Really horrible news this morning about a male osprey, Jimmy (Blue ring CU2). He was found electrocuted near Pentrefoelas, North Wales and reported to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Jimmy was born at a nest in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, in 2012 and was first spotted back in the UK two years later in August 2014 at the Dyfi. Here is a video of him 'intruding' at the Dyfi nest last year.

Jimmy had returned to Wales on 15th April this year and started to bond with the female at the Glaslyn nest after her usual male had not returned. However, Jimmy only stayed around for a few days as he was not the only male interested in the new spinster.

Jimmy (Blue CU2) on the Glaslyn nest on 15th April 

The following morning Jimmy had been ushered off the Glaslyn nest by another male, Blue 80, a direct Glaslyn offspring from 2012. On 19th April, however, he was back.

Jimmy fishing on the Cob, Porthmadog early morning on 21st April 

Jimmy was positively identified for the last time on 23rd April on the Glaslyn, by which time yet another male had muscled his way in (and he's still around). Despite not being seen up close, however, the chances are that Jimmy has been one of the male intruders that have cropped up at the Glaslyn recently, and possibly the Dyfi nest, following this last positive sighting.

He was found by an electricity worker this morning, 11th May, underneath power lines near Pentrefoelas. He had burn marks on his beak and one wing had been completely severed from his body.

Ospreys live in a very different world to the one they have evolved over millions of years to live in; they encounter man-made hurdles almost everywhere they go. Roy Dennis, in his book A Life of Ospreys, mentions many of these threats, including electrocution from overhead power lines. He documents that 13.4% (13 birds out of 97) of all reported osprey deaths in a 2007 study had died by electrocution.

As sad as the demise of this male osprey is, it is yet another reminder of how difficult a world it is for ospreys to survive; Ceulan was another young male that got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. This incident acts as another reminder too - never to let our determination and resolve to help and protect these birds, and many other species, dwindle. Ospreys need our help today just as much as they did 50 years ago.

Jimmy would have been three years old in a couple of weeks. He had made it through the first two difficult years and was prospecting around North Wales looking for a nest site, only to be cut short at a time when the biggest dangers in his life should have been behind him.

Rest in peace young man.

Many thanks to the BTO for the following images of Jimmy.