Famous Cairngorms osprey may have died of old age

28 May 2019

Conservationists suspect one of Scotland's best-known ospreys has died.

EJ is the most successful breeding female osprey at Loch Garten, an RSPB Scotland reserve near Boat of Garten in the Cairngorms.

Ospreys migrate to Scotland from west Africa to breed. Until now, 21-year-old EJ has always returned to Loch Garten by 4 April.

Reserve staff now hope her nest, which is empty and overgrown with grass will be used by another pair of ospreys.

Last month, RSPB Scotland raised concerns for EJ after her late return for a 16th season. Reserve staff, who have written a tribute to the osprey, said 21 was "an amazing age for an osprey.

Over previous seasons, 25 of EJ's chicks have fledged.

But the raptor is not only known for her breeding success. She has also gained fame for the adversities she has overcome in previous seasons.

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New potential mate for Cairngorms osprey EJ

10 April 2018

The most successful breeding female osprey at an RSPB Scotland reserve has been seen with a new potential mate.

Known as EJ, the female returned to the RSPB's Loch Garten reserve in the Cairngorms for her 15th breeding season after migrating from west Africa.

But Odin, her partner of nine years, has not returned after disappearing mid-season last year.

Reserve staff have been blogging about a new male bird seen with EJ at her nest.

EJ returned to the nest last month and has been defending the site against rival birds.

Source  

Snowy owl spotted in Cairngorms

A rare sighting of a snowy owl has been made in the Cairngorms.

The birds of prey are native to Arctic regions, including parts of Norway and North America.

The snowy owl in the Cairngorms was seen on 18 February and reported on the nature website iSpot earlier on Tuesday.

RSPB Scotland said that to see snowy owls in Scotland was rare. The last pair of snowy owls to breed in the UK was on Shetland in 1975.

female

A spokesman said: "I believe that over the years snowy owls have been seen occasionally in the Cairngorms during the summer months.

"It is unusual to see one high up on the plateau during winter as there would be relatively little food for them - particularly up around Ben Macdui."

He added: "Spotting a white bird like a snowy owl in such a extensive snowy landscape would be a quite a challenge."

In 2011, a male snowy owl appeared on the Western Isles for the eighth year running in a search for a mate.

Male

The large white owl first visited the islands in 2003 and had previously flown around North Uist, Lewis, Harris and St Kilda.

In 2008, birdwatchers' hopes of snowy owls breeding in the UK for first time in more than 30 years were raised when the bird was joined by a female.

However, the pair were later spotted 50 miles apart.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-21589828