LOCH OF THE LOWES April 2019

LM12 arrived on Friday 15 March, and his regular mate, LF15, on Saturday 23 March. Since then, we've seen them renewing their bond, with skydancing, mating, fish, mating, more fish, more mating, oh, and perfecting the nest.  Going on their past performance from the 4 years they've been together, I reckon we can expect the first egg to be laid anytime from 4 April onwards. (Thanks to Chloe B and Tiger for this fabulous data-rich website)

  • Starling said.

    The page I found years ago, which I can't find today, it was american and it said in times of hunger they would eat other stuff. 

    @Starling could this have been the page?

    "What do they eat?"


    Ospreys are highly specialised fish hunters. Ospreys will eat most fish they can catch in the top layer of the water and virtually any fish species small enough to carry back to the nest or land.
    At Loch of the Lowes they mostly eat trout, pike and perch, as well as smaller fish, from the nearby freshwater lochs. They very occasionally eat salmon presumably caught from the nearby River Tay. Ospreys also eat sea fish (they fond of mullet and flounder) and commonly hunt in estuaries. An osprey is capable of carrying a fish equal to its own size, but most are smaller at a couple of pounds.
    Although mainly fish-eating, ospreys have very rarely been observed feeding on small mammals, reptiles, water birds and invertebrates – mostly in Africa. They have never been recorded eating anything other than fish in the UK. This enables them to coexist with other predators including different birds of prey.
    scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/.../

     

  • Hi Kate, no the page was about american ospreys, but thank you for looking. It was about when fish were scarce during bad years, and how the osprey had been known to bring other small mammals etc to their nest.
    I probably could find it if I really tried. I don't know about anyone else but I'm finding Google a bit of struggle these days, when I look for stuff it doesn't bring up what I'm asking! :)
  • I saw TWO eggs when I unveiled just now, but hold on... ;)
  • Good Morning and thanks Scylla, Starling and Sunny Kate 2 for you response to my Q.. I myself do not think they eat anything other than fish and have read same article What do they eat.. which is on the SWT Osprey fact file.
    May be my wording was wrong, it was not the fact that frog was eaten but was seen on the nest ....like they had picked it up as a treasure ...like pine cones , stone etc. However I personally cannot remember anything of that sort at this nest. Is there History I can look back on here ?

    Also, just to say that Lassie took a late fish delivery , around 19.40 ish last night and she did not return to the nest until 5.30 am this morning. Laddie incubated untill 3.30ish but alas then he flew from the nest which means the egg was uncovered for at least a couple of hours in temp around 7C.

    Scylla that must be Laddie in your wee early hours pic!!! Just had a thought I could email LOTLs and ask about frog on nest !!

    Thanks all
    S

    Egg Roll can only see one !!  Scylla hope you can find a better clip Slight smile

  • Can't be certain:

    No, I think it's nest material:

  • Sheena said

    Also, just to say that Lassie took a late fish delivery , around 19.40 ish last night and she did not return to the nest until 5.30 am this morning. Laddie incubated untill 3.30ish but alas then he flew from the nest which means the egg was uncovered for at least a couple of hours in temp around 7C.

    Oh that's a slight worry, I hope egg will be ok, same thing happened at MB with the first egg.

  • SHEENA corrected Scylla:

    Laddie incubated untill 3.30ish but alas then he flew from the nest which means the egg was uncovered for at least a couple of hours in temp around 7C.

    Scylla that must be Laddie in your wee early hours pic!!!

    Thank you, SHEENA :)  That's me taking it for granted, I've blushed as a publishment :o :o :o

    As you say, the egg was still uncovered all that time.

    I've corrected the title of the video and I'll put a note on the post too.

  • I've got a picture of a frog on the LG nest - but it's one I put there ;) I'll never find it now.

    EDIT - easy-peasy with folder search cos I had the sense to name it:

  • Scylla now I feel bad ...I just thought I should mention the situation and hey id ing in the ir light is not easy.
    also edited my last Post added picture and can only see one egg . Like you I think nesting material or possibly a stone as other object/egg was thought to there few days ago too.

    s
  • Scylla now I feel bad ...I just thought I should mention the situation and hey id ing in the ir light is not easy.
    also edited my last Post added picture and can only see one egg . Like you I think nesting material or possibly a stone as other object/egg was thought to there few days ago too.

    s

    PS I feel so bad about correcting I posted twice^^ HUH ok enough posting for me for now WinkRolling eyes