Western Osprey
LOOK up: watch the sky. You never quite know what might happen. You might see a passing Peregrine Falcon or even an early Eurasian Hobby instead of the regular Common Kestrel. There may be a large bird of prey up there somewhere and you need to be sure of both Common Buzzard and Red Kite now that the latter is such a part of the scene in so many places.
But a river valley or stretch of fresh water somewhere could produce a real treat. There’s one: a big bird of prey, not too high, half-circling, gliding, a bit of a soar on the breeze: are the wings in a ‘V’ (Common Buzzard) or long and arched (kite) – or, could they be really markedly bowed with a little angle at the joint, even though the tail is so short? Yes, a migrant Western Osprey. If it tilts over, the light may catch its white belly, or the pale head with a broad black band.
Western Osprey is still rare and local in the UK, but it now breeds in a variety of widespread places, so birds are likely to be on the move, albeit in low numbers, over a wide front. Like Red Kite, the species’ changing status blurs the boundaries between a natural increase from a tiny past population and introductions (or reintroductions in some places). Unlike, say, Northern Goshawk and White-tailed Eagle, it was not initially reintroduced to Britain after extirpation, but came back of its own accord in the 1950s.
It is worth thinking about the fall and rise of birds such as these, if you are fortunate enough to see the splendid ‘fish-hawk’ on its way north. Their story is closely intertwined with the story of conservation bodies such as the RSPB, and the long, slow process of bringing wild birds to the interest of a wider public. Do an internet search for ‘George Waterston’ to get the flavour of some of the pioneer heroes of not so very long ago.
Rob Hume