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The Birds Of South Gloucestershire          Osprey - pandion haliaetus

 

Osprey is a medium large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. It is often known by other colloquial names such as fishhawk, seahawk, bald buzzard or Fish Eagle. It is the only member of the genus Pandion which is in turn the only genus in the family Pandionidae. Osprey is derived from the Middle English word 'osprai', from the Anglo-Norman word, 'ospreit' and from the Latin 'ossifrage' which is a reference to 'bone breaker'.

 

There have been twenty-six Osprey reported from S. Gloucestershire in modern times;

 

2012: (3)

At Oldbury Power Station surveyors reported one in flight up river in the morning on April 13th; One was seen in flight north over Thornbury on April 15th; One was seen in flight over the road at Rangeworthy at 17:15 on April 18th;

 

2011: (3)

One was seen at 06:50 on May 1st heading low north east off Severn Beach mobbed by Oystercatcher; One was reported off Severn Beach on September 4th; One was seen in flight down river from Littleton-on-Severn on September 6th.

 

2010: (1)

One was seen flying in off the estuary and was subsequently seen over Orchard Pools near Severn Beach mid afternoon on April 23rd.

 

2009: (3)

One was seen on migration over Almondsbury at Lower Knole Farm on April 19th; One was seen briefly at 10:25 over Northwick Warth and subsequently Pilning late morning on August 29th; One was seen at New Passage at 07:30 heading south on September 12th.

 

 

Osprey over Northwick Warth. August 2009. Paul Bowerman.

 

2008: (3)

One was seen flying very high, being mobbed by gulls over Mangotsfield at 10:40 on April 10th and was last seen heading north-east; One with a fish in its talons flew low upriver at Oldbury Power Station at around 14:55 on May 31st. It flew over the tidal reservoir near Lagoon III, gained height and headed north-north-east across the river; One flew south over New Passage at around 10:40 then seen a few minutes later from Severn Beach heading of south-west on September 7th.

 

2007: (3)

On March 28th one was seen in flight at Hambrook heading north over the A 4174 at 12:20; On April 1st one flew north over Wick Quarry at 15:05 viewable from Raven Rock at c.100 ft; On April 13th one flew low over Northwick Wharf and was lost to view heading north towards the old Severn Bridge at around 17:00.

 

2006: (1)

An individual was seen briefly in flight on April 18th at Bradley Stoke over the Hilton Hotel at Aztec West.

 

2005: (2)

One flew inland east from Severn Beach on March 27th; One was noted flying north-east at around 19:00 over the tidal reservoir at Oldbury Power Station on April 2nd.

 

2003: (2)

One on April 2nd at Severn Beach was watched heading north; On April 6th at Severn Beach one was also seen heading north.

 

2001: (1)

On August 31st at Oldbury Power Station a single bird was watched for around ten minutes over the tidal reservoir before heading off to the north-east.

 

2000: (1)

On May 11th one was seen at Severn Beach heading north towards the Wye Valley.

 

1997: (1)

One was observed heading south on August 9th at Severn Beach.

 

1991: (1)

One was seen being mobbed by corvids on June 4th over Kingswood in Bristol at 07:15.

 

1987: (1)

On October 16th an individual was seen at New Passage, it was watched flying from the estuary and heading south.

 

1979: (1)

One was reported on October 27th at New Passage.

 

c.1860: (1)

One was killed whilst fishing at Tortworth Court Lake presumably in either the spring or autumn passage.

 

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