This morning (2nd May) Rothiemurchus dropped in at the SWT Loch of the Lowes nest near Dunkeld in Perthshire. The female osprey ‘Lady’ was not well pleased with his arrival – fortunately Raymond Leinster managed to get a photo of his brief visit. My thanks to Emma Rawling for sending this on – she says ‘he looked in fine fettle’. I checked the data and since arriving in the area on 27th April he has been ranging in an area of over 400 square km  centred on Pitlochry – but mainly north of Dunkeld.  The latest data was only up to 6am on 2nd May so in a few days time I’ll get the GPS data for the 2nd May.  He’s leaving it very late to find a mate and nest.

Rothiemurchus at Lowes nest 2nd May. Photo by Raymond Leinster

Rothiemurchus set off north after 8am on 26th April and by 10am was approaching the Mersey; 4 hours later he was just south of Carlisle. He flew a more westerly route through the Borders and roosted in a wood near Solgirth, south of Dollar. On 27th he moved north at 6am, at 8am was southof Amulree and by 11am was back in the Dunkeld/Pitlochry area, where he settled last summer. During the 27th and 28th he ranged through 250 square km looking for a mate and a nest. Let’s hope he settles down as soon a spossible and breeeds successfully.

Last leg – 26th – 28th April

He flew north in morning to be over the River Severn, upstream from Newtown, at 8am, and then flew a few miles north (with a fish?) to a forested hill north of Aberhafesp, then by 7pm he was back at the same place on the River Severn and roosted there overnight by the river.

April 25th

Rothiemurchus left his roost early and flew over Jersey and by 0900GMT was north of Guernsey. An hour later (midday our time) he was 22 km WSW of Portland Bill flying NNW at 57k/hr at 372 metres abover the sea. Coming shore between Bridport and Lyme Regis he flew on to Brean Down to cross the Bristol Channel. At 4pm he was over Crickhowell in Wales and roosted for the night in a wood east of Dolfor

April 24th

Rothiemurchus flew 206 km today , north past Nantes and roosted overnight near the French coast east of St Malo – ready for a channel crossing

April 23rd

Rothiemurchus departed from his stop-over on the Ortiguera estuary at about 0930GMT and headed NE out of the Bay of Biscay. He flew strongly all the way to the French coast south of Noirmotier and covered a distanceof 611 km. He roosted overnight near Challons

April 22nd

Rothiemurchus has stopped off again in a favourite Spanish estuary at Ortiguera on the north coast of Galicia. He should set off across the Bay of Biscay or around the coast as soon as possible if he is going to breed this summer.

Rothiemurchus set off early and passed Rabat at 0800GMT, he left Tangier at 1600 hrs and an hour later was over Cape Trafalgar in Spain. He flew north and roosted the night in the Dehesa de Abajo, SW of Seville. Next morning he flew noth and then at 0900GMTturned NNW and by 1400hrs had flown into Portugal, S of Elvas and later roosted at the Nisa Reservoir.  On 16th Rothiemurchus flew north over inland Portugal and roosted for the night in the Alvao National Parkin North Portuday.  Today 17th April he was away before 0700GMT and at 1100 hrs passed over Purense and at 1600hrs was arriving at his usual stop-over area near As Pontes de GarciaRodriguez in NW Galicia.  What an extra stage of migration he builds into his track because he keeps returning to Galicia instaed of heading direct to the Pyrenees

April 14th – 17th

Rothiemurchus crossed from Tangier (1600GMT) to Andalucia (1700GMT)

April 14

On 11th April Rothiemurchus flew north through Morocco and roosted overnight SE of Agadir; next day he flew north, passing over Marrakesh at 1630GMT and roosting further north overnight. On 13th he flew on north and roosted overnight near a reservoir just south Tamesna, not far south of Rabat.

April 11th – 13th