LOCH GARTEN NEST - 16 MARCH-19 APRIL 2019

Well, are we assuming that EJ isn't coming back anymore? Such a shame if that is the case, but then why hasn't anyone else taken up residence? Year after year we have watched EJ sitting on that nest, being harassed by other birds and yet now that the nest is available, no one wants it. I've been watching this nest since my first visit to Loch Garten in 2005 and over the years it has brought both profound joy and profound sorrow. This is the worst sorrow of all.

PATILY mused: I was first captivated by these birds in 2011 when this was the only nest I followed.

That was my first year too, PATILY - they get right under your skin, don't they? :'(

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The little birds Jane & I saw

I found a bit more and wonder if there was a Stonechat near the end?  The greyish bird who hopped across the nest - could that have been a female Crossbill?  No idea about the yellow one.

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NIGHTCAM 20:46

Hi there MICHELLE - you posted while I had the RF box open for an hour ;)

I think we all have the same feelings and questions.  Perhaps when the youngsters start returning en masse we'll see more activity.

Today I head of a female harassing a female at a nest quite close to Loch Garten. I advised her that there was a nice nest empty not far away.

The female being harassed was Green DY who is no longer a young bird either.

Hi Scylla

The little yellowey green birds are the female Crossbills...

Indulge me folks whilst I get a little bit nerdy...I know but its late and I cant sleep !

There are 3 species of crossbill in the Abernethy Forest...the Common Crossbill...the Scottish Crossbill....and the Parrot Crossbill.

The markings in the feathers of the species are remarkably similar, which leaves the size of the birds head and the size of the birds bill as the most reliable identification method.

There is research which suggests that the bills are needed to be measured in length and in depth and it needs to be done with a micrometer to be certain !

Obviously this is not possible...especially in the field with telescopes and binos....

The nearest you can be certain of is.....its a Crossbill in Scotland that looks a bit "parotty" or "commoney"

or "I think it might have been a scottish scottish one !!!

The bird you describe as "grey" is a beautiful male Crossbill in his summer red plummage....have another look Scylla....you'll see the bright orangey red on his face and tummy as he faces us. 

Unless you meant the greyish one on the right thats only there for a nanno second...that one was another female crossbill....just a little bit differently coloured. The camera is seeing colours a bit whacky imho !!!!

Hope this helps....thanks for letting me be nerdy everyone !!! 

0181.crossbills.pdf

All I can say was that my first year of becoming an osprey loving person was the most tragic and magnificent thing i ever saw. It was the year that EJ sat on that nest buried in the snow up to her eyeballs on her eggs and all that followed. It still remains with me and will forever. She was the most valiant bird I had ever seen or maybe will ever see. God bless her and this nest. It has known success happiness, valiance and tragedy and loss. May it's next residents bring an element of peace and joy of survival and of bonding and nurturing. God bless EJ wherever she may be and all of her offspring. Also, all of us who loved her and admired her so much. She was, indeed, a valiant warrior, survivor and mother. God bless us all.

I watched  EJ for 15 summers and I agree that she was possibly the most tenacious egg sitter of all. Her first egg in a clutch tended to hatch on 36 days rather than 37.

The nesting season of 2012 was extremely wet and it was hard to watch EJ sitting there in the rain while many other females had given up.

However EJ was one for the "boys" and her long running affair with her ex-husband   Orange VS was one of the best soap operas around.

In 2005 and 2007 her partner Henry came back to find that she had eggs in the nest. Now the one thing that Henry was a master at was booting eggs out of the nest and this he did with some style.

Henry then tried to get EJ to lay a second clutch of eggs. He was successful in 2007 but not in 2005. In fact in 2005 EJ  sulked and disappeared for 9 days. Henry had to go and get her and when they got back a new couple were trying to move in.

Here is a somewhat confusing video from 2007.

It shows Henry kicking the eggs. 

Here was the diary account of the incident.      Henry's Cracking Return

Good morning - I still have to read the (obviously very interesting) posts since my last post last night, first here is the usual routine:

Spider looking a strange shape - maybe it's someone else:

DAYCAM 05:52

 

BIRDIE and there was another just showing over the back but couldn't get them at the same time:

Can't resist the green phase: