(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
EJ's stamina is quite awe-inspiring isn't it? I can't believe she's held out so long hardly leaving the nest and still putting up resistance despite no food for 2 days now.
Does anyone know what happened with Carnyx over the streaming? I don't know about others, but I am just getting constant buffering now, every 15-20 seconds or so despite reloading...
Chocoholix shiny new 2018 Interactive Osprey & Chick Chart! (with clickable links!)
So am I Choco, as well as being locked out of the RSPB site several times today. I have no idea what's going on.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
If you're still reading this, hello Sarah T!
Great to have you along on this (currently rather tense and unpredictable) osprey ride, and don't feel shy to ask more questions as you have done, that's exactly what this community forum is for! We're all here to learn and share together :)
At the moment the sun is casting long shadows over LG and EJ. She is looking slightly more awake now, looking around, but not in a way suggesting an intruder. Radio chaffinch has briefly exhausted his repertoire.
EJ is calling. OC is back.
Birdie Num Num's brilliant DU summary 2017
Well rebuffed EJ! No fish, no dice
Oh no, EJ is calling again. OC arrives and landed on her back. EJ rose, but cam stalled. grrrr
He is still there, mantling on the far side of the nest.
She batted him away.
I can hear male alarm calling.
Yay, EJ winged him off the nest... stall...she calls again, stall.... He has gone, EJ calls as she steps back into the cup and resumes incubation... stall