LOCH GARTEN - MARCH / APRIL 2022

You forgot to add Sheila .............. while Axel ..... out of sight.............. prepares for his next mating attempt. I hope I am WRONG!

There are the occasional outbursts of calling, but nothing sustained, and no sign of Axel since his last mating at 12.53. Perhaps he has been fishing, and is hiding it whilst he takes his share.

I'm out of it today, had a big software issue and the situation on this nest is really upsetting me - and I know it shouldn't but am just telling you how awful it makes me feel, how childish, I know.

Hope to return in better form later.  Thank you, CRINGER & SHEILA for keeping the faith and reporting.

Oh dear, Scylla. Take a deep breath and sit down with a cuppa. It is a perplexing situation, I agree. We could go back to 2021. Why did they leave LG? Is there another nest Axel prefers? He is regularly seen, usually, so I think he is faithful to the nest, as Mistle clearly is. But where are the fish? Or why isn't he pottering on the nest beside Mistle.
There have been frequent sounds of distant gun fire today which I haven't noticed before. It is so quiet you could hear a mouse scamper across the nest, so those shot sounds are travelling. I wonder if there is a rifle range somewhere. Mr Google tells me that there is Rothiemurchus Clay Shooting Ground, five star and closing soon!! It must be that I can hear.
15.40 Mistle had another short soliciting session which came to nought again.

LOL the wee fluffy feather remains firmly stuck to her beak. There are the occasional outbursts, but still not sustained. Still no sign of our male.
I am going for a wander outside. BBL

SheilaFE said:

 Mr Google tells me that there is Rothiemurchus Clay Shooting Ground, five star and closing soon!! It must be that I can hear.

Part of my undergrad dissertation was looking at the change in diet of identifiable prey brought to the nest. The fish farm at Rothiemurchus opened in 1975 following which the % of Rainbow Trout brought to the nest increased dramatically - especially from June onwards - until by the mid 1990s rainbows made up > 90% of fish identified when brought to the nest. The fish farm is 11.5 km as the Osprey flies from the nest and the clay pigeon shoot at least another 1 km,. Sorry, I can't accept the shots are from the clay pigeon shoot.

Good to have comments from feet on the ground!!  Possibly a local farmer with friends

SheilaFE said:

LOL the wee fluffy feather remains firmly stuck to her beak.

Don't forget that female Ospreys go through their mould VERY quickly - they moult when they are at their most inactive - around incubation! Males moult takes place over a much longer period as they need to keep fishing! I am very happy to see that feather! A sign surely of EGGS to come! Imminently!

SheilaFE said:

Good to have comments from feet on the ground!!  Possibly a local farmer with friends

I think the local farmer need a tap on the door by the local constabulary reminding him its an offence to disturb a Schedule 1 species at the nest............ and now he knows there was disturbance he is committing a criminal offence if it happens again. Very nicely. Swinging a pair of handcuffs,. 

I reckon Tuesday or Wednesday for the first egg.

Waiting patiently.  She is so pretty.

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