Last season Louis and Aila arrived on their nest almost at the same instant on the 4th of April. Here's to a repeat, but a few days earlier to save our anxiety.
WEBCAM, compliments of the Woodland Trust and the People's Postcode Lottery.
IMAGICAT
14.45 & 14.46. Aila on the nest looking skywards. Twice it looks like Louis lands & twice she flaps him off, the first time with a shout. She is currently semi-mantling. Louis lands again at 14.48 she doesn't chase him off and they mate at 14.53. I am pretty certain that it was Louis who landed on all three occasions. Normal service is resumed at 14.57 when Louis arrives with an enormous stick that promptly falls off the nest Ian
16.16, headless fish taken immediately by Aila. Ian
Ian S said:14.45 & 14.46. Aila on the nest looking skywards. Twice it looks like Louis lands & twice she flaps him off, the first time with a shout. She is currently semi-mantling. Louis lands again at 14.48 she doesn't chase him off and they mate at 14.53. I am pretty certain that it was Louis who landed on all three occasions.
Me too, IAN - for instance, the back of head pattern looks the same. I did wonder if Louis had been skydancing with no fish, but couldn't hear anything due to wind noise, and probably the wind would have blown his voice away, anyway.
Louis brought a stick:
Aila brought a bunch of brackeny stuff:
After Louis had flown Aila pottered, then up to campost, I didn't see her fly.
Then Louis, I think (but the sun bleached out the breast markings and the wind disturbed the head markings), returned and pottered quite energetically, he flew @ 19:20.
Forgot to post this unedited clip from just before 05:00, and am on my way "out", so g/night!
Louis just standing on the lovely mossey nest.
I hadn't noticed before the little white streak under each eye Up to the cam post......a few chirrups....and a fly away
08.00, morning all. It sounds a bit blowy this morning. Empty nest but someone is on the camera. Ian
EDIT - I have done a quick scroll back, Louis brought in a nice headless fish at 06.11, Aila took it and flew. There was also mating on the camera at 07.01, Aila went to the camera at 06.35. I would guess that Patily's picture above is just before the on camera mating.