Well what can I say? Yesterday was a rather grim day as EJ received the square root of zilch in the way of fish. George only made two very brief appearances on the nest, and sadly seems to be seriously neglecting his duties. So what hope is there for the new day? The best scenario is that George suddenly finds good form again and we can all breath a collective sigh of relief. Of course we have to think about EJ reaching a stage where she is driven to fish for herself and thus leaving the eggs exposed to possible predation. In the current circumstances I would be happy to see EJ fend for herself.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Hi Patily. Yes, sad to watch.
Birdies LG DU update.
Morning Patily
I didn't see what happened, I just caught her flying off like a bat out of hell, like she was chasing an intruder but don't really know.
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
Great and apt poem PANDY
Good Morning. For me, the fact that he turns up and tries to mate in the early mornings, then disappears, just confirms that he is servicing two nests. Or rather, feeding one family and now neglecting EJ......
Morning everyone...Assuming that chicks being fed would be his priority, could there really be other chicks yet. EJ was quite an early bird and its still over two weeks to hatching date, surely another Scottish female could not have arrived in time to have chicks now??? would value your experienced view on this...
Viv, for what it's worth I don't think chicks enter in to it currently.
The more likely scenario, in my view, is that he has bonded with another female and that is his priority nest. EJ is just a sideline.
This situation has played out elsewhere.
Sorry, I worded that badly. Of course, the eggs in the other ( possible) nest may still be at the incubation stage, but the female there would be relying on George to bring her fish. As Mike says.
Morning All - thanks for all the updates and Heron for starting the thread off.
What a start to the day - the usual visit from the male or more like "The Tormentor"!!
I know whatever one thinks or says can only be speculation for we truly do not know anything about this male and his actions other than the neglect we witness on cam.
But I have a feeling this male is from the other nest mentioned in the last blog that is 1.5km, which is less than a mile, away. When EJ was off the nest, I think she could have visited him and he has followed her back. There could well be another female there - perhaps the intruder we saw? But the sudden change tells me he has chosen the other nest.
I just hope today is the day she gets up and goes!
That seems to be the strongest possibility Karen and maybe a shortage of male breeding ospreys.
Crikey, that gust of wind really caught EJ.
She took a comfort break