Latest news with #DianeBennett
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Tweed Valley osprey love triangle chicks fail to survive
The four chicks which hatched as part of a rare osprey love triangle in the Borders have and Land Scotland (FLS) had captured the unusual arrangement on cameras set up as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project (TVOP) at Glentress near female birds and one male had been breeding in what initially appeared to be a "tolerant" after the male bird left the nest, the two females struggled to provide enough food for the chicks which ultimately failed to survive. The unusual breeding situation was revealed last month when the relationship between the birds was "looking good".They worked together to incubate the four eggs in the nest and the chicks began to hatch on 28 by that stage the male bird - named Newboy - had abandoned the nest, leaving the two females - F2 and Mrs O - to provide for the co-ordinator Diane Bennett said that process had started out quite well. "It was with huge relief to everyone on the project when F2 brought a half-eaten fish back to the nest and both females began to feed the tiny chicks together," she said."It was a unique moment to witness and it was looking hopeful that they would figure out a feeding strategy to look after their young between them."However, no further fish were brought to the nest over Friday and Saturday."The chicks were begging for food, Mrs O went into her instinctive role to nurture her young, protect them and to stay with them," Diane Bennett said."This left F2 to go against her natural instinct to do the same as Mrs O and to become the hunter and provider instead, which ordinarily is the role of the male bird in the osprey breeding cycle."F2 was struggling to fulfil this role, Newboy never returned and Mrs O was locked into her motherhood mode." She said that F2 did eventually return on Monday with a "small portion of half-eaten fish" but Mrs O was "so ravenous" that she had eaten it, leaving none for the Tuesday, when Mrs O stood away from the brood, it was clear that three of the young had died and one was still "begging to be fed".F2 did eventually bring some fish to the nest but by that time the remaining chick had also "succumbed to starvation and passed away"."Everyone is so heartbroken that the female ospreys have not managed to make this situation work," said Diane Bennett."This has been very upsetting and sad to watch this family drama turn to tragedy and brings home just how vulnerable and fragile the whole breeding cycle can be for ospreys."For their very brief lives they touched many hearts of people who dearly wanted them to survive."However, she said it was "not all doom and gloom" in the Tweed Valley as other birds that had fledged from the area had been spotted far have been reported on the Isle of Anglesey, in North Yorkshire and the Usk Valley in Wales.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
‘Very rare' love triangle between osprey birds in Scotland caught on camera
This is the moment that a trio of osprey birds were caught nesting together in a love triangle. Footage captured by Forestry and Land Scotland shows the three birds - two female and one male - sharing a nest of four eggs at Glentress near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Experts have said that the behaviour exhibited is 'very rare', with the two females even sharing incubation duties. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it,', said Diane Bennett, a Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator. Observers have said the egg hatching will only add more intrigue into how the polygamous relationship functions.
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Record
'Very rare' osprey love triangle spotted in Scots valley on livestream camera
The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. A 'very rare' love triangle involving three ospreys is being captured on a livestream camera for what is thought to be the first time. The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. The male has mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they have laid four eggs between them. They are said to be getting along with each other all right so far apart from tension over fish deliveries from the male which both females, one named Mrs O, want to grab. Viewers can watch the domestic saga playing out on a livestream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator, said: 'So far things are looking good. The females seem amicable and tolerant with both having mated with the male bird and laying four eggs between them. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it. 'Mrs O usually wins the fish and flies off to feed but has been seen to return with a portion remaining and letting the other female have it. 'This nest behaviour with all the birds in the same nest is very rare and as far as we know it is the first time this has ever been on a livestream camera with most other research involving such a set-up previously conducted though distant observation. 'Getting to watch this saga close up as the season unfolds is exciting both for the drama but also for the important research insights it will allow.' Mrs O has nested at the site before and has been joined by a new female and young male this year. FLS said the identity and background of the new arrivals is not clear. Although they both have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings which provide information on survival and movements they do not have the coloured, alphanumeric Darvic rings that enable researchers to identify individual birds. While Mrs O is also only fitted with a BTO ring she can be identified from her head markings as she has been returning to the site for several years. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Three birds share a nest in osprey ‘love triangle'
A 'very rare' love triangle involving three ospreys is being captured on a livestream camera for what is thought to be the first time. The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. The male has mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they have laid four eggs between them. They are said to be getting along with each other all right so far apart from tension over fish deliveries from the male which both females, one named Mrs O, want to grab. Viewers can watch the domestic saga playing out on a livestream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator, said: 'So far things are looking good. The females seem amicable and tolerant with both having mated with the male bird and laying four eggs between them. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it. 'Mrs O usually wins the fish and flies off to feed but has been seen to return with a portion remaining and letting the other female have it. 'This nest behaviour with all the birds in the same nest is very rare and as far as we know it is the first time this has ever been on a livestream camera with most other research involving such a set-up previously conducted though distant observation. 'Getting to watch this saga close up as the season unfolds is exciting both for the drama but also for the important research insights it will allow.' Mrs O has nested at the site before and has been joined by a new female and young male this year. FLS said the identity and background of the new arrivals is not clear. Although they both have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings which provide information on survival and movements they do not have the coloured, alphanumeric Darvic rings that enable researchers to identify individual birds. While Mrs O is also only fitted with a BTO ring she can be identified from her head markings as she has been returning to the site for several years. The eggs are expected to hatch in the coming weeks. The Tweed Valley Osprey Project was set up in 1998 to help to establish a breeding population of ospreys in the Scottish Borders. The livestream can be viewed at
North Wales Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Science
- North Wales Chronicle
Three birds share a nest in osprey ‘love triangle'
The trio of birds – one male and two female – are sharing a nest together in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. The male has mated with both females, a form of polygamy known as polygyny, and they have laid four eggs between them. They are said to be getting along with each other all right so far apart from tension over fish deliveries from the male which both females, one named Mrs O, want to grab. Viewers can watch the domestic saga playing out on a livestream camera set up by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) as part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project. Diane Bennett, Tweed Valley osprey project co-ordinator, said: 'So far things are looking good. The females seem amicable and tolerant with both having mated with the male bird and laying four eggs between them. 'The only tension witnessed so far has been on the arrival of a fish delivery from the male as the two females both make a grab it. 'Mrs O usually wins the fish and flies off to feed but has been seen to return with a portion remaining and letting the other female have it. 'This nest behaviour with all the birds in the same nest is very rare and as far as we know it is the first time this has ever been on a livestream camera with most other research involving such a set-up previously conducted though distant observation. 'Getting to watch this saga close up as the season unfolds is exciting both for the drama but also for the important research insights it will allow.' Mrs O has nested at the site before and has been joined by a new female and young male this year. FLS said the identity and background of the new arrivals is not clear. Although they both have British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) rings which provide information on survival and movements they do not have the coloured, alphanumeric Darvic rings that enable researchers to identify individual birds. While Mrs O is also only fitted with a BTO ring she can be identified from her head markings as she has been returning to the site for several years. The eggs are expected to hatch in the coming weeks. The Tweed Valley Osprey Project was set up in 1998 to help to establish a breeding population of ospreys in the Scottish Borders. The livestream can be viewed at
