Morven (2008-Present) - Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation

Ringing Date: 9th July 2008

Nest Location: B16 Moray

BTO Ring Number: 1305949

Colour Ring Number: White PE

Satellite Radio Number: 75607

Sex: Female

Measurements: Wing 520mm; Tail 226mm

Weight: 1952g

To view details of Morven’s movements click on the following link: MORVEN 2012-13

General

Morven is a very interesting female osprey. She ‘took over’ at Logie’s nest (B10) near Forres, Moray in April 2008, before Logie returned from Africa. She settled in at the nest with the old male, and over the next few days there were attempted matings and nest building. Logie returned five days later and chased off this individual. However, she then turned up again on 9^th July, at nearby nest B16, whilst I was fitting a satellite transmitter to the resident female. This serial intruder decided to defend the nest and was herself also caught by the decoy eagle owl and dho ghaza net! She proved to be five year old osprey 1305949, ringed as a chick by Mick Canham at a nest on Forestry Commission land near Keith, Moray on 8th July 2003. She was in very good condition, so we added a white colour ring PE to her left leg and fitted a GPS satellite transmitter. When released, she flew away north after the resident female scolded her, and headed off towards Caithness. I decided to call her Morven, after the distinctive highest mountain in Caithness. It is very prominent on the northern horizon from Findhorn and she would have been able to use it as a landmark as she crossed the open Moray Firth.

Annual Movements

In 2008 Morven wintered on the Atlantic coast of Mauritania. In spring 2009 she returned to Logie’s old nest and with the old male there, 6R (Talisman), she reared one chick, before wintering again in Mauritania. In April 2010 she arrived back at her nest on the same day as her mate, Talisman, but then headed up to Caithness for a few days. However, she returned to the nest again and reared two chicks. She then returned to her usual wintering location. In 2011 Morven used the same nest, but her old mate Talisman didn’t show up, and she bred with a new male, yellow black HA. She had a very successful summer, rearing three young for the first time. She then returned to Mauritania for the winter and is now back at her usual nest site with HA.