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Boat of Garten osprey chick feared dead





Bynack when he was ringed at the RSPB reserve
Bynack when he was ringed at the RSPB reserve

It is feared that a chick fledged at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre by Boat of Garten could be dead after going ‘missing in action’.

The male youngster, known by followers as Bynack, hatched at the famous osprey nest on May 24, last year.

He was fitted with a satellite tag and leg rings before he took his first migration flight to West Africa in August.

Recent data received from the satellite tag shows there to have been no movement from Bynack for the last few days.

That has led experts to the conclusion that either Bynack has met an unfortunate end, or his tag has failed for some reason.

Richard Thaxton, site manager at Loch Garten said "The data we get at this time of year gives us the bird’s location at 9am and another at 5pm.

"Recent data from Bynack has shown identical locations at both 9am and 5pm and we hoped that this suggested he had a favourite roosting tree perhaps, to which he routinely returned each evening at 5pm and remained there until 9am the next morning.

"However, sunrise in Mauritania is currently at 7.37am and sunset at 6.58pm, which would suggest that this 9-5 routine is unlikely."

"It is just possible that this youngster is fine after all. Perhaps his tag has dropped off and continues to transmit from the same location, or maybe the tag has simply broken.

"But until we have a positive sighting of an osprey with his leg rings we have to conclude that he’s missing in action, presumed dead."


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