Osprey tags will allow watchers to track birds' migration

Published on Monday 6 July 2009 22:03

OSPREY chicks have been fitted with satellite tags to allow birdwatchers to follow their 3,000 mile migration to West Africa later in the summer.

The tracking devices will follow two of the three birds at the Loch Garten centre in the Highlands by transmitting data which can be followed online.

It is hoped to follow the fortunes of the birds over the next couple of years before they hopefully return to Scotland.

Last year two chicks were fitted with tags but both died.

Richard Thaxton, RSPB Scotland Loch Garten Osprey Centre manager said: "It's been a fantastic season with our new male Odin proving to be a brilliant father, supplying a regular stream of fish to our regular female EJ and the three chicks.

"We've had the usual ups and downs, but all three are doing well and will head to Africa towards the end of August.

"By fitting these tags we can continue to keep up with how the birds are doing and learn much more about their migration routes, where they go and where they make stopovers on their way to West Africa.

"We tagged two young ospreys last year, but unfortunately both perished – one seemed to get lost out in the Atlantic, whilst the other did make it, but is now presumed dead as the satellite data revealed that it had stopped moving back in April this year.

"Sad though this was, we learned something from this, that a lot of migrant ospreys and other birds, die in their first year."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Loch Garten reserve being open to the public. The birds can be followed online at www.rspb.org.uk/ospreytracking