Both our young ospreys are doing well and are still in their respective  wintering areas in Africa. Blue YZ has moved a whole 5 miles in the last few days, to an area  slightly downriver of her previous location. It is interesting in this close-up map to see her exploring relatively minor river channels and roosting at night on the boundary between the jungle and field edges.

 

 

Meanwhile Blue YD continues to hold his favourite territory on the Senegal/ Mauritania border. His home range in this area is about 7miles square and  varies very little from week to week- simply one bend in the river east or west as the fancy takes him.

One wonders if he is now so well established that he is chasing away this years new arrivals – younger ospreys.

Q: Will Blue YZ be living with other UK ospreys in Africa or will she be mixing with birds from other places?

A: Ospreys gather in loose groups in Africa on prime habitats but do not truly roost communally like some other raptors-they are quite independent creatures , even migrating solo. We do not yet know if the birds living near each other in Africa all share a country of origin but do don’t think so- birds from the UK have been seen up to now mixing with birds from Scandinavia and other parts of western Europe in places like Senegal and Gambia.

Ranger Emma