FEW BIRDS ARE SO DEEPLY EMBEDded in the Scottish psyche as the osprey – and few men's lives have been more connected with the raptor than that of Roy Dennis, whose new book details not only the life of the osprey but also his own association with the
bird.
It was in 1960, as junior warden at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' (RSPB) famous "Operation Osprey" project at Loch Garten, in Strathspey, that Dennis's lifelong relationship with the osprey began. After a spell as warden at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Dennis returned to the mainland in the 1970s as the RSPB's Highland Officer and became one of the leading lights in the conservation of the species.
After leaving the RSPB in 1991 to become a consultant, Dennis has continued his work with the osprey, re-introducing it to Rutland Water, in England, in 1996, and later helping to bring the bird back to Spain. His latest book briefly touches on Dennis's work with the red kite, white-tailed sea eagle and golden eagle, but it centres on the fascinating story of the osprey in Scotland, from its apparent extinction in the early part of the 20th century through to the very latest in satellite tracking projects, which Dennis runs.
Though the story of the osprey in Scotland is well-known to many birdwatchers, and also to some of the wider public, to read the tale told by the man at the centre of the story is a real treat. Each chapter covers a different area, ranging from the history of the osprey in Scotland through to its nesting, fishing and breeding habits.
But it is the diary entries and the photographs amassed over a career spanning five decades that really bring the book to life. Whether it is fascinating facts about the bird – such as the colour of an osprey's eye changing from orange when young to yellow in adulthood – or tips on where to see them, Dennis shares experience that can come only through first-hand knowledge.
This book was written by a man at the very top of his game but is still accessible and entertaining, giving the reader an insight into the osprey and its world. No prior knowledge is assumed and Dennis's prose flows wonderfully throughout the book. Though he covers the science well, Dennis never strays into pure academic writing, allowing both the amateur and enthusiastic birdwatcher to come away from the book feeling inspired.
Another of Scotland's iconic birds – the gannet – is at the heart of The Guga Hunters, by journalist Donald S Murray. The guga of the title is the name given to young gannets, which are born and raised on cliffs and islands around the length of Scotland's coast.
Murray's book tells the story of the men from Ness, in the north of the island of Lewis, who set out into the cold waters of the North Atlantic to reach Sulasgeir, an island barely half a mile long that lies some 40 miles off the Butt of Lewis. Leaving in late August, the men spend about a fortnight killing and salting about 2,000 birds.
From accounts of how gugas have been hunted through the ages to the modern-day exploits of the ten men from Ness who have carried on the tradition, Murray's writing is easy to read and paints a vivid picture of a way of life that seems so far removed from most people's everyday experiences.
Given special dispensation under UK, and later EU, legislation – and with the blessing of conservation organisations – the practice of hunting Sulasgeir's gannet chicks continues to this day.
And the flavour of the birds? A cross between bird and fish, prompting George Morrison, writing in the Stornoway Gazette, to coin the term, "fird".
• Signed copies of A life of Ospreys are available direct from the author – see
www.roydennis.org for more details.
