Our sociable group of birds is beginning to split up again. After being on his own for four months bird T the male who was near Braco has finally been joined by bird 5 a female. The two have been inseparable for the last 3 weeks, flying together, showing talons and calling to each other so much so that it looked like love was in the air! However, it is worth remembering that they are only 10 months old and still learning their social skills. Young sea eagles will often behave like this with several different partners until they find the right bird for them and are not usually mature enough to breed until 4 or 5 years old.
In early February bird 5 also showed a lot of interest in a captive sea eagle being flown at a Safari park and spent a few days watching from the treetops. Without adults in the area, the young birds are extremely interested in any other large birds they encounter.
We have not yet had any reports of our birds fishing, but I was lucky enough to see 5 & T whilst they watched some fishermen on the river Earn (unaware they were being watched!) so it may not take long. As opportunist predators sea eagles have a very varied diet. In their current location, where they are surrounded by ducks, geese, swans, waders and rabbits they are finding easier things to eat. Bird K has headed to Loch Tay and other birds are in the Loch of the Lowes area, where there is a fantastic group of lochs containing lots of food. Bird C has wandered back to Fife, we still have a bird on the Isle of May and today I located bird 7 another of our females, soaring high on the thermals above Gartmorn Dam country park, near Alloa.
February was also a busy month for our field teachers visiting 12 primary schools near the release site to tell them about sea eagles.