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
This pair are such a delight to watch. Louis was incubating when I looked in, Aila was standing giving him gentle hints that she wanted to incubate, she dropped a little stick on his back, did some chirping.
All Louis did was get up, turn the egg, settle back down again, he did this about 3 times, they are so comical to watch.
She eventually had to muscle him out of the way to eventually get back to incubate.
© THE WOODLAND TRUST, LOCH ARKAIG OSPREY PROJECT - POST CODE LOTTERY
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
15.08, Louis brings in a whole fish. Aila takes it with no fuss and flies. Aila comes back at 15.28 with the (now headless) fish which Louis takes. Looking at the fish just before Louis flew off with it, Aila must have eaten a reasonable portion. 15.33, Louis comes back with the fish and is now eating it on the nest. 15.37, the tail disappears down Louis' throat. Ian
16.59, Aila flies from the nest leaving the egg, I am sure only temporarily. Ian
EDIT - 17.12, she's back.
17.59, it looks like a corvid (I would guess a hoodie, it is visible at 17.59.41) gets a bit too close, Louis chases it off. Ian
EDIT - 18.05, Louis flies with the fish. Aila showed not interest in it.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Silly me, catchup done without refreshing!
Sweetly together:
This is the push-off scene that IAN and MARY already covered:
FISHES !!!
The second one, as said, not taken by Aila:
Louis waited and waited, fell asleep on it:
Violent reaction to Hooded Crow, whose wing we'd glimpsed faintly on the Robin's perch:
Very clearly this is/was the Hoodie :)
20:08 the fish returned (I missed it being taken away!) and Aila flew with it. She didn't bring any back:
Louis last flew @ 21:01.
Here we go again, the lovely sight of Aila incubating at night:
Not so lovely, her first threat response - no flapping or diving, she was up for 3 minutes-ish:
Parting look @ 23:08:
Good Morning All
Louis has just brought in a fish for Aila, she hasn't taken it yet, she is not budging off the egg at the moment.
There is no alarm calling but they seem to be wary about something.
It is very strange behaviour they are still on the nest at 06.32 am, it is as though they sense some sort of danger.
Its now 06.34 and Louis is still standing like a statue with the fish, Aila is standing looking out.
06.38 and Aila settles back down on the egg, and Louis is still there with the fish.
Out of all the nests I have watched over the years, this is the one I have learned more about osprey behaviour,
This is the strangest hour I have ever witnessed, its like stepping into the twilight zone with L&A.
Louis eventually flies off with the fish at 06.54 he brings it back again at 06.56 and its the same scene.
It is 07.02 and Aila still hasn't taken the fish..... I wonder what it is that is spooking them!
Aila flies off at 07.05 and Louis left with fish on nest. He settles down to incubate both egg and fish
Aila arrives back at 07.10.... this is intriguing behaviour !!! Louis leaves with fish at 07.14 and seconds later brings it back again, and is still standing with the fish.
---------------------------------
Caps from this strange hour
Aila incubates 06.13
Louis arrives with fish
Louis decides to eat the fish on the nest.
EDIT Aila eventually takes the fish and flies off with it.
WHEW! that was a marathon