We have not seen the osprey chicks or the father since yesterday morning which is leading us to believe that they may have left for their wintering grounds in equatorial West Africa.  It will take them about a month to get to their wintering grounds and it will be a very dangerous journey for the juveniles who have a higher mortality rate during their first migration.

Even though our ospreys may have left I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about a story I was given about an osprey and a great crested grebe at Blatherwycke Lake in Northamptonshire.  The osprey visited the lake in early August to hunt, but this day took an unexpected twist. The osprey dived into the water for a fish and came out with non other than a great crested grebe.  Understandably the grebe was not amused by its attack from the osprey and was squawking and flapping about desperate to get away, mottling several of its feathers in the process. The osprey quickly released the grebe which dived back under water in a desperate attempt to get away and the osprey went back to hunting for fish completely unperturbed by its catch. Whether the osprey mistook the submerged great crested grebe for a fish due to its streamlined body we will never know but I am sure the grebe will always be wary from now on when its dives under water when an osprey is overhead!