Yesterday afternoon (according to those on the scene - it was among a lot of detail that we missed due to severe cam problems), the orange-chested male intruder "OC" dropped a fish onto the nest, and after a starving EJ took it away to eat it the carnage began.
In brief!
Anyone looking?
The orange-eyed destroyer. (I have to say, unfairly I know, that he has none of the "gorgeousness" of Odin the Magnificent.)
EJ returned with the tail-end of the fish, which she continued to eat despite the scene that greeted her:
EJ cleared the ground and proceeded to incubate the one egg that appears to be left intact:
The threat to the surviving egg is great:
OC won't have it easy, he may not even prevail in the longer term - the other intruders are still on the case:
To cap it all after a long and harrowing day, it seemed that EJ was disturbed, probably by the pine marten, just before midnight:
IMAGICAT
EJ's backDistant Cuckoo calling.
Birdie Num Num's brilliant DU summary 2017
She's in the nest cup again.
A couple of snaps of OC after EJ flew with the fish. He has the most odd colour eyes, not quite orange, but certainly not yellow.
That sounds to me like classic EJ food nagging. Wonder if he'll get the message?
OC returns and tries to mate. EJ pushes him off and has now flown.
She's back.
EJ back in nest cup.
Such sad, sad news. I hope we get more eggs. Just back from a weeks holiday in Aviemore and have been at Loch Garten nearly every day and it has been an unusually sad place.
Has he brought her a fish?
Harry said:Has he brought her a fish?