The sad news of the confirmation of Blue YZ’s death in Africa (see Tuesday’s blog here  http://blogs.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey/2014/02/24/sad-news-of-blue-yz-confirmed-24th-feb/) has touched many people. Thank you to everyone who has written, called and emailed us to commiserate and echo our thanks to the local team of Martina and the village children who were able to find the bird’s remains and tag for us. We are incredibly grateful for their help, and making the link with these locals is for us the ‘silver lining’ to this sad news. Of course, this story is itself a reminder of the high level of mortality amongst young ospreys due to the many threats they face.

We would like to raise £100 in order to cover the costs of educational materials for the local school as a thank you gift, including information about ospreys to help the children learn more about these magnificent birds and their amazing journeys. Anyone wishing to donate please click on the link below but please don’t send physical items as we need to keep postal weight low. Any donations received over and above the amount needed will  be used to fund our ongoing osprey protection work for the Loch of the Lowes birds.

The news from Guinea Bissau turns all our minds to the adult ospreys who will be starting to head north about now on their spring migration. It may only be three to four weeks until they turn up here on their breeding grounds in Scotland. We are all looking forward to the new osprey season and the imminent arrival of birds here at Loch of the Lowes.

To donate click here:  https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/donate/donate-now/stage1/  and select “Our work with ospreys”