LOCH OF THE LOWES - JULY 2021

Link to June 2021

History of Ospreys at Loch of the Lowes

Webcam page with links to LotL Visitor Centre and Wildlife Reserve FB, Twitter and Blogs >>>

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/

All captures and videos ©Scottish Wildlife Trust/Loch of the Lowes

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Arrival dates: Laddie - 21st March  NC0 - 25th March

Three eggs laid: Egg #1 - 11.4.21  Egg #2 - 14.4.21  Egg #3 - 17.4.21

Hatch dates: Chick #1 - 18.5.21 (37 days)  Chick #2 - 20.5.21 (36 days)  Chick #3 - 22.5.21 (35 days)

25.5.21 - Third chick passed away Broken heart

22.6.21 - Chicks ringed: #1 - LR1 (female)  #2 - LR2 (male) 

26.6.21 - NC0 catches a fish

Ringing Blog >>> Meet our newly ringed osprey chicks - LR1 and LR2

PT4(19) arrives back in the UK: Blog by Joanna Dailey >>> An important visitor - Kielder Ospreys

9.7.21 - LR1 fledged at 52 days old, 17:01 >>> First Osprey Chick LR1 Fledges

Blog >>> We have lift off

12.7.21 - LR2 fledged at 53 days old, c17:40 Blog: LR2 fledges

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From little 'fluff balls' to almost fully grown ospreys, LR1 and LR2 are doing amazingly well all thanks to the fantastic ongoing care from NC0 and Laddie (LM12). Not only have we seen Laddie providing fish for his family but NC0 has been successful several times just recently as well - what first-class parents they are! There continues to be the occasional intrusion from ospreys passing through, however, the nest and chicks have been protected outstandingly. We look forward to the next exciting phase in the young ospreys' development.

  • FISH !!! !!! !!!

    from Laddie to NC0.  Lotsa flapping going on - wings, I mean, don't know about the fish.

    I do hope I'm ID-ing the protagonists accurately - because there appears to be conflict, with one pecking another.  Have they got caught up in something?

  • scylla said:
    Have they got caught up in something?

    I think the initial problem was that Laddie's talon was caught in the fish or maybe his and NC0's talons were interlocked?  Can't see what happened to the fish.

  • I've been noticing a lot of intrusions and one's threatening now. I can't focus on it.
  • scylla said:

    I think the initial problem was that Laddie's talon was caught in the fish or maybe his and NC0's talons were interlocked?  

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    Their talons were definitely locked together, Scylla! Pleased I didn't see that 'live', I'd have been stressed out to the max! Many thanks, Scylla - let's hope Laddie is ok!

  • 17:08 Laddie with a fish. LR2 claimed it

    He sensibly left it on the nest before his talons could get grabbed

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 17:17 Another fish from Laddie. NC0 took this one while LR2 continued to eat his

    LR2 being fed by NC0

    ©SWT/LotL

  • Looking back, both were fed from a headless fish that NC0 brought to the nest about 15:15 (* see edit at the end of this post for 'strange' sibling activity)

    LR2 swallowed the tail end of the fish

    Then, an hour or so later, LR1 ate from a headless fish that NC0 had delivered

    LR2 joined them both

    LR1 took the fish from her mum and flew off with it, landing a couple of times with it in her talons.

    She came back

    She left again

    And back

    Once settled on the nest, she self-fed 

    *Edit - A  few minutes prior to NC0 coming to the nest, there was strange behaviour from the LR's, it was as if, when LR2 flew to the nest, he was treated as an intruder (or even vice versa) by LR1 and the calls sounded that way too. 

    Defensive actions as LR2 flew to the nest (left)

    Flapping

    Lift off

    Talons, top of pic

    Flight away

    LR2 took flight very shortly afterwards.  

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 18:07 NC0, still with a tail end of fish, waiting for any takers. LR2 had eaten his fill and flew from the nest a little while ago

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 21:19 Fish delivered by NC0. Both LR1 and LR2 were resting on the nest...LR1 was first up to claim it once she realised mum had something in her talons

    NC0's splashdown into the Loch (from the birch)

    She brought it further to the edge of the nest

    Then, with some wing flapping and hopping back, she flew off with the fish in her right talons and headed to the middle of the birch. NC0 was already on her perch

    ©SWT/LotL

  • 21:25ish, LR2 left the nest and flew to the birch

    LR2 left branch, LR1 in the middle and NC0 on the right

    ©SWT/LotL