LOCH GARTEN - May 2022

FISH. Geez....

I can't believe he's calling for it back. It was barely more than a tail. Go get another fish, Axel! Gotta go, SYAL.

She has arrived back with an unhappy grunt and is now giving him an earbashing about the smallness of that tail. And probably was hoping for more fish instead of his calling her back.

Just as I wanted to start any new post with Oh Dear!!  Axel, you have been much maligned!!

Thank you, CC, for pointing out we had an intruder.  My guess would be it is another female.  Usually it is male defending the nest against a male, and vice versa, on the other hand was it a pair?  Some of her calling sounded more 'food soliciting' than intruder calls.  Or indeed was Axel also involved - when she sounded as tho she was food soliciting?

Mistle had spent most of the time since I last posted, lying in the cup until 

13.03  she stood up to preen, and food solicited briefly, but suddenly she was staring intently, her eyes wide, looking to the right of the perch  ....

13.04  She shot off the nest, intruder calling.  She flew to the right of the perch into the distance, but apart from the initial in-flight call I could hear nothing

13.32.08   She returned from the right.  She looked around intently, checking that the intruder wasn't following - but it was

13.33.01   The intruder came too close and she began calling loudly and mantling.  A bird, I am assuming osprey (LOL), could be seen flying top left beyond the old nest, as per CC's excellent pics.  The intruder was seen flying away from us to top left beyond the old nest.

13.34  As per CC, the intruder flew over the nest and in a large arc in the distant skyline.  Mistle remained very alert.

13.35.32  More intruder calling.  The intruder flew over the nest towards the old nest and landed on the top of thee old dead tree on the left side of the screen.  Mistle mantled and called - with her back to the intruder, LOL.

13.37  She stood up, mantled and called - which became more similar to food soliciting that intruder calling.  She stopped mantling, but continued to 'fish solicit??

13.39  She took off and flew towards the tree, intruder took off they they both flew around - what she chasing or food soliciting?

Mistle quickly returned to the nest, still calling, watching the intruder and defending.  Intruder flew off.  She stopped calling.

15.17 FISH delivery from Axel at last!  

15.32  Axel is calling for the fish!  I never ever head Odin do that!  He getting quite insistent.  Perhaps he had been seeing the intruder off which was why Mistle's calls varied between food soliciting and intruder calling.

15.36 Mistle has returned, without the fish!  That was downed quickly.  She is telling him she wants seconds - NOW!!

15.52 he had enough of her calling, flew off and returned to a successful mate.
Mistle continues to call, Axel is out of sight, but clearly within hers! She prowls the nest and continues to call!

SheilaFE said:

Radio Chaffinch could be heard at 08.07

I'm even later than I should have been because I couldn't hear them, so once again have been googling for a solution to my pathetic sound... not found  

SheilaFE said:

08.22 who large black birds (crow, cormorants?) landed on the old tree to the left of the nest and Mistle flew over to see them off!

It was the resident Wood Pigeon pair, she must be touchy  

.

While all that time was being wasted, Axel paid a mating visit and has gone again, I see.  EDIT - and I didn't see the FISH !!! 

Thank you for further updates, SHEILA

And CC !!! Oh dear, am so far behind now :(((

Axel came in, mated and stepped on her head on his way off.She's not pleased (can't you tell?), and is still screaming at him.

Unknown said:

Intruder 13.34

And then the FISH - I reckon it was just the skin with a little bit of flesh inside: