Inspired by Janni, who cleverly noted the cam was up and running on 1 March, and filled with hope for this nest for 2021, here's the new thread!
Link to 2020 thread
In 2017, her first breeding season. Clarach (hatched Dyfi in 2013) mated with an unknown male, laying 3 eggs. The third chick hatched/died 15th June, the other two on 12th and 13th June. Male LHO took his first flight 4th August, Male LH1 9th August. Clarach departed 1st September, LHO 3rd, LH1 12th September.
Clarach came back in 2018 but sadly lost her eggs to ravens. In 2019, she returned on 10 April, and partnered first with White CL, a 2008 bird hatched at Loch Lomond. He disappeared and was replaced by an unringed male on 3 May, and Clarach was seen to be incubating by 6 May (who was the daddy...?!). But she'd abandoned the nest by the end of May and Dyfi posted that her eggs had been predated. It was difficult to keep up with the nest as the webcam failed but FLS posted updates on their Facebook page. Staff thought the male hadn't been providing her with fish on the nest, as he had another nest to provision! In 2020, hope was raised when a few ospreys dropped by in April and May, including White CL, at one point on the nest with an unringed female. The Lodge Facebook page posted a great photo by Sami in April which was thought to be Clarach. After that, lots of osprey-less photos were posted comparing the rise and fall of the webcam, the state of the sticks on the nest, the sinkage of the nest (great word Mary) and the weather.
Let's see what happens this year!
scylla said:WhiteCL visited, stayed 15 minutes:
Fabulous scylla! Thanks very much for your diligence in recording and checking the video. Great to know he's still about
Scylla, I echo what others have said - thank you so much for keeping up with recordings for this nest. Come on Clarach, we'd love to see you too!
11 hours ago, this was posted on the 'chat' under the LS screen
"Does anyone recognise either of the 2 ospreys on the nest."
I wonder who they were?
Also, a reply from F&LS to a question posed re the cam
'Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I thought we were about to have to provide a negative answer but it looks like the live video has sprung into action just now! Unfortunately, it's not something we can guarantee long-term throughout this year. Due to a perfect storm of the retirement of our local climbing staff and COVID impacts on the ability of our digital staff to travel to Aberfoyle and for us to open our local Wildlife Room (for which the feed was originally set up), it's unlikely any technical issues at the camera's end will be fixed quickly should they occur. Because of the extremely remote location, the exposure of the camera to weather and the long distances the wireless signal has to travel, the signal can be intermittent at the best of times, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that technology will be kind to us this year! Kind regards.'
Sandra P said:
Maybe our amazing scylla will find something on playback?
Sandra P said:Oh I do hope so, Korky! (No pressure, Scylla!)
Up-coming - but not very informative, probably, except I think WhiteCL and the female was unringed.
IMAGICAT
Disrupted and delayed by Bro losing almost-brand-new phone
Uninterrupted footage up to 16:42, they were already on the nest at startup and didn't appear again for the rest of the day till cut-off.
I forgot to put the ankle-snap on the end. Otherwise, I've "improved" it as much as poss.
Thank You Scylla - that is fantastic - yet another two returned. I am hopeful that 2R/Clarach is still around somewhere in the Trossachs.
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023