LOCH GARTEN Daily Obs & Captures MAY 2021

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Morning all!  I went back to the 09.15 fish delivery and came up to date.  How wonderful to see the camera being used to great effect with a x5 zoom!  This is such an improvement, clear and bright, showing Mistle's bib in all its glory!

I thought it might be useful to see the nest in relation to the treecam from where we are getting the pictures.  After Mistle flew the cam panned back, and then to the left to find her on one of the branches atop the camera tree or camtree (as opposed to campost on the nest LOL).

This shows all the refurnishment that has been done to the nest 'tree' over the years.  

Quoting from Roy Dennis' masterpiece about osprey, A Life of Ospreys

The severe drought of 1976 killed the old osprey tree at Loch Garten and the top became unsafe. Eventually, in 1980, the ospreys moved house and built a new eyrie in the nearby, live pine and remained there for a while. Sadly, vindictive egg thieves had not finished with them. In the winter of 1986, the osprey nest itself was cut down and destroyed while, in 1990, the hide was burnt to the ground. After the destruction of the nest, Loch Garten staff re-built the tree using wooden struts, allowing an artificial nest to be raised high off the ground. That spring the ospreys readily adopted the man-made nest and it became a real success story, remaining in use ever since.

Dennis, Roy. A Life of Ospreys . Booksource. Kindle Edition.

What happened at Llyn Brenig on Friday night is nothing new, but it is dammed time it stopped.

We were then given wonderful close-ups of Mistle on one of the camtree perches - Queen of all she surveys.  I hope we are given more of these wonderful close-ups and views of the area!

Mistle is quietly sitting in the nest on her own, periodically looking with intent, eyes alight presumably checking all is well!

Fergus C said:

Hey all,

We have been seeing AX6 sitting around most of the morning just in the camera tree and he even took off to do a little bit of skydancing around 11 this morning. Haven't seen the female osprey for a little while but I am sure she is around!

F

Good to get news from the ground, so to speak.  Thanks Fergus.

Here is a vid made in 2014 when EJ and Henry the pair on the nest.  Some of the footage is not at LG nor of LG birds, but I think you will recognised the odd-bird-out nest!  Richard Thaxton was the former Warden, who wrote regular blogs and updates, and was full of enthusiasm about the nest.  He was often seen at the VC mingling with visitors.  He was Jess's predecessor.  I had a week as a volunteer in 2010, with warm clothes and a sleeping bag for the two night shift I did!  There is a lovely shot of EJ when Claire was reporting from the Forward Hide with the magnificent German binoculars on the shelf.  The FH has been upgraded since I was there, and has the luxury of a microwave and safer heating I believe.  Les will be able to confirm!  Enjoy

Axel landed   "Have you got a fish down there?"

I think he had the tail end of the fish

SheilaFE said:

Quoting from Roy Dennis' masterpiece about osprey, A Life of Ospreys

The severe drought of 1976 killed the old osprey tree at Loch Garten and the top became unsafe. Eventually, in 1980, the ospreys moved house and built a new eyrie in the nearby, live pine and remained there for a while. Sadly, vindictive egg thieves had not finished with them. In the winter of 1986, the osprey nest itself was cut down and destroyed while, in 1990, the hide was burnt to the ground. After the destruction of the nest, Loch Garten staff re-built the tree using wooden struts, allowing an artificial nest to be raised high off the ground. That spring the ospreys readily adopted the man-made nest and it became a real success story, remaining in use ever since.

Dennis, Roy. A Life of Ospreys . Booksource. Kindle Edition.

What happened at Llyn Brenig on Friday night is nothing new, but it is dammed time it stopped.

I have it on the best authority that in the 'bad old days' when egg collecting was rife solid information was received that there would be a raid on a certain Osprey's nest to steal the eggs. The date was uncertain. Thankfully 'someone' had a contact with the Royal Marines who decided it would be a great opportunity as a training exercise for the Marines to 'dig themselves in' and protect the nest 24/7. As predicted the raid came.  The police were not called and the would be robber was refused a lift to the hospital which he badly needed. I am by no means a member of the 'lynch mob' fraternity, but sometimes there can be more persuasive deterrents than the anaemic law (as it was then). It is such a shame that there was no similar intelligence prior to lhe recent attack in Wales.  

Thanks for the update and video link Sheila, a trip down memory lane, not that I was here when Henry was on the go, but lovely to see the beautiful EJ again.

Thanks Limpy for all the beautiful photos you have posted for us, she really is a lovely looking bird and has taken to this nest so well, with her housekeeping. The male has shown good as well, bringing her fish and mating, although things were a bit iffy to start with! Fingers crossed that this is the year when a new beginning is happening at LG, it is long overdue. I am sure our EJ and Odin are looking down and would be very happy with Mistle & Axel (hopefully LG will keep these names) keeping the flag flying for LG. Can't wait to see what happens?

Thanks to all for the updates and photos.