On the 15th of March the 360 cam went live and an Osprey landed on the nest. It didn't take too long for a pair to begin bonding:
Male: BlueAX6 "Axel" - Ringed at a nest in Glen Affric on 1st July 2016, he was the only survivor of 3 eggs.
Female: Unringed "Mistle" - a very beautiful specimen, according to our long view.
(Unofficial names - LG will decide on names if deemed appropriate.)
This inexperienced couple is bonding well - Axel has been a good provider, they're both enthusiastic nestbuilders, the only element that requires more work is the mating technique.
EDIT 01 JUNE - Axel & Mistle deserted the nest in May, apparently spooked by intruders. As there has been very little activity since then, this thread will continue to the end of the 2021 season, unless dictated otherwise by ospreys.
Photo ©RSPB LochGarten
Cam info kindly provided by Peter @ Carnyx.tv:
There is an identical camera and microphone on this nest as the HD camera at Llyn Clywedog (Osprey). However the nest was struck by lightning. This took out the camera, the camera power supply and the WiFi link back to the centre. We managed to replace the power supply and Wifi but it was too late in the season to climb to the nest.
IMAGICAT
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
10.32.39 Cam zooming and withdrawing
10.31 Carnyx Camera system is undergoing repairs. So far the on screen writing has been corrected. The sound is being worked on. We are live. 10:38 Carnyx I'm sure everyone will appreciate the gentle wind noise instead of hisses and crackles 10:41 Carnyx The zoom and position may change a bit randomly today as the controller/keyboard fault is investigated and hopefully corrected.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
The cam seems stable now, thanks Peter and staff at LG.
There appears to have been no sign of either since 07.36 when Mistle flew off.
I thought this worth noting, as I've not seen her lying down before - I think!
05.20.50 Mistle down in the cup lifting bits to the side, and moving a licheny stick
05.27.25 Mistle sunk into the cup and stayed there for twelve minutes
05.39.05 Mistle still in the cup, relaxed
05.39.32 Mistle startled got up and flew in what looked like a panic
Axel and Mistle spent some time together on the nest just after 06.00, standing side by side, awww! He got restless and flew at 06.04.38. Mistle stayed another six minutes before flying off.
She had returned to the nest at 06.51.27 when she did some stickifying, and spent the next 38 minutes just standing in the cup until 07.36.58 when she flew off.
10.28 the team started working on the cam, Carnyx reported as above. 12.03 the cam was flickering between the nest and vertical stripes, but it appears to be working now, but there is still no sign of our pair.
12.38 Mistle returned - correction is was Axel who returned
12.39 Mistle flew! - Axel flew, not Mistle
13.41 No sign of either since.
When (she) he landed he flapped his wings a little longer than perhaps necessary, perhaps warning an encroaching intruder. He looked around, but wasn't defending, and then flew off
Edited 14.04
billy r said:Sadly I doubt if there will be any eggs this year but hopefully they will bond and return next year and lay
I think it's a bit too early yet to write them off! Have faith. They did take a while to achieve the mating technique!
We have had some movement!
15.50 Axel brought in a long sticky stick
He was looking all around and above him. Is there an intruder still around? Confident all was well, he attacked the sticky stick, moving to the back of the nest, breaking off bits.
15.52 Cam zoomed out - possibly there is still some sort of control problem? Axel can be seen on the nest
and zoomed back in
Cam zoomed out, and back in - again possibly to focus?
A fleeting visit. Still no sign of Mistle. I wonder why .And then he flew