds. In 2012 Rothiemurchus opened a small loch exclusively for ospreys and stocks it with fish of the right size for them to catch. This is one the best locations anywhere to watch these spectacular birds diving for fish.

Many of the photographs below were taken at the Rothiemurchus fishery. Visiting the fishery not only gives the chance of seeing ospreys fishing in exhilarating close up it also helps ensure the birds continue to have a reliable source of fish for their young.

To get more info on Osprey watching at Rothiemurchus click on the link below and then click “On Land”

www.rothiemurchus-activities.co.uk/Activities.aspx

Fishing Ospreys of Rothiemurchus

Ospreys in the Caingorm Landscape

The return of Ospreys to Scotland is one of the outstanding conservation good news stories in the UK. Since the first pair returned to breed at Loch Garten 50 years ago, ospreys have become an established part of the spring and summer scenery; especially in the Cairngorms National Park.

The Rothiemurchus estate has a proud history in the conservation of ospreys. Before the species succumbed to persecution at the beginning of the 20th Century the Rothiemurchus Estate was one of the last areas where the birds were appreciated and protected. The Estate is building on this fine history today by actively supporting and encouraging the iconic Scottish ospreys.

Young ospreys need to eat a lot of fish to build the strength to survive in the nest and migrate to Africa. It is the job of the male adults to feed both the chicks and their mothers during this critical summer period. The Rothiemurchus estate actively encourages the birds to fish at the lochs around the estate fish farm near Aviemore. This helps ensure the young birds always have enough to eat, even when fishing is difficult at other locations.

One benefit of this policy is that Rothiemurchus is one of the best locations anywhere to watch and photograph fishing ospreys. All the images here were taken on the Rothiemurchus Estate.

To get more info on Osprey watching at Rothiemurchus click on the link below and then click “On Land”

www.rothiemurchus-activities.co.uk/Activities.aspx