(I am having enormous difficulty posting.)
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Foremost in our thoughts and hearts today is the status of Odin, who has been missing since before 08:00 on Tuesday morning. He was last seen taking off from the nest in pursuit of one of two male intruders, either OC (Orange Chest) or BTO (Odin lookalike, for the BTO ring on his left leg).
This is our last look at him, seconds before he flew:
(I need some help with the IDs of the 3 intruders, please correct me and I'll edit accordingly.)
All the while that we desperately worry about unseen Odin, his partner EJ is suffering before our eyes - and yesterday TWO intruders became THREE! We now have OC, BTO or OL (for Odin Lookalike), and Darvic (for the blue Darvic ring on his left leg - let's hope that the Centre can read it).
EJ has not eaten since the large, headless fish provided by Odin early on Tuesday, which she ate in instalments thru the day.
Yesterday evening OC and Darvic both intruded on EJ, sometimes overlapping with each other, and OC landed briefly on EJ's back (thank you, BIRDIE).
We hope and pray that Odin is nursing himself back to fitness and will be back today to tell these intruders where to go (Hell, for instance). But even if he returns in full health, what a difficult time is in store for him.
Besides the personal investment we have in our Gorgeous, Magnificent Odin, the implications for the nest and its osprey family don't bear thinking about - and we are only too conscious of the effect all this is having on the personnel at the Loch Garten Visitor Centre... not forgetting the prosperity of the 2015 season?
Finally - if only we could fathom why, suddenly this season, these male ospreys - three of them, no less - have chosen to invade Loch Garten!
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Please forgive the possibly de trop frames, I find it so therapeutic to concentrate on and agonise over doing them ;-)
IMAGICAT
Lmac - thanks for the info on LI.
Moffer - thank you so much for going back and finding the capture of the intruder from the left. Yes - that is what I saw - just a blur!
Dinner now .. BBL
Sarah it was when Odin was caught in a fishing line. EJ had chicks and Richard Thaxton arranged for fish to be placed on the nest The fish were taken to the nest in a Tesco bag.Odin did get free and life carried on as normal. There is a video of the episode. I will try and find it.
This is a very unusual situation.
Unknown said: Can't wait for Birdie to get home.
Can't wait for Birdie to get home.
Birdie Num Num's brilliant DU summary 2017
Looks calm at present and she is having a bit of a preen.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Unknown said: Are ospreys becoming a victim of their own successful breeding and protection or just too many that don't want to build their own nests
Are ospreys becoming a victim of their own successful breeding and protection or just too many that don't want to build their own nests
In some ways, I think you may well have answered your own question Lmac.
In my view, the answer is almost certainly yes.After all recent successful hatchings, and until they get use to spreading their territory, and that includes finding new suitable feeding grounds, I believe we will have to get use sometimes to tough times. The only comforting thoughts, is there are probably many new nesting sites we are not yet aware of, and which are not necessarily watched over by web cams, where successful breeding will take place.It is all very well making artificial nests available, but I guess there could come a time when they may succumb and outlive their original good intentions.It is to be remembered, the Osprey are not a re-introduction exercise, they themselves decided to come back and re-inhabit the UK. They obviously decided it was worth their while, to do so.I doubt they are suffering worse nest failure rate, than many other species of birds, many species of which are sadly and definitely in declineI must admit, it is tough to watch, but it is nature, and similar tussles go on everyday in all manner of species, even without unhelpful human interference.Just my two pennies worth.Do I love the Osprey......darn right I do. I am in awe of them
Hello Sarah T, welcome to the trials and tribulations of following Ospreys! You have joined at a difficult time when our hero, Odin, has gone missing. I can't believe all this is happening when things looked so settled and positive.
My heart bleeds for Odin and the lovely EJ at the moment. All at Loch Garten must be so distressed.
Alarm calling :(
EJ is quiet now. The threat seems to have passed.....phew.
Perhaps not. OC is back and EJ is screaming at him
Moffer thanks for the updates. I imagine she is now so stressed the whole area is now probably a no fly zone to any bird as far as she is concerned