The Roundhouse Café at Loch Doon have given the pupils at Dalmellington PS a very special opportunity to name their newest female osprey chicks which hatched earlier this year.

In July, the Chronicle reported on how after the osprey chicks had been ringed, the café took the decision to name the male osprey chick after Ciril Ostroznik – an important member of the community who helped bring the birds to Ayrshire.

Ciril built the nest platform for the ospreys and generally dedicated his life to looking after them but tragically died after falling from a tree in Dumfries and Galloway last year. He was 67.

Café owner Brian Meechan said: “Ciril, the person who installed the original cameras to monitor the Ospreys, sadly passed away and in his honour one of the chicks has been named after him.”

Cumnock Chronicle:

In a bid to involve youngsters in the interesting life of the animals, however, Dalmellington PS students named bird 028, which hatched on May 24, 2021 as Rainbow.

Bird 029 which hatched two days later, on May 26 this year, was named Hope. The male chick 027, named Ciril, hatched on May 28.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the children have yet to get to the Roundhouse to meet the new additions.

Cumnock Chronicle:

Another piece of exciting news is that the Roundhouse will be participating in the Developing Dalmellington Parish PB2 and are hoping to gain as many votes so as to obtain a grant for a binocular scope for the Osprey Viewing Area at Loch Doon.

If successful, the equipment will be erected outside the Osprey Lounge during the café’s opening hours and stored within the property during closed periods.

Voting takes place on Saturday, October 2 in the Dalmellington Community Centre. Outreach votes will be included in the count on the same date and postal voting for Waterside and other rural locations in the Parish began this week.