MANTON BAY – AUGUST 2021 to end of FEBRUARY 2022

Continued from Manton Bay – July 2021.  

The history of the Manton Bay nest, breeding stats and links to previous threads can be found here.

2021 Season Summary:  On 19 March, Blue 33(11) returned at 12:29 and Maya at 12:52.  Three eggs were laid, #1 on 30 March at 11:45#2 seen on 2 April at 07:34 and #3 on 5 April at 07:05.  Sadly only two eggs hatched, the first on 8 May at 19:51 and the second on 10 May at 19:48, one being unviable.   The chicks were ringed on 19 June.  Chick #1, a male, was fitted with the blue darvic 096 and Chick #2, a female, was fitted with blue 095 . At 54 days old, Blue 096 fledged at 12:12 on 1 July and Blue 095, aged 53 days old, at 11:12 on 2 July.  On 22 August at 09:10, Blue 095 aged 104 days old, set off on migration and 3 minutes later, 09:13, Blue 096 aged 106 days old left.   Maya and Blue 33(11) remained and finally set off - Maya on 30 August and Blue 33(11) the next morning on 31 August.

Webcam/Copyright© Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

  • Thank you Karen yes hope calm is restored but looking at her on the nest screeching and looking ferocious it's going to take some doing! Lol! :-)
    Think we go Sunday so at least will be able to update then if nothing improves in meantime! Sorry Karen wasn't meaning we were doing all these hours under sufference if it came over like that :-) was just wanting to give a picture of the difference at the moment! What an awful sufference spending all that time with this family :-) :-) :-)
  • No LAM, sufference didn't come across at all :-)  I mentioned the weather as I suspected the conditions would contribute to difficulty locating and identifying the birds as they would be sheltering.   And yes, we can only hope things improve! 

    Meanwhile on the nest 095 continues to call

    c  -   LRWT

  • 13:48   33 arrived at the nest with a stick - definitely not what 095 expected or wanted! 

    © Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

    33 dropped the stick and immediately flew off 

  • Yes Karen perhaps the weather did contribute but we have seen them not take cover in the most terrible storms previously!
    Let's hope 095 gets a fish as she needs food too. Very interesting that Maya fed her yesterday evening rather than give the fish to her!
    The other very noticeable point of our sitings was the length of time Maya took the fish around the bay a good 13 minutes before feeling she could settle with it! She really didn't know what to do!
  • 14:04   After 095 had flown off, Maya arrived with some nesting material

    095 returned

    Maya flew off

    095 continues to call

    © Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

    I wonder if 33 and Maya wish to start rebuilding their nest and are now trying to encourage 095 off the nest?? 

  • LAM - thanks for all your observations of the situation and the family's behaviour which is very interesting especially Maya holding the fish for that length of time.

    Could it be she was torn between 095 on the nest and 096 on the T perch?
  • Yes Karen we were even wondering if they are encouraging her migration so they can resume some normality :-) Odd how they have both changed their behaviour towards her!
  • Yes in deed it could Karen but we were also wondering if she wanted it for herself as she too seems quite hungry and wanted to enjoy it somewhere but felt the two usual places were out of bound due to 095 being too close?
  • Thanks LAM - yes Maya could have wanted some peace to eat and I suppose if they are calling, it would be against her instinct not to feed her young first as we are used to seeing them eat and Maya come and pick up the fish when they are finished and hence her holding the fish so long.

    It really is an awkward situation - if only 095 would calm down and share the fish with 096!!

  • Thank you Karen so true! Mike is calling it 'modified' behaviour having to cope with a problem child! :-)
    Great discussion Karen many thanks indeed.
    Off to cut the grass before it rains, will check back later! SYS