May is all about getting ready for our next batch of chicks and whilst heading up to the aviaries to jetwash and disinfect them and whilst getting the buckest and scrubbing brushes out of the car last week I looked up to see an owl chick watching with interest!
Getting the aviaires ready took a couple of days and some hard work from some willing volunteers, once we had cleaned them we built our new nests (photos below show the layers of bark chippings and then moss that build a nice comfy eagle nest) and got the padlocks on, CCTV in and signs up, yesterday I had a meeting with our local wildlife crime officer who coordinates security for the site with Fife police, its incredible how many people are now involved in this project and are willing to help, we also managed to acquire a second chest freezer for the eagles' food just for the price of a bottle of black grouse whisky!
Our 2009 birds have followed throse from previous years with tag 8 (a male) who until a couple of months ago had stayed around the Tay estuary reaching Fair Isle and giving the great skuas a shock and then Orkney, where he was joined by a mystery female. Tag V (who had been seen regularly at Tentsmuir point) is now a regular at the Ythan estuary North-east Scotland, following tag F and 'Ralf' from previous years. Birds are also frequently being seen in Angus with a roost near Fettercairn and sightings up Glen Clova. I was lucky enough to see one of our 2007 females (tag 7) who has been on Mull for the past 6 months, having a brief fight with a young golden eagle over Glen Ogil estate whilst out tracking last week. Another west coast visitor wandered east recnetly with 'Oran' one of the satellite-tagged Mull chicks moving north-east through Perthshire on the 2nd June, ending up in Moray and certainly encountering some of our east coasters on the way, you can follow his movements at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/mulleagles/index.asp
Chick collection began in Norway yesterday with a 5 week old male collected from nest near Ulsteinvik and our next lot of chicks will arrive on the 25th June.
Hi Sooty
I'm afraid I don't really understand all of your comment or its relevance to the East Scotland project. The North sea is not a barrier to the species spread, it is the fact that sea eagles (like red kites) colonise by 'in-filling', i.e. filling in the available habitat and territories near their own parents or near a release site rather than spreading a long way in one go. I don't agree that that as soon as sea eagles leave the islands they run into trouble, we have many approximately a quarter of our pairs breeding on mainland Scotland and or 44 birds released on the East only 2 (obviously 2 too many) have been persecuted.
Cranes and sea eagles are very different birds and have different attitudes, histories and perceptions attached to them.
The Norwegian sea eagle population has recovered since the 1970s. But prior to protection in 1968 was persecuted and suffered from the effect of DDT and other pollutants on egg development and there are still some issues with habitat management. The Norwegian sea eagle project has worked hard for the recovery of this species.
RSPB is obviously disappointed by the withdrawal of Natural England from the effort to re-introduce sea eagles to Engalnd.
Hi Claire well what a surprise Sea Eagles cannot naturally colonise Norfolk because of North Sea,could you please explain that no North Sea between healthy population in Scotland and Norfolk.Really unfortunate that as soon as Sea Eagles leave the Islands they seem to run into serious problems and if only these problems could be avoided the population would increase at a faster rate as i believe the Norwegian population although obviously starting in better health for a start seems to have done really well hence having enough for us to have some which with all that is happening is a fantastic gesture and which all of us lucky enough to have seen the Sea Eagles must be really grateful.Sorry Sea Eagles but until RSPB have a different attitude to land owners in England please stay in Scotland as i consider you much safer.How very very strange that they seem to have a completely different attitude to land owners in Somerset where there is going to be a re introduction of Cranes and the RSPB have asked for the land owners help.In summary brickbats for the attitude of RSPB in Norfolk,three cheers for there attitude in Somerset.Really weird to have such different attitudes.
Claire - I emailed you a query, but am sorry if I should have posted it here instead!
Good luck Claire seems all raptors need a lot of help and luck to survive.