The osprey returned again today, visiting the perch in Ibsley Water at least twice. It was out there as we were mowing on the western shore of Ibsley Water and the Gull Island, in fact Ed saw it fly more or less over my head as I was head down wrestling with the mower on the steep bank. Before we had finished cutting it was back, this time with a fish which it set to eating on the perch.
As it is not every day that you can see an osprey, after we got back and put the tools away we went over to take a closer look, by this time it was about 4 o’clock. We arrived just in time to see it flying off towards the river again, however our disappointment was tempered by noticing a first winter little gull flying close to the hide, it came into view just as the osprey was going behind the trees, they are always a treat to see and this was a very smart one.
As Ed tried to get some pictures of the gull I scanned around and there was an otter swimming up the centre of the lake. As it approached the northern shore it spooked a mixed group of tufted duck and coot which flew off in panic, any one of them would be a good meal for an otter. We watched it swim into the extreme north-western corner and just as it was lost to view I noticed a drake common scoter flying about the centre of the lake, eventually it settled with a small group of tufted duck.
A very hectic five minutes of Blashford wildlife! Hopefully Ed will be able to post some pictures later.
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 
I was in the Tern hide this afternoon with quite a few others and saw the Osprey on its perch tucking into a fish. Close by him on the grass area we could see this chap beavering away with the mower. What surprised us was the fact that the mowing was done really close to the Osprey and it seems to be oblivious of the motor? mower. Maybe the fish was its priority.
In the North Ivy hide we had a fine view out of a window looking down into the clear water and tcould see a Pike lurking there. Just before that we saw an other smaller fish, grey bodied with red fins and tail beat a hasty retreat and disappear from sight. I have never seen either fish before and do not know what the smaller one would have been. It did not want to be the Pikes dinner, for sure.
Actually you were a lot closer to it in the Tern hide than we were on the western shore, Ibsley Water is about 1km across and this perch is towards the south-east of the lake, not even that close to the middle really.
Yes I saw it from around 1pm for 15 mins from Goosander hide but the stick us over 400m from the hide then it flew away up yo 1km from the hide, so my pics are rubbish
D
Sent from my iPhone
>
I have quite a good picture of the hardworker right by the Osprey which was far too interested in it fish meal to be scared off. Have a good photo. How do I post it on here