LOCH GARTEN - May 2022

so glad!!

11:20 in response to AXEL'S repeated food soliciting Mistle returns to the nest with a fish tail. After 3 minutes of her declining to release it he flies off while she continues to eat the tail on the nest rim.

11:27 having disposed of the tail she settles to resume incubation.

11:27 having disposed of the tail she settles to resume incubation.

Good morning.  Many thanks for the updates.  I take it there was a lack of fish yesterday, so it was good to see a decent sized delivery today..

Although it is difficult to see anything until day break it certainly looks as tho Mistle does all the overnight incubating so it's not surprising she started calling at 04.57.  Axel appeared quite quickly, Mistle took flight, and Axel incubated.

06.41  Mistle returned  They both called loudly as each other, but Axel didn't get up and she made no subtle attempts to get him to move.

06.45  Mistle flew

06.46  Mistle returned with a large stick.  Axel flew.  Axel incubated.

07.11  The clouds were dropping - only the three high hills on the skyline were visible

09.14  Raining heavily

10.55 Mistle began fish soliciting

10.56  Axel arrived with a decent sized headless fish.  Mistle thanked him, and talked to the fish before taking off with it.

11.19  Mistle returned with the tail end, but refused to let it go despite Axel's attempts to retrieve it, and his complaints.  

He began flossing which moved a few light light dead sticks.  He replaced one on the rim and looked on in astonishment as the light stick he carefully placed on the rim, fell over the edge and settled on the more stable sticks below.

The stick moved as he flossed, and he put it back on the rim

It rolled down the side and settled below

Oh!

Where did that go?

A little embarrassed he wandered to the cup, and then back to the upright stick and had a go at that.  It's nearly the only really rigid stick on that side!  LOL

11.22 Axel flew off.  Mistle finished the skinny tail end

11.26 the tail end disappears

and Mistle settles to incubate

12.08 She looks around, rain drops are seen

12.10  Axel lands on the far rim and Mistle calls loudly.  He ignores her, and tries to move a large stick which I'm pretty sure he didn't bring in with him.  It's got some awkward sticky sticks attached.  

Mistle continues to moan.  The clouds have lifts a bit and the hills can be seen again.  Axel stands, looks, moves a stick or two 

12.13  Axel flies off.

A day of sunshine and showers and #1 fish

Edits:

13.35 Axel returns, Mistle leaves immediately.  He incubates

13.39 Mistle returns with a stick.  She places it on the rim, moves it which then moves the loosely placed sticks.

13.41 She gets in a pickle when moving a stick on the right side, trips over Axel, who gets up and flies.  She incubates and complains.

14.05 She continues to complain (VERY) loudly, which is reciprocated in equal measure by Axel off cam to the right!!!

SheilaFE said:

10.56  Axel arrived with a decent sized headless fish.  Mistle thanked him, and talked to the fish before taking off with it.

I missed the 'thanking  him' business. Very unusual for her.

No more fish, so only one today so far but he's doing his share of incubating. She's yelling for fish or get off the eggs, or both, who knows

14.10 Mistle's calls rise and with that so she rises from the net and flies off

14.11 With gentle chirrups Axel flies down and immediately incubates.

14.15 Mistle returns and they have gentle exchanges.  Mistle starts to tidy up, moving sticks around the east rim, nattering all the while.  I wish I understood ospreyish!  She paddles around the back of the nest and comes across a misplaced large stick and puts it further back.  Then another stick, displacing another in the process.  Now on the north side, moving more sticks.

14.18 She takes flight, leaving Axel incubating.

14.21 Mistle returns with a boomerang.  That should stick into the body of the nest quite nicely.  Axel gets off the eggs

14.22 Axel flies off passed the old nest.  Mistle incubates.

15.24 Axel lands on the perch, and Mistle gives him a good telling off – go get fish.

Mistle calls, Axel ignores

15.26     Axel drops to the nest.  Another light shower in the air.  Mistle continue to yell, Axel takes in the scenery.

15.29 Mistle backs away from the cup and up and away.  Axel incubates.

15.37 Mistle returns.  They have an exchange!  Mistle moves the stick she brought in earlier, steps over Mistle to get to the rim, and steps on his feathers.  Axel stood his ground, but eventually gave in.  He stood up and she dives for the cup – still calling.

15.40 Axel departs.  Mistle keeps an eye on him, but he is out of our sight.

Thank you for the wonderful reporting thru the day, SHEILA - I've checked up to "just now" and - no fish still.

Must contribute something, so here was Mistle tripping or getting blow'd over with the long stick, and Axel "sheltered by" her wing:

Here, she'd just seen a Magpie (can't be sure and the snaps are unrecognisable as a bird, even) flying down off the dead tree-tip top left - it made her go cross-eyed:

What a lovely capture, Scylla!
OH is insisting on watching something I don't want to... how convenient!!
Just before 19.23Axel landed on top of the dead tree on the right. It is raining, and Mistle looks soaking wet. She was quiet to begin with, just broke out into sporadic calls.
19.30 Axel dived down in a swoop behind the nest, and disappeared. Although she is wet I think the rain has stopped.
20.04 Mistle was up and checking the eggs, getting her beak into the bedding, and got her feathers tied up with the upright spike, before she settled again.
20.14 Another shower.
That's me for today. There is still time for a fish. The wind has eased, just need the rain to stop to make life easier for fishing.