Warm and greyish this morn. Rain is forcast for later today.
The current questions are; “where is the female?”, “who caught the fish?” and “who is eating most of the fish?”
The answers lie in very careful and accurate, verifiable observation. I will place here some personal comments. “Our” female is spending more time away from the nest; a gradual weaning of the breeding season. This will continue to occur until one day (probably soon) she will wend her way south, having completed another fantastic episode of her life. And yes, she appears strong and is well able to look after her own needs. Perhaps a juvie caught a fish yesterday. As we have observed over the past fortnight the male deliveries to the nest are nearly instantaneous. We have also observed that the chicks are able to fly with objects (pine cones, sticks, and fish) and know that they are able to land in the loch and alight from it. They are also able to perch and even eat fish away from the nest, albeit it is surely easier to eat on the “table”. It is possible that there was a fish exchange away from the nest. Our views from the camera and hides are remeber very limited, selective and comprehensive. About an hour after the perch came in, another fish was delivered by “our” male. Both of the adults have made consecutive food drops in the past. Of course we have very talented and accompished osprey here. As someone who has recorded plenty of natural history and biometric data I suggest that further observation is required. The juvies will both be too soon, to many, fending for themselves. Both of the young are healthy, active and progressing at their own pace. As I noted yesterday in a response to a comment, I indicated that the siblings have been getting along famously since hatch date. Competion is healthy. Each individual has its’ own needs.
Let us experience and enjoy the activity provided by natural world. Rinchen
When I see mum from behind like that, she reminds me of my mother, with that white, ruffled head! My mum died five years ago, at 86 years old. She loved birds – and all aspects of the natural world – and her letters were always full of her observations of the birds who visited her garden. I think she would be flattered by being compared to an osprey! Mum was as feisty a character as ‘our’ osprey any day.
That’s so sweet Carolyn. I’m lucky to still have my mother and feisty she is indeed at 83. What a blessing. She. too, enjoys her birds and squirrels, to the point of making them special food with peanut butter, lard, and various seeds and nuts. She loves doing it as much as they love eating the homemade goodies.
Good for her, Susan.
A lovely comparison Carolyn – I could draw that comparison too. My mum died 7 years ago, aged 93 – but (if she were an osprey) “fishing to the end”. Thank you for putting this thought in my mind!
There are a lot of feisty mums out there, Sue!
OK, once again, work is getting in the way of Loch watching. Looks like Lady gave up on any nestovers and our boy is back for his fish?? My goodness, that trout has surely lasted a good long time.
Is Peterabout today or is he on holiday this week as well?
JILLIAN
Jillian, He should return mid next week. Are you curious or is there something that we could help? Rinchen
Mum’s gone off to eat the latest delivery, so I can relax my vigilance and go to the shop at last. I think I’m going to go blind with all this staring at my computer screen!
He’s saying, “Hellllllloooooo, I’m back, I want my fish again, please.” I don’t think “Miss Stuffs a Lot” is going to stop til she chokes down the tail.
Well, sis just flew off with it, made a circle and back to the nest. hmmmm With the fish.
Good afternoon Osprey team and all blogger. Thank you Rinchen for that full and informative blog, I suppose being able to watch all the action live we to tend to get so involved with all events and do worry if we think something appears to be wrong, we ( or I) forget that there must be a lot more going on away from the nest that we don’t see. So now I am just going to sit back and enjoy what little time we have left with our family, ( but still know doubt worry just a little bit).
Oh! my god, the chick is trying to eat that ‘thing’ in the nest….we can all see what it is, disgusting!
Eileen, I don’t think it’s what you think it is!
Does any one know what it is? Looks like mum flew off with it and dropped it in the Loch?!
I’m sure it was one of those things Carolyn…even Mum didn’t want it in her nest!!
Susan, (SKay) read your comment of earlier, the fish you will notice is still alive and kicking, on most of the drops….it’s for the nutritional value of the head and brains, yuk! but I mainly think it’s to disable the struggling fish.
Wonderful camera work, once again.
Thanks to Team.
Thank you to all the ‘bloggers’ who have kept me amused me for endless hours.
I realised that she must have gone off with it when I saw it had disappeared!
Camera man, Rinchin? gave us a close-up view of it, no mistaking what it was.
I saw Mum fly off with it! Good girl, Mum, (and bad girlie, who dumped it in the loch) only hope it doesn’t reappear, as young ones, catch things and bring it to the nest, be it twigs, they don’t know until they investiage it, that it’s non edible.
It will be on youtube next!!!!
OMG Doh! I just never would have associated something like that turning up in LOTL! More common in the Water of Leith that runs past my flat – and those ‘rubber fish’ too.
Shame on the female that left that little treat for the wildlife, yuk!
Right about now, lil bro is thinking, why the heck did I give up that fine fish, man.
UPDATE ON NICK GORDEN. I’m out today but have been texting Nick. He left the IOM on wednesday but when he got to the airport he found he’d ‘lost’ his id but luckily they let him fly with his bank card to verify who he was. Well today he only went and lost his bank card haha. Now he’s in liverpool and not sure how he’s gonna get home. Think of him. (without laughing). I’ll keep you informed. Hope our family is doing well. More fish today than yesterdaY it looks like.
what’s he like ? lol
I believe he refers to himself as “follicly challenged.” That’s about all I know. Not sure whether Ann B has ever met him in person…
I meant what’s he like as in raised eyes MarjorieM. Tee hee.
‘What’s he like?’ or ‘What are you like?’ is a Scottish expression used when someone has done something daft, or something they shouldn’t have done
Confusing I know Marjorie lol x
Ooops, another “we speak the same words but they have a totally different meaning” moment! I think I just need to move to Scotland! Eventually then I’d figure it out I’m sure.
Nick, Nick, Nick Thanks Ann B
*stuffs fist into mouth … muffled snorting*
Oh dear, hope they let him return to IOM, good luck with that Nick!
I wonder if any of the blog people have a boat? Perhaps we could smuggle him back under cover of darkness
I’m not laughing, honestly. He’s lost the plot as well, hasn’t he Ann? Too busy writing poetry in his head! Poor Nick – I hope he gets home safely.
cannae believe i spelled his name wrong lol. He’s allowed to fly on sunday so by afternoon or evening time he should be back with us. I’ll not tell you what he called himself lol
I knew I should have picked Nick up in the microlite.
Men are so daft, bit like my son a couple of years ago, went to the Falklands for the reunion. At Heathrow, they noticed he’d handed in the wrong passport, he’d taken his ’sons’ passport, instead of his own. They let him go, wonderful work by their Team, I sent his passport up to the London office before the post office closed for the day, and it went with the next plane, next day, to the Falklands. He will never live that down.
Kids age you, it must happen in Osprey world as well, thank you Mrs ‘Lady’ Osprey for all the pleasures you have brought us, courtesy of the camera.
wow he was lucky!!
Good afternoon, to all the Team at the Lowes and to all you Ospray watchers. Once again, Rinchen, you have given us such a thought provoking update – how do you manage to find within yourself, something new and different to write about to us every time! Your comments, for me at least, form a frame to whatever wonderful and unexpected Osprey ‘antics’ happen as the day goes by. Thank you.
It has been such a treat this afternoon, to watch ‘our’ Lady perching quietly at one side of her nest as one of her ‘babes’ has been tucking in to a substantial meal this afternoon. It’s fanciful, I know, but I like to think that Lady, as she gazes over her beloved loch, was perhaps re-living her life spent there over the last months, thinking of all the ‘ups’ and ‘down’s, of all her efforts to accomocate life with a new mate, her enormous battle against her terrible illness, and the satisfaction of having once again, brought up two very healthy offspring, and now preparing to bid farewell to all she has known for so many years. Any hope of a poem from one or some of you extremely talented poets out there on ‘our’ Lady’s thoughts?
Excellent camera work to whoever is responsible. All action captured and a magnificent close up of the juvie on Dads perch. Beautiful offspring of LADY. Oh no, take off again!! This is even better than Toy Story 3 in 3D that I saw with 5 year old twin girls at the weekend. Buzz Lightyear has nothing on this fella!!
Marjorie, I must apologise for not having read your super poem posted yesterday, on the subject of ‘our’ precious Lady! Had I done so, of course, I would not have suggested that one be written as a result of my ‘fanciful’ thoughts posted today! I just love, reading and reciting poems, but I am quite useless at composing them myself!
Rinchen. Who was that soaring about high above the loch this morning, was it our Lady. If so she seems to have got her strength back, I do hope so. I echo all the other comments about the camera work and your explanations, thank you. – Joan
Joan, they have all been soaring over the past couple of days. I looks to me as if she is in good form. Cheers. Rinchen
Hi Shirley,
Wish I could have come to Dunkeld for the osprey walk yesterday and delivered it in person.
Before the rangers shut down blog moderating for the night, I just want to let you know that I will be off out to Kinko’s in half an hour, I’ll bet that for a reasonable fee they can scan my manuscript and email it to me! Anyway that would actually be quicker than me trying to figure out my scanner, I think. I have a hard time shrinking things down to the proper size, I once sent some of my sheet music as a photo to another band member I work with, and it was about to crash his home computer has he was still on dialup! My email address is millner4444″at”comcast”dot”net. Please send me an email and I’ll try to return it with the sheet music later.
Rinchen, I was hoping the copy of the music that I sent to you would get there today, oh well it may take up to another week I guess.
Marjorie, I have not received it yet. Soon come…Personal delivery would have been splendid! Rinchen
Spent a lovely afternoon at LotL today, seeing both male and female and both chicks
Also saw 3 jays, which I’ve never seen before, so that was a real treat too
Susan, thank you for the note. We had six jays at one time this afternoon. I have not seen that many at one go here. Some were young. Rinchen
Hi Rinchen, I was watching one Jay gobbling down the peanuts whole – maybe the adult? Then another one trying to nibble on them – definitely a young one, learning the ropes! I could sit at that windown all day and never tire of watching all the birds
Nice shot of the youngster on the tree over the water – she likes to sit there, doesn’t she?
Did I see mum take off with a fish there? If so, she must have been washing it in the loch! Or maybe she was just washing her talons.
Carolyn, see my note to Hel. She did wash her talons also. Rinchen
Thanks Rinchen. I realised she had taken the ‘object’ when I noticed it had disappeared!
Linda, please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss.
Ok Team and Bloggers — Who is that eating a fish up in the tree? It looks like a replay of earlier today when our boy was in (I think) the same tree with a fish. It looks like his long, skinny legs, too. I know we say it constantly and this will continue but….
THANKS FOR THE GREAT CAMERA WORK, RINCHEN, STEPHEN and TEAM. YOU ROCK!!!!
WOW, what a view of a neighboring field & house/building. Note to self — never, never do anything at LOTL that you don’t want all to see. What a camera. hahaha
WV sUSAn, I think that it is the smaller juvie still picking at the blue trout skin which the female had brought in much earlier. Susan, I am watching out for you…It is beautifully quiet here this evening. Best regards. Rinchen
ahhhhahahahahaha
so funny
Have a great evening Rinchen.
Rinchen you do like to work late, I know you are cherishing every moment while it lasts.
Always a smile for you, you always find time to answer questions and I and sure all thank you so much for it.
Sandra, I like to tidy up, let the day go and be still, like the loch… Some late travelers came and I gave them a good taste of what is here for about 25 minutes. They were well pleased, as I am. Rinchen
I hope I get a job i love as much as you do yours Rinchen! Must be a dream job in so many ways x
rinchen you are an absolute gentleman. Not many people would go that bit extra but you do constantly. Thank you.
Chrissy, May and Tricia – I’ve managed to get in touch with Jeanette. Tricia – that second ‘o’ did the trick! Thanks all.
Evening everyone,,,,
Trust me again,, miss all the good stuff,,,,
Now I come back on after feeding my face and I find an empty nest,,, Typical !!! BUT never mind,,,
Goodness whatever is that booming call in the background,,, I think I know what it is,, but won’t say unless I get it wrong and make a fool of myself,, nothing new there !!!
love
Chrissy
XXXXXX
P.S.
I presume we are all on stuck mode till morning now,, and I’ll just be talking to myself ???
Love
C
XX
TIME:: 8,17pm
Good evening young man,, have you come home for bedtime ????
OR,,,, so you have a leeetle thing in your head that say if you come home and call,, YOU just might be brought in supper ???
OH a Boys got to try,, hasn’t he folks,,,,,
Now don’t get too frustrated pet,,,, your bark is right infront of you ,, go have a play,, you know you want to !!!
Auntie Chrissy will sit with you and keep you company little one,,,,
love
Chrissy
XXXXXX
Not very good I’m afraid,, but it’s the best I can do of the top of my head
Old Methuselah
I’m the elusive fish that lives deep in the Loch
Many years of surviving has taught me a lot
The Ospreys I see high up in the sky
Taking their aim, dive, so ready to spy
A poor unsuspecting fish for their dinner
Many relatives I’ve lost, But I’ve been the winner
I’ve fooled them with bubbles and shadows and more
Not for me Old Methuselah to become a birds store
My home it is lovely full of rocks, weeds and SILT
Living in Scotland, for me it’s really the best, dear folks
I am Scottish and proud of that fact, oh just can’t you see
Though now I must tell you one thing that I won’t,
dear people out there, are you listening now
Never will I, ever shall I, of a garment of wool
Here in Bonnie Scotland, the pattern of tartan
YOU CALL IT A KILT !!!
,,,
Another masterpiece Chrissie!!! Good morning to you and everyone! As Rinchen says in his usual superb opening comments, I hope everyone has a great day on their patch! I would just love to have got to LOTL this summer, but with so many visitors, have been unable…..I am going to try and see if we can manage next weekend ‘though. Keep up the good work Chrissie!
Love
Sandra C. xx
TIME::8.54pm,,,,
Our boy has just flown off the nest,,, got fed up of waiting for his supper I think,,, bit dissapointed really,, he didn’t play with his bark tonight,
He sat and he called and looked all about
Nerry a fish did appear even though he did shout
He pleaded and begged and stomped hard on the nest
Oh Mummy, dear Mummy, I’m no longer your pest
I say please, mind my manners, behave all the while
I’ve proved myself to you and at times even smile
So Mummy dear Mummy it’s time that you know
My tummy is hungry so why don’t you show
I’ve rumbles and tumbles in places inside
I’m grumpy I’m starving these feelings can’t hide
A perch, a trout, a tidler will do, anything really even a delish rainbow
I’m not fussy this moment lovely Mummy, I’ll go with the flow
Thank you from me, your sweet little boy
A fish would be smashing, it would bring me great joy
love
Chrissy
XXXXX
All quiet on the nest at the moment so took the opportunity to look in on the Barn Owl Owlets. They are having a fine time playing hide and seek around the barn. To see them focusing, their heads bobbing from side to side, up and down and almost swivel theirs heads around is quite amusing. They are developing their adult feathers nicely now and are looking like Barn Owls and not fluffy balls of cotton wool. Lorna from Devon
Early morning, the sun’s not up yet and the nest is empty – well, not really, the Egg is there in solitary splendour, and I can hear the ‘gang’ though I can’t see them – hope for another productive day on the loch.
Good morning all. just logged on to see a large black crow in the nest pecking around, it then tried to roll the egg around, attacked it with it’s beak, and looked as if it was eating contents??
Best wishes to all at LOTL you do an amazing job
Margaret & Dave, Good morning. Rinchen
Hi Rinchen, definitely not a jay.
When I logged on at 10 pm a crow was on the nest having a go at breaking the egg (I think he’d have had an unpleasant surprise if he’d succeeded.) And I think it really must be fossilised, he couldn’t even make a dent. He soon departed when both chicks landed on the nest a few minutes later.
Didn’t I tell you a few scrolls ago that a crow would pinch the egg as soon as the nest was left unattended for any length of time and it would have a very sick stomach when it did!!!. I am so glad someone saw the egg’s end after such a long summer of escaping all the other usual fates. It has to be the longest surviving failed egg.
At 6:00 a.m. (approx) a black bird came into the nest and poked a hole in the precious egg and ate the contents. It looked like a crow or raven, not sure. No one was near the nest at the time. The blackbird didn’t seem to like the contents very much. Brenda
Not sure my reply got posted. At about 6:00 or so, a blackbird, raven or crow? came into the nest and poked a hole in the precious egg and ate the contents. He did not seem to like the taste. No one was near the nest at the time. What a shame. Brenda
Empty nest until suddenly Dad arrives with a fish and the other 3 descend on the nest. Mom was there first, skulked forward and grabbed the fish as 1 chick looked on, and then she took off as the other chick arrived. Chicks were not too pleased… I think it was chick#1 who had arrived first, and after mom left with the fish, the chick sort of puffed up and fanned its tail as wide as it could go. Good for mom, she deserves the first goody of the day. (At least I think it was the first.)
Both juvies on the nest calling for food, i can also hear lots of other birdsong, we are not hearing so much down here in the south at the moment.
Come on dad with our breakfast !
The egg appears to be broken and theres evidence of an embryo
Wrinklie, I cannot see anything inside the egg at all, just shell. Rinchen
I felt sure Rinchen that I saw something on your last closeup within the hole that resembled part of an embryo
Hel, I have looked at it all afternoon. I have certainly seen plenty of fish anatomy over the past four months. It looked like a part of an intestine, however three of the ospreys were not interested in it. So, I do not know. Yes, it was dropped off into the loch. Rinchen
It sorta looked like a shrimp, boiled slightly, but not quite enough to turn pink. Glad it’s in the Loch… from whence it came.
As, I’ve been trying to say, without lowering the tone of this site, it was a tampon. My dog used to bring snails home on her last walk and drop them in my slippers (presents from her) before I could get slippers on. Only one night she put a tampon in slippers….scream!!!
Thanks Rinchen, it was a strange thing indeed!
Susan, I agree, it is a fine spot just to be. Rinchen
Eileen….That is hilarious!!! “Too much information” as they say!!!
No more comment needed! Made me laugh out really loud!!!
Sandra C.
LOL it’s the thought that counts eileen. my very favorite present from my “duffy” was a pine knot, a very pretty sculpture…and i still have it among my treasures.
omg no!!!!
Hel, not that I am an expert in everything, I am not certain that the identification is correct. Rinchen
Me too Sandra. Lorna from Devon