LOCH ARKAIG (The Woodland Trust) - AUGUST 2019

Snapping while I can

(c) WT Loch Arkaig

Must have been a good flounder, it's kept her going until she's just flown off with quite a bit left.

Unknown said:

Snapping while I can

Lovely!  I've saved it, thank you :)

ca 13.44 Louis delivered a flounder.  Rannoch could be heard giving the warning... she arrived first with Louis landing, dropping, and leaving.  Rannoch claimed noisely, watching as Louis disappeared pdq.

She had a natter and moved to the back of the nest

Looking

She spent five minutes or so looking around, and flew off just before 14.00 hrs with her fish

© The Woodland Trust Loch Arkaig OP

15.35, Rannoch had been on the nest for a bit when Louis brought in a very nice whole fish. After about 5 minutes of holding the fish, Rannoch flies with it. The fish gave a bit of a flap just before she flew, she better have a good hold of it wherever she is perched. Ian

16.40, Louis arrives on the empty nest with another nice whole fish. After a couple of minutes, Rannoch arrives with her first fish untouched by the look of it. Louis departs leaving Rannoch with two fish, she is still on the nest, not quite sure what to do. Ian

16.57, Rannoch leaves with the first fish, the second is left behind on the nest (obviously!). Ian

Well that was so funny (ha ha), apart from the fact that when I tried to open RUF/RF it just wouldn't work for me again. So I scrolled back to the fish delivery commented on by Ian and just watched, rather than snipping.
16.40 (time given by Ian) Louis landed with what looked like a brown trout. He looked around for Rannoch who took a couple of minutes to come screaming in, still holding his earlier darker fish. Louis of course flew off straight away leaving Rannoch mantling over her own fish, calling and looking at the new possible brown trout delivery. The look on her face was so so funny
+2 mins Rannoch looked quizzically at the new fish and called to no-ne.
+ 1 min Brown trout flapped suddenly and Rannoch leapt to the rear of the nest with her fish and called.
+1 min She stood at the back of the nest looking aroun and at the new fish, moving her head from side to side trying to work out what had happened and what it was that flapped at her!
+2 min Brown trout flapped again. Rannoch called, directing it at the fish. It flapped again! Rannoch looked very discombobulated about it all!
+2 min it flapped again
++1 min Poor fish gave a gasp and moved a tiny amount. Rannoch was brave enough to come towards it, still holding her dark fish in her talon.
+1 min It flapped again, touching Rannoch's talon. She called and put her empty talon on the new brown trout, releasing the original dark fish in the process.
It took another few minutes for her to try to eat the new fish at the head, calling all the time.
She finally flew off with the new brown trout a few minutes later, leaving her darker fish alone on the nest. The whole episode was only about 17 minutes, but I had to laugh, although I felt for the poor brown trout!

18.27, Rannoch is back for the second fish. Ian