Talisman (2009-2010)

Date Caught:19th July 2009

Nest Location: B01, Moray

BTO Ring Number: Unknown

Colour Ring Number: Black/white 6R

Satellite Radio Number: 34281

Sex: Male

Measurements: Wing 478mm; Tail 204mm

Weight:1542g

General

I caught this male osprey at nest B01 (Logie’s old nest) in the morning of 19th July 2009, assisted by Steve Bentall and Amy King, using a decoy eagle owl and a dho ghaza net. He was in very good condition.  We fitted a GPS satellite transmitter and then released him.  He had been ringed as a chick on the Black Isle on 13th July 1999 and was lucky to survive because when Colin Crooke climbed up to the nest he found the two chicks entangled in agricultural baler twine, which he then cut away.  I named him Talisman in recognition of the valued support we continued to have from Talisman Energy UK plc, who had again sponsored satellite transmitters for our conservation research.

Annual Movements

In summer 2009, he regularly fished in Findhorn bay, and often visited Blairs Loch south of Forres. He reared one chick with his mate, Morven, and then wintered in the Bijagos archipelago in Guinea Bissau.   He returned to his usual nest in April 2010 and arrived a few hours before Morven.  They reared two chicks, with Talisman doing most of his fishing in Findhorn Bay.  In the autumn he set off on his annual migration south, and arrived once again at his winter quarters on the Bijagos archipelago.  However, we received no more signals from his transmitter after December 6th and, as he failed to return to his nest in 2011, we can only assume that, sadly, he must have died.

Spring (yellow) and autumn (red) migrations 2010

Autumn migration 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To view details of Talisman’s movements click on the relevant link:

Talisman 2010          |          Talisman 2009

 

Reproductive History

Talisman was seen at nest B01 near Forres in Moray in 2003 but did not breed. He was not seen the following year nor was the nest used, but in 2005 Talisman became the resident male at this nest and bred with a new female (Red/white 21) which had been ringed as a chick by Roger Broad at Loch Awe in Argyll in 2001. They had two young, one of which was translocated to Andalusia for the mainland Spain Reintroduction Project.

Since we have known him he has reared ten young (2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008:2; 2009:1; 2010:2).  He has had three mates (2005: Red/white 21; 2006-2008: new unringed female, (later named Logie, when she was trapped in autumn 2007); 2009-2010: Morven).

Photos

Talisman at tagging time

Talisman (right) and his mate, Morven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talisman head shot

Talisman in hand