…30 days hath September, April, June and…yikes, the last day of July.
Faithful blog people noted a “crow/raven/blackbird” poked a hole into the third egg whilst I was away. The orb itself still has fine form. I cannot think that any contents were palatable. As noted yesterday, we have had a good number of jays about and still do this morn, it may have even been one of them. Many odes to the orb have been written.
Two larger fish were brought to the “table” yesterday; a huge perch and a blue trout. I have spoken in the centre of noting that once the juvies were able to fly, the the size of the fish seemed to be smaller than earlier on in the breeding season, thinking that the the parents were choosing to catch smaller fish for the inexperienced young to eat. As the juveniles continue to mature we shall see if this is in fact a change in the adult behaviour. Yesterday, both of the youngsters ate on the nest and flew off with their heavy partially eaten prey. One, found that the fish was a wee bit too heavy to comfortably fly. It returned with it a few moments later. Once more had been eaten it flew off with a lighter load. This is much like an adult would do when fish are caught too heavy to lift and fly just above the surface of the water and eat at the waters’ edge before flying off to a safer perch. Of course the juvies will soon be flying with fish and need to have the skills to do so.
If we have many visitors today I may not be able to respond as frequently as I would like. I will do so as soon as I am able.
Have a wondrous day on your own patch as well as this one! Rinchen
YEA !!! The male just brought in a huge fish and the Lady took it over and didn’t let the chick near it. Then off she flies with the fish. Good for you Lady !! You’re going to need all that nurishment for yourself….GOOD GIRL !
I think they have so many intruders that they don’t know until they see a fish in the talons if it’s friend or foe! 7Y just brought in a wriggling WHOPPER but mom and chick had been mantling just before, as if they had seen an intruder! (Perhaps there was an intruder about at the same moment…) Mom has taken the fish to eat. I am glad!! She may not need anything else today if she keeps it all to herself. (The chick is not going without, it still has the remainder of a fish to eat.)
oops it’s only 10:30 here! I forgot it’s already evening at the Loch! The fish mom recently got should surely let her sleep with a full tummy tonight!
Thanks, Rinchen, we shall certainly hope too – weather permitting as we have an old VW camper and three wet days on the trot just about finish us off! Also this year, now we have joined you, we hope to call in at your Rahoy Hills Reserve as we always cross over from Lochaline. It looks very wild and unspoilt.
Aren’t we getting a treat today – lots of activity around the nest.
Thanks to all the Osprey Team who make all this available to us.
Jacqueline, cheers! Rinchen
That was a big fish Lady flew off with, hope she has her feed and brings some back for her boy as he is still extremely hungry.
She sits quietly on the edge of the nest, gazing over the loch. The breeze ruffles her downy white crest feathers. What is she thinking? Do birds think like us? Is she thinking about the summer and how quickly it has flown? Is she reminiscing about her arrival in the spring, taking a new mate and sitting on her three eggs in the cold rain and ice? Does she think about how quickly they have grown and what lays ahead for them all as they contemplate their migration to Africa?
Does she know that her health is fragile and how much we all agonized while she lay prostrate on the nest? Can she feel our concern? Does she know we all pray for, but would be surprised by her safe return next spring?
Still she sits, moving only her majestic head from side to side. One of her chicks is behind her finishing up the last tail fins of a fish. She gazes over the loch that has been her summer home for so many years. Will she see it again?
Beautiful words there!!! I sincerely hope that she will see it again xxx
Hi californiagal,
I agree with Karen. It is 7.10am Sunday 1st August and I am reading through all the blogs from late afternoon yesterday. I think the reminiscences of our Lady of the Loch as seen through your eyes, are beautiful.
Very poignant words, cagal. Time will tell!
Poignant words indeed Californiagal. I like to think that when she goes South, she is doing what nature intends. I’ll be sad to see her go but glad that she feels strong and determined enough to attempt the migratory journey. Her stoicism and resilience are astounding and she may surprise us all next year.
beautiful. Xxx
Thank you all for your kind words… you made my day.
For LAURA SUTHERLAND and others interested in the Lowes birds going to Senegal story she heard and told us about.
As I said earlier, we do not for some reason get all the information back to Lowes about recoveries of our ringed birds. However, an ancient report in 1974 (not a typo, really 1974) mentions a bird ringed at Lowes in July 1973 was shot in September 1973 in Gambia, ‘thus bringing the total of recoveries of Lowes ringed birds up to 1974 to four, the others being 2 in Mauretania and one from SENEGAL’. So Laura, that is one at least verified for you!!!!!
The first birds to fledge at Lowes were in 1971 and since then many more have been ringed at Lowes.
Sorry it is only a snippet…so far.
LAURA – more Senegal news.
From Roy Dennis’s book, p 91:
‘1311944 A chick ringed by Keith Brockie at Loch of the Lowes on 3rd July 1997 was seen on 4th September by Roy Frost at Welbeck Lakes in Nottinghamshire. Twenty-four days later the bird was found with a broken wing in the sea at Malika, north of Dakar in Senegal. A detailed letter and photographs told the sad fate of this youngster.’
(NICK, one turned up dead on the beach on the Isle of Man. see same page)
On the next page there are further references about recoveries of Scottish ringed birds. up to 2002.
(Thanks, Roy. from Valerie)
injured birds dying is very sad but to be shot . . . I can’t say it on here. Thank you for the info nuphar.
Ann B, were you on the osprey walk at Lowes? If so which one were you???
Hi Ann, the programme from Wales i spoke about earlier was an amazing wildlife documentry,it also showed nesting herons,beautiful.I have recently heard of yobs on casual fishing trips with no respect for wildlife,shooting herons and anything else that moves.The excuse ?.that herons eat all the fish in the pond.God help us all.Now that the school holidays are upon us.The water baliffs should be out in force.Airifles and crossbows are all too readily available and in the hands of miscreants.When i hear of things like this i fear for our family of ospreys.Well thats me off the soapbox,but i really could swear.regards Janis
Hi Nuphar,i read Roy Dennis book cover to cover.It was full of information about ospreys,i must confess to being a bit of osprey addict and never wanted this book to end.Nuphar there was a wild life programme on television about 6pm.And it showed The Glaslyn ospreys i think fishing in the estuary at Portmeirion,the coloured houses in the background a scenic backdrop as an osprey skimmed the water of the estuaryand emerging with what i think was a grey mullet.What a wonderful moment that was.I’am now looking for more reading material about ospreys,have you got any suggestions Nuphar.Regards Janis
Sorry the programme was shown last sunday evening.And was from Wales.
i seen that programme. Amazing footage.
Janis, off the top of my head, anything written by Roy Dennis, though this last book,(latest, I should say,) does seem to be the culmination of a life’s observations. He has written other osprey books on the way but not in such overall detail, well worth obtaining.
The Birds of Scotland recently issued by Scottish Ornithologist’s Club, two enormous volumes, may be in your library and has a chapter on ospreys by Roy, neatly summarising their lives and migrations.
See page 209 in Roy’s book, he lists other good osprey books there.
p 92 he mentions the Migration Atlas with a section on ospreys, I think I will be popping to friend today who has a copy I could borrow..
I am in withdrawal since getting home and need more osprey fix so thanks for asking the question. I am going to miss the juvies going and I HAVE to be there if one is seen catching a fish, really catching its own. Then does it fall off its perch trying to manage to perch and eat????
Glad you saw the TV osprey, it is so exciting to catch them on TV when you are beginning to have a real interest. Bye, for now, Janis.
One of the chicks just took a part of a fish away from someone. the camera is out of range for me to see who had it originally. The head has been eaten so it may have been a fresh delivery from either Lady or the Laird. I think it is the younger of the two chicks that has it. Looks like it is going to fly off the nest with its prize but it is too heavy to carry.
Just what is wrong with the boy? He’s got fish but he’s calling out! Is his talon caught in that fish and he needs help getting it off so is calling to sister to come get it? He really doesn’t seem to like being on his own does he. Not good for an Osprey I’d have thought.
8pm. What a lovely evening it appears to be by the loch. Juve on nest with fish in talons announcing his/her supper to the world. How I would love to be there in the “Elephants” hide watching in the calm of an evening. Such a magical place.
p.s. if only someone would set up a teleport system I could say “Beam me up Scottie”! (or Rinchen et al) lol.
Kath, I am doing the best that I can, Spock! Rinchen
Lady is a fantastic mum and dad a star too and oh the youngest chick needs to toughen up because Lady will not be around soon to pamper to its needs.
I truly believe that Lady maybe will be back next year as absolutely there is no way is she giving up.
Well I guess thats the end of our little egg, flattened by a fish. I will miss that little egg.
The egg is smashed to smithereens!!!!! Male juvie on the nest holding a big fish in one talon but shouting away and not eating it – he was wandering around the nest flapping and calling, and the poor egg was stomped on! I guess after the crow had had a go at it, the shell became brittle so it was only a matter of time – Poor egg! Now he’s having a few small bites of the fish but it looks like he’s not really sure what to do with it – come on boy tuck in!
Mom and one of the kids were perched on the side of the nest for a perfect shot from Cam2. It looked as though they were looking right down at the camera! Perhaps Lady was telling her sweet child about how much she loves this place and to cherish every moment that he spends here…
Also, it’s sad to see just fragments of the Eternal Egg. I guess it was bound to happen.
Hi, everyone! I’m posting this on my son’s computer, here in Calverton, just outside Nottingham. Phew – I can keep in touch with you all! I’ll try to get my daily fix when I can, but we’ll be busy doing grandparent things, so won’t be quite so up-to-date as usual. Hope you’re all well, and will speak to you soon. I know this won’t be read until tomorrow, obviously. Now all I need to do is see if I can access the webcam. Bye just now.
Carloyn, Well done! Rinchen
Carolyn, I was just as excited when I mastered wireless connection when away, link was weak and so frustrating. Show the young ones the webcam, and tell them the osprey story, I am convinced what you whisper in a baby’s ear it takes in for future reference. Mother’s think I am mad but who knows??
we know Calverton
My two grandchildren saw the ospreys when they were visiting in April, though I think that I was more excited than they were!
Just checked the nest to find it looking lonelier than ever without the Eternal Egg. I guess this just goes to show that it wasn’t so Eternal after all, at least in its present form. Maybe the Lady will feel better now, too, since she won’t attempt to brood it as she has done a few times in the past.
Sleep well, Blog People, Team, and ospreys until we meet again tomorrow.
Yipee!! I’ve just accessed the webcam on my son’s computer, absolutely no problem at all. I switched on just in time to see the resident spider climb up the screen. That’s the first time I’ve seen it since that long, long Saturday night on THAT weekend, when it was a constant presence as it spun its web. It’s a good omen – a spider has associations with ‘the mother’ in mythology, and it was there during Lady’s recovery, so I can go to bed feeling happy for her. Night night all.
there is a lovely book about a spider called Charlotte’s Web, available in peperback. it is a childrens book, but so full of wisdom that adults enjoy it too.
I’ve read it, Joyce – must read it again some time!
What happened to the egg? lol
The answer lies in scrolling back, read yesterday’s entries and you will find plenty of information. Maybe some in the previous days’too. I do not envy the crow or whatever bird pecked it and slurped the contents. Maybe we should be asking what happened to the crow?
Nuphar,your reply to my earlier blog was much appreciated,and i will obtain The Birds of Scotland books from my local library.i did see the list in the back of Roy’s book and i shall also try to procure these too.But until then i ‘am currently reading Bill Brysons new book .AT HOME.very informative too,unfortunately not about ospreys.regards Janis
Early morning on the nest and Mum’s having a quiet little tuck-in all by herself – I didn’t see when she arrived or if there’s been any other activity as I’ve been checking in later – there’s been very little to look at, at this time of the day – people arrive later or they have been, today is the exception [ and of course by people, I mean ospreys !! ]
That crow had a certain beanfeast of the egg and what was in the nest a few minutes ago. Soo greedy.
NO EGG ON THE NEST!! There may be a few shards there, can’t really tell.
Just had a fairly petite fish delivered by Dad, a quick drop-off to the chick on the nest. Other chick arrived a few seconds later but will not get any of it, I’m sure.
7.23 mum and chicks both, all on the nest – and one sadly ‘deflated’ EGG, the end of an era…and now full force ahead to the chicks, and mum and dad, to make the safest of migrations possible! To a good few years of growing up to the chicks and a safe return one day although of course we’ll never really know….. and whatever happens to mum – and dad for that matter – although they’ll never realise it – I thank them for a most amazing insight into the fascinating and joyous but also heart-stoppingly troublesome life, as life is and always will be. My heart for one will soar with all of you – and never forget you.
sunday brunch…the laird has just brought a lovely fish. lady and juvie had been waiting (im)patiently for some time now…
some mums do have ‘em! little guy would rather cry than eat…and that is what he has been doing these last 15 minutes.
one bite to 10 complaints…not a promising ratio!
I posted a message at 8.18 last night as I watched The Egg being stomped on by our boy as he was jumping around on the nest clutching a fish in his talon, calling out all the time and not eating the fish – he just stepped back and the egg crumbled underneath the fish he was holding! A bit later Lady flew in and gave him a talking to so he half-heartedly tried nibbling a few bits of the fish – she wasn’t helping him, but probably encouraging him to eat it himself – I think he still needs a bit of mother’s tlc before he feels confident to catch and eat a whole fish by himself.
Good close-up of the smashed egg just then – and amongst the pieces I saw a little face! looked like a tiny crying child – fanciful I know but thats what it looked like – lol