DAILY UPDATE ~ Loch Garten nest ~ Friday, 23 March 2018

Hi, we think the power may be off to all the cameras out on the reserve.

Thanks for the updates. Ian

Wondered why we'd not got a picture, now we know. Just have to be patient until its back on.

I can’t help myself total anthropomorphic, EJ has really in ingratiated herself into my heart and imagination. Imagination, something I have in abundance, so much so I’m actually writing a story about a Sparrow family who live in my eaves. It is for my first grandbean when my lovely daughter and her husband finally get their act together mean time I am living in hope EJ will successfully find a quality beau who we all approve of

Gilli, last year when a few males were vying for EJs affection, there wasn't universal approval that I remember for any of them. There was however quite a bit of "he isn't good enough for you" going on. High standards have been set for potential suitors. :) Ian

Unknown said:

Apparently the Pan, Tilt and Zoom camera is being worked on and in the meanwhile they have turned the power off. More news later.

Thank you.

Sparrowkin - I recall your earlier posting advising you volunteered at LG last year 8-14 July.   What an experience for you at what must have been a difficult time.   

You must have learned a great deal.  What did you do? 

Thanks Ian, I seem to remember some guy called Twiggy was hanging out with her for a while, not so sure he was up to the task, I never knew Odin but from my reading, any suitor for EJ has their work cut out living up to his standard. We'll have to hope she finds a 'nice' fella quite soon, I worry that if she doesn't CT6 may potentially become a real problem, every day is a day closer to her possible return and a huge headache for EJ. ;}

sparrowkin said:

Ok, so thank you all for answering my questions yesterday, I now have another one. Sorry again if it’s a bit dumb but I really know very littler about these beauts. So how does EJ find herself a fella?  Does she have to wait till one happens by above and perhaps give him a bit of a ‘wolf whistle’ OR does one of the fellas at the fish bar they all fish at sort of stalk/follow her home?  Her nest isn’t on what I thought was a beaten track so I don’t imagine there’ll be a queue of potential hubby’s flying around Loch Garten skies. Thanks for reading.

Ok….. first post for a wee while. Hopefully it will sound logical. The nest, like many other osprey nests is 2 metres wide and at the top of a fairly isolated pine. I am pretty sure that an Osprey’s eyesight is about 6 times better than a humans. Therefore any male osprey flying at a reasonable height over the nest is going to recogniser this huge structure for what it is, particularly if there is a female Osprey sitting in the middle of it. Once a male has found a female the books say that the male should disappear, get a fish and bring it back to the nest and present it to the female on the nest after an amazing courtship display – worthwhile googling this especially if they have videos on youtube. The male should give the fish to the female and if they have not attempted to breed together before this should be repeated on a number of occasions until the female is satisfied that firstly the male is happy to give his fish to her and secondly that he brings sufficient fish to her and therefore convinces her that he is a good supplier of fish and can bring enough to raise chicks. That’s what the books say. Many posters will appreciate that Ospreys often don’t read books and a male may bring fish to the nest, but decide to keep it all himself, or he may only bring a fish every couple of days and so is not a particularly good provider, or the female may accept the first fish and then allow the male to mate immediately. To continue to answer your question about the female finding a male, the female until she has done so, will have to go and fish for herself. She will then bring the fish to the nest to eat. A female Osprey fishing is going to be an easy spot for any male osprey in the area. I have personally witnessed on a number of occasions females returning to the nest with a fish they have caught themselves and then seconds later a male starts displaying overhead – he has certainly followed her back to the nest have spotted her fishing. So, to summarise, I have more chance of being the next man on the moon than EJ has of not finding a suitor this season.