AX6 Axel and his lovely unringed partner Mistle are bonding well, and Mistle has been threatening to lay an egg - we await developments.
It seems that Mistle has been on the perch & nest all night:
IMAGICAT
Imagicat || Tiger's links || 2022 LG Obs
Thursday May 12
6.18 FISH #1 (minnow)
6.23 “Mistle returns and food solicits. That tells us all we need to know about the size of the breakfast fish.” ~CRinger
as per SheilaFE:06.28 Axel landed with a small stick, and got an earful from Mistle. Axel flew 06.31 Axel returns. Mistle calls 06.32 Axel soon left! 06.35 Mistle moved twigs and sticks, whilst incubating 06.39 Mistle caught a stick with lichen at one end in her beak, and struggled to release it. 07.57 Mistle keeps snoozing, head in her feathers. Wind gets up again 08.10 Mistle gets up, wishful thinking, calling loudly. Axel brings large curved stick which he puts onto the near rim. Mistle flew off in disgust! Axel incubates. 08.12 Mistle landed, called and left again. 08.13 Mistle returns, calling. Moving sticks and walking around the nest 08.14 Mistle flies off, yet again. 08.17 Mistle returns with nesting material. Axel flies. Moves some bark to the rim. 08.18 Mistle incubates.
12.34 Tiny fishtail #2 delivery.12.44 Axel was calling but then he got his own medicine back when Mistle arrives with a clump to give him an earbashing and to force him off the eggs.
17.00 FISH #3, probably a “small whale” ~CRinger
20.04 FISH #4 – a whale
20.24 to 21.05 Repetitive sequence. Axel yells for fish, Mistle returns, he doesn’t take it, she leaves with it, each time returning with less of it.20.43 She brought the fish back, but he's afraid to take it, and she tried to take off with it but it's stuck in the sticks! She tries and rebounds a couple times, lol. He's gone. And she's eating the fish on the nest! Then leaves.21.27 Mistle returns with no fish and takes over incubation. He flies wordlessly.
Blessed silence except for the ubiquitous wind sound. GOOD NIGHT!
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Thank you CC for the ex excellent summary. I had some, but not all. I am sure the VC must appreciate it too!!
What wonderful posts, commentaries, pictures, summaries
I've spent "some time" (putting it mildly) honouring the WHALE, I'm sure some subtleties have been omitted but lurkers will get the idea:
Friday the 13th of May
Another windy day.
You can see how I got trapped into this shape.
05:00
But the sky soon filled with grey clouds.
No sign of Axel yet, I do hope he's not sulking.
06:40 Mistle took a comfort break:
Morning Scylla - such a beautiful start to the day. I do wish the wind would drop! Thank you Korky for confirming no fish deliveries.
I took will be in and out, but expect to contribute.
Since Korky's report
09.15 Mistle flew off for a comfort break ENS
09.16 And back. Settled on eggs very quickly
09.49 Axel landed with bark! Mistle flew off as Axel watched. Oh, what did I do to upset her!
09.50 Axel settles on the eggs, paddles beneath and watches around intently
09.55 Mistle returns, possibly with bark or nesting material, or just picked some up as she makes a pig's ear of getting to the cup, forcing Axel off, and away.
10.09 The sky to the south is getting brighter now. Mistle keeps herself busy by breaking up the nesting material which is close to beak, and calling gently, but more persistently now.
Getting brighter??
To be honest I'm not totally convinced where the wind it coming from. I am assuming the south, ie from the right, I think.
© RSPB - Loch Garten & WildlifeWindows
SheilaFE said: the south, ie from the right
Gosh! I'll try to remember that.
Thank you for the update, SHEILA. I running out of steam now, so... SYAL