LOCH GARTEN - May 2022

I love horseradish. Point taken.
Having committed mass genocide on the dandelions to the extent of my energy and back, I have now made myself a generous G&T and am settling down to the assigned task.

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!

Aww bless him! She was certainly gone a while, but then she had incubated for a long time.

Thank you CC for the ex excellent summary. I had some, but not all. I am sure the VC must appreciate it too!!

Thank you. I just remember the incredible updates that Birdie Num Num used to do, and I am so sad she got booted off here for no apparent reason and can't get back on. There will never be an overview and detail of observations like that again. :-(

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:

I'm out all day again but can report no fish so far

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