The arrival of our couple, virtually together, was first snapped @ 19:12
©SANDRA !!!
©RICHARD G B
©SHEENA
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Yikes !!! I thought I must have missed it but it's all there waiting for attention :)))
Thank you, everyone, for the super captures and info :)
I can't believe they arrived together - but they did! ;-D
Three matings altogether, only the first successful, IMHO. They were on the nest nearly 13 minutes, this is cut down to 5 but no significant activity missing - you know how they like to stand and (males) mantle and (females) look a bit nonplussed ;)
UNCUT VERSION:
The first was the best ;)
He sat here for ages after his second nestcupping:
.
IMAGICAT
No-one seen on the nest all night/morning!
There is another "new" nest platform about a mile away and someone has been seen eating there (by Liz Bracken* @ about 07:30).
The other platform could mean we're not getting the right impression of Louis 'n Aila's "relationship" from what we see. If they settle on it, that will be the end of our viewing of this lovely couple, as there's no chance the cam can be moved - George Anderson says that the nest we see is in a good position for broadcasting, the other not - even if it were permissible to interfere with the birds, which of course it is not.
*Liz has kindly given permission for all her obs to be posted here.
I've nearly screwed up my eyes to nothing trying to see movement to/from these trees :o
Well-well-well !!!
Aila arrived:
Louis arrived with whole fish!
Aila took it, no problem, but did not fly with it until Louis approached from behind ;-D
13.05 Aila landed and started to call gently, looking up the valley
Just turned 1307 A whole fish delivery which Alia took. She stood with it for two minutes before taking off, and during that time Louis tried to creep up, but was thwarted. Aila took off with her fish at 13.09
Louis did a spot of nestorising, beak in the soft furnishing, tail up and kicking everything everywhere!
Was she worried there was an intruder about?
He creeps in..
but she looks at him, and then takes off
13.22 Louis is still on the nest pottering
© The Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig OP
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Birdies LG DU update.
The delivery:
The return:
Deleted, as I misread events.
Louis brought back his fish to finish it off on the nest:
I'm waiting, hoping to get a good shot of the tailfin going down, but he's just at the wrong angle...
No, this is the best I can do :(
Then a wobbly mating: