Hello Loch Garten blog land!
My name is Tom Simon and I’ve been let loose on this weeks blog post! I’m here for just 2 weeks as part of my internship with the RSPB which has up until now been at Loch of Strathbeg near Peterhead.
This is a bit different to my normal work as I’m usually doing practical estate work and habitat management (although missing out on the last few days of ragwort pulling is something I’m not too upset about!) so I’m getting used to being indoors!
Kicking off with the Osprey news so far this week: a chicks first attempt at fishing was observed earlier by Ian the Trail Warden over Loch Garten this morning at about 8. Ian was cursing that at the time he didn’t have the right lens on his camera so we don’t know which chick it was but as it’s getting to the sort of time they should be attempting to fish it’s a very encouraging sign!
Caledonia did give us a great acrobatic display yesterday though when, seemingly for no reason, she came swooping and diving towards the centre, circled up until she got quite small before dropping at an impressive speed to land on the nest again.
The chicks, for the last 2 days at least, are spending less time at the nest and perching on the trees behind the nest and even devouring fish there instead of the nest.
Rogue Ospreys have been seen occasionally this week still and one actually landed on the nest earlier today! It wasn’t ringed but the general consensus is that it was not Odin. Buzzards and Ravens have been seen in the area too but not harassing any of the resident Ospreys.
The usual lack of food sharing between the chicks is going on which is giving Caledonia and reason to screech when Alba is having her fish. The funny thing is that Caledonia screeches even when she has a fish so couple that with when a parent is sitting on a tree next to the nest and not doing anything which causes her to screech even more means that there’s not a lot of time that this bird isn’t making a racket!
Away from watching the goings on at the nest, I’ve just been getting used to the routine of the centre, setting up the telescopes trying to make sure that everyone knows what’s happening. Getting used to using the till is a challenge but other than that it’s generally ok! There was a nice moment the other day when I was helping a little boy with ‘digiscope’ and when I looked round all the other telescopes had someone taking a photo through it too!
This is my first time in this part of Scotland and it wasn’t until the evening of my 3rd day here that with the evening sun on the pine trees I got a feel that I really was in the magical land of Ospreys, Crested Tits, Red Squirrels and what I can only assume are mythical Capercaillies as I’ve never seen one!!!
Before I came here I was aware of the history of the Loch Garten and it really is a privilege to be here and even to write the blog!