…No I’m not talking about Loch Garten, instead I refer to the current lifestyle being enjoyed by Rothes. After eventually sorting out all the ‘techie issues’, I have managed to get the latest data from the satellite.
Our wayward youngster is still hanging out around Ilha de Unhocomozinho (I dare you to try saying that fast!) off the coast of Guinea-Bissau (West Africa) where she will currently be practicing her hunting skills and generally enjoying the easy life (The data should be updated after 8pm tonight).
Meanwhile at Loch Garten life has settled into a fairly predictable pattern involving; mating, nest materials, more mating, fish and….yes, you guessed it….more mating!
At the time of writing we have had approximately 85(ish) successful mating attempts, which will continue until EJ has laid her first egg. (Hopefully by the end of the week/start of next week)
There was some excitement late yesterday afternoon when a female intruder landed on the camera tree and set EJ off alarm calling. After an aborted attempt to land on the nest (EJ screaming at her all the time from the nest!) the intruder vanished. EJ looking very pleased with herself then returned to sorting out the nest.
Aside from the osprey and several sighting of the sun (a rare thing indeed), we have also had lots of common toads on the reserve and Izzy managed to catch a common lizard to show to some of the children at the centre. It seems that nature has decided that it is now truly spring (fingers crossed it stays that way!!)
Paul (Osprey Information Assistant)
PS. Many thanks to OriginalGoldFinch for the chocolate cake. It was very much appreciated by the staff at the centre.