19th May and I knew the ospreys were at last settled from previous recent observations. I just happened on them as the male had caught a flatfish and began eating it. I could hear the female call begging and wanted to see the crossover for incubating as the male provided the fish remains. I have to say she got the major portion as I did indeed see a crossover, the male is pictured on the tree and the female on the post, note the head colouration difference, the females is solid brown and the males is patchy.
From where I stood I could hear tree creepers above the scolding of the blue tits and was rewarded with a pair feeding on separate trees in clear view, impossible to capture with my digi-scoping gear and my trusty Canon SX50 was in the house! The tree creepers have a nest within 10m of where I watch the ospreys and they were feeding chicks, I did not look inside the entrance hole for fear of disturbance as I am not sure how tree creepers react to disturbance, usually when birds have young they have strong fidelity but why take the chance.
I went out to spend a couple of hours scanning the reedbeds for harriers, hoping for a food pass and therefore nest location, nothing! ospreys are much better value.