Whilst our Loch of the Lowes osprey chick Blue 44 relaxes in southern France, our second satellite tagged chick Blue YD is steaming ahead and has now covered nearly three times the distance on his first migration. So far he has covered an truly awe-inspiring 2300miles!

In the last two days he has covered much of Morocco and as of last night was inMauritania. Worryingly he is now undertaking perhaps the most hazardous part of this mammoth journey: crossing the Sahara desert.

On Tuesday night he landed in this inhospitable desert and roosted far from water, trees or any human habitation. He is flying almost exactly due south, seemingly confident and strongly. He has recently rested and we think fed so hopefully he will have enough energy for this enormous crossing, but it is a dangerous direct route.

Mid afternoon yesterday he was in the treacherous but beautiful Tiris Zemmour region which is a rocky desert area with virtually no villages or water. Here is a picture of what the region he is overflying looks like:

Next he faces a huge area of true desert sand dunes and equally sparse water : will he make it safely across?