LOCH GARTEN - May 2022

Have not been seeing everything that happens on the nest today except that it is very windy and both Axel and Mistle have brought in more nest material. I have not seen any overt egg turning though both have been actively aerating the nest cup, and I have wondered if the eggs have gotten shifted then, and then when they settle on them... Hopefully no adhesions will occur.

Just before Mistle just settled on the eggs this time, she seemed to tuck them under her breast. Hard to see if they got turned or not. I guess it's best not to worry too much.

Axel just returned and is eating fish on the perch. He's come down to the nest but isn't handing it over. He's eating it on the nest! Then Mistle flies off.

She's brought a stick back, and is interested to see his fish piece but doesn't snatch it, it's the very last morsel.In the meantime they were both cleaning up the nest.

I think it's mainly skin now. It was blowing in the breeze when he was on the perch! I wondered if it was a piece of nesting material caught on his talons at one point. I can't believe how it looks just like a thin piece of skin.
16.15 Axel took off again, carrying his nibbles. Mistle settled to incubate.

It was quite funny watching him. I was really unsure initially whether it was the fish remains or a sticky licheny pices of nesting material, but like you CC decided it was a skinny piece of unappetising food.
Mistle is doing a good job at replacing the lost sticky sticks with heavier solid sticks.

Well, he was trying to nestorise at the same time as picking at the last bits of skin! It seemed since Mistle was full, she couldn't decide whether that last bit was worth causing a fuss over! I find both of them quite humorous as they are trying to navigate their "first times."
I am off for a bit of shopping! SYAL.

16.34 Mistle took off ENS
16.35 Axel returned and immediately got into the cup to incubate. Bless him!
16.48 Mistle returned with a large clump of lichen or more probably a piece of wood with lichen on it. Axel flew off.
16.49 the said lichen wood was moved to the right near the long stick. The wind caught both toward heer and she had to move it back. The stick stayed on the nest, but I think the lichen flew off behind her and
16.50 she finally settled on the eggs.
17.36 the wind as really got up again.

New RSPB blog. STILL no official name for Mistle

I think Mistle saw Axel fly about, so she left, and Axel arrived on the perch, then came to the nest to incubate.