Ospreys, like many of their human counterparts will take any opportunity to go and view other people’s residences, especially graciously appointed Lake side ones. Being 8 foot across, the nests are really impossible to miss when flying above. They look like giant archery butts lying flat in the tops of the trees with the nest cup as the bullseye and any osprey seeing one feels compelled to arrow in on the target.

Two extra birds were seen on the lake today and at about lunch-time (again a favoured time for spur-of-the-moment visitors) one decided to go calling on the No-rings. It did not go empty handed but courteously came bearing the gift of a large stick and landed on the side of the nest.

In fact, a bailiff or a burglar breaking in could not have elicited a more unfavourable reaction from the home-owner. There was a few seconds silence and then a shriek from Mrs. that would have rivalled that of an elderly Victorian spinster finding a strange man under the bed. With further shrieks she shot off high into the air in a complete panic crying out for No-ring – who, would you believe was off fishing. Given a free run of the house the intruder had a good look around, said ‘Hi’ to the chick/s, then dropped the stick and exchanged it for a piece of left-over fish. Before an irate No-ring could appear on the scene it flew off again- presumably to eat its newly acquired lunch.

A short time later it was spotted on the lake playing around over the water. At one point it passed close by the old nest. Now surely that should have been the one worth having a sticky-beak at.