An Osprey at Frampton Court Lake with a fish

I’d heard on the grapevine recently (The Gloster Birder) that a visiting osprey has stayed on for a few days to stock up on food before its first long migration across the Sahara desert to its west African winter quarters. I’d read that it has been identified via its foot tag as a juvenile male, having been ringed on the Meickleour Estate, Perthshire on July 3rd.

I wasn’t sure if it would still be there today but decided to take a chance of seeing it, as I hadn't been able to visit Court Lake recently – a favourite venue of ours for watching bird life, situated only a couple of miles from WWT Slimbridge.

When I arrived I met several couples walking towards the west side of the lake which is mostly open and provides good views of the wildlife. I was told the osprey had been seen within the last hour and was possibly in a tree. As I neared my regular viewing spot on a small promontory in the lake which looks eastwards a small crowd of people were gathered near the lake’s edge with cameras, with many cameras and  tripods pointing towards one of the islands.

Someone told us that the osprey had caught a fish which it was eating on a high branch on the a tree on the island.  Looking up I spotted it immediately with my naked eye. I watched closely and took pictures for about fifteen minutes and then it suddenly took off and flew away to the far side of the lake. The gossip had it that it has been viewed quite a few times in different places on the lake and apparently also flies off to the second lake at the Court.

A few years ago I heard a similar story of a visiting osprey and managed to see it flying right above me. Someone told me that it stayed for sometime before its migration. I’m certainly going to go back as soon as possible to watch it again. Having such a wonderful bird in close proximity, where you might also be able to see it hunting is a wonderful opportunity. I’ll try and find out more about this bird, and see gif I can find out the name it has been given, and where it goes if it is being tracked.

I managed a couple of shots of its flight but the first was the best with it just in focus, and I’ve added it as an ‘Extra’. I wasn’t sure which one to Blip, and may change my mind. Let me know which you prefer.